FEATURED WRITER
two places in the whole world where living marine stromatolites can be
found – and then travelled on to Monkey Mia, one of the most popular
tourist destinations at Shark Bay. Emus greeted us as we pitched our tent by
helping themselves to our picnic basket. Reprieve came in the form of
unsuspecting German tourists who sat down on the park bench next to us
to enjoy some lunch.
Monkey Mia, famed for its wild dolphins that have acclimatised over time
to human interaction, has a decidedly ‘80s feel to it especially if you’re
camping. It’s great, but don’t expect spiritual transcendence from the
promised dolphin encounter (unless your idea of spiritual experience is
over a hundred tourists – sock-n-sandalled, camera-lensed-up – lining the
beach.) We went down for a swim at around 5pm and were lucky enough
to be greeted by a few passing dolphins – but really, it’s not worth hanging
around for the official viewing.
Day Three - Heading up the coast a little further north we made it to Coral
Bay, a small town located next to Ningaloo Reef, another World
Heritage-listed site in WA famous for its amazing marine biodiversity and
one of the few places in the world where one can swim with whale sharks.
This is also the only fringing reef in Australia – walking off the beach will take
you directly onto the reef as there is little separation between the reef and
the shore.
I decided to head out for a paddle, keeping a look out to see if I could find
any of the gorgeous blue-spotted stingrays that frequent the area. As I
swam out, I felt like I was being followed (not the best feeling when you're
in Australian waters as Australia is rather infamous for its somewhat prolific
shark population) but then looked back to breath a huge sigh of relief as I
realised I wasn't being stalked by sharks but rather, by a giant school of
snappers!
Day Four - As Ningaloo is a protected reef, it's necessary to check where
fishing is allowed and where it is prohibited so we decided to ask some of
the locals. Given that it was the height of summer, we found ourselves
completely alone on an entire stretch of pristine, sandy beach. We (that is,
Ben) caught a few fish and as the sun began to set, we looked on with
goosebumps at the four large fins skimming the top of the water near the
shore...
But in all honesty, Coral Bay is truly a paradise. There is absolutely nothing
else in this place in terms of amenities but that's simply because there is
absolutely no need for anything else. I recommend checking it out in the
cooler months, especially if you’re planning on camping!
Day Five - On our last day we legged it to Port Hedland. The drive between
Coral Bay and Port Hedland was captivating in that the scenery changed
every few hours. It felt like we had driven through at least three different
countries. Flat and arid changed to hilly and arid and as we continued to
travel even further north, the landscape changed to being hilly with
luscious greenery. This part of the trip was all about the journey!
We finally reached Port Hedland, the final destination of our trip. Port
Hedland is the second largest town in the Pilbarra region in this northern
part of Western Australia. It is known for its rich Aboriginal culture and
history with the region being home to 31 Aboriginal language groups. It is
also home to some of the oldest rock formations in the world dating to over
2 billion years ago.
Our five day trip, though short, made us realise that Western Australia really
has a lot to offer. It is a place of amazing scenery and diversity, from the
white sandy beaches to the dry hot interior, and offers a chance for respite
from our daily grind which one will have no problem finding in abundance
in its vast landscape. Western Australia, I have fallen in love all over again.
No wonder that many tourists leave our state with the sense that it really is
a paradise on earth!
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