Award winning operators at your service.
Mandy Francis-Maier and Peter 'Boxy' Maier will make your day on the creek as memorable and as enjoyable an experience as possible.
The Yardie Creek Boat Tour vessel, 'Yardi' meanders along the creek below the escarpment walls.
Yardi on tour
The Yardie Creek Boat Tour vessel, 'Yardi' meanders along the creek below the escarpment walls.
Getting on board couldn't be easier.
For those without a car, we provide a bus service to and from Exmouth to Yardie Creek and back. Conditions apply. See our Boat tours page for more info.
Yardie Creek wildlife
The diversity of wildlife living along the rock-face is what makes the creek so special and such a joy for photographers to shoot. Cute little rock wallaby's, menacing western osprey's and elegant eastern egrets all find a home along the creeks walls.
The kids from Year 7 at Exmouth High School about to sart their tour.
Boat loads of fun!
The kids from Year 7 at Exmouth District High School about to commence their tour.
Turquoise Bay Bus Service
Turquoise Bay Bus Service
We now offer a bus service to and from the beautiful Turquoise Bay. Click here for more info.
Two young Eastern Reef Egrets giving chase to Mum while a Yarie Creek Osprey looks on.
Bird life along Yardie Creek
Two young Eastern Reef Egrets giving chase to Mum while a Yarie Creek Osprey looks on.
Photographers Dream
Our steady vessel makes capturing the amazing scenery along Yardie Creek even easier.

About YCBT

Pete and Mandy on board Yardi

Background & Experience

Ningaloo Coast World Heritage logoWelcome to Yardie Creek Boat Tours, a local tour business based in Exmouth, Western Australia (WA) that commenced tours from March 2013. The boat tour itself has a long history of operation within the Cape Range National Park, which is part of a World Heritage listed area on the North West (NW) Cape of WA.

The boat tour is in the enthusiastic and knowledgeable hands of local husband & wife team Peter (Boxy) Maier and Mandy Francis-Maier, with Boxy* leading the boat tours and Mandy managing the office, bookings and marketing.

Pete "Boxy" Maier at the helm of Yaridi

Pete “Boxy” Maier at the helm of ‘Yardi’

Your Principal Tour Guide

Peter (Boxy) is a long-term resident of Exmouth with considerable tourism experience, current marine qualifications, extensive skippering expertise and a wealth of knowledge about the region. He has grown up, lived and worked in Exmouth for most of his life (55+ years), which brings a unique local flair to his tours and commentary. Boxy has been directly involved in the Exmouth fishing charter industry for over two decades, worked as a professional Firefighter and worked with DPaW (for a year) as the boat tour guide for Yardie Creek, before starting their new business with Mandy – Yardie Creek Boat Tours.

Boxy has a range of interests & hobbies he likes to “have a chat about”, ranging from game fishing, diving, restoring cars & motorbikes, karting, mountain bikes and more recently golf (joining Mandy in her sport of choice!).

Ash Broinowski with inset of Gracius Joseph Broinowski

Ash Broinowski with his famous Great Grandad Gracius Joseph Broinowski

Tour Guide

Also part of the YCBT Team is our tour guide Ashley (Ash) Broinowski! Ash is a local wildlife guide who has lived in the region for over 15 years is very passionate and particularly knowledgeable about birdlife in the region. In this regard, he is following in the footsteps of his family heritage, as Ash’s great-grandfather was Gracius Joseph Broinowski, the (Polish-born) Australian artist, ornithologist and author  of the well-known book “The Birds of Australia”.

Key Stakeholder

YCBT works closely with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) – formerly Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) – in Exmouth and takes their responsibility of Environmental Stewardship in cooperation with DBCA very seriously. We have comprehensive Licence Conditions to operate under whilst on Yardie Creek and are regularly audited by DBCA. We are also the only licenced tour operator to do daily boat tours of Yardie Creek (based on our operating schedule).

Yardie Creek is classed as a Nature Reserve and as such strict conditions apply as to how it can be used and enjoyed for recreational purposes – all with the view of protecting the wildlife in the Creek and maintaining the unique ambience of this pristine location.

YCBT assists DBCA by providing wildlife data reports from the Creek on a routine basis, which assists with the ongoing research, monitoring and management of the area. We are very keen & passionate about protecting and maintaining Yardie Creek in it’s beautiful and pristine condition for now and into the future!

Low Impact Nature-Based Tourism

YCBT supports the philosophy of low impact nature-based tourism and the boat tour is the epitome of this type of experience.

The simple pleasure of being on a small, quiet vessel, cruising up the creek and absorbing the colours, sights and sounds of Yardie is a wonderful and relaxing experience. With relevant commentary to explain about the environmental, cultural, aboriginal history and local aspects and intrigues, we want our clients to leave the creek knowing a little bit more about Exmouth and the surrounding regions and the importance of protecting and preserving it for future generations.

YCBT is committed to following some of the core principles of Ecotourism which include (but are not limited to):

  1. Natural Area Focus
    YCBT focuses on giving visitors/clients the opportunity to personally and directly experience nature at Yardie Creek.
  2. Interpretation
    YCBT provides opportunities to experience nature in ways that lead to greater understanding, appreciation and enjoyment aboard “Yardi” during the boat cruise on the creek.
  3. Environmental Sustainability Practice
    YCBT aims to achieve best practice for environmentally sustainable tourism.
  4. Contribution to Conservation
    YCBT considers that we positively contribute towards the conservation of natural areas in and around Yardie Creek.
  5. Benefiting Local Communities
    YCBT provides constructive ongoing contributions to the local community – we are proud to support local sporting groups, organisations & individuals fund-raising for worthy causes.
  6. Cultural Respect
    YCBT aims to be sensitive to, interpret and involve the culture/s existing in the area.
  7. Customer Satisfaction
    YCBT strives to consistently meet the expectations of our clients.
  8. Responsible Marketing
    YCBT is marketed and promoted honestly and accurately so that realistic expectations are formed.

Supporting Local Businesses

As long-term local residents the Owner/Directors of YCBT proudly support many local businesses in the region, by purchasing goods & services from within Exmouth – these include (but are not limited to):

YCBT also supports other tourism providers in Exmouth, including (but not limited to):

Local Bookings Agents for YCBT: