Exmouth Town Beach works set to ramp up in mid-January ahead of rare total eclipse

As a once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse best seen in the Pilbara and Gascoyne draws nears, works on the second-stage revitalisation of one main vantage point for the event have received a start date. The hybrid solar eclipse will be visible from select WA locations on April 20 2023, including Onslow and Exmouth — the first time in more than 1000 years a hybrid eclipse will be visible from Australia. From Exmouth and the Ningaloo Cape, 100 per cent of the sun will be covered, while Onslow is expecting more than 99 per cent coverage. Tourism WA estimates more than 10,000 visitors will travel to the Gascoyne region alone, and in April the State Government announced it would invest $21 million in planning and infrastructure upgrades for Exmouth in the lead-up to the event. Now, the second stage of construction for Exmouth’s Town Beach precinct has received a mid-January start date. The works will include new grassed areas and reticulation, refurbished shade pergolas, foredunes and wind fencing, solar bollard lighting, and decked accessways to the beach. A Shire of Exmouth spokesperson said Town Beach would be a “vital viewing area and precinct for residents and visitors”. In April, the Shire confirmed the Town Beach upgrade would be the first project to begin, with $470,000 in funding provided by the State Government. The project has also received funding of $450,000 from BHP and $278,000 from the Local Roads and Infrastructure Program. Region-wide upgrades include $1.2m for rest area upgrades on North West Coastal Highway and $5.4m to increase the capacity of the Gascoyne’s telecommunications infrastructure.