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Pinnochio Italian Restaurant

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Restaurant | "A good quality Italian restaurant!"

Our just friends Dinner Photo - Pinnochio Italian Restaurant, Exmouth, Western Australia

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After our adventures in Cape Range National Park, I took my friend out on a 'date' for some Italian food. There aren't really that many restaurants in Exmouth to choose from so we opted for this one, which we had seen while walking down Murat Road. We didn't need to book a table or anything because it was mid-week, however I would imagine it would get quite busy on a weekend. Anyway it had been a really hot day (as it is likely to be in Western Australia) so we opted to sit out in the patio area and enjoy the cool breeze coming off the sea.We were seated quickly and the waitress was very friendly. We were left for just the right amount of time to figure out what we wanted from the menu and...Read More

After our adventures in Cape Range National Park, I took my friend out on a 'date' for some Italian food. There aren't really that many restaurants in Exmouth to choose from so we opted for this one, which we had seen while walking down Murat Road. We didn't need to book a table or anything because it was mid-week, however I would imagine it would get quite busy on a weekend. Anyway it had been a really hot day (as it is likely to be in Western Australia) so we opted to sit out in the patio area and enjoy the cool breeze coming off the sea.

We were seated quickly and the waitress was very friendly. We were left for just the right amount of time to figure out what we wanted from the menu and ordered. I had an antipasto starter followed by a steak served with chips and an Italian relish. All of the food was beautifully presented and tasted amazing. The atmosphere was really relaxed and we enjoyed chilling out after a busy day sightseeing. We ordered a bottle of local wine and that was delicious, so if you visit do try the local tipple.

As the sun went down the patio area was lit by little twinkly lights and was getting a little bit too romantic for two single girls having a friends only dinner. Having said that it would be a fantastic place to take a date for dinner and just let the world glide by. We weren't really hungry after our first two courses, but we wanted to try the tasty looking desserts, so we shared a tiramisu. I cannot praise it enough, it was just the right balance of flavours and I commend the chef who made it. It rounded off our dinner perfectly, what's more we weren't shocked by the price of our food and I thought it was very reasonable for such fab food.

Since our visit I notice that the restaurant has in fact won an award for being Western Australia's favourite Italian restaurant! Given the size of WA that is quite an achievement, so what started as a random dinner in the first restaurant we could find turned it an amazing dinner, with fantastic service and a lovely chilled out atmosphere. Definitely give this place a go if you're in Exmouth! Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on May 4, 2012

Pinnochio Italian Restaurant
Murat Road
Exmouth, Western Australia 6707
08 9949 4905

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Cape Range National Park

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Attraction | "Canyons, Limestone Ranges & Pristine Beaches"

Yardie Creek Photo - Cape Range National Park,

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Just 40km from Exmouth on the northwest Cape is Cape Range National Park (imaginative name, I know). The park is massive covering over 50,000 hectares, so if you only have a few days in the area I would recommend heading over to Exmouth Visitor Centre and checking out the tours that they have on offer. We organised a day tour that included all sorts of fun and games in and around the National Park and it only cost AU$40. The tour was a compromise between myself and and my travelling companion because it was the way we could see an equal amount of terrestrial wildlife, to offset the inordinate amount of marine wildlife we had already experienced. I have to say as a none land-based wildlife expert I was...Read More

Just 40km from Exmouth on the northwest Cape is Cape Range National Park (imaginative name, I know). The park is massive covering over 50,000 hectares, so if you only have a few days in the area I would recommend heading over to Exmouth Visitor Centre and checking out the tours that they have on offer. We organised a day tour that included all sorts of fun and games in and around the National Park and it only cost AU$40. The tour was a compromise between myself and and my travelling companion because it was the way we could see an equal amount of terrestrial wildlife, to offset the inordinate amount of marine wildlife we had already experienced. I have to say as a none land-based wildlife expert I was mightily impressed by the national park, we saw loads of different animals and although I can't claim to be able to name them all I do know we saw emus, red kangaroos and tiny weeny marsupials, black footed rock wallabies (see the pictures).

Our day started in Exmouth and we drove in a pretty cool bus all the to the park where we headed up to Mandu Mandu Gorge, which was a spectacular way to see the day begin. The cliffs are all made of limestone and the area is more or less a desert, however, the plant life is as spectacular as the animal life. We were told by our guide about how the area had been an isolated island when sea levels were higher, this has meant that many species are unique to the National Park. To be honest the various types of plant didn't mean a lot to me, but they were all pretty and it was interesting to find out about the natural history of the area. Our guide was very knowledgable and he did tell us a whole load of other information, which I have since forgotten, but it was all memorable.

From here we headed to Milyering Visitor Centre, which was full of interpretive display and AV facilities that has a whole load of information about the park. I would recommend going here first if you want to explore the national park by yourself, because it will give you all of the background knowledge you need to figure out where you want to explore. The staff are also incredibly friendly and are more than happy to recommend treks and trails for you to follow in and around the gorges.

After some lunch sat in the sunshine we drove out to Yardie Creek, which is at the end of the sealed road that goes from Exmouth through the National Park (so you can find it very easily). The creek runs through a spectacular gorge, which has walls of multi-coloured rocks. The creek is the only gorge in the national park that has permanent water, so we took a boat tour into the depths of the gorge to find the adorable black-footed rock wallabies. There are also a whole host of bird species within the gorge and we went past the mangrove swamps, with all of their secretive marine beasties, which we didn't see a dot of. If you don't want to do the boat tour you can do an easy walk that follows a trail along the northern wall.

I was really impressed with the parts of the National Park that I saw, although obviously I only saw a teeny tiny part of it's vastness. I think if you are in and around Exmouth and you don't fancy going into the ocean to swim with beasties you can match the majesty in this National Park. Hikers and explorers alike will love this amazing place and I really can't recommend it enough.

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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on May 4, 2012

Cape Range National Park
Western Side Of NW Cape Peninsula
Exmouth, Western Australia

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Kings Ningaloo Reef Tours

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Attraction | "Swim with the giants of Ningaloo Reef!"

The first whale shark I swam with! Photo - Kings Ningaloo Reef Tours, Exmouth, Western Australia

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Right I am going to begin this review with an apology, I am apologising for what will follow, which will be a huge and gushing account of the time when I met the largest fish in the ocean, the whale shark and how AWESOME it was. So I apologise to those people that dislike reading gushing accounts, but it was still a really awesome thing that I was able to do.So our main reason for visiting Exmouth was so that we could swim with whale sharks. Not many non-marine biology people that I have met seem to know what whale sharks are, so I will give you a brief explanation: whale sharks are the largest fish in the ocean (note I said fish, not mammal), unlike many of the other very big sharks the w...Read More

Right I am going to begin this review with an apology, I am apologising for what will follow, which will be a huge and gushing account of the time when I met the largest fish in the ocean, the whale shark and how AWESOME it was. So I apologise to those people that dislike reading gushing accounts, but it was still a really awesome thing that I was able to do.

So our main reason for visiting Exmouth was so that we could swim with whale sharks. Not many non-marine biology people that I have met seem to know what whale sharks are, so I will give you a brief explanation: whale sharks are the largest fish in the ocean (note I said fish, not mammal), unlike many of the other very big sharks the whale shark is a vegetarian, it is a filter feeder, a bit like the basking sharks we sometimes get around the U.K. The whale shark is very larger, the average size of an adult male is around 9.7 metres and they can weigh 9 tonnes. They are also classified as vulnerable by the IUCN, they are vulnerable for many reasons, shark finning being one of them, but they are mainly vulnerable because they live for a long time (about 70 years) and so take ages to get to an age where they can reproduce and so don't cope with too much pressure from humans. Unfortunately not a lot is known about these magnificent beasts, because they only appear at certain times of the year, in certain places to feed. Unlike whales and other marine mammals, these guys don't need to breathe air and so don't surface regularly. When they dive that's it they disappear and we lose them. So being able to swim with them is quite an honour and we were eager to do it with a company that is well known and respected for their treatment of these animals.

After a bit of searching online prior to our visit to Exmouth we came across this company called Kings, which states very clearly on their website that they have 25 years of experience in the area. This was important to us, as it isn't like the whale sharks let you know where they are going to be, so we wanted to be with a crew that successfully found the sharks year on year, tour on tour. The company were not the cheapest, but then I wasn't looking for cheap, costing nearly AU$400 each to do the tour. However, they did offer a fantastic package, which included pick up from our hotel, gourmet lunch, a snorkel guide, on-board marine biologists, all the equipment we would need, a couple of snorkel sessions on Ningaloo Reef itself, spotter planes in the sky and most importantly the opportunity to come back another day for free if they didn't find any whale sharks. Well I was sold, so we went ahead and booked our tour via the internet here in the U.K. and were all set to go.

On arrival in Exmouth we were pleased to find out that our hotel had received a phone call from King's to confirm we were there, which was great. On the morning of our tour we were picked up promptly at 7.30am and our days adventures began. The whole thing was amazing and it really was one of those things that you have to do yourself to know why I gush so much about it. The majesty of these creatures and the elegance of their movement underwater. They were so disinterested in us it was laughable, they just continued on their merry way feeding on plankton. What I was mostly impressed about with regards to Kings is how much information they gave the tour group, there were approximately 20 of us and we were only allowed into the water in groups of no more than 7, so as not to crowd the whale sharks. Everyone was given a fair amount of time in the water and each group had their own specialist who shared anecdotes and information about the sharks. We were given plenty of time in the water and the health and safety briefing prior to entering the water was comprehensive, the thing I liked most was the fact that the shark's safety was paramount, so we would have been taken out of the water had we not followed the instructions we were given.

The boat we went out on was modern, clean and comfortable, with plenty of shade to sit in. There were unlimited drinks and snacks as well as a gorgeous lunch provided for us, with loads of fruit and veg that had been freshly prepared. The captain was on hand to give us bits and pieces of information and even when there weren't any whale sharks he was on the look out for other wildlife that might interest us. This was why we were also fortunate enough to witness Minke whales breaching in the distance, something that is very rare for this shy species of whale. Finally the thing I liked most about this tour and the company was that rather than just exploiting the whale sharks to make money, they we educating us and feeding into a research program. We were given some leaflets about uploading the pictures we had taken to an identification website, which I did when I got home and because of this I now get an e-mail everytime the sharks that I swam with come back to Ningaloo Reef, which is pretty cool.

All in all a very professional tour company, that seems to have the right ethics for me. The price may seem steep on first glance, but to me the experience I had was priceless! Read Less

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on May 1, 2012

Kings Ningaloo Reef Tours
1112 Murat Road
Exmouth, Western Australia 6707
08 9949 1764

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Turquoise Bay/Ningaloo Reef

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Attraction | "THE most amazing drift snorkel I have ever done!"

reef shark number 1 Photo - Turquoise Bay/Ningaloo Reef, Exmouth, Western Australia

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We came to Exmouth for one reason and that reason was the marine life. We had both heard loads about how diverse the area was and what amazing dives we could do once we got there. However, there was one thing we were wanting to do more than anything else and that was swim with Whale Sharks. Alas we had to wait a few days after arriving in Exmouth to do this and so we had to do something to amuse ourselves. Luckily for us it isn't difficult to amuse yourself in Exmouth as long as you don't mind getting a bit wet and enjoying the sunshine. I thought I would introduce my friend slowly to the marine world, as she had never snorkelled before let alone done any diving. To do this we headed to Tu...Read More

We came to Exmouth for one reason and that reason was the marine life. We had both heard loads about how diverse the area was and what amazing dives we could do once we got there. However, there was one thing we were wanting to do more than anything else and that was swim with Whale Sharks. Alas we had to wait a few days after arriving in Exmouth to do this and so we had to do something to amuse ourselves. Luckily for us it isn't difficult to amuse yourself in Exmouth as long as you don't mind getting a bit wet and enjoying the sunshine.

I thought I would introduce my friend slowly to the marine world, as she had never snorkelled before let alone done any diving. To do this we headed to Turquoise Bay, which is about 60km south of Exmouth itself, and well worth the drive. If you're not driving while you're staying in Western Australia, then head to Exmouth's Tourist Information office, as there are often tours heading to Turquoise Bay and if none of those take your fancy, you might meet a group of people who want to share a lift with you.

We wanted to do the drift snorkel at the bay, so called because you don't even have to swim, the current just drifts you along over the top of the reefs. We were told that the safest time to do this was at low tide, so we got the tide times and planned our visit accordingly. We hired some snorkel equipment from a dive centre in Exmouth itself and took it with us, however you can find a few places within the Cape Range National Park that will hire to you. If you have never done any snorkelling before and are a bit nervous about what really should be described as shark infested waters (infested in a good way, I want to see reef sharks and the like) then perhaps you should visit one of the dive shops and see if they will take you on a guided snorkel. I was very gun-ho about the whole thing, however and knew the risks, so we decided to do the snorkel on our own. I should point out right now, that I am actually a marine biologist and have had a little experience swimming around coral reefs. I would say though that there was nothing about this drift snorkel that I found difficult and as one of the rangers said to us when we asked about the larger and potentially more dangerous tiger shark 'Yeah sure there are tiger sharks, but they're pretty well fed and will always go for a turtle before a person'. I will also point out that at no point did I see a tiger shark and I was also quite close to shore, so was not worried at all.

Anyway back to Turquoise Bay, it's so called because the waters are turquoise and crystal clear. You access the drift snorkel from the handily called drift carpark on the left as you arrive. From here you enter the water and swim out to the reef, where you will feel the current take you. All that is left to do is lie down and watch the beauty of the reef drift past you. We saw all sorts of different corals, loads of reef rish and two reef sharks on our first trip down. The only thing to remember when you get to the end is to swim straight out as the current can get quite strong at the end due to a break in the reef further down. Because of this it is recommended that you have a reasonably good level of swimming ability before trying this snorkel, definitly not for small children, or weak swimmers. We enjoyed our snorkel so much we did it 4 more times, before drying off and heading back to Exmouth for some grub....snorkelling always makes me very hungry!

That's about all there is to know about snorkelling at Turquoise Bay, check out my photos and have a go if you're ever in Western Australia! Read Less

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on May 1, 2012

Turquoise Bay/Ningaloo Reef

Exmouth, Western Australia

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Potshot Hotel Resort

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Hotel | "A tin room? Who'd have thought it?"

our wee tin shack for the week! Photo - Potshot Hotel Resort, Exmouth, Western Australia

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Travelling around Western Australia really gives you perspective in terms of the scale of Australia. There are no two ways about it, it's massive. You can drive all day and not see another car at all. What's more there are hundreds of miles between so-called towns, which in my mind are more like villages, but hey ho what do I know? Anyway by the time we had travelled via bus north from Perth to Exmouth we were more or less used to this grand scale. We were pleased to arrive in a slightly larger town than some of the others we had found, because this would be our base for the week. I was also just a little bit excited because in a matter of a few days I would be swimming with whale sharks, the biggest ...Read More

Travelling around Western Australia really gives you perspective in terms of the scale of Australia. There are no two ways about it, it's massive. You can drive all day and not see another car at all. What's more there are hundreds of miles between so-called towns, which in my mind are more like villages, but hey ho what do I know? Anyway by the time we had travelled via bus north from Perth to Exmouth we were more or less used to this grand scale. We were pleased to arrive in a slightly larger town than some of the others we had found, because this would be our base for the week. I was also just a little bit excited because in a matter of a few days I would be swimming with whale sharks, the biggest fish in the world!

We arrived by the tri-weekly greyhound bus, which arrived on the main street of Exmouth at around 5am. The only place to go in Exmouth at 5am is the petrol station, which seems to be 24hr and so it was there that we sat until the receptions of Potshot Resort opened at 7am. Now I'm not being funny, but these Greyhound Buses arrive in Exmouth at the same time everytime they arrive, so surely some canny business man could have created a dinner for us to sit in or even just a bus station that had seats, but they hadn't when we arrived in 2008, so we suffered the petrol station and then headed over to Potshot Resort. By this time I was pretty cranky, so perhaps I wasn't really being as sensibly minded as I should have been. Either way though I was surprised to be told that we would have to wait until at least 10am for our room. This meant that we had to hang around for 3 more hours, having had a very disturbed nights sleep on the bus. Luckily for us the receptionist seemed to take pity on us and let us sit by the pool with a drink, which was no bad thing, because we were now in the tropics and so it was sunny and warm.

Sure enough by 10am we had a room ready for us and we were thankfully looking forward to our beds. Now the resort has 3 levels of accomodation, deluxe or luxury, standard hotel and backpacker. Being two students we were in the backpacker accomodation, which set us back just AUS$70 a night for the room. We weren't expecting much, because it was backpacker accomodation, but what we got was essentially a corrugated tin room, with a bunk bed, air conditioning, a tv, a fridge and an en-suite bathroom. All looked clean enough when we arrived, the bedding was clean and freshly made, the bathroom was basic but again clean, no mould or leftover toiletries from previous guests and the floor wasn't dusty. The only downside was, well, the heat. The sun had well and truly risen by this point and the metal that formed our walls had conducted the ferocious heat well into our room. The only choice that we had was to put the air conditioning on and try and get some sleep. I thought I had drawn the short straw by getting the bottom bunk, which was away from the air conditioning unit, however my friend woke up shivering because of said air conditioning unit, so I suppose it's a matter of opinion who was better off.

Anyway we were quite pleased to have had some sleep and to find that the hotel itself was quite quite, despite being a rather large resort. We decided that as a 'treat' we would eat in the onsite restaurant rather than cook for ourselves in the more than adequate kitchen that is available for hostel guests. The restaurant was really good and not too expensive, which was a good job really as there aren't really that many other places that you can eat nearby. We finished our first night off with a glass of wine and a quiet evening looking at the stars in the outdoor bar. I could tell even then that Exmouth was a pretty magical place and we were going to have a lot of fun here (but more about that later).

We stayed here for a week and were very impressed with the facilities on offer and the price that we paid for them. if you visit Exmouth on a budget (in other words you're backpacking), then there aren't really many other options for you to choose from. However, you will be happy to hear that Potshot Resort is clean, comfortable and conveniently located for everything you want to do in Exmouth!

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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on May 1, 2012

Potshot Hotel Resort
1 Murat Road
Exmouth, Western Australia 6707
(08)9949 1200

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