We are now in the Gascoyne region on the Ningaloo Reef. This area comprises Exmouth - the gateway to the reef, Cape Range National Park - the north end of the reef, and Coral Bay - the south end of the reef.

On our previous travels we went to Exmouth and were extremely unimpressed. It was a small town with a pub, a café, and not one but two IGAs (???) - and very little else. At the time, to get into Cape Range National Park to see the reef one had to drive 50 kms from Exmouth to the gate of the park and see if there was a place available inside to camp. It was first in first served, and if you missed out on a place you would have to drive 50 kms back to Exmouth and try again the following day. Being the busy season, we didn't like our chances, so we gave up and moved on.

We went on to Coral Bay, and absolutely loved it. It was still on the Ningaloo Reef, but it was a very sweet little town with the most amazing beach I have ever seen anywhere.

Anyway, this time as it is off season we decided to give Exmouth and Cape Range National Park another chance.

It seems we weren't the only people unhappy with the system because since our last trip they had changed it. Now you had to book on line before arriving. The problem was - we had no wifi in Onslow, and there were seven or eight different camping areas and we had no idea which was better. You even had to book the site you wanted. We always preferred to go there and have a look around before deciding. But that was not allowed - you could not get into the park until you had booked on line. So we went to Exmouth, booked a single night at the campsite closest to the gate, and we would play it by ear from there.

Impressions of Exmouth - it has really gone up market over the last few years. It is much larger and more spread out, and most houses are very new and modern. There is even a new marina with artificial estuaries so people can park their yachts out the back. The town centre is not much bigger (and it still has two IGAs), but there are many shops, restaurants, industries etc spread all down the coast.

Impressions of Cape Range National Park - camping areas are small and very basic. The only facilities provided are one drop toilet per campsite - often containing up to twelve camping spots. No showers, no fresh water, no power. There are only three places for snorkelling, and none of them have campsites attached, so you have to drive around from one to the other. All within ten to fifteen kms, but far too far to walk.

The Oyster Stacks had three large rocks with oysters attached, and a small reef forming around them. There was not much coral, but some nice fish and I saw a colourful octopus. The problem was you had to climb over razor sharp rocks to get into the water, but quite nice once you got in.

Lakeside was the second site, but you had to walk a km up the beach to get there. Halfway up we met a couple who said they had been snorkelling there and it wasn't worth it. Turquoise Bay was much better.

So we moved on to Turquoise Bay. Beautiful sandy beach. A few corals off the beach in the bay, but not great. Around past the point was another beach which had the Drift Snorkel. You walked up one end of the beach and the current carried you down to the other. The problem was you had to get out at the right point or the current would carry you right out to sea. There were warnings everywhere - you must be a strong swimmer etc. George tried it first. It was very nice, but even he struggled. We went in a very short way together, me holding onto him, and got to see a little.

At the campsite we stopped at just up from the Oyster Stacks another couple staying there told us you could snorkel there as well. This one was not on the brochures. Once you got past the smooth but slippery rocks on the shore without twisting an ankle, it was actually quite lovely. The best snorkel we had the whole time.

Impressions of Coral Bay - still as beautiful as we remembered it. This is your ideal beach town - one street, two caravan parks, a backpackers (with a pub), and a motel (with a pub). Apart from this was a general store, a couple of cafés, and several tourism offices who arranged all the activities. The area was naturally very arid, but they had dug a bore, and with the bore water built an oasis in the desert. There were palms and various other trees, and grass that thrived on the warm and slightly salty bore water. The supply is virtually endless, so sprinklers are going all day - making the whole place green and fresh.

The beach itself had white sand, clear water of a brilliant turquoise colour, and corals and fish right off the shore. Here you could walk in off the fine white sand without having to navigate razor sharp or smooth and slippery rocks, or to contend with killer currents that could drag you out to sea. And the corals were just amazing - staghorn corals in various shades of blue and occasionally yellow or green, cabbage corals - some the size of a bus - with various coloured fish swimming between the leaves, schools of tiny iridescent rainbow coloured fish which swam in swarms around you.

And at the end of the day you could have a shower, go for a coffee, or go out for dinner.

We also did a boat tour where we got to swim with the manta rays and reef sharks, saw turtles and dolphins, and snorkelled even more on the outer reef. This place is pure magic.

GeorgeY's Bit

Exmouth has a checkered history of booms and busts. Exporting wool boom days gone, joint defence exercise with the US in the 90s gone. So last time we saw a poorly serviced town servicing a poorly managed Cape Range National Park. This time mining and quarrying by Rio Tinto, BHP/Exxon are pouring millions of dollars transforming the place. The bakery serves excellent coffee with a variety of choice comestibles to rival the best Lygon Street has to offer with free WiFi. Cape Range National Park provides a text book example of s*** management practice. Everybody complained of their Nazi style camp management, so they listened and made it online only. Seems fair? No, every step from here is a battle. The tourist centre building is neat, uniformed and uninformed. Staff do their best to help. Booking exclusively online is fair but the centre has no Wifi, no phone reception, and credit cards is the only accepted method of payment. So trying to sort out a camping spot is classified as an extreme sport. Not taking no for an answer, I spotted a phone booth (remember Superman) so who needs mobile reception? It spat out any coin that went in. I told the staff, who came to help and spend some time playing the phone slot machine, then gave up and left to their air-conditioned indoors. Finally I rang the fault number, listened to the automated menu and was connected to "Steve" from India who could not connect me, but has recorded the problem.

Met a Canadian couple who had failed the camp system, and were evicted from their spot. The retired gentleman was running camps in Canadian national parks and said their system allowed for more flexibility. How hard can this be?. Last time I checked there were better run refugee camps in Botswana. Tony Abbott should have appointed these geniuses to stop the boats.

Coral Bay is just gorgeous. We arrived at the caravan park and were thinking of staying a couple of nights, possibly three. Then we were told there was a deal - pay for 3 stay for 4. How good is that? Everybody is in awe of nature's beauty in the water and out. Local café offered free Wifi, but when submerged in nature's best, we did not need or use. Coral Bay is paradise for all budgets. Next time I would like to see Exmouth after the $billion makeover, then straight to Coral Bay for the dream holiday.