Shark Bay, Western Australia. This World Heritage Area is of extraordinary global significance. Spectacular coastal landforms, the many bays and inlets and the remarkable amount of wildlife make this area a must see. From dolphons to dugongs, fishing and wildflowers, the area is a huge National Park.
The town of Denham is the major administrative centre for the region with the resort location of Monkey Mia catering for the home of the famous wild dolphins that love to interact with humans.
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Shark Bay is situated on the west coast of Australia's Coral Coast tourist region. Shark Bay is a major feature on the Western Australian coastline extending from the mainland into the Indian Ocean as a large peninsula with several large islands and mud flats.
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World Heritage Precinct
One of fourteen places in the world which provide outstanding examples of major stages in the Earth's evolution, outstanding examples of ongoing ecological processes, unique natural phenomena and significant natural habitats where endangered species of animals or plants reside.
Friendly Dolphins
The Bottlenose Dolphins of Monkey Mia are world famous for their ritual of swimming to shore to interact with humans. Seven dolphins frequent the beach in particular and are followed by up to 20 others. A unique and amazing experience which is found nowhere else in the world.
Shell Beach
A unique beach of tiny white shells up to 10 metres deep and stretching for over 120km which will amaze anyone who visits the beach. The shells were once used to build the office walls of buildings in the area, some of which are still standing, most noticably in Nanga Bay Resort.
Hamelin Pool
An extremely important world heritage is stored in this very pool. The tranquil bay is home to the largest deposits of living fossils on the planet, the Stromatolites. A 200 metre boardwalk leads visitors over the calm waters to view these amazing examples of Earth's evolution.
Shark Bay World Heritage Discovery Centre
Shark Bay is on display in an exciting new building, just open to the region, a great way to discover and gain a greater understanding of the area. Showcasing the natural wonders of the diverse and the unique habitats, view historic treasures of the region from the 1600's.
The area experiences a moderate-tropical climate which gets warmer the further north that you travel. Temperatures in the Summer are hot, and due to lack of rainfall in the area, the area is very dry, although this may not seem apparent because of the abundance of sea-water. In Summer (December to February), the average maximum temperature is 35°C with an average minimum temperature of 20°C. In Winter (June to August), the average maximum temperature is 25°C with an average minimum temperature of 10°C.
Shark Bay was named by William Dampier on his second voyage to Australia in 1699 apparently because he felt that the area was infested by them, although he may have mistaken the local dolphins for sharks.
Various settlements such as Denham and Monkey Mia were established during the 19th century but the area has not seen any real development due to the lack of fresh water. In the early 1960s a woman named Mrs Watts started feeding the wild dolphins which followed her husband¹s fishing boat to a campsite on the shoreline of Monkey Mia.
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