Ningaloo Marine Park and NorthWest Cape National Park 6.10.12.

The trip south from Robe River was through a mostly treeless landscape then up and over and down deep salmon coloured sandhills, one after another until we turned north heading towards Exmouth. We passed Learmonth Airforce Base and at the tip of the Cape, Harold E Holt Navel Communication Station. The skyline is striped with thirteen Very Low Frequency transmitters, one of which is the second highest structure in the Sth. hemisphere. They play a vital role in the operation of the Australian submarine fleet?

Then onwards to Exmouth, gateway to the NP and the reef.

The World Heritage listed Ningaloo Reef has a reputation as one of Earth's last ocean paradises. It is one of the largest fringing reefs in the world, a major breeding area for sea turtles and is accessible straight off the beach. The arid and rugged Cape Range NP is a dramatic contrast to the adjacent coral reef with deep canyons and steep ridges. The area is pristine with abundant wildlife.

We went to the Visitor's Centre where they told us there were vacancies in the National Park, so after restocking our supplies we headed out to the ranger station. The choices were two campgrounds in the far south of the park so we decided to stay the night at Yardie Homestead just outside the NP. Unfortunately we were too late to book the roast dinner.... A severe blow lessened by the knowledge that it was beef, not pork which is our favorite! Then we drove into the park to check out campsites so we could make an informed choice the next day.

We were woken early by the melodic warbling of the butcher bird in the tree above us and headed out to the ranger station by 6.am as advised. We were first in the queue and ate breakfast and read until 8am when the ranger arrived. The system is 'first in best dressed' unless you already have a site, in which case you can transfer to another. We managed to get the site we wanted in Ned 's Camp which had shade and some protection behind the dunes from the wind.

The camp hosts Carl and Bernadette, were friendly, welcoming people who encouraged everyone to go to happy hour each evening which was held around tables overlooking the beach and the wonderful sunsets. We also had an ongoing fishing competition running and each night there was a winner chosen from the entries for that day. Our effort below, 'The Ningaloo Fisherman's Tale Emu Fish' was warmly accepted!

The warm, crystal clear water and the reef which was accessible from the beach made snorkelling an absolute delight and we spent hours in the water looking at the beautifully coloured fish and the extensive coral gardens. The best place for large fish, and the occasional reef shark was Oyster Stacks but it could only be accessed on the high tide when there was enough depth to avoid having our stomachs scratched by coral. The Drift just south of Turquoise Bay was the easiest as the current carried us over the coral with little effort. Turquoise Bay itself was a very pretty bay, with pure white sand contrasting with blue-green water, great for swimming but not much coral.

Turquoise Bay

Oyster Stacks

Today we went to the bore water tap near our camp where we can access water for dishes and clothes washing. There was a male emu there with a young chick and another male being kept at bay by the protective dad. They go there to drink from the overflow from the tap, as do kangaroos and all the local birds. The chick was a fluffy, downy little creature and to our delight, he and dad drank their fill while we watched and photographed them. There was a woman at the tap admiring the emu feathers and saying she had bought some but wished she had more. I offered her some which I'd taken from a dead emu, victim of a passing vehicle, and her response was one of horror at the thought. I wonder where she thinks emu feathers come from!!! There is a lot of wildlife around and so far we've seen two whip snakes, a lot of wallabys plus one in particular which sits and watches us while her Joey tucks his head into her pouch for a quick suckle, lots of emus and the ever present butcher birds which beguile us with their songs.... and fish of course as well as rays and turtles.

As the saying goes, "it's a small world" and the people we meet bring that home to us regularly. After the usual icebreaker questions of "where are you going?...have you been? ..are you from?" we discovered a couple who live in the same street we were in before we went to Malaysia, who know all of our old friends who are still in the neighbourhood. We plan a mini reunion after we get home. Another man from Grenfell knows my sister-in-law Carla and her family and so it goes. Two degrees of separation now with the www!

On our last day we drove down to Yardie Creek which is the only permanent water in the entire NP. There is a sandbar blocking the outlet to the sea, which infrequently breaks through, adding more water to the creek. Both sides are steep and there is a walk along the cliff tops with spectacular views into the gorge and along the magnificent coastline. We could see large fish and rays in the water below as well as canoeists exploring the gorge.

We were sorry to leave the NP and new friends, but we felt we'd enjoyed a fair sampling of the beauty and remoteness of this amazing place. The lighthouse and the wreck of the 'Matilda', are testament to the ruggedness of this coastline, considered the most dangerous in the world.