Dampier Archipelago, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Airing Date: Oct 6th, 2003
The Dampier region is well known as a major shipping port. It's home to Hamersley Iron, Dampier Salt and the famous North West Gas Shelf Project.
What most of us don't know is that the town also promotes itself as the Gateway to the Dampier Archipelago - a magnificent archipelago located just off the coast and it's just waiting to be discovered.
This collection of 42 uninhabited islands can best be seen by boat. The new Reef Action 2 offers tours of the archipelago, ranging from three and a half hour twilight cruises up to five day trips aboard a 12-metre catamaran. The cruiser sets out from Dampier Harbour and sails through crystal-clear waters full of marine life.
The adventure begins the moment you hop on board. The water is teeming with bottlenose dolphins, fish of every colour, massive manta rays and between July and September you could even see humpback whales. The archipelago is also popular with sea turtles, and they call these islands home ever day of the year.
Once the catamaran cruises into protected waters, it moors at a sandy and isolated beach. Here you can relax in the sun, canoe, snorkel in the clear waters, or walk along the beach and have lunch.
After a few lazy hours, the catamaran heads back to Dampier, passing more islands and beaches on the way.
If you've got time to spare back on the mainland, head to the nearby Burrup Peninsula. This area is famous for its prehistoric rock art. There are more than 10,000 rock engravings here, and it's the largest indigenous art gallery in the world. You'll see all sorts of engravings, from people and animals to stars.
The facts
Dampier is 20 minutes from Karratha, and you can stay at the Karratha International Hotel. Their 'Weekend Escape for Two' starts from $152 including breakfast.
Karratha International Hotel
Tel: 1800 099 801
Day Tours with Reef Action II
Tel: 08 9185 4444
