Exmouth, Western Australia

In 1618, Dutch East India Company ship {{ship||Mauritius|1612|2}}, under command of Willem Janszoon, landed near North West Cape, just proximate to what would be Exmouth, and named Willem's River, which was later renamed Ashburton River.

The location was first used as a military base in World War II. US Admiral James F. Calvert in his memoir, Silent Running: My Years on a World War II Attack Submarine, and US Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood in Sink 'Em All, his narrative of Allied submarine warfare, describe its history. After the retreat from Java in March 1942, Allied naval forces required a forward base for replenishing submarines, then the sole form of offensive warfare against the Japanese. Both Darwin, Northern Territory, and Broome, Western Australia, were too exposed to air attack, so a {{vague |date=January 2025 |reason=Are these short tons (ST), long tons (LT), burden ... which unit is it? |text=500-ton}} unmotorized lighter was placed as a refueling barge near the mouth of Exmouth Gulf, where the Allies were already maintaining a seaplane tender.

Code-named "Potshot", the spartan base was also developed as a submarine advanced base and rest camp using the tender USS Pelias. An airfield (now RAAF Learmonth) was constructed to provide fighter defense for the base. Z Special Unit used Potshot as a staging base for Operation Jaywick, a raid on Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour, in September 1943.[https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/conflict/ww2/display/60468-potshot-memorial Potshot Memorial] m{{full citation needed |date=January 2025}}

In 2009, an emergency landing of the flight Qantas 72 was made at the nearby Learmonth Airport / RAAF Base Learmonth. The A330 had an incident involving the ADIRU which confused AoA (Angle of Attack) data with altitude data, making the plane think it was in a 16° pitch up when it was flying level. So the protection measures on the plane forced a 16° pitch down twice and brought negative G-forces on all passengers and it made them float for about 15 seconds. There were no deaths, but 1 crew member and 11 passengers suffered serious injuries.{{cite web|title = In-flight upset, 154 km west of Learmonth, WA, 7 October 2008, VH-QPA, Airbus A330-303|date = 2008-11-14|publisher = Australian Transport Safety Bureau|url = http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2008/AAIR/pdf/AO2008070_prelim.pdf|access-date = 2008-11-15|df = dmy-all|archive-date = 22 October 2009|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091022032917/http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2008/AAIR/pdf/AO2008070_prelim.pdf|url-status = dead}}{{cite news|last = Nicholson|first = B.|date = 2008-10-09|title = Data show Qantas jet in two sudden plunges|work = The Age|url = http://www.theage.com.au/national/data-shows-qantas-jet-in-two-sudden-plunges-20081009-4xo4.html|access-date = 2008-10-08|df = dmy-all}}

File:The Lighthouse Exmouth WA.JPG

The town relies more on tourism than the station for its existence. At the 2016 census, Exmouth had a population of 2,486.{{Census 2016 AUS

|id=UCL515013

|name=Exmouth (Urban Centre/Locality)

|access-date=29 October 2019

|quick=on}}{{update inline |date=January 2025}} At the height of the tourist season, the population swells to 6,000.

Exmouth is popular for diving and snorkelling.[https://www.westernaustralia.com/en/Destination/Exmouth/56b266b92880253d74c4edcc Destination Exmouth], westernaustalia.com{{full citation needed |date=January 2025}} Some of the most famous snorkeling spots include Turquoise Bay and Oysters Stacks.

The Cape Range National Park, which has several gorges, is an area of {{convert|506|km2|ha acre|order=out}} and its main area is focused on the west coast of the Cape, which provides a large variety of camp sites on the coastal fringe of the park. Yardie Creek and Charles Knife Gorge are land based attractions.

On 20 April 2023, Exmouth was in the direct path of a total solar eclipse, which was the first to be visible in Australia since November 2012.{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/@7839506?iso=20230420|title=Eclipses visible in Exmouth, Western Australia, Australia – Apr 20, 2023 Solar Eclipse|website=timeanddate.com|language=en|access-date=2020-01-14}} More than 20,000 people watched the eclipse from Exmouth. This cost the State Government of Western Australia {{AUD|22{{nbsp}}million|link=yes}} in planning and logistics fees.{{Cite web| url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/apr/19/2023-total-solar-eclipse-chasers-western-australia-town-exmouth-ningaloo-reef| title=Solar eclipse chasers descend on tiny Western Australian town to experience 'wonders of the universe'| website=The Guardian| date=20 April 2023| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230420013411/https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/apr/19/2023-total-solar-eclipse-chasers-western-australia-town-exmouth-ningaloo-reef| archive-date=20 April 2023}}

File:The_Big_Prawn_in_Exmouth,_Western_Australia,_2024.jpg

File:The_Big_Whale_Shark,_Western_Australia,_2024.jpg

Exmouth is also home to two of Australia's Big Things: The Big Whale Shark (constructed 2002) and The Big Prawn (constructed 2005) both of which were constructed by Brian Paskins.{{Cite web |title=Ningaloo George |url=http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ningaloo-george |access-date=2024-06-27 |website=Atlas Obscura |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Exmouth's iconic and much-loved crustacean is back |url=https://www.exmouth.wa.gov.au/news/exmouths-iconic-and-much-loved-crustacean-is-back/358 |access-date=2024-06-27 |website=www.exmouth.wa.gov.au}}

There is an ongoing "Prawn War" between this Big Prawn and the Big Prawn in Ballina, New South Wales; the Big Prawn in Ballina is larger but Exmouth locals say theirs is much more realistic.{{Cite news |date=2019-02-01 |title=Prawn Wars: Who has the best big prawn? |url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/lismore/community/prawn-wars-who-has-the-best-big-prawn/news-story/1841d769f65223e9c158fb3cc90593c7 |work=The Northern Star}}

Exmouth has a hot semi-arid climate (BSh). Temperatures often reach over {{cvt|40|C}} in summer; however, winters are warm with daytime temperatures around {{cvt|25|C}}. There is no specific wet and dry season in Exmouth, although rain is most likely to fall between January and July, usually with monsoonal showers and storms from January to April and from the northern edges of cold fronts in May, June and July. The area occasionally gets caught by tropical cyclones. The period from August to December is usually dry.

{{Weather box

|location = Learmonth Airport

|metric first = Yes

|single line = Yes

|Jan record high C = 48.9

|Feb record high C = 47.7

|Mar record high C = 45.5

|Apr record high C = 42.5

|May record high C = 37.3

|Jun record high C = 31.9

|Jul record high C = 31.7

|Aug record high C = 35.3

|Sep record high C = 41.3

|Oct record high C = 43.0

|Nov record high C = 44.2

|Dec record high C = 48.9

|year record high C = 48.9

|Jan high C = 37.9

|Feb high C = 37.5

|Mar high C = 36.5

|Apr high C = 33.3

|May high C = 28.5

|Jun high C = 24.8

|Jul high C = 24.3

|Aug high C = 26.4

|Sep high C = 29.4

|Oct high C = 32.8

|Nov high C = 34.6

|Dec high C = 36.9

|year high C = 31.9

|Jan mean C = 30.5

|Feb mean C = 30.8

|Mar mean C = 29.8

|Apr mean C = 26.9

|May mean C = 22.3

|Jun mean C = 19.0

|Jul mean C = 17.9

|Aug mean C = 19.3

|Sep mean C = 21.6

|Oct mean C = 24.6

|Nov mean C = 26.6

|Dec mean C = 28.9

|year mean C = 24.8

|Jan low C = 23.0

|Feb low C = 24.1

|Mar low C = 23.0

|Apr low C = 20.4

|May low C = 16.1

|Jun low C = 13.1

|Jul low C = 11.4

|Aug low C = 12.1

|Sep low C = 13.8

|Oct low C = 16.4

|Nov low C = 18.5

|Dec low C = 20.9

|year low C = 17.7

|Jan record low C = 16.1

|Feb record low C = 17.4

|Mar record low C = 15.0

|Apr record low C = 12.9

|May record low C = 7.6

|Jun record low C = 4.9

|Jul record low C = 3.5

|Aug record low C = 4.2

|Sep record low C = 5.6

|Oct record low C = 7.9

|Nov record low C = 12.0

|Dec record low C = 14.2

|year record low C = 3.5

|Jan precipitation mm = 31.0

|Feb precipitation mm = 40.9

|Mar precipitation mm = 40.8

|Apr precipitation mm = 17.6

|May precipitation mm = 42.2

|Jun precipitation mm = 43.2

|Jul precipitation mm = 22.0

|Aug precipitation mm = 11.4

|Sep precipitation mm = 2.1

|Oct precipitation mm = 1.6

|Nov precipitation mm = 1.8

|Dec precipitation mm = 6.1

|year precipitation mm = 256.7

|Jan precipitation days = 2.7

|Feb precipitation days = 3.3

|Mar precipitation days = 2.4

|Apr precipitation days = 1.8

|May precipitation days = 3.7

|Jun precipitation days = 5.1

|Jul precipitation days = 3.6

|Aug precipitation days = 2.1

|Sep precipitation days = 0.9

|Oct precipitation days = 0.4

|Nov precipitation days = 0.5

|Dec precipitation days = 0.8

|year precipitation days = 27.3

|source 1 = {{cite web

| url = http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_005007_All.shtml

| publisher = Bureau of Meteorology |title = Climate statistics for Exmouth |access-date = 7 October 2018}}

|date=October 2018

}}

On 22 March 1999, Tropical Cyclone Vance reached category 5 status as it made landfall near Exmouth. This resulted in the highest wind gust ever reported on the Australian mainland, {{convert|267|km/h}} at Learmonth, {{convert|35|km}} to the south. Vance caused significant flooding and property damage. There were no casualties.[http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/history/wa/1999.shtml WA Tropical Cyclone Season Summary 1998-99]{{full citation needed |date=January 2025}}{{cite news | url= https://www.usatoday.com/weather/news/1999/wvance.htm | title= Cyclone leaves Aussie town in ruins | newspaper=USA Today | date=24 March 1999 | access-date=6 November 2009}}

In April 2014, Exmouth was hit by a massive flash flood, nearly destroying the caravan park and seriously damaging much of the town's infrastructure, causing a severe blow to tourism in the region.{{Cite news |url=http://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/exmouth-clean-up-continues-after-heavy-rains-caused-extensive-flood-damage/49617 |title=Exmouth clean-up continues after heavy rains caused extensive flood damage |access-date=29 April 2014 |date=29 April 2014 |publisher=ABC News |archive-date=20 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420171339/http://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/exmouth-clean-up-continues-after-heavy-rains-caused-extensive-flood-damage/49617 |url-status=dead }}

{{notelist|refs=

{{efn |name="pronunciation" |According to British conventions of pronunciation, as applied in the cases, eg, of Bournemouth, Falmouth, Plymouth, and Portsmouth, England, the pronunciation of Exmouth, Western Australia, would be {{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɛ|k|s|m|ə|θ}} ({{respell|EX|muth}}), as for its namesake, Exmouth, England. However, the local pronunciation of Exmouth, Western Australia, is {{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɛ|k|s|m|aʊ|θ}} ({{respell|EX|mowth}}).{{cite web |last1=Groundwater |first1=Ben |title=Eight Australian places we keep pronouncing incorrectly |url=https://www.traveller.com.au/eight-australian-places-we-keep-pronouncing-incorrectly-h2auok |website=Traveller |access-date=31 March 2023 |language=en-au |date=29 March 2023}}}}

}}

{{reflist |30em}}

{{refbegin |30em}}

• {{cite book|last1=Barker|first1=Anthony J|last2=Ondaatje|first2=Michael L|title=A Little America in Western Australia: The US naval communication station at North West Cape and the founding of Exmouth|date=2015|publisher=UWA Publishing|location=Crawley, WA|isbn=9781742586854}}
• Western Australia. Ministry for Planning.(1998) Exmouth-Learmonth (North West Cape) structure plan. Perth, W.A. : Western Australian Planning Commission. {{ISBN|0-7309-9007-9}} (The draft Structure Plan for Exmouth-Learmonth (North West Cape) has been prepared by the Ministry for Planning under the guidance and direction of the Gascoyne Coast Planning Coordinating Committee (GCPCC) and the North West Cape Technical Advisory Group)

{{refend}}

• [http://www.exmouth.wa.gov.au/ Exmouth Shire Information]

{{subject bar |auto=y |portal1=Western Australia }}

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{{Towns Gascoyne WA}}

Category:Shire of Exmouth

Category:Coastal towns in Western Australia