The Conference
The conference presentations and various activities will be held in and around the Shire Hall, which is situated close to the local shopping centre and water playground. Most accommodation and dining options are within easy walking distance, and the nearest beach is only a twenty-minute walk away. Your conference registration will include lunches, the welcome BBQ and Cavers' Dinner, and the conference field trip.
Getting There
The Shire of Exmouth is situated 1,270 kilometres north of Perth, near the tip of the North West Cape in Western Australia.
Flying: Qantas operates twice daily Monday to Friday from Perth to Learmonth (Exmouth) Airport and once a day on Saturday and Sunday - www.qantas.com or 13 13 13. Learmonth Airport is located 36 km from Exmouth; Exmouth Bus Charters meet every flight and can drop you off at your accommodation in Exmouth.
Bus: Integrity Coachlines operate three times a week from Perth to Exmouth, departing Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday and arriving the following day. Return buses depart Exmouth on Friday, Sunday and Monday and arrive in Perth the following day. See www.integritycoachlines.com.au
Driving: If you are travelling along the North West Coastal Highway the turnoff to Exmouth is clearly marked and it is easy to find your way around once there.
Eating Out
There are a number of restaurants and takeaways in town as well as the Potshot Hotel, all within easy walking distance.
Services
There are two local supermarkets, a bakery, dive shops and hardware store, service stations, a hospital, and the Royal Flying Doctor available for emergencies.
Things to Do
Exmouth is one of the few areas in Australia that can boast the Range to Reef experience.
The Cape Range National Park, with its spectacular gorges, is nestled on the west coast of the Cape and provides a large variety of camp sites on the coastal fringe of the park. You can hike through walk trails and gorges offering some of the best views in the west, or indulge in relaxing at pristine sandy beaches with crystal clear turquoise waters. Visit the top of the Range to see the sun rise and set over the beautiful beaches that encompass the North West Cape.
The world-heritage listed Ningaloo Marine Park extends 260 kilometres along the west coast of the Cape and provides one of the world's best reef experiences. Accessible directly from the shore, the Ningaloo Reef boasts an abundance of beautiful corals and amazing marine life. Explore the reef by snorkelling, diving or swimming amongst unique and colourful fish, ancient and vibrant corals, inquisitive dolphins, dugongs, turtles and manta rays. Visit at the right time of year and swim alongside the majestic whalesharks as they migrate past the coast.
Karst at Cape Range
The caves are mostly formed in the Tulki limestone and are most often vertical entry formed via solution. They can be very warm and humid and vary from small to large passages with pockets of beautiful formation. Most cavers wear light overalls or t-shirts and board shorts. There will be the option to visit some smaller walk-in and “crawl-in” caves close to town during the conference, as well as on the conference field day. Vertical SRT skills will be required for some of the more challenging caves which will be visited on pre- and post-conference trips, which will include the possibility of finding new caves! More info under the Caving Menu item under About
