drive through the night as its cooler

you will use a tank of fuel a day being a first trip, lots of exploring.

plenty of spots to stay. lighthouse caravan park is good

a jerry for your car is good idea but theres enough servos along the way

middle of year is the better time weather wise

for 10 days i reckon you would be lookin at $2500-$3000 minimum unless you want to do it really tight!

oh and leave the missus at camp and hit the animal bar friday nights!!

Yeah i was thinking it would be around the 3k mark, il search up the lighthouse caravan park now. I heard bookings are in quite high demand up there might have to book soon

First, unless you are stopping at Yardie creek caravan park where you are away from a bowser you won't need the jerry can.

Pretty sure the wind drops off on the western side mid March but you can still fish the gulf in the afternoons when it drops out. April on through till the start of September are nearly wind free. All the caravan parks cater for tents/ powered sites and if you want to book a house one of our site sponsors is available for bookings,  www.ourexmouthhouse.com.au

Check/ replace your trailer wheel bearings.

Cannot help you on the dollars per day side because everyones needs are diferent but wouldn't expect more than $100 including boat fuel.

One money saving trick is to cart what meat you would expect to eat up with you as it can be quite expensive compared to Perth prices.

Take your alcoholic beverages up with you as the price of booze hurts, especially if you prefer the imported/premium beers. (just going by MY experience)  Blue water tackle pricing is not too bad for emergency re stocks if you get desperate.

Accommodation is plentiful we have always rented a fully self contained house like what our sponsors offer. they are great and have plenty of space for a boat

HTH

Ben

Pack plenty of groceries. Fresh produce is expensive up there compared to Perth prices as carnarvonite mentioned.

If you cart fuel up there you just compromise your fuel economy.

I've stayed at the light house caravan park in the past. It was conveniently located between both ramps (Bundegi & Tantas). But I've also rented a house too, which offers added luxuries.

Looks like you've got your fishing gear covered. It all depends what you want to target. On both occasions I've gone up there for a relaxing fishing trip, so did plenty of exploring & caught a large variety of fish.

You'll have a ball. Be sure to book accommodation well in advance & book in the autumn/winter months. And ensure those trailer bearings are in good condition.

I've also done the drive up at night & day. Prefer night (less road trains, not as hot etc). It's a long drive so load up plenty of music.

I would be damn careful after carnarvon driving at night. Roos everywhere and also up to and past the Coral bay turnoff you might be in for a rude shock and then possibly very fresh chops as there is heaps of stray sheep etc.

The local fuel is more expensive (to be expected) but is cheaper than all the roadhouses up this way. Food I would agree bring as much of your own as you can.

We always go to Exxy for Xmas and New Year, but save up for a little luxury, because it was 48degrees C last year on the 2nd Jan, and just ask Mullows how tough camping in 48C could be. A little used to the heat but you could also strike a big Willy Willy that will blow everything camping wise away, so probably best to avoid the cyclone season.

Both Bluewater and the little tackle shop in the shopping centre offer good advice, but the guys at the little shop seem more friendly and help more IMO.

Check and replace bearings as mentioned. Check the trailer +++. Expensive if anything fails up here. Tie the boat down with straps which I dont for short trips, but long ones for sure. Fold everything down that you can. Biminis etc will blow off and also increase drag and effect economy. Make sure your engine has a rest bar, or put a block off wood there so the engine has a rest. You should do this anyway.

And take squid jigs. Plenty even from Learmonth jetty at high tide.

Neels

but I prefer to travel during the daylight hours.  I'd rather not be dodging roos and black cattle when fully loaded up with the boat in tow.  We find it less stressful by do it over two days staying at the Overlander (basic but OK).  Especially so on the way back as you are generally knackered.

Check out the Exmouth Visitor Centres website,  some good info on it, especially accommodation

might as well head up for when the fishwrecked comp is on sha! You'll be able to get plenty of good advice from everyone then :)

Leaving Perth 2amish and driving through is ok, you get into Exmouth before the local cattle/roos/emu really are a pain and the road is pretty decent at this end.

Depends where you are coming fromI suppose but the new Cervantes road cuts half an hour off the time it takes to get to Gero and no road trains to worry about.

Done the trip over 20 times and the most important thing to worry about is your boat trailer.  As said do your bearings. Pays to learn how to do them yourself because help could take ages and also could be extremely expensive. No point spending half your trip waiting for help and then waiting for it to get repaired.

I carry a spare hub and tyre with bearings already in it and all necessary tools for the job. Won't cost you a lot to set up and it makes life easy if you get into trouble. Pays to have two spare tyres as well. Blowing tyres and doing bearings is part of the trip.

I don't bother taking alcohol or food it just adds to your total weight and by the time you have got all your fishing gear camping gear etc packed it soon adds up. Too much weight and you'll start using heaps more fuel. Things are a little more expensive in Exy but not that bad.

I actually prefer the night drive. Out of my experiences, I've encountered more wildlife at dawn & dusk, so avoiding these timeframes helps. Plus, the first time we travelled up (daytime), we hit a roo. Bad luck I guess.

Others prefer day... each to their own I guess.

As long as you have got a reasonable set of spotties and drop 10kph off your speed from Overlander north you shouldn't have any worries.

Road train are no problem as long as you are patient with them as they are travelling from Gero through to Binnu over the hills but once on the flat they average around 90+kph. 

Okay thanks everyone, massive help from all of ya. Paul G has offered me to call him and he will give me a run down aswell so thanks heaps Paul. Unfortunately ive been so busy this arvo and now im off to work so i will def call on the weekend. Cheers Sha

all good info there. if you were looking at taking a dip with the mask and snorkle, have a look at oyster stacks and torquise bay.if you have time on the way up or on your way back stop in at coral bay for a swim with the big spanglies , they can be very friendly . plenty of other species to see as well with heaps of coral just off the beach

we go up every year in late Jan/Feb and there is no fn way I would camp in summer. Call me soft, but when you can get a fully airconned place for under $300 each for the week I cannot see why you would even think about camping. Later in the year it would be nice enough.

We always drive it straight through on the way up, leave NOR and out through joondy at about 4 and are always at the potshot for a steak and beer by 7. that is with 3 people and rotating the driving but only stopping really for fuel. I buy all my food etc up there, yes it is a bit more expensive but I am happy to pay a little more as it keeps the local guys in business and having them there is all part of the appeal for me.

Steve at the camping shop is a legend and always good for advice, just make sure you buy at least some bait from him. Bluewater is very hit and miss as far as advice goes, really depends who you get. I also would not go for under 2 weeks as there are just too many options once you get there and the weather can be hit and miss at any time.

My last piece of advice is pick a couple of things you really want to do and try and achieve them, I reckon Exmouth is the hardest place to actually fish up north because it has so many influences(gulf, wind, tide, current) and also many distractions, so it is easy to go off track and end up catching not much.

Happy to run through anything else just drop us a PM. I am in no way an expert on the place, but have had many really enjoyable holidays and will be up for all Feb next year again.

Be wary of tantus if you're dropping in or retrieving on a lower tide. I've got a d40 navara also and needed Simon C to drag my sorry arse out after slipping off the metal tracks. Long way from help and the navaras just don't have enough in them to get you and the boat out sometimes.

gotta agree with you Simon. Steve is a top bloke and willing to help you out all the time. as far as blue water goes , it depends on who is working as to weather you get info or not

Some great info here as I am heading to exmouth on the 8th dec just for a week, going to be roughing it but after being in broome for a while the heat shouldnt worry me too much. Taking the tinny so hopefully weather is ok but have heard it can be windy this time of year.

Last night I wrote a big reply then lost it when I hit the post button.

We drive up at night usually, never come close to hitting anything. Leave Perth around 4pm, have a camp at Minilya around 2am then you can roll into Exxy at around 8 or 9am. This leaves you plenty of time to set up and it gives you an extra day on your holiday rather than wasting a full daylight period driving. When travelling at night just take it easy and keep an eye out but it's far nicer during the cool hours, both on you, the car and your economy.

I never take any food or booze up, compared to the whole cost of your trip the price difference is small change. You can plan meals and bring food up but I guarantee plans will change and you'll have extra food you wil have to throw away or take home. Just eat fresh fish and buy some salad and veges each day.

We stay at Ningaloo Holiday Resort in town, I'd rather have the shop, servo, pub nearby and tow my boat to Tantabiddi or Bundegi each time. Last year the Lighthouse C/P ran out of fuel so everyone out there needed to come into town anyway. If you really want to do the cheap camp in the national park but there's no power so it's not for everyone.

Make sure you give the trailer a good going over, go to Martin's Trailer Parts and get a spare free wheeling hub for your trailer. This means if you get a bearing blow out you can take the whole hub off and replace, so also carry a decent tool kit, jack and a decent block of wood for roadside repairs as well. Check car and trailer type pressures too. As for jerry cans, if your car can get 480km to a tank towing you can refuel at Gero then Carnarvon and miss the expensive stops at Overlander and Billabong. If you plan on doing long range trips in the boat it's worth taking a jerry just in case.

Have a good time, it's a awesome place.

All this talk about Exxy is making me want to get back up there quick smart.

me too =(

first time for me next aprill im excited :P

Yeah its really exciting slowly compiling gear and the thought of fishing such a quality place. After having a good chat with Leah on the way from her work I think we will end up spending that bit extra for an aircon place. Afterall its a holiday and wouldn't like to come back a dried prune. Best thing about this site you all give great info, learning so much from you all:) helps a lot as my old man isn't much of a traveller

haha tell me about i cant stop buyin lures and plastics n all the endless crap needed

Buy some of your more used items in Perth, but otherwise things aren't too bad up here price wise.  Booze prices are more than reasonable, less weight and stress on your towing vehicle and it will only really cost you the money you save in fuel plus a few scraps.  Local business can certainly use the support as well.

I'll put some pics up soon to get the excitement going. :)

Ive actually found local businesses to be pretty good. I had a spring collapse on my boat trailer. Parts cost me same as they would of in Perth (and less than Hedland)

Oh one other good tip.

Make sure you take a detour to JC & DH Morel Plantation, its lot 37 Robinson Road, Carnarvon, just a little way down from the turnoff that bypasses Carnarvon. Its on the South side of the Street.

They do a fantastic Black Sapote fruit icecream, the chocolate dipped one is even better. I've had one in the freezer since the last fishwrecked comp and I knocked it off today with the hot weather and all.

They also have a great range of interesting fruit and vege, worth a stop on the way up and the way down.

 with the missus between chrissy and new years then up again early jan with mates...hope theres no flooding or cyclone before i get up there that keeps me out! ...dont really mind if it all floods out and keep me stranded up there tho - i can think of many worse places to be stuck haha