Shark Bay: Nature's West Australian Playground

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Author: Gavin Wyatt

The Western Australian coastline can be harsh and unforgiving, desolate and barren. Yet there are certain spots on it whose beauty and extravagance seem to leap out of nowhere and surprise even the coast itself. The kind of areas that restore your faith in the wonders of our earth, that are literally oases in the desert. Many of these spots exist on the West Coast, and of these Shark Bay is surely the most magnificent. Its 1500 kilometres of meandering shoreline enclose the azure blue waters of the bay, which is dotted with numerous islands and plays host to an incredible array of marine and bird life.

The main town in Shark Bay is Denham, located on the Peron Peninsula, and this can be a useful base from which to explore other attractions in the Bay. Just thirty minutes north of Denham is Monkey Mia, the famous dolphin resort that most visitors are attracted to Shark Bay for. The reason for this is the incredible habits of a particular pod of dolphins, who daily make their way to the shores near the resort and interact and play with the people waiting there for them. There are seven dolphins that do this daily, and a group of about twenty that join them on different occasions. This remarkable occurence has been going on since the 1960's, and has encompassed three generations of dolphins. Thousands of tourists have been thrilled by these special creatures, and a visit to Shark Bay would not be complete without a frolic with the dolphins of Monkey Mia.

There is much more to Shark Bay than the dolphins, as one would expect from a World Heritage listed site. Get out the goggles and flippers and enjoy the brilliant colours of the marine life that inhabits the bays and inlets of the region, where you are bound to have thrilling encounters with manta rays, sea turtles and large numbers of tropical fish. Stretching for 1000 square kilometres are the Wooramel Seagrass Banks, the largest of their kind in the world. These limestone sands are formed from calcium deposits and form the perfect habitat for the graceful and quaint dugong, or 'sea cow', up to 14000 of these creatures call Shark Bay home, one of the most stable populations in the world. Tours are available to guarantee a sighting of these unique animals.

Another geographical attraction of the Bay are the stromatolites of Hamelin Pool. These are hard, dome shaped deposits formed by colonies of algae. Resembling mounds of hard rock, these are actually the worlds oldest known living organisms and they are formed by the activities of micro organisms. A 200 metre walkway extends out amongst the stromatolites, so you can view them without causing any damage. Another unusual attraction in a similar vein is Shell Beach, situated about forty five kilometres south of Denham. This startlingly white beach consists entirely of a build up of tiny white coquina shells, some twenty five feet deep. 110 kilometres long, there are numerous swimming, fishing and relaxing spots you can take advantage of on this beach.

The rich diversity of the marine life in Shark Bay extends to species that are popular amongst fishermen. There are lots of fishing tours available where you can try your hand at pulling in snapper, cod, coral trout, spanish mackerel and other kinds of fish. On your trip you will probably bump into the bottlenose dolphins, dugongs, or if the season is right, a pod of humpback whales.

Also be sure to stop in at Shark Bays new eight million dollar interpretive centre, whose displays take you on an amazing journey through the history of the region, and the unique ecosytem of the Bay. By bringing together historic treasures and marine, terrestrial and aboriginal heritage this centre promises to educate, inform and entertain you. It will also be essential in helping you plan the holiday ahead of you in Shark Bay.

There are numerous camping facilities around the Bay, and in Denham there is a range of accommodation to suit all budgets and all groups. The famous Monkey Mia lodge also caters to those on a budget, with backpacker rooms and camping available as well as larger beachfront villas suitable for families. Situated 850 kilometres north of Perth, why not use a hire car to get to Shark Bay, and enjoy the freedom of exploration this option provides you with.

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