Cyclone Narelle Recovery Information
The Shire of Exmouth has been significantly impacted by Tropical Cyclone Narelle.
The situation is changing; this webpage was last updated at 2 pm Thursday 9 April 2026.
Help is available to the community to support recovery after the cyclone.
The Shire of Exmouth is working alongside the Department of Fire and Emergency Services to assess damages and eliminate any immediate dangers to the community.
Full recovery information following the cyclone will be made available and kept up to date on this website page and the following sources listed below. It’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest and most accurate cyclone information in an emergency.
Sources of accurate information at this time include:
The Shire of Exmouth Website
The Shire of Exmouth Facebook Page
Residents can register for Shire of Exmouth SMS updates regarding Emergency Services
Department of Fire and Emergency Services
Department of Fire and Emergency Services Cyclone Narelle Recovery
Department of Communities
Main Roads WA
Fire or life-threatening emergencies: 000
Emergency Information: 13 3337
SES Emergency Assistance: 132 500
Main Roads phone line 138 138
Department of Communities hotline 1800 032 965
Department of Communities, NRMA Insurance, CGU & WFI and Red Cross will be based at the Ningaloo Centre in Mandu room this week. Wednesday 8 April 2026 Community Drop in update: NRMA, CGU & WFI Insurance and Red Cross will be at the Ningaloo Centre 8.30 am to 4.30 pm Wednesday to Friday and 10 am to 2 pm Saturday. The Department of Communities have advised that they will be on the ground visiting community members and that their community drop-in hours will be reduced to 10 am-2 pm Wednesday to Saturday.
The Shire administration is now open as usual 8.30am to 4.30pm weekdays after Easter long weekend. Please be kind to our team as we work to provide you with accurate updates at this time.
The Ningaloo Visitor Centre, Aquarium and Discovery Centre, Exmouth Library and Depot are also open as usual from 7 April 2026.
The Paltridge Memorial Swimming Pool is re-opening as of Friday 10 April 2026.
As a small gesture of appreciation to our resilient community, the Paltridge Memorial Swimming Pool will be FREE entry this Friday 10 April 2026 through Sunday 12 April 2026.
Pool hours here.
The Spray Park remains closed for repair.
You can visit us or email info@exmouth.wa.gov.au for any questions, concerns or advice.
Department of Fire and Emergency Services are remaining on the ground to help us through the remaining recovery period. Additional teams are arriving as we transition from incident response to ongoing recovery. The teams will remain on the ground assisting and supporting us until at least the end of April.
Travelling into/out of Exmouth
The Shire of Exmouth is re-open to visitors.
Learmonth Airport Update - open with temporary reduced screening service
Qantas have resumed Regular Passenger Transport (RPT) flight services into Learmonth on Tuesday 7 April 2026.
The Shire have been awaiting sign-off approval from the Department of Home Affairs to operate a temporarily reduced screening service in order for outbound passenger flights to resume.
To obtain expediency for outbound passengers other than minor items all luggage is to be checked in baggage. Only minor carry on will be accepted onto the plane as every piece of carry-on will need to be searched.
This means:
You can check in baggage as normal
Carry-on luggage also needs to be checked in
Only minimal items (phone, wallet, small purses) are permitted to board the plane with you.
Please treat staff kindly and comply with these new requirements to ensure flights can proceed efficiently and there are minimal delays.
For this reason, we have been unable to officially open the airport prior to this update.
The Department of Home Affairs has given us the all clear to proceed with the temporary screening as of 10 am Tuesday, 7 April 2026.
Please contact QANTAS directly to arrange your flights.
QANTAS is the direct line of contact to rebook flights.
Fuel availability and pricing may fluctuate in regional areas during recovery. Travel with caution, plan accordingly and fuel up as you go. Follow Fuel Watch for updates on fuel supply. You can call ahead to check fuel supply levels and follow MainRoads for road condition reports.
To those wishing to visit Exmouth
We understand that many people are eager to visit and enjoy Exmouth. However, accommodation options remain limited as recovery and rebuilding continues.
At this time, our priority is the wellbeing of our residents and the restoration of essential services as we work to welcome visitors back as sustainably and safely as possible.
We urge visitors to ensure they have confirmed with their accommodation provider PRIOR to arrival that their booking is still able to be confirmed and go ahead.
Please check ahead before you come into Exmouth.
If you’re unable to find accommodation for your intended dates, we kindly encourage you to consider rescheduling for a later time when capacity has fully reopened.
The good news is that the peak wildlife season is only just beginning, so there’s still plenty of opportunity to experience everything Exmouth and Ningaloo have to offer throughout the year. We truly appreciate the resilience and understanding of our community and visitors as we continue to navigate this process.
National Parks:
Follow the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions for up-to-date information.
Parks and Wildlife Service Pilbara Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/WAParksWildlifePilbara
“Cyclone Narelle has forced temporary park and campsite closures throughout ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ, ๐ก๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ด๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ (๐ฒ๐
-๐ก๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ฎ๐น๐ผ๐ผ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป), ๐ก๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ด๐๐น๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ (๐ช๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐๐ผ๐ฎ๐๐) and ๐ก๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ฎ๐น๐ผ๐ผ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ were among those hit hardest and have sustained significant damage. As a result, these parks and campgrounds will be closed over the Easter period and until Monday 27 April, at this stage.”
Parks and Alerts System
Boat Ramps:
Tantabiddi Boat ramp is open as of 3 April 2026. Please boat safely and be responsible, as the marine rescue crew and resources are limited at this time.
Exmouth Marina Boat Ramp and Bundegi Boat Ramps remain closed.
Department of Transport
Marine Safety WA and Major Infrastructure advises that the Exmouth Boat Harbour remains closed.
There has been severe damage to services, wharf, D pens and breakwater.
The Department is working to assess damage and manage safe vessel access. Please stay up to date with their channels for updated conditions.
Limited commercial vessel movements are permitted through approval from the Department of Transport. Please contact the Department of Transport directly if this applies to you.
For permitted vessel movements, the whole of Exmouth Boat Harbour is declared a no-wash zone and will be strictly enforced.
Mariners are strongly advised that all recreational vessel movements in the Exmouth boat harbour are closed until essential services and marine rescue capabilities are fully restored.
Fishing in the Exmouth Marina is not permitted. Additionally, due to damage caused by the cyclone, certain areas are unsafe. Please do not enter any bunded or restricted areas.
Exmouth Residents' Information:
The Shire of Exmouth is working with Department of Fire and Emergency Services, SES, and the State and Federal governments to support our community during this time of rebuild and recovery.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services page has up-to-date information for residents to access key contact numbers and support resources.
https://recovery.dfes.wa.gov.au/recoveries/cyclone-narelle-recovery?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExaDc5Q1VBbXJTQmN5QjQxNHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4zGtT8tYqY3DGZj0yTJey3BqTZZAUq3FpjGtN45BmcC490MC658NVjUmA1hw_aem_JK6m4HK6_gOxxdBqVQKuQQ
Department of Communities
The Department of Communities is also in Exmouth, offering practical and personal support for those who need it during this challenging time. The Purple Shirts Team are based at the Ningaloo Centre
Find the Purple Shirts at the Ningaloo Centre in Exmouth – 2 Truscott Crescent. 10 am to 2 pm Wednesday 8 April 2026 as they will also be on the ground visiting community members and their daily hours are subject to change.
Impacted residents can also call the Disaster Relief Hotline on 1800 032 965 to discuss wellbeing support, assistance measures and eligibility.
Department of Communities Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/departmentofcommunities
This emergency assistance is primarily administered by the WA Department of Communities to help support eligible individuals and families who need assistance to meet their immediate and essential needs as a direct result of the eligible disaster. It may include:
- Emergency accommodation
- Emergency food
- Emergency clothing and
- Replacement of essential household items and personal effects*
- Essential housing repairs to return to safe and habitable condition*
- Personal or financial support services
Note: * These assistance measures are subject to income and/or asset testing.
Power
Horizon Power has connected over 1100 homes and is working tirelessly to get the remaining properties in town reconnected. There are still some homes and businesses without power. Please be cautious of live wires and stay at least 10m away from any fallen or broken lines. If you are unsure if a line is live treat it as though it is and report an emergency fault or outage 24/7 on 13 23 51.
If power has been restored to your area but your property is not reconnected or is experiencing faults please contact Horizon Power so they can assess the fault and repair damage safely, call 13 23 51.
Horizon power website: https://www.horizonpower.com.au/
Horizon Power Facebook: Horizon Power
Water
Mains power has been restored to Exmouth’s two borefields, and normal service levels have resumed.
We sincerely thank the community for avoiding non-essential water use over the past week. Your efforts allowed Water Corporation crews to manage tank levels and avoid any widespread supply interruptions.
We extend our appreciation to all those who supported recovery work, including DFES, Horizon Power and the Shire of Exmouth.
While normal service levels have resumed, we encourage everyone to remain waterwise.
Please report water outages to Water Corporation on 13 13 75 (available 24 hours).
Water Corporation Website: https://www.watercorporation.com.au/
Water Corporation Facebook: Water Corporation
Waste
The Landfill/Tip is open and operating regular hours.
Location
The Tip is located 11km south of town on the west side of Minilya-Exmouth Road.
Opening Times
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Monday to Saturday
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8:00am - 12:00pm & 1.00pm - 3.00pm
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|
Public Holidays
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Closed
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The tip will be manned during all opening hours, and access to the general tipping area is controlled by the attendant via a boom-gate. The tip will be closed and inaccessible at all other times, other than those shown above.
https://www.exmouth.wa.gov.au/shire-services/waste-recycling/qualing-scarp.aspx
The Exmouth Recycling Centre is still without power and expects to reopen Wednesday, 8 April 10 am. Once they do re-open, they will advise of their capacity to operate as collection trucks have been unable to pick up existing recycling, and there is limited space to take new recycling until this has been taken care of.
Free Verge Collection of Green and Building Waste:
The Shire is offering Free Green Waste Collection on 2 April 2025. Ensure your Green Waste is out for collection by the end of the day 1 April 2026.
Details of verge collection requirements can be found here: https://www.exmouth.wa.gov.au/shire-services/waste-recycling/rubbish-collection/greenwaste.aspx
Building waste will be collected after green waste at a later date. Ensure building waste is on your verge by 6 April 2026. If you are able to we ask that you take building and/or green waste to the tip/landfill yourself to assist clean up efforts.
Asbestos Disposal Information
Manage asbestos with extreme care.
To dispose of asbestos, it must be wrapped in black plastic, securely taped, clearly marked, and can then be taken to the landfill. Please call (08) 9949 3080 if you have asbestos to dispose of.
Equipment is available at the SES building to assist with safe handling. Please handle with caution.
- Many homes built before 1990 may contain asbestos. If damaged, asbestos can become a health risk.
- If you see broken sheeting from older homes, assume it contains asbestos — do not touch or disturb it without referring to WA Health guidelines.
- Do not sweep, rake, vacuum or pressureโwash debris — this can release asbestos fibres.
- Keep children and pets well away from debris piles.
For information on asbestos in homes, visit WA Health: https://www.health.wa.gov.au/Articles/A_E/About-asbestos
Mosquitos
The Shire currently has an active mosquito management program in place, with assistance from the Department of Health. Residents can help by removing any pooling water around their homes, including in boats, kids/ dog clam shell pools, and any stagnant water. Mosquito activity is expected to increase in the coming weeks.
The best defence is to protect yourself from mosquito bites — Fight the Bite:
- Wear loose fitting, light coloured, long sleeved clothing where possible.
- Use mosquito repellent — repellent is available from the Shire.
- Be particularly vigilant at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active, and consider limiting outdoor activity during these times.
For more information visit: Fight the Bite
Mould
After the recent heavy rain and flooding, it's easier for mould to grow indoors.
Mould and dampness indoors can be harmful to health, leading to:
• asthma attacks
• watery, itchy, red eyes
• respiratory infections
• rashes (dermatitis) e.g. eczema (atopic dermatitis)
• sinus problems, blocked noses.
Most mould can be treated by following these steps:
1. Scrub mould off hard surfaces using soapy water. The physical action of scrubbing is the most important component as all the mould must be physically removed to prevent regrowth. Make sure you scrub up to 50cm from the edge of the visible mould as there may be new growth that is not visible to the naked eye.
2. Clean up any mould residue caused by the scrubbing.
3. Dry the area.
Soapy water is usually sufficient for removing mould. Other products that can be used include:
• commercially available products
• natural anti-fungal agents such as vinegar, tea-tree oil.
Noise
We ask residents to please be considerate of your neighbours in all residential areas. To allow everyone some rest, we respectfully ask that generators be turned off between midnight and 6am in all residential areas, where it is safe to do so. Thank you for your understanding as we recover together.
What Help is Available
Premier’s Relief Payment
The Premier’s Relief Payment is available to provide financial assistance to eligible residents whose dwelling was directly damaged or destroyed by Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle. The payment is available to help residents pay for food, clothing, personal effects, transport and emergency accommodation.
- A one-off payment of $4,000 per household is available to eligible applicants whose home was destroyed or suffered severe damage.
- A one-off payment of $2,000 per household is available to eligible applicants whose home suffered major damage.
Make an enquiry
Phone: 1800 490 678 Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm
Email: recoverygrants@dfes.wa.gov.au
Local Exmouth Counselling Services
• Centacare Exmouth Family Counselling – 9949 2225
• Exmouth Hospital – Social Worker & Mental Health Nurse – 9949 3666 Free AfterโHours & 24/7 Phone and Online Support
Rural West:
Rural West provide a free, confidential, mobile, independent financial counselling service to regional small businesses and all primary production enterprises in WA, who are navigating their way through difficult and turbulent times.
Phone:1800 612 004
Email:enquiries@ruralwest.com.au
Rural Aid:
Rural Aid is encouraging Western Australian farmers impacted by Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle to reach out for support as they begin the process of recovery and rebuilding. Rural Aid provides a range of practical and wellbeing support services for farmers at no cost, including:
- Financial assistance to help cover urgent or unexpected costs
• Counselling and mental health support for farmers and their families
• Emergency hay deliveries to support livestock
• Water deliveries for essential household use
• On-ground help through the Farm Army and Farm Recovery Event programs, assisting with clean-up and rebuilding.
Farmers seeking support can call 1300 327 624 or visit www.ruralaid.org.au
Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP)
Financial support will be available from 2 pm local time on 10 April 2026 for people affected by Tropical Cyclone Narelle in Western Australia that started on 25 March 2026.
Support for Western Australia Tropical Cyclone Narelle, March 2026 announced - Services Australia
Exmouth Chamber of Commerce
Cyclone Narelle Business Impact Survey:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1381434485449943/user/100080239578773/
"If you operate a business in Exmouth or surrounding areas, we encourage you to take a few minutes to complete the Business Impact Survey. Your input will help build the evidence needed to advocate for recovery funding, compensation opportunities, and long-term support for our community."
- Exmouth Chamber of Commerce.