The natural beauty of Cape Range
The Ningaloo Coast is more than just its magnificent coral reef. UNESCO's World Heritage listing also recognises the outstanding natural value of Cape Range.
The peninsula was created by the skeletons of ancient reefs that emerged from under the ocean. Cape Range's underground caves are home to rare fauna, such as blind fish and blind cave eels.
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Cape Range's gradual evolution has created a series of amazing gorges and canyons, such as Mandu Mandu dry gorge and Yardie Creek gorge. There are walking trails through these and other gorges and canyons in the national park.
Cape Range National Park ends at Yardie which is the only creek with permanent water in the area. It is lined with mangroves and spectacular walls of multicoloured layers of rock on either side. It is also home to a rare colony of black- footed wallabies and other wildlife.
Over the sandbar is Yardie's expansive sandy beach. A couple of kilometres out to sea are the main reef and a surf break called Yardies. Surfers take a boat out to the break to ride Yardie's much-lauded waves.
Exmouth's history stems from its growth from when the US Navy created a base for 3000 people in the 1960s. But the base was abandoned in the 1990s and the compound has become a ghost town apart from the Sea Breeze Resort which has been created from the former chief petty officers quarters.
On an evening bus tour, Exmouth Tours guide Steve Marston takes visitors around the naval base and explains its history and tells what life was like when Exmouth was "little America".
Mr Marston's tour also visits the Vlamingh Head Lighthouse - built in 1912 but no longer operational - in time for sunset before taking guests to Dunes Beach for champagne and dinner on the coast.
The North West Cape is also a prime location for stargazing.
The impressive Milky Way and southern hemisphere constellations stand out strongly because of the remote location and lack of light pollution.
Other activities include sea-kayaking, fishing and scenic flights.
FACT FILE
• Sea Breeze Resort is 5km north of Exmouth in the former naval base. The resort has 26 self-contained studios in converted officer quarters. Prices range from $155 a night for a standard room in low season to $230 for a deluxe room in high season. Until Monday, Sea Breeze Resort is offering 25 per cent off room rates. The offer is for stays until July 1, 2012. For more information, go to www.seabreezeresort.com.au or phone 9949 1800.
• Day-long whale shark tours with Ningaloo Whaleshark-n-Dive cost $390 for adults, $270 for children, $250 for an observer and $1190 for a family of two adults and two children. A two dive full-day trip to the Murion Islands costs $200 including gear hire or $180 with own gear. A two dive full-day trip at Lighthouse Bay costs $165 including gear hire or $145 with own gear. Diving the Navy Pier costs $145 for a single dive including gear hire, $135 with own gear, $210 for a double dive including gear hire and $200 with own gear. A night dive including gear hire costs $175 or $165 with own gear, $250 for day and night dives including gear hire or $240 with own gear. For more information, go to www.ningaloowhalesharkndive.com.au or phone 1800 224 060.
• Exmouth Tours' sunset dinner tour departs three times a week and costs $120 for adults and $60 for children for a tour and a three-course meal and drinks on Dunes Beach. For more information, go to www.exmouthtours.com.au or phone 9949 1838.
For more about Ningaloo Reef, go to www.australiascoralcoast.com.au.
See the Exmouth Visitor Centre website on www.exmouthwa.com.au or phone 1800 287 328.
