I realise it's a little late but after reading another informative thread by Kingfisher549, I felt compelled to comment, this is actually my first time posting.

My wife and I always enjoyed travelling all over WA with our dog, a very well trained female mongrel, and as a consequence discovered Yardie Homestead on a North West trip about 8 years ago. My wife was pregnant with our first child and we camped on the grassed area right near the cleaning tables. We loved the place, close to the ramps, close to the surf yet far enough away to for a real camping holiday. We have been returning almost twice a year since then, each time with our growing family and our old female mongrel in tow.

On our last return to 'Yardie' we took up our usual camping spot late one afternoon, too late to check in. We were up early for our first excited early morning fish and left our dog tied to our tent, same place, same way as we've always done. We returned a couple of hours later and were unloading the boat when a grey haired gentleman on a 4 wheeled motorbike pulled up alongside. Before he got off the bike he was yelling in our direction, he approached my wife who was still holding the hand of my youngest 3-year-old child, and began waving his arms, wildly gesturing in the direction of our sleeping dog.

Same as the other post, he threatened us, he said he'd call the ranger and have her destroyed, he said he call the police and have us evicted, all while yelling at the top of his voice. The barrage continued for ages, I was dumbfounded, he didn't introduce himself and to say it was completely unprofessional was an understatement. I assumed he had some role within the park but couldn't believe the way he was spitting and yelling, all the while a white bull terrier sat on the back of his bike without a lead! With three kids under six I felt a little vulnerable, I mean I didn't know what was going to happen, so I just stood there dumbfounded while he continued his rant!

I have spent years and years travelling from the Gascoyne through the to South West surfing and fishing, we have camped at numerous national parks and campsites, we’re reasonable people and always try to do the right thing. I had never experienced behaviour like this. It certainly tarnished the holiday!

A few hours later, when I had calmed down, I went into the shop and spoke to a lady on the counter. I accepted that while we have always left our dog at the tent it didn't necessarily mean it was the right thing to do. However there are ways of speaking to people and resolving issues BUT the way he carried on wasn't the right way, it was aggressive, confrontational and TOTALLY disrespectful. My comments were greeted with a similar look of disdain and contempt from her, she begrudgingly agreed to pass the message on.

A few days later he dropped half a forced apology, still with the bull terrier in tow. A few caravan park residents approached me over the following days, several had heard our initial exchange and spoke of similar abrupt experiences with the ‘caretaker’.

Hopefully these new 'caretakers' move on and Yardie can return to the way it always was. If they can't handle 'paying' customers asking questions about fishing then they're in the wrong job, I mean, what do they expect, they run a caravan park in Exmouth??!!

Needless to say we haven't been back, we stay at a caravan park in town now …………. and the dog stays at home.