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A centre for prawning fleets and the sheep stations of the Upper Gascoyne region, tropical CARNARVON also supports a large agricultural zone, thanks to the apparently dry Gascoyne River's retrievable subterranean water. The town is attempting to redress its heavy reputation for drink-related violence and crime by curbing antisocial behaviour and improving its appearance. While this is being achieved, it's the only place between Perth and Katherine where you'll see police cars on the prowl. There's little here to interest the passing traveller: the best things to do are to take a tour of a banana plantation (try Munro's, 10km east of town on South River Road; daily tours at 11am; $2) or visit the redundant OTC satellite dish that guided early US space flights.

A couple of diversions up the coast can add up to a fun day out, though. Six kilometres east of Carnarvon a ford crosses the riverbed and, passing the 65°C thermal well of Bibbawarra Bore, joins the sealed Blowholes Road, which leads to the Blowholes at Point Quobba, 65km from town. On all but the calmest days, incoming waves compress air through cavities and vents in the low cliff to erupt like geysers up to 20m into the air, a sight and sound well worth the detour. A couple of kilometres to the south is a basic campsite (but no water) with sheltered snorkelling in the bay. Heading north past Quobba Homestead (camping; basic rooms $20-35) and occasional tracks down to shell-lined beaches, you cross the private road linking the Dampier Saltworks at Lake MacLeod with the jetty at Cape Cuvier. Just north of the cape is the wreck of the Korean Star , beached here during a cyclone in 1988. It was here, too, that a " fish feeding frenzy " caught the world's attention in 1992, when several species of shark and whale appeared to co-operate in devouring a glut of small fry. North of here is Red Bluff Beach (camping, shop and restaurant) and Gnaraloo Homestead (camping), the domain of beach fishermen and hard-core windsurfers. The Red Bluff Express can take you up here once or twice a week from Carnarvon ($30 return); enquire at the tourist office.