Image: © Abed Ismail

Thousands of people from around the world are in Exmouth and the wider region for 62 seconds that will ‘last a lifetime’!

We are sure you have all felt the huge buzz right across the region in anticipation of the 2023 Solar Eclipse.

The partial eclipse lasts for about three hours from 10.04am – but totality will be more fleeting.  It begins across a 40-kilometre band above Exmouth at 11.29.48am and will last barely more than a minute.

There will be the smallest of variations in time depending on exactly where you are in the region, but the experience promises to be amazing, wherever you are.

Image: Stargazing with Astrotourism

Coral Coast welcomes big crowds

People from around Western Australia, across the country and around the world have poured into Exmouth, Carnarvon, Onslow and Coral Bay.

They include world-class astronomers and eclipse chasers from Europe, the United States, South America and more.

Extra flights have delivered plane-loads of tourists into Exmouth all week and a steady stream of cars have taken note of reduced speed limits on major roads heading into town, to help make sure everyone arrives safely.

Exmouth usually has a resident population of about 3,000 and, today, there is an estimated crowd of almost 18,000 people in the town. Most are staying in Exmouth, but others have driven hundreds of kilometres from ‘neighbouring’ towns to be in prime position for the total solar eclipse.  

While totality can be experienced across Exmouth, located in the line of totality, the Eclipse Viewing site (around 30 kilometres out of town) is the prime location to experience the eclipse.

The latest high-tech equipment has been set up to gather and record data scientists will use to build their body of knowledge about the Sun, earth and the space environment. NASA reports that “Total solar eclipses are particularly important because … the solar corona is usually too faint to see, except when the bright light of the Sun is blocked.”

Meanwhile, up to 2,000 ticket holders will enjoy the maximum amount of darkness from their guaranteed spot at the Eclipse Viewing site – and have memories for a lifetime. 

Image: Strong Symphony © Spare Parts Puppet Theatre

The party’s already started

Let’s get this party started? It’s already underway!

The Dark Sky Festival – a curated program of music, culinary, art and cultural events – is in full swing, enhancing the eclipse experience for locals and visitors and adding to the excitement.

Some ticketed events have sold out, but there are still limited tickets to some events, and plenty of free entertainment to enjoy across the region.

The SolFest Music Festival at Exmouth’s Talanjee Oval kicked off last night and continues for another two days.  Tonight, spectators at Town Beach will be treated to First Lights: Nyinggulu – a sensational light drone show, that shares the ancient Dreaming story of the great eclipse.

That will be preceded by an exceptional Indigenous cultural experience of music and dance from the Baiyungu Aboriginal Corporation’s Jamba Nyinayai Festival.

Cardabia Station near Coral Bay hosted its own Indigenous cultural festival yesterday and the Carnarvon Rocks Festival is well underway. In Onslow, the Solar Eclipse Street Party is today’s feature event right through until 8.00pm tonight.              

Free yoga sessions, astronomy talks and other family-friendly activities round out the week-long festivities.

Image: Yardie Creek Boat Tours, Ningaloo

WA – a local and global hit   

The Dark Sky Festival is all in addition to the spectacular show the Coral Coast always puts on at this time of year – and international visitors in particular have been blown away by the vast distances, rugged landscape, beautiful waters and uniquely Western Australian flora and fauna.

News media from around the world are covering the extraordinary astronomical event and the unique setting is all part of the story. Tourism WA and local tourism operators have been working hard to ensure our visitors have a first-rate taste of the region – and encourage visitors to return in years to come.

American media have shown a particular interest in the Exmouth experience as it prepares for a total solar eclipse on 8 April next year.  Earlier this year, global news broadcaster, CNN, listed Western Australia as a top 2023 travel destination, heralding the total solar eclipse experienced as a ‘wonder’ not to be missed.

Main Roads WA has also been monitoring the number of vehicles heading into the region from Perth and many of those tourists have been taking their time to explore Perth, Geraldton and towns along the way to the Coral Coast and beyond.

Image: John Cameron

Ready, willing and able

While a Total Solar Eclipse occurs somewhere on Earth every 18 months, it is an incredibly rare opportunity for them to pass over land and in a place with such natural significance – the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo region near Exmouth.

With an investment of almost $22 million by the WA Government,, work has been underway for months to ensure this spectacular regional and remote part of Western Australia is ready, willing and able for this week, and especially this history-making day.

Visitors are so far playing their part too, with a great atmosphere of excitement and anticipation – all fuelled by a healthy doses of kindness, patience and courtesy.

The message to everyone in the region stays the same in the days ahead – conserve power and water wisely, follow health and safety advice and remain patient and courteous to ensure the wellbeing and enjoyment of all.

Don’t forget to stay safe!  

You’ll find plenty more good advice about staying safe and being prepared in case of emergency in our last Ningaloo Eclipse news update too.  Read more here: Healthy WA

Image: Yagan Sq, Perth

Still in Perth?

If you’re still in Perth, then Yagan Square is the place to be for your own eclipse experience.

With thanks to the Gravity Discovery Centre, the 2023 Total Solar Eclipse will be live streamed from Exmouth to the Yagan Square Digital Tower starting from around 10am this morning and continuing through until about 1.00pm.

The weather is looking great and there’s bound to be a fabulous atmosphere!

The Perth Observatory’s Solar Eclipse viewing party will be another hot spot this morning, with astronomy enthusiasts booking out the chance to experience 70% coverage through telescopes, sun spotters and via the live stream.

Luckily, for the rest of Australia outside of the very narrow strip that carves through Exmouth, there is a safe way to watch the total eclipse unfold.

Our colleagues at both the Perth Observatory and the Gravity Discovery Centre Observatory will capture footage and stream online via their websites and also to their YouTube channels.

Keep an eye out.. more soon on how to prepare and participate to make your eclipse experience and the experience of others enjoyable!

You can also find more on the website https://ningalooeclipse.com/