A small regional town is preparing for an influx of at least four times its population ahead of a spectacular solar eclipse, with Airbnbs costing up to $20,000 for just a few nights.
Exmouth is 1,270km north of Perth, Western Australia and will be one of the only places on Earth that will have a direct view of the eclipse on April 20.
There are around 3,000 people living in the town and locals are bracing themselves for as many as 20,000 visitors to roll in.
Perth is the only state capital that flies directly to Exmouth, with return flights from other cities on the east coast costing upwards of $2,000.
Accommodation is also selling out fast with some residents using the opportunity to rent out their homes at alarmingly high costs.
Exmouth (pictured) sits about 1,270km north of Perth and will be one of the few places on Earth that will have views of the solar eclipse on April 20
People from all over the world are expected to fly or drive into Exmouth to watch the moon pass between Earth and the sun.
A one-way Qantas flight from Sydney to Exmouth via Perth on April 17 starts at $1,254, while a return ticket from Melbourne in the same week would set travellers back $2,371.
Qantas said due to the busy period the cheaper seats sold out first but there were some lower fares directly from Perth to Exmouth on offer.
The airline added there is very little accommodation available in Exmouth at the time of the eclipse.
With travellers already forking out thousands just to get to the town, finding a place to stay is no easy feat.
Accommodation in Exmouth for the eclipse is hard to come by with this property listed on Airbnb for $17,000 for six nights
The owner of the home said she and her family had no choice but to list it for $17,000 as they have to leave the town and find somewhere else to stay
There are no availabilities on Booking.com from April 18 to April 23 and the local caravan park is also completely booked out.
Meanwhile, Airbnb offers only a handful of homes.
One property on the booking platform that sleeps six is available to rent for a whopping $17,606 for six nights during the week of the eclipse.
It has four beds, two bathrooms and an outdoor sitting area.
The owner of the house told Daily Mail Australia the reason for such a hefty price tag on her home was because she, her partner and their three kids would have to fly to another town and find their own accommodation.
The RAC Exmouth Cape Holiday Park is completely booked out for the eclipse
‘We don’t usually Airbnb our place, we live in it,’ she said.
‘So I’d have to fly my three kids and my husband elsewhere as well as book accommodation.
‘My house is available to book should someone be needing it for a few days then we’ll move all our personal belongings back into it once we all fly back.’
The house was initially advertised for $20,000 but has since been lowered to $17,000.
Other homes in the area are on offer with similarly high prices.
One local, Nicola, said many in the town were keen to get out of Exmouth to avoid the chaos.
She is advertising her four-bedroom home for five nights at $11,841.
‘Residents were encouraged to rent out their homes as an option for eclipse visitors and to relieve some of the pressures the town would face with such an influx of tourists,’ she said.
‘We decided as a family we didn’t want to be in Exmouth for the eclipse as it would be utter pandemonium therefore we would rent our family home out.’
Nicola said the reason why her house was listed at $11,000 was because of all the work she’d need to put into it.
‘We have bought new bed linen, towels, nice soaps, furnishings. Now, we can’t just nip to Kmart and buy new cheap house furnishings we have to either order online or buy in town,’ she said.
One Exmouth local, Nicola, is offering her house for five nights at $11,000. She said she was worried the town wouldn’t be able to cope with the influx of visitors
‘Freight is expensive, it takes forever, and so is every shop in town.’
She also said that the cost of air conditioning and insurance to rent out her home was also adding to the financial pressures.
‘For someone, like myself, that is renting out their family home it is not a small exercise therefore the reward has to be good,’ she said.
‘I don’t really care if the house is rented out or not to be honest, but if someone does rent it then they will be in a beautiful home and I am sure they will have an incredible stay.’
But Nicola said she was worried how the tiny town would be able to deal with the huge amount of guests flowing in, claiming many other locals were leaving and renting out their homes for the week.
‘The town can’t cope with the July school holidays so the eclipse will be next level,’ she said.
‘I am sure it will be an amazing event and the shire have done a lot of work but simply put; Exmouth is a small remote town and doesn’t have the resources to cope.’
Exmouth residents wanting to rent out their homes must pay a $35 application fee.
The Shire of Exmouth President Darlene Allston said the town’s local businesses have been gearing up in preparation for the eclipse.
A camping area with more than 1,000 sites has been set up for campers and those in RVs, while a water tank with six million litres has also been installed.
‘Businesses are generally on the ball in terms of logistics, given it’s our major tourist time anyway,’ Ms Allston said.
Exmouth has seen tourism boom in recent years thanks to the world heritage-listed Ningaloo coast, where visitors can swim with whale sharks
‘We’ve done all we can to accommodate people but we recommend if there’s things you can’t live without like medicine, it’s a good idea to stock up before you come.’
Ms Allston said about 50,000 people are expected to travel into the region, which includes as far south as Carnarvon, some 3.5 hours away, and out of that 20,000 are due to arrive in Exmouth.
‘I’m definitely excited. It’ll be a part of our history,’ she said.
‘One thing I would say is to people who are thinking of coming – don’t wait around.’
Exmouth has seen tourism boom in recent years thanks to the world heritage-listed Ningaloo coast, where visitors can swim with whale sharks.
The eclipse will peak at Exmouth at about 11.32am on April 20.
Several other events will be held over the week in the town.
