Mate I fished with a KMart special rod for about 2 yrs(bought it in 2009). It was this horrid 2 piece thing, about 14 ft long, had very little guts to it but it could fling a good sized snapper lead a fair way...

 I matched it to a Ryobi egg beater (until I bought one I didnt even know they made them.) I had to buy the new reel because i snapped the arm on the one that came with the rod

WHole set up was probably about $80,00 and really it was fine. Nothing too flash but it caught fish. I just spoooled it up with some better line and away I went.

I used it mainly for bottom fishing but at times threw half by quarters on it and a few other lures it the situation so required.

I think they are good cheap start up rigs to get you on your way. I some countries a bit of stick is a good rod so they would prize a kmart special

I live in Darwin so dont do any beach fishing anymore and cant offer you any advice on WA fishing

Chris

I'd personally drop into your locak tackle store and buy something with a little more quality. They will hopefully give you some local advice. If you're heading to Kalbarri you will need something half decent as you never know what you'll hook into up there landbased.

A cheap combo will do you just fine if you pick the right one. I've got a Penn Ultragraph II combo (12ft 6-10kg, 8000 size spin reel holds 350m of 25lb fireline) that I've been using for years & cost me around the $100 mark. I've hauled in fish & sharks up to 80kg on it & it hasn't failed me once. It is noticeably heavier in hand than a more expensive combo but there's nothing a more expensive combo can do that my elcheapo can't, you just have to be prepared for sore arms if you want to hold the rod in hand for an all nighter. I think you can still buy the same Penn combo at BCF for around $80. Forget anything with the Jarvis Walker name on it, even though it's made by the same people that make Penn gear. Jarvis Walker gear is complete shite that will fail on the first decent fish you hook. If you want something light to flick lures around then there are plenty of combos around 8ft that will throw 20-60g lures & cost less than $80. Once your more flush with funds & if you decide beach fishing is for you then I'd look at spending a few hundred on a decent combo.

get something second hand in the for sale section.cheaper and better.

put a want to buy ad and see how you go.

The rods may be ok but the reel is likely to crap itself and usually at the worst time. ie when your hooked up to a descent fish. seen it many times before.

ive got a jarvis walker integra 10ft 6500 that cost me $100 and hasnt missed a beat, been through around 20-30 2kg to 6kg salmon and nothing has gone wrong for me

I bought my 4yo (now 5) a $12 Kmart combo. He has caught literally hundreds of fish on it and it's worked an absolute treat, gets abused, dropped in the ocean, kicked, stepped on etc. It's getting a bit clunky now, and if he has a "big" fish (like say a 40cm KG or decent skippy) it gets a bit hard to wind in. (Pump and wind on whiting - love it!) I can't speak highly enough of their value for money.

Most of my gear is on the cheaper side of things, but I purchased a nice Pflueger combo the other day from my local, small, private tackle shop (on the owners advice) and had it spooled with 6lb braid, and I've gotta say the difference in feel is definitely there. That said, both set ups catch fish, but I doubt the $12 combo will be around next year. Still, I can live with spending another $12 every 2 years.

Browndog.

Stick an ad in the for sale section on this site, surely someone out there has some gear that they need to get rid of to a member  at a reasonable price and also someone who lives in the area who can show him where and how to catch fish in this beautiful state of ours

Thank you to everyone for the great advice.