The eclipse effect is being felt early in Exmouth, with an influx of visitors from around the world already flocking to the tourist town to witness day turn to night on Thursday morning.
Visitors are making their way into Exmouth in the thousands, as the Gascoyne and North West prepares for the rare total solar eclipse.
About 20,000 people are expected to arrive in Exmouth to get a glimpse of the rare cosmic phenomenon which will be at its peak just before 11.30am on Thursday.
Campsites are beginning to be covered in tents, 4WDs, caravans and campervans, stalls and food trucks are springing up in in hot spots such as Federation Park, and the final touches are being added as festivities get under way for the once-in-a-lifetime event for this part of the world.
Exmouth Shire president Darlene Allston on Monday said about 7000 people had arrived so far, already more than double the town’s usual population of 2806.
“There’s a lot of people starting to come in, things are starting to fill up. It’s not fully packed yet but I know it is coming,” she said.
“People are getting excited, everything is going up, stages being put in place, the shuttle bus signs are up. You can tell something big is about to happen.”
While Exmouth is no stranger to travellers, meeting new faces all coming together for one moment already feels special, Ms Allston said.
“I had a bit of a chat to a young lass from California who is doing a bit of research. It’s really interesting to know that we’ve got people from far and wide here, sharing the event with us,” she said.
Exmouth Chamber of Commerce president David Gillespie said he had never seen so many people in town at once, but was confident businesses were ready for the moment the town had been preparing for.
“The town is feeling a bit crazy, we’ve got food trucks and caravans everywhere, accommodators beginning to fill up,” Mr Gillespie said.
“Everyone is running off their feet, doing everything they can to provide their service and make people feel welcome.
“It’s going to be a fantastic week, blue skies, low winds, it’s magnificent and it couldn’t be any better.”
Anne Roessler, owner of the The Social Society Exmouth and Whalers Restaurant, said business was quickly getting busier, and so was the town as a whole.
“It’s busy, and we expect it will be even more busy tomorrow,” she said.
“We can see tents everywhere, it’s all filling up, and everywhere you look you see the final preparations.”
Many coming to Exmouth describe themselves as “eclipse chasers,” travelling the globe and going wherever eclipses take them.
Janine Frances comes from Pennsylvania in the United States, and had never heard of Exmouth before planning her trip.
“The beauty of this is I get to go to places all over the world I would never have gone to, just like this incredible place,” she said.
While many eclipse chasers have come with top-notch cameras and telescopes to get their view of the eclipse, if you are looking for a pair of solar eclipse glasses, you can still find them around town, including at the Ningaloo Centre and IGA stores.
Source: News