Visitor Information -- The Exmouth Visitor Centre, Murat Road, Exmouth, WA 6707 (tel. 1800/287 328 in Western Australia, or 08/9949 1176; www.exmouthwa.com.au), is open daily 9am to 4:30pm, 9am to 1pm on public holidays; it's closed Saturday and Sunday October through March and Good Friday, December 25 and 26, and January 1. The Milyering Visitors Centre, on the west coast, 52km (32 miles) from Exmouth, is the Cape Range and Ningaloo National Parks' information center (tel. 08/9949 2808), run by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC). It's open daily 9am to 3:45pm (closed Dec 25). You can also pick up information, including a hiking-trail map of the Cape Range park from DEC's office on Nimitz Street, Exmouth. Coastal Adventure Tours runs an information and booking center, and Internet cafe, in Coral Bay Shopping Arcade, Coral Bay, WA 6701 (tel. 08/9948 5190; www.coralbaytours.com.au).

Getting There

Both Skywest (tel. 1300/660 088 in Australia; www.skywest.com.au) and Qantas (tel. 13 13 13 in Australia; www.qantas.com.au) offer regular flights from Perth. A shuttle bus meets every flight and takes you to your Exmouth hotel for A$20 one-way. Reservations can be made with Exmouth Bus Charter (tel. 08/9949 4623; www.exmouthwa.com.au). Have cash on you; there's no ATM at the airport. Coral Bay Adventures (tel. 08/9942 5955; http://coralbayadventures.com) makes transfers, on demand, from the airport to Coral Bay, approximately 120km (74 miles) away, for A$80 adults, A$40 children under 13, one-way (minimum charge A$160).

Getting Around

Tour and dive operators pick up from either Exmouth or Coral Bay accommodations. The roads to Exmouth and Coral Bay are paved, as is much of the only road that runs from Exmouth along the west (Ningaloo) coast. Two-wheel drive is possible as far south as Yardie Creek, thereafter it's four-wheel drive. Avis (tel. 08/9949 2492), Europcar (tel. 08/9949 2940), Hertz (tel. 08/9949 4610), Budget (tel. 08/9949 1534), and local operator Allens Car Hire (tel. 08/9949 2403) have offices in Exmouth; there is no car rental in Coral Bay.

'Roos & Wedgies -- Driving between Shark Bay and Exmouth, you need to be aware not just of live kangaroos on the road (mostly between dusk and dawn), but also of the ones that didn't make it. You do not want to hit one of the carcasses, but you should also be aware of scavengers, mostly crows and wedge-tailed eagles. The crows are not a problem, but wedgies are large and ponderous when trying to get out of your way. Getting one of these in your windshield is not recommended, so slow down and beep your horn if you see a large bird on the road ahead.

Keep Exploring