Exmouth Wild Prawn Festival Postponed Following Cyclone Narelle
We have made the difficult decision to postpone the Exmouth Wild Prawn Festival following the impact of Tropical Cyclone Narelle.
The cyclone has caused significant damage across the Exmouth community, affecting homes, businesses and critical infrastructure. The immediate priority is supporting the town as it begins its recovery.
Importantly, tourism is vital to the local economy and supporting local operators during this time – including rescheduling the Festival for when the town is ready to welcome visitors back – will play an important role in the town’s recovery.
Festival Director Louise Cashmore said the decision had been made in consultation with local stakeholders, with the community front of mind.
“This has been an incredibly tough time for Exmouth, and our priority is to ensure the community has the time and space it needs to recover,” Ms Cashmore said. “The Festival was created for Exmouth – to celebrate its people, its produce and a fishing industry that has been part of the town’s heritage for generations. We are committed to bringing it back at the right time, not only as a celebration for the community, but as a way to welcome visitors back and support local businesses as the town rebuilds.”
The Festival is a key event for the region, designed to showcase Exmouth as the home of the Exmouth wild prawn.
This year’s Festival also marks 10 years of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for the Exmouth prawn fishery – an important milestone demonstrating how a sustainable, world-class commercial fishery successfully operates alongside a marine park.
CEO of Sea Harvest Australia Danie Du Toit said the company stands alongside the Exmouth community during this time. “Many of our team members and their families live in Exmouth and have been directly impacted by this event,” Mr Du Toit said. “Our business has also been affected, with damage to our boats and local facilities, but our focus right now is supporting the community through recovery. We look forward to bringing the Festival back as a positive moment for the town; helping to bring people back into Exmouth and support local businesses.”
The Festival will be rescheduled in consultation with the Chamber of Commerce and local businesses to ensure it supports recovery and maximises economic benefit.
Further details, including revised dates, will be announced in the coming weeks.
Enquiries:
Louise Cashmore
events@exmouthprawnfestival.com.au
Contact: +61 451 828 106
