Ar last we reached Exmouth gateway to Ningaloo Reef. Exmouth is on a peninsula which is one of the driest places in the world with Ningaloo Reef (home to whale sharks, humpback whales and coral reef only metres from the beaches) at nearby Cape Range National Park. The humpback whales can be seen offshore but just too far for the camera to get them in view unfortunately.
We stopped for two nights in Exmouth itself to stock up on provisions and then moved out to Cape Range National Park at the Lighthouse campsite for four nights (where there is nothing but wilderness). The coastline here is amazing with an abundance of wildlife not just associated with the reef but emu and kangaroos everywhere including one roo that nearly came a cropper when it bounced out in front of Hilda just missing us by inches!
There are also turtles including loggerhead and green turtles that come up the beach at high tide at night to lay their eggs. Apparently the temperature of the sand that they bury the ping pong ball shaped eggs determines whether they will be girls or boys. These turtles can be seen in the shallow waters along the beaches.
The fishing is good too, Paul caught several Coral Salmon just a bit small for the pan but fun catching them anyway. And there is a shipwreck called Mildura where we saw more turtles swimming.
Looking for whales at Lighthouse lookout
Mildura Wreck off beach at the Lighthouse
Its a Coral Salmon
Eh up its a turtle head!