Price is right on Coral Coast visit
Radio shock jock Steve Price isn’t one to shy away from saying what he really thinks.
But the east coast radio host had nothing but nice words to say about Geraldton and the region during a whirlwind tour of the Coral Coast.
The road trip — supported by Tourism WA — kicked off in Exmouth, where Price had the chance to swim alongside whale sharks.
The crew then headed south, stopping in Monkey Mia and Geraldton for a few nights before ending the trip in Perth.
During the trip, Price shared his adventures online and broadcast his nightly show live to 56 stations across the east coast.
And with about half a million people tuning in each night, Price said it was a great opportunity to talk up the west coast.
“Every night I’m telling them how great WA and the Coral Coast is,” he said.
“Part of the reason we’re doing it is because the Coral Coast gets a little bit lost in comparison with places like Margaret River and Broome.
“But the whole coastline is amazing, the cleanliness of it and the fact the water is so beautiful and the seafood is so great.”
Price said the entire road trip was packed full of unforgettable moments, from kayaking with an Aboriginal man in Shark Bay to learning about the “bloodthirsty” history of the Batavia shipwreck on the Abrolhos Islands.
But an encounter with a young girl in Monkey Mia will stay with him forever.
“It was a bit embarrassing but they picked me out of about 120 people on the beach to go and feed the dolphins,” he said.
“They said I could take someone with me and I was going to take one of my producers, but last minute I saw there was a whole bunch of little kids and I thought ‘why not choose one of them?’.
“I turned to a family and chose the middle girl, Issy, and it turns out she’s got an inoperable brain tumour, is partially blind and doesn’t have long left to live.
“Her mum said to me ‘that’ll be something she’ll remember for the rest of her life’. That was one of those special moments.”
Price’s short stopover in Geraldton was also the perfect opportunity for a quick reunion with his little sister Suzi Salmond, who owns the Corner Surf Shop on Marine Terrace.
Last week, Ms Salmond, who moved to Geraldton when she was 18, was a guest on Price’s show, Nights with Steve Price.
“I never thought I’d interview my own sister on radio,” Price said with a laugh during the show.
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