I’D READ QUITE a bit about Ningaloo (or Nyinggulu as it’s known in the Baiyungu language) before I finally visited. The commentary largely centred around the life-spawning reef that hugs the north-west coast of Australia, the remarkable sea creatures that live there and the vibrance of its colours. The superlatives are accurate. In fact, the brilliance of the turquoise waters and almost blindingly white sands is even more startling in the flesh. But it wasn’t until I arrived at this place where the desert meets the ocean deep that I appreciated another dimension.
While most of the fanfare is focused on the reef, the other two arms of this triple treat of nature also deserve attention: the rugged wilderness of Cape Range National Park; and Exmouth Gulf, the reef nursery where whales, dugongs and turtles go to rest and play, and the home of ancient life forms.
Stretching from Carnarvon to the Muiron Islands in the north and Exmouth Gulf to the east, the UNESCO Heritage-listed
