After completing the work with AWC I decided to drive north-west to Shark Bay and Monkey Mia. Monkey Mia is well known for the feeding of the dolphins, which happens every day. The drive up was through some very sparse country and there was considerable evidence of mining interests at work. After leaving the main north/south highway it is still a drive of about 100 kms out to the reserve.
Shark Bay is the most western point of mainland Australia. Dirk Hartog stepped ashore here on 25 October 1616 to be the first recorded European to discover Australia. The area became settled as an area for guano, pearls and pastoral industries. It also became a source for sandalwood. In 1991 it was listed as a World Heritage area in 1991. The only town in the area is Denham, which began as a pearling camp. Monkey Mia is not a town but a resort.
The area is famous for the dolphins which come int to be fed, usually three times a day. It is also a breeding ground for dugongs and the endangered loggerhead turtles. Other interesting areas are the Francois Peron National Park ,which is popular with 4wd drivers, Shell Beach, where the 'sand' is made completely from small shells, Hamelin Pools, where stomatolites line the coast. While here I also enjoyed a cruise to photograph dugongs and visit the pearl farm.
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| Feeding the dolphins |
