The Best Things To Do in Shark Bay Monkey Mia & Denham 2023 – A Local’s Guide

Most people know Shark Bay, or Gutharraguda, in Western Australia due to the famous Monkey Mia Dolphins, which attract visitors worldwide. However, there are plenty of other things to do in Shark Bay, with fascinating Denham and Monkey Mia attractions.

The Best Things To Do in Shark Bay, Monkey Mia & Denham WA

The region is a haven for nature lovers. The Shark Bay World Heritage Area covers 2.2 million hectares and was the first location in Western Australia to receive UNESCO status in 1991.

Shark Bay is Australia’s largest bay, with over 1,000 km of spectacular beaches, and is renowned for its marine life. Due to Shark Bay being in a transition zone between temperate and tropical waters, there are at least 320 fish species and more than 80 different types of coral.

Extensive seagrass meadows support over 10,000 dugongs making it one of the largest populations in the world. In addition, humpback whales migrate along the coast and use the bay to rest during their southward migration in spring.

South Peron has Hamelin Pool on one side and Henri Freycinet Harbour on the other. The land was part of the Peron Pastoral Lease until the Peron Peninsula was bought by the Western Australian government in 1990. The northern part of the peninsula became Francois Peron National Park in 1993, and South Peron remains unallocated government land.

1. Monkey Mia Dolphins

Monkey Mia is renowned for its wild dolphin experience, but you may also see dugongs, sharks, rays, turtles, sea snakes, and a variety of fish in the water. It is one of the world’s greatest wildlife interaction experiences and attracts more than 100,000 visitors annually.

It will take about twenty minutes to drive the 24 km from Denham to Monkey Mia on a sealed road. I recommend arriving early (around 7-7.10 am) to get a spot on the first row of the beach. At this time, there isn’t usually a queue at the kiosk, so you can pay and drive straight in. Once parked, follow signs to the boardwalk, where there are two queues; one for the beach and one for the jetty. The beach had better views, so I would queue along the boardwalk that accesses the beach.

The experience starts at about 7.45 am when a guide comes onto the beach and tells you what to expect and about the history of Monkey Mia.

Wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins have visited the shallows at Monkey Mia for over 50 years due to being fed by fishers returning to Monkey Mia. Researchers began studying the dolphins in 1984 and found that the mortality rate among the calves of beach-visiting dolphins was significantly higher than that of other dolphins in Shark Bay. The high mortality rate was attributed to overfeeding and the dolphins spending too much time at the beach rather than looking after their young.

These findings led to guidelines being put in place to ensure the calves of beach-visiting dolphins were raised with as much chance of survival as other wild dolphins. In addition, the Parks and Wildlife Service regulates dolphin feeding, maintains the dolphin experience area, carefully recruits new dolphins, and handles boat encounters.

Some of the guidelines are:

• Only mature females with good survival skills are fed.
• Dolphins are only fed a third of their daily food requirements, so they still have to hunt for most of their food.
• They are only given fresh local fish that they hunt for in the wild.
• Feeding can only occur between 7.45 am and 12 pm to encourage them to spend more time doing their normal activities.
• There are no set feeding times, so they do not alter their natural wild behaviour.
• Dolphins must never be touched.
• Feeding dolphins or any other wildlife without permission anywhere in Western Australia is illegal.
• Males are not fed as they can be more aggressive.
• Outside of the Monkey Mia Experience, it is illegal to approach within 50m of a dolphin, and if a dolphin comes within 50m of where you are swimming, you must exit the water. If you’re on the beach and a dolphin approaches in the shallows, stay on the sand and do not approach it.
• Boating, swimming, and fishing are prohibited in the dolphin experience area.
• Boat tours from Monkey Mia have strict environmental rules to follow to minimise the impact on marine animals.

Since these guidelines have been introduced, only 3 out of 13 (23%) calves born to provisioned females have died.

Monkey Mia Dolphin Feeding Times

The guides are only allowed to feed the five mature females in the program a maximum of three times during the 7.45 am to noon timeframe. The dolphins often visit the beach outside these times but will not be fed. The guides can identify the dolphins by their dorsal fins. The dolphins in the program are Puck, Piccolo, Kiya, Surprise, and Shock.

You remain on the boardwalk until the guide invites you onto the beach and jetty, and you must follow instructions at all times for the welfare of the dolphins.

Once on the beach, you can step into the shallows until the dolphins appear. Then the guide will ask you to step back out of the water while the feeding takes place. Next, volunteers randomly pick out four visitors to feed the dolphin a fish. Once they have fed them, the experience is over unless another dolphin arrives before noon.

It was jam-packed with around 300 to 400 people on the beach at the first feeding during the July school holidays, taking up three rows. This is why I recommend arriving early, as the last row wouldn’t have been able to see much. It becomes quieter during the remainder of the morning, but you are less likely to have the dolphin experience.

2. Monkey Mia Marine Life Cruises

The Monkey Mia Marine Life Cruise by Perfect Nature Cruises was the highlight of our road trip from Perth to Exmouth. We booked the morning cruise on the same day as the Monkey Mia Dolphin Experience, as the cruise departs from the Monkey Mia jetty at 10 am. You can take a walk or have a coffee between the experience and the cruise.

Over 70% of the Shark Bay World Heritage Area is marine, and the protected bays have over 10,000 dugongs. These marine mammals love the seagrass meadows, the largest in the world. The bay is home to 12 out of the 60 species of seagrass as it thrives in the shallow, sheltered waters. The seagrass provides food and shelter for hundreds of species, including molluscs, crustaceans, fish, and sea snakes.

The wildlife cruises are on an 18m sailing catamaran, Aristocat 2, which has an exclusive licence issued by the Parks and Wildlife Department and is the only boat that can interact with marine life in the Monkey Mia exclusion zone.

Boarding begins 15 minutes before the cruise departure time from a gate near the front of the boat. There are many vantage points and plenty of space. We sat at the top, which had high views, but you also got close-up views from the front of the boat. The catamaran was very stable during our morning cruise. It can carry up to 49 passengers and has wheelchair access and an accessible toilet.

After a safety briefing, we were on our way. It was a beautiful but cold morning so take a jacket with you as it can be pretty chilly out on the water.

The main reason we took the cruise was the hope of seeing the shy dugongs. However, as they are more active between August and May, we weren’t expecting much (we took the cruise at the start of July) as they move to warmer waters in the colder months with their calves.

After over an hour of not seeing anything, our hopes started to fade. However, one of the guests spotted something in the distance, so we headed over to try and find it. We ended up with an incredible view of a dugong with her calf, and we watched them for quite a while.

We were lucky enough to see a couple of turtles and a different dugong and her calf. Our skipper was amazed at how fortunate we were this time of year to experience not one but two encounters with these beautiful creatures.

About 70% of the loggerhead turtles in Western Australia lay their eggs in the Shark Bay region. They can travel up to 3000 km between where they nest and feed.

On the return journey, kids can ride in the boom nets at the back of the boat. You can buy snacks and drinks on board, and the boat is fully licensed.

As we approached the Monkey Mia marina, our skipper spotted dolphins around the research boat, so we headed to take a look. There were quite a few of them jumping in and out of the water.

I highly recommend this tour to anyone that loves the ocean and marine life.

3. Monkey Mia Snorkelling

Monkey Mia beach is a great location for novice snorkellers as it provides a safe place with calm water. You may see dolphins, turtles, and stingrays. If you don’t have your own snorkel gear, it is available to hire from Monkey Mia.

4. Things To Do in Denham

We used Denham as a base to discover the Shark Bay World Heritage Area. The town has more accommodation options and places to eat than Monkey Mia, and I liked its vibe. There’s also more to do in Denham.

In town, you can take the Denham Discovery Trail, a 2.3 km walking trail that takes you past sites of historic interest of the traditional owners, early pioneers, preachers, pastoralists, pearlers, prisoners, and publicans.

Denham’s a beautiful place to see Australia’s most westerly sunset, maybe with fish and chips.

Parents and kids will love the shipwreck adventure playground, and you can buy a takeaway coffee from the café across the road to drink while watching your children have fun.

If you like unusual things to do, add a thong/flip-flop to the Thong Shack located on a beach just outside Denham town (look it up on Google Maps).

Take a picnic and visit Little Lagoon for a swim or take the 5km Nicholson Point Walk Trail, which takes you from Denham across shrublands to Little Lagoon. There’s a wide range of birdlife and plants, and the sandy beach between Nicholson Point and the mouth of Little Lagoon has a lot of shells but beware of stonefish in the shallow lagoon.

Fishing is popular; you will find fish cleaning stations along the foreshore. However, fishing is not permitted in sanctuary zones or Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve, and not all types of fishing gear can be used in all marine park zones. Read this Shark Bay marine reserves brochure for more information.

Pink snapper stocks in the inner gulfs of Shark Bay are vulnerable to overfishing and were badly depleted at one stage, so there are special zones in place to better manage the local pink snapper population. Keep up to date with information on the Fisheries site and check all the Shark Bay fishing spots.

Boat launch facilities can be found throughout Shark Bay, including sealed boat ramps at Denham, Monkey Mia, and Carnarvon.

Try kitesurfing with lessons from Shark Bay Kitesurfing School. Due to Shark Bay’s flat and crystal water, they can teach you in any wind direction all year round. If you’re an independent kitesurfer and want to explore Shark Bay, they can take you to secret spots in Francois Peron, Big Lagoon, Little Lagoon, Eagle Bluff, or Monkey Mia.

Dive Shark Bay with Shark Bay Dive and Marine Safaris and experience the World Heritage-listed marine park at Steep Point. The areas visited are populated with Queensland grouper, turtles, crayfish, cuttlefish, stingrays, mackerel, trevally, and sharks, including grey nurse, tawny nurse, sandbar whalers, dusky whalers, wobbegongs, and tiger sharks. Depending on the time of year, you may also see whale sharks, humpback whales, dolphins, and dugongs. They also do snorkelling tours and scenic boat tours.

5. Hamelin Pool Stromatolites Site

Hamelin Pool is famous for the most abundant examples of stromatolites in the world. These “living fossils” represent life over 3500 million years ago and are one of the reasons Shark Bay is listed as a World Heritage Area.

Scientists have learned that microbial mats are diverse and complex ecosystems that rely on different species to work together.

Only a few plants and animals can survive in Hamelin Pool due to the extreme saltiness caused by sand and seagrass restricting the water flow.

Local Aboriginal people refer to the stromatolites as their old people, meaning their ancestors.

You can get to Hamelin Pool from Shark Bay Road, 27km from the North West Coastal Highway. The road is sealed apart from a short unsealed section to the car park but accessible for two-wheel drives. The viewing area is an easy 750-metre return walk from the car park.

Unfortunately, the Stromatolite boardwalk was damaged during storms, so you cannot access it at the moment (due for repair sometime in 2023). This has impacted viewing the stromatolites, microbialites, and microbial mats, and we found it hard to view them properly.

If you don’t go to Hamelin Pool to see the stromatolites site, the Lake Clifton Thrombolites are even better and much closer to Perth.

6. Old Hamelin Pool Telegraph Station

If you’re into history, stop at the old Hamelin Pool Telegraph Station, built in 1884 as part of the communication line between Perth and Roebourne. It was initially named the Flint Cliff Telegraph Station and played a vital role in Western Australia’s communication system until the late 1950s.

Hamelin Pool was known as Flagpole Landing in the early 1900s and was the landing point for cargo ships bringing supplies to the surrounding stations. It also shipped wool that was hauled by horse and cart by the farmers.

You can take guided tours of the museum and see relics from when the station was fully operational. We only briefly made a stop here to have a look around.

The historical site is now part of the Hamelin Pool Caravan Park, which also has the old post office and tea rooms.

The 1.4 km Boolagoorda loop trail starts at the Hamelin Pool Telegraph Station and takes the visitor on an easy flat walk past the old coquina quarry to the Stromatolite boardwalk and returns to the station.

7. Shell Beach Wulgada – South Peron

Shell Beach, or Wulgada as it is known to the Malgana people, is home to the Fragum Cockle, Fragum erugatum. As the name implies, the 15 km long beach is made up of trillions of white shells, belonging to the Fragum cockle, which can be 10 metres deep in places. It is one of the best places to visit in the Shark Bay region and one of only two such beaches in the world. Walking on all those cockle shells is an experience that is not to be missed.

Over 4000 of these cockles can live in just one square metre in the super-salty waters of the L’haridon Bight. In some places, they have compacted and cemented into solid masses known as coquina. Some buildings in Shark Bay were built from blocks cut out of the coquina, and you can see one of the quarry sites along the Boolagoorda trail. In fact, The Old Pearler, a restaurant in Denham, is the only restaurant in the world to be built almost entirely of shells.

Evaporation is high here due to the hot, dry climate, and as water evaporates, the shallow bays become saltier. The water lost is replaced by more saltwater from the ocean, and Shark Bay’s low rainfall means it is relatively undiluted. In addition, the Faure Sill sand and seagrass bank restricts the hypersaline water from going into the sea. As a result, the ocean here is twice as salty as regular seawater, so you’ll float better but will have a layer of salt on you when you come out.

Interpretive signs along the short walk between the car park and the beach tell the cockle’s story. As you enter Shell Beach, it looks underwhelming, and the shells are compacted. Don’t turn around; keep going to the ocean, and you will be rewarded with an incredible experience.

Please leave Shell Beach as you found it, and do not remove ANY shells or shell material.

You’ll see an electrified fence south of Shell Beach, a vital part of Project Eden, a conservation project limiting feral animals on the Peron Peninsula.

There’s a pit toilet here, but no camping is allowed.

Shell Beach is just off Shark Bay Road, 44 km from Denham.

8. Eagle Bluff & Western Peron Peninsula

Eagle Bluff is 20km south of Denham and a great place to view marine life from above. The scenic lookout features a 200m boardwalk along the cliffs providing spectacular ocean views where turtles, rays, and large fish can be seen in the shallow turquoise waters below. We managed to spot rays and sharks from here but take your binoculars for a better view.

The most common shark in Shark Bay is the nervous shark, although they are threatened due to being caught in fishing nets and slow to reproduce.

You can see two small limestone islands from Eagle Bluff, where seabirds breed.

Eagle Bluff Shark Bay is another place that is beautiful at sunset.

If remote beaches are more your thing, you can explore beaches by foot from Fowlers Camp, Whalebone and Goulet Bluff. These coastal sites on the western side of the Peron Peninsula are accessible on short gravel roads, suitable for all vehicles. The Shire of Shark Bay operates informal camping with no facilities at these sites.

Nanga Bay has a caravan park with access to Henri Freycinet Harbour and is accessed from the Shark Bay Road, 50km south of Denham and 77km from the North West Coastal Highway. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a lovely day when we visited, so we didn’t stop for a walk along the beach.

9. Francois Peron National Park

Peron Peninsula is known as Wulyibidi to the local Malgana Aboriginal people and was a sheep station until 1990, when the State Government purchased it. The National Park is named after Francois Peron, a French zoologist who accompanied an expedition there in 1801.

You can access Francois Peron National Park from Monkey Mia Road, about 4km east of Denham. The road to the Peron Heritage Precinct is unsealed but is two-wheel drive accessible. However, it may be closed during wet conditions.

The fees payable to enter Francois National Park as of May 2022 are:

• A$15 per car (up to 12 legally seated people).
• A$8 per car concession* cardholders.
• A$8 per motorcycle.
• A$7 per passenger on buses.
• A$2.50 per concession* cardholder on buses.

High-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles are essential for access north of the Heritage Precinct due to deep ruts. Some tracks have very soft sand and can be challenging in places. It’s best to deflate your tyres at the tyre pressure station at the start of the 4wd track. Be prepared for a bumpy ride due to the corrugation, and you could get bogged (ensure you have recovery tracks and a shovel!). Drive slowly as it is a single lane with traffic in both directions and was quite busy during the school holidays.

It took us 45-60 minutes to drive straight from the precinct to Skipjack Point, which was the highlight of Francois Peron NP for us. The contrasting red cliffs, white beaches, and the turquoise ocean of Shark Bay were beautiful, and we spotted sharks and stingrays from the lookouts. The short walk along the boardwalk provides spectacular views. Unfortunately, there are no toilet facilities in Skipjack Point.

Our next stop was Cape Peron, which is good for fishing. Two strong currents meet here, so swimming at this beach is not advised. The red dunes and white beach views are wonderful, although we did prefer the views at Skipjack Point. You will find a picnic shelter, a drop toilet, and a walking trail connecting Cape Peron and Skipjack Point here.

The Wanamalu trail is 3 km return and offers stunning coastline views with interpretive signs along the route.

A special-purpose zone encompasses the tip of Cape Peron, meaning netting, spearfishing, and motorised water sports are prohibited in this zone.

It’s a demanding drive and tiring, so we only checked out Gregory Bay on the way back to the homestead. Big Lagoon is 10 km one way, so we decided to give it a miss. It’s an excellent spot to explore by canoe or sea kayak, though, and you can fish in the lagoon south of the camping area; however, fishing and crabbing are prohibited in Big Lagoon’s northern waters.

Once back at the tyre pressure station, you can inflate your tyres back up before visiting the Peron Heritage Precinct. You can take a self-guided walk here, which shows how life was like during the pastoral days, although we didn’t find it that interesting. Most people visit the artesian hot tub, but it can get busy and is only small. The artesian water is hot (around 40°C), so soaking for long periods is not recommended as it can cause dehydration. Make sure to bring water with you as there is none available in the area. There’s also a barbecue, picnic bench, and grassed area near the hot tub.

10. Dirk Hartog Island National Park

The National Park was named after a Dutch sea captain; the first recorded European to find the Western Australian coastline. He left a pewter plate nailed to a wooden post at the northern tip of the island, now known as Cape Inscription, on 25th October 1616.

Dirk Hartog Island can only be accessed by four-wheel drive vehicles via Steep Point, boat, or light aircraft. A landing barge transfers 4WD cars from Steep Point to Dirk Hartog Island but only carries one vehicle and a trailer at a time and takes approximately 15 minutes to cross the waters of the South Passage. It’s not cheap, though, ranging from A$182 to A$340 one way.

You need a high clearance 4wd, and only twenty vehicles are allowed on the island at once. The single-lane tracks are mainly soft sand but can be rocky in places.

On the island’s east side, you will find white sand beaches and protected bays, while on the other side, the coast is dominated by tall cliffs. Since becoming a National Park in 2009, the island is full of wildlife, including the Dirk Hartog Island black and white fairy-wren, which isn’t found anywhere else.

In the waters surrounding the island, you might see manta rays, whale sharks (May and June), humpback whales (September), and dugongs who travel to the warm waters with their calves in winter.

Turtle Bay is a vital loggerhead turtle nesting area where thousands of loggerhead turtles lay their eggs every summer.

Sandy Point on the east side and South Point are great for off-the-beach snorkelling.

There’s even a Pink Lake (Rose Lake) on Dirktog Island!

11. Steep Point

Steep Point, the westernmost point in mainland Australia, can only be accessed by a high-clearance four-wheel drive vehicle or by boat. It’s a challenging trek from Northwest Coastal Highway with 41 km of sealed road, 114 km of unsealed, and the final 30 km on very soft sand winding single tracks.

Facilities are limited to pit toilets at Shelter Bay and Steep Point camping areas. You must bring everything with you, including fuel, water, and food. Campfires are not allowed.

Shelter Bay is a great snorkelling spot, and boats can launch from the beach.

12. Ocean Park Aquarium Shark Bay

I’m not a fan of aquariums, so we didn’t visit this Denham aquarium; however, it gets rave reviews on Tripadvisor and receives about 48,000 visitors yearly. You can only book guided tours with a marine scientist, which run continuously daily. Tours include shark feeding but are not guaranteed as the sharks don’t eat that frequently.

13. Hikes around Shark Bay

It’s great to get outdoors, and these trails are an excellent way to explore the Shark Bay area.

Wanamalu Trail

The Wanamalu Trail runs between Skipjack Point and Cape Peron in Francois Peron National Park and offers excellent views of the area’s marine life from the clifftop. 4WD access only.
1.5km one way, 45 mins

Wulyibidi Yanayina Trail

The Wulyibidi Yanayina Trail starts at the Monkey Mia car park and winds through red sand dunes, visiting a bird hide by an artificial water hole. This walk is best just after sunrise or late in the afternoon when the birds are more active.
3km loop, 1-1.5 hours

Boolagoorda Trail

The Boolagoorda Trail starts at the Hamelin Pool Telegraph Station and features a shell quarry, gravesite, the remains of the old telegraph line, and the stromatolites boardwalk.
750m each way + 300m boardwalk, 30-45 mins

Eagle Bluff Boardwalk

The short Eagle Bluff Boardwalk is high up above the shallow waters of Henri Freycinet Harbour. There are amazing views of two small limestone islands and marine life that frequent these waters. Rays, sharks, fish, turtles, and dugongs can often be seen.
300m boardwalk, 30 mins

Station Life Walk Trail

This short Station Life walk explores the historical Peron Homestead in Francois National Park, where you’ll see shearing sheds, holding yards, windmills, and an artesian hot tub.
500m loop, 30 mins

Nicholson Point Walk Trail

Nicholson Point Walk Trail leaves from Denham across shrub to Little Lagoon with a large range of plant species and birdlife. The sandy beach between Nicholson Point and the mouth of Little Lagoon has a large variety of shells and is home to lots of marine life. However, beware of stonefish in the lagoon shallows.
5km, 1.5-2 hours

Denham Discovery

The Denham Discovery trail takes in historical sites of interest that will have you thinking about Shark Bay’s traditional owners, early pioneers, preachers, pastoralists, pearlers, prisoners, and publicans.
2.3km, 1 hour

Boolbardi Walk

The Boolbardi Walk features an Aboriginal fish trap south of Denham. If you walk to the southern end of Knight Terrace and follow the shoreline, you’ll find the fish trap at a small cape where there is the first 4WD beach access south of town. Even at low tide, the stones arranged in a three-quarter circle, remain submerged.
600m, 40 minutes

Shark Bay Area from Perth

International and domestic visitors will fly into Perth Airport. Find details about visas, prohibited items, currency, and safety in this Australia Travel Guide and tips on arriving into WA and other essential travel information in this Western Australia Travel Guide.

There are car hire booths at Perth airport, but it’s best to pre-book your car rental.

To compare Australia car hire prices, Discover Cars is an award-winning car rental comparison website. They offer competitive pricing in over 10,000 locations worldwide and are have a high rate of customer satisfaction.

Drivenow is a good resource to compare campervan hire in Western Australia as it includes all the large companies like Britz, Maui, Jucy as well as smaller ones.

Compare Rental Cars Here.

Shark Bay is 756 km north of Perth, approximately an 8-hour drive, but it will take about 9 hours to Denham.

Approximately 55 km south of the Shark Bay turn-off is the Billabong Roadhouse, known for its cheap fuel, although the petrol station in Denham wasn’t that much more.

Shark Bay Road, also known as the World Heritage Drive, provides access to sites along the peninsula. However, please do not drive onto the beaches, as vehicles disturb nesting seabirds and crush their nests.

Regional Express (Rex) operates flights from Perth to Monkey Mia, taking 2 hours.

Integrity Coach Lines have services that run from Perth to Broome, which stop at the Overlander Roadhouse, opposite the Shark Bay turn-off. However, you must pre-book a shuttle bus to Denham or Monkey Mia as there’s no other transport.

The Shark Bay region is a popular stop on a road trip – see our Perth to Exmouth road trip itinerary.

When to visit Shark Bay Denham and Monkey Mia

Summer is a warm 30°C to 35°C but very windy, perfect for windsurfing and kiteboarding.

Autumn has low winds and a calm ocean and is the most popular time for fishing, swimming, boating, camping, and stargazing.

Winter sees cooler temperatures with sunny days and the best time for hiking. The wildflowers start appearing at the end of winter.

Spring is the quietest time of year in the Shark Bay region and the best time for diving and snorkelling due to the water’s clarity.

How long to stay in Shark Bay

We stayed in Shark Bay for three nights, giving us two and a half days to explore (we left from Kalbarri). If you want to fish, hike, or relax, you should stay for at least four nights.

Shark Bay Accommodation & Camping

We camped at Denham Seaside Caravan Park, Australia’s most westerly caravan park. It’s situated right in front of the Indian Ocean, providing easy beach access, but it can be extremely windy at certain times of the year. The camp kitchen and facilities were close by and kept clean by staff and visitors. The Convenience Store is just across the road, and the IGA supermarket is down the other end of town.

If you want to avoid camping in Denham, Denham Seaside Caravan Park also has one and two-bedroomed chalets with a kitchenette and a private bathroom. These are extremely popular, so make sure to book well in advance.

The popular Shark Bay Seafront Apartments are located directly opposite Denham beach and have stunning ocean views from their patios. All accommodation has air-conditioning and a kitchen with a microwave, refrigerator and stove.

On the Deck @ Shark Bay is a highly-rated B&B 1.2 km from Denham town centre. Guests can relax in the hot tub or dine outside on the terrace, complete with a BBQ. All the air-conditioned rooms have a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with complimentary toiletries. Free Wi-Fi and an airport shuttle are included in the price.

The family-owned and operated Oceanside Village is located just across from the beach in Denham. All the air-conditioned villas have a kitchen featuring a stove, microwave, and refrigerator. 

The Shark Bay Caravan Park is another excellent place to camp in Denham, with a range of accommodation options, including family cabins, powered caravan and camping sites, and unpowered camping sites.

If you want to stay in Monkey Mia, the only option is the RAC Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort. Even though we haven’t stayed there, the resort looked amazing and is a great choice for families looking for the dolphin experience. There’s plenty to do here, with swimming pools, a hot tub, a bar, a restaurant and tennis and volleyball courts. The resort has a range of accommodation options, from beach view rooms to dormitories, which all include air-conditioning and are located only steps from the beach. The downside is the lack of choice of restaurants/food and the need to travel into Denham for supplies.

Where to eat in Shark Bay Denham and Monkey Mia

We had lunch at the Boughshed in the RAC Monkey Mia Resort. Unfortunately, you can’t book lunchtimes, but we managed to easily get a table during peak time. The views are lovely from the outside as the restaurant overlooks the beach. My fish and chips were delicious, and the rest of the family enjoyed their burgers.

The woodfired Shark Bay Pizzas are flavorsome, cooked to perfection, and have a generous amount of toppings. Gluten-free bases are available, and they cater to most dietary requirements. Shark Bay Pizzas are very popular, so order well ahead of the time you want to collect in peak times. Well worth the wait, though.

The Oceans Restaurant at Ocean Park Aquarium offers great food with stunning ocean views. The fish & chips and calamari were superb.

If you want bread, we found the bakery sells out of bread early, so get in quickly.

Travelling to Shark Bay with dogs

Shark Bay is dog friendly; many beaches allow dogs on them, and they are allowed into Monkey Mia, provided they are kept on a lead. However, pets are not permitted in the National Park. Pick up a Pet Owners Beware leaflet from the Visitor Centre for information on the 1080 poison currently used to control feral animals.

Shark Bay Tips

• Apply sunscreen, wear protective clothing, a hat, and sunglasses.
• Stay hydrated and carry plenty of water with you.
• Always dive, snorkel, and swim with a buddy.
• In shallows, wear suitable footwear to protect you from stonefish and cone shells (common in Francois Peron NP).
• Be aware of boat traffic when in the ocean and marine animals such as sharks and sea snakes.
• Stay back from Coastal cliffs which may be unstable.
• RAC WA members can pre-purchase an annual National Park membership at half price.
• If no bins are available, take all your rubbish with you.
• Only Telstra has extensive mobile coverage in Shark Bay, but it still cannot be guaranteed in remote areas. Optus is available in Denham town.
• There is free internet at the Shark Bay Discovery Centre in Denham.
• Arrive at Monkey Mia early (around 7 am in peak times) to queue to get on the first row of the beach.
• Watch out for emus and kangaroos on the road, and try to avoid driving around dusk or dawn when they are more active.
• Visit the Shark Bay World Heritage Discovery & Visitor Centre for up-to-date local information.

History of the Shark Bay Region

Shark Bay is the traditional land of three Aboriginal language groups: Malgana, Nhanda, and Yingkarta. The Malgana name for Shark Bay is Gutharraguda, meaning ‘two waters’ due to the two bays that dominate the landscape. The area is important to the local Aboriginal people as they have a strong connection to the land and sea here.

The town of Denham was named after Captain Henry Mangles Denham, who mapped the Shark Bay region in 1858 aboard the HMS Herald. The settlement was originally a pearling camp called Freshwater Camp, where the first pearls in Western Australia were discovered in the 1850s by Lieutenant Benjamin Helpman. The pearling industry ended when the oyster-shell banks were depleted but thankfully, wild pearl oyster numbers are rising again.

Sheep rearing was one of the primary industries in the 1860s, with fifteen sheep stations being built, starting on Dirk Hartog Island in 1869. By the 1960s, there were approximately 142,000 sheep in the Shark Bay region, but the logistics of transporting the wool to market made running a sheep station difficult. Wool had to be transported overland using horses & carts and then carried to larger boats by dinghies.

Droughts and the lack of fresh water were other challenges the farmers faced, and the collapse of the wool market in the 1990s forced the sheep stations to diversify. Carrarang and Tamala became cattle stations, Hamelin Station took on goats, while Dirk Hartog Island and Nanga introduced tourism alongside their pastoral operations.

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Western Australia Travel Guide

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