Highway Reopens After Cyclone, Families Cheer Easter Win

The sound of honking horns and joyful whoops filled the air as Western Australia's North West Coastal Highway finally reopened, delivering an Easter miracle to hundreds of stranded holiday families.

Cyclone Narelle had dumped torrential rain across the Pilbara region more than a week earlier, leaving major sections of highway underwater and cutting off access to beloved holiday spots like Coral Bay. Main Roads crews had been working 24/7 to repair the significant damage and reconnect coastal communities.

Many families took a gamble, driving nine hours from Perth to Carnarvon with caravans in tow, hoping the road would reopen in time for the school holidays. Simon Fowley and his family left Perth early Friday morning, camping south of Carnarvon and turning the uncertainty into an adventure. "We thought we'd just come up the coast and see how far we got," Fowley said. "Now that we've got the chance to go to Coral Bay, that seems like a worthwhile risk."

For Liam Barger-Bos and his friends, who spent more than a year planning their trip, giving up wasn't an option. Despite scary flood images and skyrocketing fuel prices, they pushed through. "That's my favorite place on Earth, so I always want to go back there," he said while playing cricket with friends to pass the time.

The Ripple Effect

The reopening sparked immediate relief throughout the region. Bayview Park filled 100 campsites by Sunday morning and expected to reach capacity by day's end. Harriet Muir-Little, owner of Ningaloo Reef Dive & Snorkel, celebrated the timing. "Easter school holidays are the town's busiest weekend," she said. "We were very lucky to have minimal damage, and from today we are up and running."

Authorities urged travelers to proceed with caution, as speed restrictions remain in place and repairs continue. Some sections still have 700 millimeters of receding water. The Minilya Exmouth Road remains closed but could reopen as early as midweek.

For now, the line of caravans, campers and motorhomes is moving again, carrying families toward coral reefs, fishing spots, and the Easter break they refused to give up on.