Visiting national parks and reserves during the total solar eclipse
Are you planning to visit Cape Range National Park and Jurabi Coastal Park between 17-23 April 2023? Discover more about controlled access to parks, local resident passes and camping during the total solar eclipse period.
Visitor information
In anticipation of greater than usual visitor numbers to Exmouth during the total solar eclipse event period, entry into Cape Range National Park and Jurabi Coastal Park will be managed differently, to help facilitate a positive visitor experience, reduce vehicle congestion, ensure emergency responders can access areas and minimise environmental damage.
Controlled access will be in place for Cape Range National Park and Jurabi Coastal Park between 17 and 23 April 2023. Vehicle numbers and traffic congestion will be monitored and managed during the controlled access period and there may be periods when access by day-use visitors will be restricted.
Access to Cape Range National Park and Jurabi Coastal Park will be on a first in, first served basis.
In the event of traffic restrictions, local residents, Yardie Homestead clients, commercial tour operators and their clients, and those with valid campground bookings will be permitted through traffic control points.
Traffic management will be on site and visitors should prepare for the likelihood of congestion when visiting and leaving the parks.
To help manage congestion and delays at traffic control points, colour-coded total solar eclipse park passes will be made available to local residents, commercial tour operators and their clients, and Yardie Homestead clients. These will be easily visible to traffic controllers and will minimise queued traffic.
DBCA will work with Yardie Homestead to ensure its clients have a mechanism to collect passes upon arrival at the homestead. Please show a copy of your accommodation booking confirmation to pass through the traffic control point, in the first instance.
Please note that the usual park entry fees apply to Cape Range National Park. If you are booked on a commercial tour but entering the parks in a private vehicle, please show a copy of your tour booking confirmation or display your commercial swing tag if you have received one from your commercial tour operator to pass through the traffic control point.
Only those with valid campground bookings or a local residents pass will be permitted to visit Nyinggulara National Park (ex-Ningaloo) during the total solar eclipse period.
- Charles Knife Canyon will be closed on 20 April 2023, the day of the eclipse. On either side of that date, between the 17 and 23 April 2023, a limited section of the Charles Knife scenic drive will be open. Vehicles will need to turn around at or before the signposted point.
- Shothole Canyon, Sandy Bay track and Pilgonoman Gorge will be closed to visitors for the duration of the total solar eclipse period.
For your safety, please be aware that there will be a high volume of traffic in and out of DBCA campgrounds on 17 April and 23 of April 2023. Visitors attending festivals and events that conclude after sunset should be very cautious on the return journey. Please look after your own safety and conserve wildlife by driving slowly and carefully at all times.
Local residents passes
Residents of Exmouth and Coral Bay are entitled to one local resident pass per household.
This will provide access to Jurabi Coastal Park, Cape Range National Park and Nyinggulara National Park (ex-Ningaloo) for the duration of the controlled access period.
Residents of Exmouth can obtain their pass from 13 April 2023 at the DBCA Exmouth District office.
Coral Bay residents can collect their passes from the Coral Bay Information Hut from 13 April 2023.
Please provide photo ID along with a form of identification documentation showing your name and residential address (not PO Box) to obtain your local resident pass.
Please remember that to manage vehicle numbers, only one pass will be issued per household. DBCA will maintain a register of addresses that have been issued with a local resident's pass.
The DBCA Exmouth District Office will be open between 8am and 4.30pm (including the weekend of 15 and 16 April 2023) with extended hours between 7am and 6pm from 17 to 23 April 2023.
Camping
At this time all available national park campsites are booked however it is possible that due to cancellations, campsites may become available again so please continue to check Park Stay WA. Refer to the Ningaloo Eclipse website for other accommodation options.