As far west as you can get on Australia’s mainland, in a place so thirsty it has to make its own water, a stunning marine wilderness flourishes. World heritage listed and wild, with overlapping marine and coastal sanctuaries that safeguard 10 per cent of the world’s dugongs, more than 6000 loggerhead and green sea turtles and wild Monkey Mia dolphins, Shark Bay’s credentials are phenomenal.
But what takes your breath away, long before the wildlife encounters begin, are the gin-clear lagoons and opalescent seas that wash over cockle shell beaches and carve shell middens from arcing crimson dunes. By anyone’s imagining this place is remote. It’s hot and dry and incredibly far away, but that’s precisely why I’ve come, to paddle a sea kayak from Denham to Monkey Mia and get as close to Shark Bay’s marine life as I can.
Located 830 kilometres by road from Perth, Denham is a quintessential west coast seaside town: small and welcoming with plenty of caravan park sites and a decent beachfront pub. But it’s what surrounds the town that pulls a crowd: a beach made entirely of seashells deposited 10 metres deep, one of the world’s only ancient stromatolite gardens, and the blissfully faraway Dirk Hartog Island whose first explorer footprints kick-started Australia’s great reveal to the world.
For outdoorsy types, few wildlands rival Shark Bay, with its endless opportunities to explore by boat, sea kayak, on foot and under the sea. But if sand-free sheets and sunset cocktails are more your thing, this place will woo you with artesian hot tub soaks, Indian Ocean sunsets, cultural escapes and dolphin encounters that all connect you deeply with the natural world.
Paddling out
This story is from the Issue 194 edition of WellBeing.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Issue 194 edition of WellBeing.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Avoid the Beauty Hype
Save money, improve your health and contribute to environmental sustainability by creating your own beauty products at home.
Fill your life with delicious scents
Fill your garden with scents and enjoy the sense of tranquillity and quiet joy that comes with them.
Protein - the building blocks of beauty
Chicken, turkey, beef, pork, lamb and organ meats such as pâté are all rich sources of high-quality protein.
Skincare that really cares
We put Sanctum's most popular products to the test and see why they're loved and adored by all.
Chelsea Pottenger - CARING FOR MENTAL HEALTH
Chelsea Pottenger, a mother, ambassador, keynote speaker and the founder and director of EQ Minds, is dedicated to reshaping the corporate landscape of mental health.
Green Beat
All the latest in environmental issues
Community-based prepping
Is the future going to look like it does at the present? Or might there be unexpected challenges? The answer is that challenges are likely and if not now, then soon. The real question becomes how we will respond to that disruption and achieve sustainable positive outcomes as a result.
Rest, roll and recover
Your body requires proper care and attention to function at its best. Just as you fuel your body with nutritious food, you must also provide it with adequate rest and recovery to maintain optimal health.
THE IMPORTANCE OF STILLNESS
In a busy world we say, \"Who has time for stillness?\" But the question should be: \"What are we really missing out on by not prioritising silent and soulful solitude?\"
Cucumbers
Cucumbers hydrate you and have potential antidiabetic, lipid lowering and antioxidant activity.