Plan your trip

Planning your journey

The trip to experience the 2023 solar eclipse in regional Western Australia will be unlike any other. Locals in the region shires have been working hard to prepare to welcome visitors.

If you are attending the region over this period, your planning, preparation and participation is vital in ensuring a positive experience for all.

Roads

Western Australia is the largest state in the country and presents unique challenges for both local and visiting drivers.

While a regional road trip can be an exciting and memorable journey, the roads and driving conditions in WA may be different than you are used to. You may encounter unsealed roads, fires, floods, wildlife or other extreme weather.

If you’re planning to attend the Total Solar Eclipse, make sure you prepare, plan and pack!

Prepare

• Check that your vehicle is in good working order and has a suitable spare tyre, wheel jack and brace.
• If you can, travel in pairs or groups and, plan to travel after dawn and before dusk.
• Check road closures by visiting our Travel Map or calling us on 138 138.
• Write down emergency contact numbers, such as local police stations, tourist information centres and local shires.

Plan

• Make a trip plan and share it with someone you trust who is not travelling with you. Be sure to advise that person when you have arrived and when you’re ready to leave again.

Pack

• Depending on where you’re travelling from, your mobile service may be patchy! Consider buying or hiring a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) and/or Satellite Phone for communications. It’s important to ensure these items are registered and GPS enabled
• A well-equipped first aid kit
• Food and water – allow for at least three litres of water per person, per day as well as some extra for car breakdowns. We also recommend bringing sufficient supplies for a few days as supermarket stock may be limited.
• Extra fuel, particularly if you’re travelling in remote areas where fuel stops can be hundreds of kilometres apart
• If you can, consider packing common spare parts for your vehicle such as fanbelts, radiator hoses, fuses, oil, duct tape and radiator coolant

If you own a smartphone you can download the ‘Emergency + App’.

This free app has been developed by Australia’s Emergency Services; it uses GPS functionality to help the Responder provide critical location details to mobilise emergency services.

You’re also very likely to encounter oversize overmass vehicles that can be up to 8.5m wide. So, do you know what to do when it’s #BiggerThanYou?

If you come across an oversize overmass (OSOM) or large agricultural vehicle, accompanied by a Heavy Vehicle Pilot or Traffic Escort Warden vehicle, please follow these simple steps:

• Stay alert – you can’t always see what’s ahead, so it’s important you drive to the road conditions
• Slow down – seeing a Heavy Vehicle Pilot or Traffic Escort Warden vehicle is a warning that there’s something big up ahead
• Move left – oversize loads and large agricultural vehicles can take up more than half the road or may need to travel in the middle of the road to avoid power lines or other roadside items
• Prepare to stop and follow directions – Heavy Vehicle Pilots and Traffic Escort Wardens are there to provide directions on how to safely navigate the oversize load

Visit Main Roads for more.

Water has always been a precious resource in regional WA and demand will be very high over the Total Solar Eclipse. To ensure there’s enough for everyone over the whole event period, we need to work together to save water.

Visit the Water Corporation for more.

We only want it to go dark when the moon covers the sun, so remember to plan for how you can also reduce your power use to avoid outages.

Visit Horizon Power for more.

When travelling in regional WA, be aware that there may be large stretches of road that have limited fuel stations and regional towns do not all have 24 hour fuel service. While extra supplies of fuel will be brought in and stored for the event period. There is likely to be a long wait at service stations so it is very important to plan ahead. You can plan your journey and the fuel stops along the way by using our essential services map here.

There is no free camping in the regions – and illegal camping will not be permitted. Camping includes sleeping in, on or around a vehicle, tent, caravan or swag including at roadside parking and stop areas that do not display 24hr stopping signs. It is an offence to camp anywhere other than in a registered/designated camping location and this will be strictly enforced.

Visit the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Land Management for more.

Summer is tropical cyclone season along the pristine WA coastline. You can prepare by packing an emergency kit before you go, understand the cyclone warning system and stay informed while you’re there. Knowing what actions to take and when to take them can keep you safe. More information on cyclone preparation can be found on the Department of Fire and Emergency Services website here.

Visitors should plan early, plan carefully and come well-prepared to be as self-sufficient as possible.

• Be prepared for the hot and dry conditions with a high UV rating.
• Make sure you pack sunscreen, hats, long-sleeved clothing and reef-safe sunscreen.
• Pack insect repellent medications you require and basic first aid provisions.

Download our checklists here:

Your eclipse experience checklist
What to pack in your eclipse day bag

Network connectivity differs across service providers in the regions. Visitors should check with their carriers.

Upgrades to telecommunications networks across the region are being made in preparations for 2023 Solar Eclipse. Some $5.4M in funding for new and improved base station infrastructure as well as temporary connectivity solutions to enhance mobile connectivity has been contributed for the event.

To accommodate the immense increase in demand for telecommunications in the lead up to and during the Solar Eclipse event, eight 4G cellular mobile Cells on Wheels and five Wi-Fi trailers with independent power supply will be positioned at key visitor and accommodation sites.

To help ensure that everyone stays connected, video applications on your mobile device may be slow or unavailable so that phone calls and text messages can still go through. We appreciate your understanding over this period of exceptional data demand for the Ningaloo Eclipse.

The natural marine and land environment throughout the region is exceptionally diverse, beautiful and precious. A range of measures are in place but we all have a duty to protect, care and conserve this pristine environment.

Please dispose of your rubbish wisely or store it responsibly to take it away with you. Visit the Keep Australia Beautiful website for more.

Extending your stay in WA

The 2023 Solar Eclipse is an incredible reason to plan an adventure in Western Australia – but it won’t be your only highlight!

WA is an incredible holiday destination, brimming with natural riches and world-class experiences. The phenomenon may be the centrepiece but there’s lots happening in the region

Disconnect from the everyday and the well-trodden, and reconnect with something unspoilt and a little wild. The country’s largest State with its longest coastline and sunniest capital city of Perth, Western Australia is a place to recharge your spirit.

See more on exploring WA