As I’m not into snorkelling (always get water in mask and invariably seeps into snorkel!), a glass bottom boat tour of the reef was just the ticket in Coral Bay- you walk out 100m in the shallow water to get into the boat, that then travels over lovely coral gardens and a multitude of fish. Pristine waters, a lovely 26 degree sunny day….ahhh!

Charles Knife Canyon is 22 km south of Exmouth. The drive takes you on a winding road up to the top past rocky gullies, small gorges and open spinifex bushland. The views on top are of the rugged terrain of the Cape Range and the waters of the Exmouth Gulf.

There’s a discarded piece of waste, a Woodside oil tower of 83 metres, that contains toxic fire retardant foam just sitting near the biodiversity hotspots of Ningaloo Reef and Gulf. Its slowly sinking after Woodside has failed to maintain it. Despite being ordered by authorities to remove it, Woodside has failed to do so to date.

Another threat to the environment and wildlife, is being presented by the proposal to build an industrial port at Qualing Pool, Exmouth Gulf – an important humpback whale nursing and resting area prior to their arduous migration to Antarctica.

A 12 km drive travels along the floor of the spectacular Shothole Canyon – rugged limestone walls leading back to the Exmouth Gulf. The name of this canyon is derived from the shotholes left in the terrain, following explosive charges set for seismic studies during oil exploration work in the early 1950’s!