Where to live

Been around the site for a fair while but have lurked in the background since moving to the country 5 years ago. Had enough of travelling hundreds of kilometres to fish and of the cold here in the central wheatbelt.WE ARE MOVING!

 

First choice was Carnarvon - been a Quobba regular for over 30 years non-stop and also love the flats fishing for whiting etc. Sadly, the crime rate and anti social behavior precludes our buying there. That leaves Kalbarri or Karratha. Any views on which may be best from a fishing point of view for a couple of retirees? Mainly landbased fishing but do have a tinny.

Thoughts appreciated.


Posts: 4561

Date Joined: 01/02/10

 Dampier is a nice spot. Much

Sun, 2016-08-07 11:48

 Dampier is a nice spot. Much more affordable than 5 years ago. 

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Bryce Day's picture

Posts: 812

Date Joined: 01/06/15

Kalbs for sure!

Sun, 2016-08-07 12:01

Kalbs for sure!

carnarvonite's picture

Posts: 8622

Date Joined: 24/07/07

Fence and dog

Sun, 2016-08-07 13:21

Carnarvon is a nice place to live if you have a good fence and a big dog. Lived up there for 12 years and never had a problem.

sea-kem's picture

Posts: 14833

Date Joined: 30/11/09

 I'd go Kalbarri as there are

Sun, 2016-08-07 13:28

 I'd go Kalbarri as there are plenty of ammenities and great fishing. You are also only a few hours from Quobba if the need takes you.

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Deckie's picture

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Date Joined: 03/04/09

Another.

Sun, 2016-08-07 20:44

 Another for Kalbarri  . But i do like the idea of all them islands to fish around out of Karatha, but you will need a boat.

Maybe i will move there in a few years, but the boss likes Kalbarri...

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Cheers & Stay safe

Posts: 6

Date Joined: 17/07/16

Leaning toward Kalbarri

Sun, 2016-08-07 14:07

Thanks for your replies Folks. Carnarvonite, dog and fence only work if you are there. The problem I have is that we go caravanning regularly and the dog goes with us - she loves fishing too! Pity about the crime rate as it is far and away my first choice - but I have to keep my Wife happy too. As sea-kem says, Carnarvon is only a few hours from Kalbarri.

Feral's picture

Posts: 1508

Date Joined: 01/11/06

 there are no fish up here in

Mon, 2016-08-08 11:41

 there are no fish up here in Karratha mate :)

Plenty of crime and shit going on tho..  Dampier would be my home base if I could afford it 

 

Posts: 744

Date Joined: 29/03/13

Karlbarri

Tue, 2016-08-09 13:31

 For sure. Awesome landbased fishing when the swell is down. One of the few places where you can catch mudcrabs and bluemanna crabs in the same pot. Big tailor and plenty of mulloway

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Down the Line

 

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tot's picture

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Date Joined: 31/01/10

Kalbazza!

Tue, 2016-08-09 13:44

 hands down! It's a holiday tourist town , the others are....? 

It would be the best for everything and comfortable weather . IMO. 

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Posts: 6

Date Joined: 17/07/16

Looking like Kalbarri

Tue, 2016-08-09 14:40

I was, of course, going through the motions and fighting a rearguard action as my favoured spot is Carnarvon. But as we know, the Ladies usually win on living arrangements and Kalbarri is where my Wife wants to be.

Now...... anyone want to sell me a bargain property or know of one coming up?

teamjelly's picture

Posts: 47

Date Joined: 27/07/16

Kalbarri, land is cheap,

Tue, 2016-08-09 15:47

Kalbarri, land is cheap, still only a few hrs from Perth if need be. Port Gregory and Horrocks is only 70km south (great still in a Tinny and Beach fishing) Plus you have the river in Kalbarri in windy days.

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Give a man to fish and he'll eat for a day, Teach a man to fish and he'll sit in his boat and drink all day...

ranmar850's picture

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Date Joined: 12/08/12

Kalbarri certainly has cheap land up on the hill

Tue, 2016-08-09 16:05

 A couple of developers went bust due to other committments, and left a heap of land on the hill unsold. I don't think you could buy a 550m2 block for $80k with elevated ocean views anywhere else in a  desirable location on the west coast. We have a 2000m2 block, fronting the main road in,  up from Red Bluff, ocean views that can never be built out, wouldn't get 250k for it at the moment. Prices have been depressed for years, including for established homes.

Posts: 6

Date Joined: 17/07/16

Kalbarri

Tue, 2016-08-09 17:22

We are too old to go through the hassle of building. Established is the way to go for us. Don't mind a bit of a doer-upper and it is only the two of us so size is not an issue. reasonable nick is good so I can get fishing sooner!

Quobbarockhopper's picture

Posts: 390

Date Joined: 28/05/10

 have lived in Carnarvon for

Tue, 2016-08-09 20:45

 have lived in Carnarvon for going on 11 years and never had my house/ boat/ general property "criminalised" in all that time, apart from a stolen bike which I was too drunk and left laying in the street so derserved that.

There are dogdy parts of town, but you get that everywhere, used to live near balga in Perth. 

Sad this town has that rep, but at least it means I can wave and laugh at all the boats stopping at caltex and going north for the "better fishing" in c-bay and exxy...if only most of them realised

 

 

Posts: 215

Date Joined: 14/06/12

Soooooo

Thu, 2016-08-11 02:55

 Who are the people that are commiting the crimes in Carnarvon....

Maybe we should give them extra benefits, cheap govt housing and a load of other benefits that the general poplulation don't get

and they will be happy............

carnarvonite's picture

Posts: 8622

Date Joined: 24/07/07

Benefits

Thu, 2016-08-11 07:57

They already get those benefits and a handful are not satisfied and think what belongs to others are there for the taking. Sadly this doesn't reflect on the majority of the community

ranmar850's picture

Posts: 2702

Date Joined: 12/08/12

You want to re-word that?

Thu, 2016-08-11 08:19

   Second sentence?

crasny1's picture

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Date Joined: 16/10/08

Agree with most

Thu, 2016-08-11 08:20

Lived in Karratha and Father lived in Kalbarri for years. Don't know about Carnarvon much.
As for Karratha no boat = better places than this to fish. Landbased OK but heaps better elsewhere. We stuggled for a few shit fish and the odd Jack or Thready landbased. Got the boat then and have to agree with feral, plenty of smaller fish like snapper, but for large models have to travel far and then Taxman comes and claims their share. Still had heaps of fun around the islands and it IS a magical boating place due to the protection of the islands. Just have to get by the passage in westerly winds especially.
IMO not realy a retirement option due to $$. Much cheaper there now but still exxy.
Love Kalbarri - Land based, Tinny, boat. It has a lot to offer. Don't play with the river mouth in swells!! Plenty come to grief there. I have had some epic times in and around Kalbarri with a 95cm Tailor still my best fish ever with its stamina and fight on light gear.( I did try and stretch it 5cm on a brag board by folding it a little to reach the magic 1m for a photo to send to mates - LOL).
Up river great fun with soapies, bream, the odd jack and if you try some Gaint herring. Muddies and blues always a possibility, but didn't realy try.
AND then Crays offshore. I think my father hates them now he ate so many. He loved retiring there, even though he still worked P/T in gerro until he got a little old and needed to get closer to the City.
Hope this helps.

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Doc's picture

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Date Joined: 29/05/16

 Have asked myself this

Thu, 2016-08-11 18:49

 Have asked myself this question plenty of times, still havent made up my mind. So for know, it's where ever the hand brake goes on.

Posts: 274

Date Joined: 08/10/13

 K-town is not for the faint

Thu, 2016-08-11 20:13

 K-town is not for the faint hearted over summer.   It would be a bit of a culture shock from where you are now.