10 Things to do in Carnarvon and Coral Bay

1- EAT THE REGION If you’re keen to taste this extraordinary region’s produce, then there’s a food festival designed just for that. The Gascoyne Food Festival is a three-day event celebrating everything from fresh seafood caught on the Coral Coast to juicy mangoes and perhaps the fruit Carnarvon’s best known for: bananas. It’s a surprisingly glitzy festival with some of WA’s best chefs making the journey north to rub shoulders with keen foodies sampling dishes made with ingredients from the region. The Long Table Lunch is a particular highlight and one to book early. Local restaurants and cafes pull out all the stops too during the festival, putting the region’s farming produce and artisan creations centre stage for all to try. Gascoyne Food Festival, August 9 to 11, various locations. Visit gascoynefoodfestival.com.au.

2- REACH FOR THE STARS Fifty years ago, the world held its breath as the Apollo 11 moon landing event unfolded. To celebrate this incredible achievement, the Carnarvon Space and Technology Museum is holding a cocktail party, marking the very special part the town played in this global event. Hosted by television and radio personality Greg Pearce, ex-trackers from other space stations around the world will be interviewed on stage and there will be entertainment provided by a local band. There will be the chance to stargaze too with the help of the staff at the Perth Observatory and tasty canapes will be on offer. Make sure you leave time too to explore the museum itself: it’s a fascinating - and award-winning - place to discover more about the space race story and WA’s part in that day 50 years ago. The Carnarvon Space and Technology Museum, 50th anniversary cocktail party, July 20 from 7pm. Call 08 9941 1146 or email frontdesk@carnarvonmuseum.org.au

4 - GIANTS OF THE DEEP Coral Bay is one of the few places on earth where it’s possible to swim with whale sharks and, more recently, with humpback whales. It’s hard to put into words what this experience feels like; people who have taken the plunge are variously moved to tears, unable to speak and just overwhelmed by the majesty of swimming up close and possible with these graceful underwater giants. There are a number of tour operators in Coral Bay who will take you to the most likely places where you will enjoy an encounter. There are strict rules in place about when, where and how people can interact with these creatures, but assuming your luck is in (and some tour operators experience a high 88 to 100% success rate for encounters), you too will be lost for words after you share a silent moment or two with some of the world’s biggest fish and mammals. If you’re not keen on diving, there are also snorkel-only activities over the reef, and of course you can watch the whales from the comfort of a tour boat too. Unmissable. The whale shark season begins in late March and the humpback whale season from July 1. Check with the visitor centre for more details (visitcarnarvon.com.au)

3- CARAVANNING CAN DO If you’re arriving in the region with a caravan in tow, then there are plenty of spots to choose from to pitch your vehicles. Thanks to Carnarvon’s proximity to some of the Coral Coast’s most iconic locations, it really does make the perfect base to stay for the duration of your vacation. It’s said that Carnarvon has the most caravan sites on the Coral Coast (nine at the last count) and if you don’t have a caravan, there’s a wide range of options to choose from including camping, luxury spa chalets, self-contained waterfront apartments, holiday homes as well as hotels. Pay a visit to the visitor centre and they’ll match you up with your ideal place to stay during your visit.

Mt Augustus in all its glory

@georgiarickard

5 - In a region that's full of surprises, it may be news to you that Mount Augusts in the Gascoyne hinterland is the world's largest rock. You'll find its looming, eternal presence in the Mount Augustus National Park, a lush outback paradise with swimming holes, ancient rock art and, at the right time of year (August and September), an explosion of colour thanks to the indigenous wildflowers that populate the landscape.

6- CATCH A CACTUS SELFIE You’ll have seen the incongruous sight of various Insta-famous bloggers posing in the midst of cacti while on holiday in Carnarvon and perhaps wondered what an earth was going on. There’s a cactus farm on the Fruit Loops (a collection of roads where many of the region’s plantations are) and thanks to the dramatic contrast of WA’s red dirt and those striking drought-friendly plants sprouting upwards like prickly green spires, the world’s Instagramers have flocked for a shot. So why not go the whole hog - grab a cowboy hat and channel your best Wild West attitude as you strike a pose too? While you’re driving in the area, drop in on some of the local plantation growers too - they often have produce to sell and sample. For directions, ask the friendly staff at the Carnarvon Visitor Centre.

7 - SPECTACULAR NATURE Travel 75km north of Carnarvon along a sealed road and you’ll find one of the region’s major drawcards: The Blowholes. Pack a picnic and bring snorkelling gear and get ready for an awe-inspiring sight. Powerful ocean swells force water up through sea caves and out of narrow holes in the rocks, expelling jets of water into the air, sometimes to a height of 20m. It’s really quite something, but a word of warning: make sure you check the surging tide, wind and swell which creates the large blow. Although the coast is serene it can be deadly with a dangerous swell that can turn into king waves, capable of crashing over the top of the rock ledge. Treat this coastline and respect and get ready for some unforgettable Insta moments.

Go swimming with whale sharks - an unforgettable opportunity.

8 - RANGE ROVERS If you fancy a change of scene from those stunning ocean-side spots that have rightly made the Coral Coast famous, there’s a delightful alternative to be found under the majestic river gums on the Wooramel River. Travel 120kms south of Carnarvon and you’ll find large shady sites, fire pits and warm showers to revive you after a long day of exploring. Wooramel River Retreat really is the stuff of dreams, the perfect place to reset, retreat and revive. There’s a bore bath which, if you get up early enough, can be all yours to watch the sunrise with a cup of campfire coffee in hand. There are other campsites too which more than tick the box when it comes to bigging up the bliss factor. Head to Red Bluff for total seclusion - and experience the kind of off-the-grid vacation which made Chris Hemsworth rave about the spot to his millions of social media followers. There’s Gnaraloo Station (high on an escarpment, overlooking the ocean) and Quobba Station (a working pastoral station with easy access to stunning beaches and land-based game fishing). Take your pick - you’ll find your own slice of paradise off the beaten track.

Go fishing at the Canar-Fin Fishing Competition in late May.

9 - CAST AWAY Bring a rod or join a fishing tour for some of the most memorable on-land or deep sea fishing you’ll ever experience. If you’re in Carnarvon for the Carnar- Fin Fishing Competition in late May, you’ll be able to test your fishing chops against competitors from all over the country, keen to land the prize-winning catch. Otherwise, head to Whistling Rock, one of Quobba’s most reliable spots on the coastline for landing spectacular fish. Expect Spanish mackerel, tuna and sail fish during winter or mulloway, tailor, dart, trevally, snapper and squid at other times of the year. If you’re in Coral Bay, join a fishing charter and see whether you’re more than a match for the big game fish of the ocean. During any given voyage you could land marlin, sailfish, wahoo, mackerel and mahi mahi as well as sea trout, cod and perch. If you’re the plus one of a fishing tragic, don’t despair. Bring a snorkel and fins and watch the reef fish dart around as you explore the waters around Coral Bay.

One Mile Jetty

10 - HISTORY IN THE MAKING One Mile Jetty is an essential component of Canarvon’s long history. The wooden jetty used to be the region’s lifeline to transporting goods to the rest of the state and beyond. Although sections of the jetty have now fallen into disrepair and it’s closed to visitors, there’s a brand new visitor centre that’s opened nearby in the Heritage Precinct. It provides a fascinating insight into the story of the jetty and how it was such a vital part of life for pastoralists and farmers in Carnarvon and the nearby plantations. With artwork created by Indigenous artist Antoinette Roe, a local Yinggarda woman, there are artefacts and installations collected from locals and displayed to underline what a significant part the jetty played in the story of the state as a whole. Don’t miss the section dedicated to HMAS Sydney and the HSK Kormoran. It’s a moving and beautifully presented re-telling of the story of one of Australia’s worst naval wartime disasters, when the battleship was sunk with all 645 hands off the Coral Coast on November 19, 1941. MQ