Carnarvon travel guide

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Carnarvon

Of many ports set up by settlers in the mid-1800s along the west coast, Carnarvon is one of the few survivors and has consolidated its early prosperity by making the most of the water that flows in great volume down the Gascoyne River. Most of the time the mighty riverbed is exposed as a wide ribbon of sand but the Gascoyne flows deep underground all year round and it is tapped by local fruit growers for irrigation. Consequently, Carnarvon appears as something of an oasis among the dry, scrubby plains to the north and south. Vast plantations of banana and mango trees are mingled with colourful bougainvillea, poinciana trees and tall palms. Other than a couple of plantations with tours and tropical cafés, Carnarvon has few tourist pretensions, but does make a useful base for exploring the rugged coastline to the north, including the Blowholes, and the impressive Kennedy Range, 200 km inland. A lot of Australians and backpackers come to Carnarvon for work, as attested by the many caravan parks.