The beauty of the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef is now even closer for Victorians with direct flights between Melbourne and Exmouth announced today (14 October).
The first Qantas service will depart Melbourne on 30 April 2023, with five-hour flights between Tullamarine Airport and Learmonth (Exmouth) Airport to run twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays.
The direct flights will save travellers more than three hours’ travel time compared to flying via Perth.
The service will be available during Exmouth’s peak season, operating from April until October 2023.
Qantas is offering special airfares from today, with prices from $399 one-way when booked at least 45 days in advance and subject to availability.
The new direct Qantas flights to connect a capital city on the east coast with a popular regional destination are supported by the McGowan Government through Tourism WA and the Shire of Exmouth.
The direct service will run on a Qantas Boeing 737 aircraft, with more than 18,000 seats available across the peak season.
The route will make it quicker and easier for east coast travellers to visit Exmouth – the gateway to Ningaloo Reef – on Australia’s Coral Coast.
Exmouth recently received national recognition after being named Australia’s Top Small Tourism Town for 2022 at the Australian Top Tourism Awards in Canberra.
Qantas will promote the new direct flights to Victorians through co-operative marketing activities with Tourism WA, leveraging the newly launched Walking On A Dream brand campaign which is now underway on the east coast.
The new direct flights begin 10 days after the Total Solar Eclipse on 20 April 2023, which is expected to attract thousands of domestic and international visitors to Exmouth and regional centres such as Onslow and Carnarvon.
As stated by Tourism Minister Roger Cook:
“Our tourism strategy is focused on attracting more tourists to support local business to sustain more local jobs and support more local businesses.
“We also want to make it easier for tourists from interstate and overseas to fly direct to regional WA.
“The Walking On A Dream campaign is creating a terrific buzz on the east coast so this new initiative with Qantas is fantastic timing.
“Ningaloo Reef is one of the most extraordinary places in Australia and Exmouth was quite fittingly recognised recently as Australia’s Top Small Tourism Town.
“Today’s announcement is a win for visitors but also for tourism operators and local businesses in the region.
“East coast visitors can now book to fly direct to Exmouth from Melbourne in just five hours from April to October next year.”
