If it's not already on it, you absolutely MUST add Shark Bay to your Bucket List!!
Shark Bay is a World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1991. It was the first Australian site to achieve the listing status. This is how UNESCO describes it;
...Shark Bay’s waters, islands and peninsulas have a number of exceptional natural features, including one of the largest and most diverse seagrass beds in the world. However it is for its stromatolites, colonies of microbial mats that form hard, dome-shaped deposits which are said to be the oldest life forms on earth, that the property is most renowned. The property is also famous for its rich marine life including a large population of dugongs, and provides a refuge for a number of other globally threatened species
This clearly defines the important qualities that allowed it to meet the UNESCO criteria for heritage listing but it doesn't come close to giving you a sense of the pristine beauty of the coastline, the stunning landscapes and incredible swimming experiences. It would take a better wordsmith than me to accurately and emotively describe how you are affected by spending time in a place like this. You just need to get here and experience it for yourself if you can!
About 50km south of Denham there are four beach camping spots controlled by the Shire. They are cheap ($15 p/night) but you are limited to a 24hr stay in each location. We pulled into one - Goulet Bluff - and were immediately taken by the remoteness and tranquility of the area. We'd arrived in the late afternoon so were a little disappointed we'd only have one night here but were happy to enjoy what we could. We arrived so late in the day, spending longer on the road than expected. We had initially hoped to stay at another place in the Bay but unfortunately, the descriptions on Wikicamps were less than ideal and did not explain it was part of a massive private Station in the area. We drove 50km along a terribly corrugated road, aptly named Useless Loop Rd before a friendly local (who clearly identified we were lost!) stopped us. He explained that all the camp spots along the road were in the private Station and behind locked gates. It was pretty obvious by the surprisingly high volume of traffic using the road that the camps were really for avid fishermen/women so we decided to give them a miss. This meant a long, bumpy trip back along the 50km of corrugations. It was a good test for Bilbo the Prado and Gandalf the camper, who both did us proud!
We awoke early the next morning and headed the 20 or so metres from the camper door to the beach as the sun was rising over the ochre cliffs behind us. The water was already warm and teaming with curious sea critters. Sting rays, fish and little sharks all swam right to the water's edge, playfully darting about as we paddled in the shallows. Before long, the local Ranger arrived to check permits and say g'day. I left Michael to chat while the kids and I continued admiring nature's magic. Whether the Ranger was feeling generous or it was Michael's captivating charm, he didn't record our first night's stay. He also 'suggested' how we could extend our visit for another 2 nights. We'd need to pay the fee but we could record our car and camper registrations separately! We were very grateful and spent a total of 3 amazing nights on the beach. Thanks Ranger Matthew - you were a gem! A few other campers came and went but the area was so big they were nowhere near us.
One family stayed a few extra nights like us. They were originally from Belgium, currently lived in France but were moving to India after their Australian holiday! Talk about 'worldly'! They were incredibly 'chilled' and very easy to spend time with. They had a young son the same age as our kids so we quickly developed a holiday friendship and shared stories of our road trips. The kids enjoyed playing games and swapping shells they'd been collecting along their travels. On the second day, Michael took all the kids fishing for a few hours and caught enough to feed us for dinner!
A large group of young emus appeared one afternoon. Their long necks popped up over the top of a tall sand dune like periscopes! Within seconds, they all charged down the dune towards us before, thankfully, deciding on a last minute left turn. It was quite a site!
We had some rain on the third day but it didn't dampen our spirits. The water was still warm and the walks along the beach were just as fascinating. After our extended visit to Goulet Bluff, we reluctantly packed up and headed towards Monkey Mia, unaware of the amazing experiences yet to come.
Photos: left to right
The Bay at Goulet Bluff
Our camp site, right on the beach!
Look closely - do you see the large school of small sharks?
Sunset from the beach
...Another sunset
the group of young emus that came to visit
Gemma with the "catch of the day"
just to prove there's actually a place called "Useless Loop" - you get there via Useless Loop Rd!!
The start of Useless Loop rd before the bitumen ends and corrugations begin