Page 19 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

DISC OVERING A USTR ALIA  17

Erupting geyser at the Blowholes, north of Carnarvon
Day 4: Kalbarri via Geraldton material. You can either choose the reef from close to the
On your journey north, stop to base yourself in Denham shore. It’s also possible to fish,
in Geraldton (pp328–9) to visit (p330) or, if you’re not an early dive and whale-watch here
the WA Museum – Geraldton, riser, press on to Monkey Mia. in season.
which features an excellent
gallery dedicated to the area’s Day 7: Carnarvon and To extend your trip…
shipwrecks. From here, continue the Blowholes There are a number of
on to Kalbarri. Get up early to witness the station stays in this area, so
8am dolphin-feeding session consider spending a couple
Day 5: Kalbarri National Park at the small beach of Monkey of nights experiencing life
Kalbarri National Park (p329) Mia (p331), then head back the in the Outback.
can be explored either on way you came to rejoin the
foot or by bicycle. In addition highway and drive to Carnarvon
to beautiful beaches, it offers (p329), where you can take a tour Days 9 and 10: Exmouth
a series of vertiginous cliffs, of one of the fruit plantations. and the Cape Range
gorges and lookouts. It’s also In the afternoon, drive the 70 km National Park
possible to join a canoe tour (43 miles) to see the Blowholes There is not much to see in
down the Murchison River. (p329). If you’re camping and Exmouth (p332) itself, so head
don’t mind roughing it a little, instead to one of the nearby
Day 6: Monkey Mia Point Quobba is a lovely spot beaches or go straight to the
Leave the Northwest Coastal to spend the night. Cape Range National Park
Highway and head for Denham. (p332), where you can do some
Stop at Shark Bay World Day 8: Ningaloo Reef walking or take advantage of
Heritage and Marine Park Marine Park the superb snorkelling. If you
(pp330–31) to admire the A great spot to experience enjoy camping, consider staying
ancient stromatolites of Ningaloo Reef Marine Park overnight in the park, but be
Hamelin Pool and visit nearby (p332) is the small seaside town aware that facilities are limited.
Shell Beach to see how shells of Coral Bay, since its still waters At present only a handful of
were once used as building allow snorkellers to enjoy pitches can be booked in
advance; the rest are allocated
on a first-come-first-served
basis at the entrance gate to
the park. Spend the morning
in the park, then make your
way to the airport for the
flight back to Perth.
To extend your trip…
In season (Mar–May),
arrange to go swimming
or snorkelling with whale
sharks (p332). You could
also consider carrying on
north to Broome (p334)
or Darwin (pp274–7), or
driving west to visit Karijini
National Park (p333).
Cliffs in Kalbarri National Park, Western Australia