Holiday Planner2018
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Australia’s CORAL COAST Holiday Planner 2018 the SHARK BAY region With its white sandy beaches, turquoise waters, rust-red sand dunes and abundant wildlife, Shark Bay became Western Australia’s first World Heritage listed area in 1991 due to its outstanding natural heritage values. The 12 species of seagrass found in Shark Bay cover over 4000 square kilometres of the bay (approximately the size of the Perth metropolitan area). Seagrass is critical to the bay as it supports a high diversity of fauna such as dolphins, fish, turtles and prawns. It is also a vital food source for the 10000 dugong which inhabit Shark Bay, one of the most stable populations in the world. Take the World Heritage Drive to see the natural wonders of the area and discover for yourself why the region is so significant. It contains 15 rare or threatened plant species, 12 threatened reptile species, five of Australia’s 26 species of endangered Australian mammals, as well as 35 migratory Australian bird species plus an abundance of marine flora and fauna. Dogs and other pets are not allowed into the National Park areas. BEST TIME TO VISIT DENHAM & MONKEY MIA: March – November BEST TIME TO VISIT DIRK HARTOG ISLAND: March – October (weather) and August and September (wildlife) 60 australiascoralcoast.com SHARK BAY WORL D HE RI TAGE AR EA Distance from Perth: 735km The Shark Bay World Heritage area meets four of the ten required natural criteria Head to Monkey Mia to get up and was Western Australia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Listing. The Shark Bay 1 close to the world’s smartest World Heritage Area covers 22000sq km and is 66% marine based. The colourful wild dolphins. and diverse landscapes, rare flora and fauna and world class examples of Earth’s ecological processes all contribute to the region being World Heritage listed. See the world’s oldest living Follow the interpretative signage along the World Heritage Drive to learn about 2 fossils (3.5 billion years), the this amazing area, starting at the Overlander Roadhouse on the North West Hamelin Pool Stromatolites or take a Heli-Snorkel tour. Coastal Highway passing various significant locations on the way to Denham. Visit historic Dirk Hartog Island for The World’s oldest lifeforms Snow-white Shell Beach 3 the day or stay overnight to enjoy - the Stromatolites Named a top beach by National Geographic, the eco-accommodation. Hamelin Pool is one of only four locations this pristine white beach is made up entirely on Earth where living marine stromatolites of billions of tiny cockle shells. The shells 4WD the red dirt, picnic or exist. Located in 1956, these rock-like living were once quarried and used for building 4 camp and swim the white sandy fossils are the oldest and simplest forms of walls in the area, some of which can still beaches of François Peron life on earth dating back 3.5 billion years. be seen today in Denham. On a still day, National Park. The water at Hamelin Pool is twice as saline the ocean at Shell Beach transforms into a as usual sea water (hyper-saline). Few palette of the most intense greens and blues Learn about the Aboriginal culture predators and competitors can survive - and the water is very salty, making it easy to 5 and history by joining a tour. these conditions, allowing the microbes float for those who aren’t strong swimmers. to form stromatolites. Use the viewing Take to the boardwalk at Eagle platform over the water or snorkel with the Australia’s most western point 6 Bluff and spot rays, fish, sharks Steep Point is well known by West Stromatolites as part of a Helicopter tour and other marine creatures from Australians as a top land-based game accessible from Carnarvon. above the water. fishing location. This means the area is The Dugong also a great diving location full of rays, Visit Australia’s western-most Due to the vast sea grass meadow feeding fish, colourful corals and more. The area 7 point, Steep Point, on a 4WD, grounds in the Marine Park, dugongs (a features the magnificent Zuytdorp Cliffs scuba or a scenic flight tour. close relation to the manatee), can be towering up to 200 metres above sea found year round in Shark Bay. It's 10% of level running from Kalbarri to Shark Bay. Visit world-famous Shell Beach, the world’s dugong population and the Offering some amazing scenery, including 8 one of the few beaches made up world's 2nd largest residential population. the False Bay Blowholes and Shelter Bay entirely of white cockle shells, You can’t help but be enchanted by these camping, visit for the day on tour by boat, spanning 70km. graceful creatures which can grow up to 4WD or scenic flight. Walk Denham’s Discovery Trail three metres and weigh as much as 400 Rare endangered Wildlife kilograms. Being mammals, they cannot 9 taking in the street’s stories If you love wildlife, Shark Bay is for you; with including the Union Sculpture, hold their breath under water for very long 17 species of mammals, 98 species of reptiles Discovery Centre and more! and can be spotted coming to the surface and amphibians and more than 230 species for air. Encounter dugongs on a wildlife of birds recorded in the area. Join a tour or Sail the gulf on a sunset or wildlife cruise or spot them on a scenic flight. go self guided. Shark Bay’s mammals are 10 cruise to spot dugongs, dolphins among the world’s rarest with five threatened and humpback whales. FUN FACT: Shell Beach stretches species found in Shark Bay and four that for over 70 kilometres and is up to are found nowhere else on Earth. Visit the ten metres deep! Discovery Centre for more information. #australiascoralcoast 61 FRANCOIS PERON NATIONAL PARK François Peron National Park is known for its contrasting red dirt, white beaches and blue waters, and free roaming wildlife such as bungarra lizards, emus and thorny devils. The park, which covers 52500 hectares of arid shrublands and coastal scenery, offers a wilderness experience and a four-wheel-drive is required. The Park has no running water so please bring it with you or join a day tour to experience the raw beauty. Where the Desert meets Salt lagoons or ‘Birridas’ the Ocean An unusual feature of Shark Bay is its Have you ever seen rust-red desert sand gypsum clay pans, known as birridas. meeting brilliant white beach sand and Land-locked saline lakes, these shallow azure blue water? The ocean shouldn’t be depressions support specially-adapted touching a desert but at François Peron plant and animal species. The sea has also National Park, exactly that happens. The flooded some coastal birridas, creating road to the Peron Homestead is accessible inland bays of Big Lagoon and Little for two wheel drive vehicles but high Lagoon, which are known for their beauty DRIVING TIP: The National Park should clearance four-wheel drives are essential and thriving ecological significance. Big be accessed only by experienced for travel further north into the park. When Lagoon features seagrass for dugongs, four-wheel drivers due to soft sand entering the Park, make sure to deflate car dolphins and green turtles. Little Lagoon and rugged terrain - bring your own tyres by the Homestead. Park and camping is a natural nursery for crabs, whiting and drinking water and supplies. fees applicable. other fish. Little Lagoon has camping and barbecue facilities - enjoy a day of Iconic Bottle Bay Camp on red dirt by swimming or the evening sunset. Kayak the Bottle Bay at Cape Peron – with its plunging blue waters lagoons or see them from a scenic flight. sea cliffs framing a coastal landscape with Designated basic campsites are located at striking colour contrasts of red, white and Herald Bight in the east and Big Lagoon, hot tub and historical blue. Bush camping, four-wheel driving and Bottle Bay and Gregories to the west. Many conservation beach fishing are popular here in addition sites have fishing spots along the coastline Situated in the François Peron National to swimming and boating. and are great places to spot marine life or Park, the Peron Homestead is accessible bird colonies such as cormorants. You’ll find by two-wheel drive vehicles and offers Cape Peron and Skipjack prints left by emus, reptiles and mammals a glimpse of life from the 1950s when Points’ Wanamalu Trail such as endangered bilbies. Please be the park was a working sheep station. Along the cliff edge between Cape careful when driving around the park. Join a guided tour from Denham or take Peron and Skipjack Point, take to the 1.5 Gas barbecues are supplied. a self-guided walk using the station’s kilometres trail that provides excellent interpretative signage. The centre depicts views of the coastline. Interpretive signs TRAVEL TIP: Fires and pets are NOT stories of Indigenous inhabitants, European along the trail give an introduction to the permitted in the Park. Visitors need colonisation and current day conservation features of the area Two viewing platforms to bring all water supplies and take all programs such as Project Eden and Return at Skipjack Point provide striking coastal waste away. to 1616. The natural hot tub is a popular spot views and the opportunity to see Shark to relax and soak in the hot artesian waters. Bay’s abundant marine life. Swimming is The nearby barbecue and lawn area is a not advised at Cape Peron due to strong great spot for picnics.