Exmouth suffered extreme winds up to 250 km/h, causing widespread damage and leaving the town largely closed to visitors while impacting tourism and local infrastructure.

Tourism in Exmouth has declined as closures and damage affect the local economy, with damaged buildings, power outages, and road disruptions reported.

Cyclone Narelle caused severe damage to Western Australia’s Carnarvon food bowl in late March, triggering widespread flooding that imperils a region responsible for about 60% of WA’s winter fresh produce and 80% of its bananas.

Carnarvon’s crops—including tomatoes, pumpkins, capsicums, avocados, asparagus, bananas, melons and stone fruit—suffered from flooding and infrastructure damage, threatening a major disruption to the state’s fresh produce supply.

Rising transport and diesel costs are expected to tighten price pressures, since fuel is essential to both farming and distribution of Australian food.

Curtin University experts warn that major supermarkets may source Carnarvon produce from interstate or overseas in the short term, extending supply chains and potentially lifting prices for fresh fruit and vegetables.

Industry estimates put Carnarvon horticulture production losses at about $110 million, with output likely reduced through mid-year and supply tightened for supermarkets.

The impact comes after a sequence of weather events—including Cyclone Mitchell and a heatwave—that had already stretched recovery efforts in the Carnarvon region before Narelle hit.

Diesel-cost pressures are likely to further raise transport expenses and consumer prices for fresh produce.

Overall, reduced local production and longer supply chains are expected to push up supermarket prices for fresh produce in Western Australia in the coming months.