Gems

Hello,

Does anyone know anything about Carnarvon.

Its on the coast near to Monkey Mia/Shark Bay. I have found out that its a small town that grows Banannas!! Has 1 mile pier etc. But not much on what the town is like.


Thought some of you may have stopped through it on Holiday to the Monkey Mia and futher on to the reef near Exmouth.

I want to know if the town is ok, not bothered about it being small and rural. More its clean and safe.
What are the beaches like for kids?
Does it get busy in the summer e.g tourists passing through?

This is were we will be working!! We dont like city living so prepared that it is small and remote. (Have lived in an area without shops or public transport before so should be ok. This town has more than that!)

Eek its getting more real!! aaggh.......................................

Gems

k76

Stopped there once on the way to Monkey Mia. 4 - 5 years ago, but I remember that my impression of the place was good. If you've got work there and don't mind being a bit remote I think you can do worse! Someone can sure give you a more accurate impression.

renth

Total dump, sorry, lots of bogans and aboriginies. I worked there at the BP truckstop for a while, I almost ended up topping myself.

Best thing about it is the road out.

Are you really going to be working there?

It's even worse than Geraldton, and that's saying something.

worzel

Carnarvon is it is in the news at the moment. A Japanese tourist is missing presumed dead when they got too close to a blow hole (hole in the rocks where the sea shoots out of) and got swept out to sea. The only other time I heard of it was when banana growers were cashing in with the Queensland crop was wiped out by a cyclone last year.

renth

If someone were to tell me I had to choose to either take my family and live there for 2 years or have my right hand cut off, I'd say "take the hand".

Every year we drive through it on our way up to and back from Exmouth, it always depresses me.

Gems

Hello,

Well I suppose it might not be too all tastes!

I have been in touch with someone else who is working out in Carnarvon with kids and they like it! Quiet yes, but they think its ok and good access to the coast.

Doesnt look a dump on the pictures Ive seen. If its such a dump why would they have camp site and hotels for tourists?? Surely nobody would stay if it was as bad as you say.

Also you say Geraldton is awful, Ive heard the opposite thats its nice! Hmmm...

We dont want to be in Perth City, so maybe our tastes are different Renth. However thanks for the honest input. I want the good and the bad!

Gems

renth

Just don't have high expectations of the place, if you can tough it out for 2 years you can then move somewhere nice.

I wish you All the best Gems.

renth

We had a poster here who only lasted a few months in Gero before returning to the UK. Couldn't take being robbed, virtually every day.

Gems

Thanks Renth.

Not expecting it to be perfect. But its a foot in the door of Australia! We reckon we can go rural for a bit.

Its seams a better option being at the coast, so we can get to the reef, monkey mia etc. Some of the jobs were very inland, so prefered a coastal town.

Fingers crossed its ok! I looked it up on
http://www.carnarvon.org.au/visitcarnarvon.asp


Gems
PS, its got an airport with flights to Perth, If we get stir crazy!!

keel

Hello Gems

I've not lived in Carnarvon but I've stopped over there a couple of times (The last time about 6 weeks ago, crashed my works ute into a locals car, my fault and she wasn't happy).

It is remote, about 10 hrs drive from Perth. It has everything you'll need and seems to be pleasant enough.

It has a large aboriginal population and I gather this causes a lot of problems. I've got a friend from there and I gather it's a "them and us" town.

But I've another friend (a pom) who loves the aboriginals. It pays his mortgage driving them from the police station to the courts.

But as I say I've not had any trouble when I've been there.

Keel

Gems

Thanks for the recent update Keel.

10hrs. Ooh long drive!! Luckily we are used to driving long distance! Eg have driven from Northumberland and right through Europe as far as Romanian capital! Good job my map reading skills are good!

Gems

mark213

At least it has cellphone coverage with VF - one of the few places within a 5 hour drive you can connect to the outside world!

keel

No worries on the map reading over here.

Head North out of Perth for an hour, turn left for the Geraldton road, 4 hours later pass through Geraldton. About another 4 to 5 hours you hit the next town Carnarvon. Hard to get lost nowt in between them.

What were you doing in Northumberland?

Keel