Outback Spirit - Pilbara & West Coast Expedition

This morning we depart Broome and head south along the Great Northern Highway. Pass between the Great Sandy Desert and Eighty Mile Beach arriving in Port Hedland later this afternoon.

Port Hedland is one of the largest towns in the Pilbara, and due to the massive mining operations in the region the town is home to Australia's largest tonnage port facility. This morning we visit the Port Hedland Seafarers Centre for an interesting behind the scenes look at the workings of the Port Hedland iron ore port. After a quick presentation we board one of the Seafarers launch service boats and circumnavigate the entire port, with insightful commentary from your local skipper. After your tour we depart Port Hedland for Newman and arrive late afternoon.

This morning we join a guided tour of the BHP Billiton Mt. Whaleback mine, the largest single pit open cut ore mine in the world. We then depart Newman and head for the breathtaking Karijini National Park, spending two nights at the Karijini Eco Retreat. Ideally located in the depths of the park, the retreat is the only permanent accommodation in the area. Here we stay in unique tented cabins with ensuite bathroom.
Note: Please bring warm clothes for Karijini as the evening temperatures can drop significantly. 

Today we explore some of the stunning gorges in Karijini National Park, Western Australia's second largest. Centred on the Hamersley Range, it’s famous for its beautiful red gorges, stunning waterfalls and cool swimming holes. First up is a visit to the eastern section of the park, including Weano Gorge and Oxer lookout. After a picnic lunch we continue touring around other sections of the park, including Dales Gorge and Fern Pool. A system of walking trails leads us down to some of the best spots where you can take a dip in sparkling rock pools.

This morning we make our way up towards Karratha, a town established in 1968 to service and accommodate the iron ore miners in the Hamersley Ranges. En route we visit Tom Price before stopping off at the magnificent Millstream-Chichester National Park, which is characterised by rugged escarpments, tree lined rivers and pristine water pools. The run-off from the Hamersley Ranges flows via the Fortescue River into an underground aquifer that feeds the waterholes within the park. Millstream actually used to be a pastoral lease which ran for over 100 years. This afternoon we enjoy a visit to the historic Millstream Homestead. We then continue on to Karratha, arriving late afternoon.

This morning we travel to Dampier and visit the Red Dog sculpture. This famous kelpie cattle dog was well known for his travels through the vast Pilbara region. We take in the town of Dampier before heading to the Burrup Peninsula to view ancient petroglyph engravings which date back to between 30,000 and 45,000 years ago. We’ll also visit the Northwest Shelf Visitors Centre (entry subject to opening hours) in Dampier to learn about one of Australia’s largest resource projects, where gas is drilled at offshore platforms 130km north of Dampier. From here we travel via Fortescue River and Nanutarra before making our way to one of the most pristine natural wonders in Australia, Ningaloo Reef. We arrive in Exmouth late afternoon and check in to the luxurious Mantaray’s Ningaloo Beach Resort, located right on Sunrise Beach.

Ningaloo is an untouched 300km long fringing barrier reef that protects a shallow, brilliant white sandy lagoon of clear tropical waters. It is one of only a few places on earth where you are able to access the coral reef from the beach. This morning we enjoy a half day discovery cruise on Ningaloo Reef. Learn about the diversity of marine life in the park and perhaps take the opportunity for some snorkelling in the park's pristine water (accompanied by guides - equipment is provided). This afternoon we return to Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort. Enjoy some free time or a stroll along the beach or through the marina before meeting in the award winning Mantarays Restaurant for dinner. 
Please note: For those that have pre-booked a full day whale shark tour, please meet in the hotel foyer by the required time and you will be collected for your days activities. You will return to the hotel late afternoon to meet your group for dinner.

Today we’ll set off to discover Cape Range National Park, a spectacular place of rugged limestone ranges, breathtaking deep canyons and 50 kilometres of pristine beaches. The area is well known for the striking contrast of its turquoise waters, white beaches and red ochre landscape behind. This morning we’ll enjoy one of the area’s main attractions, the Yardie Creek Gorge cruise. This ancient gorge has deep blue water, red limestone cliff faces and a wonderful array of birds and wildlife including the rare black-footed rock wallaby. There’s also a walking trail to the top of the gorge - the views down the creek and out to Ningaloo Reef are simply spectacular!
After a picnic lunch we’ll visit Milyering, the Cape Range National Park Discovery Centre. Housing interpretive displays and audio visual facilities, the centre holds a wealth of information on the marine park and local environment. We then return to Exmouth for our third and final night at the Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort. This afternoon we enjoy some free time before dinner.

This morning we depart Exmouth and journey south through Carnarvon on our way to Shark Bay and Monkey Mia.

The Shark Bay World Heritage Area was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in December 1991. It is only one of a handful of places on the list that satisfied all four natural criteria concerning its natural beauty, biological diversity, ecological processes and earth’s history. Its seagrass meadows are the largest in the world and support a large population of dugong, along with a variety of other marine life.
This morning we head down to the beach to meet the famous locals, a pod of wild dolphins that come in to the shallows and interact with people. (As the dolphins are wild, their appearance cannot be guaranteed). We then enjoy a catamaran sailing adventure in Shark Bay Marine Park, keeping an eye out for the bay’s precious marine life including dugongs, dolphins, sharks, huge sea turtles and more.

This morning we make our way back to the Highway via Shark Bay and stop off at Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve, one of a few places in the world with marine Stromatolites, or ‘living fossils’. Hamelin Pool is home to the most diverse and abundant examples of stromatolites in the world. Also referred to as ‘living fossils’, stromatolites are living representatives of life over 3500 million years ago when there was no other complex life on Earth. Views of the stromatolites, microbialites and microbial mat can be seen from the shoreline.
Nearby is the Old Hamelin Pool Telegraph Station which was built in 1884 as part of the communication line between Perth and Roebourne. The original building is now a museum housing many artefacts. We visit the Old Telegraph Station before heading south to Geraldton, arriving late this afternoon. 
Please note: The visit to the Shark Bay World Heritage Discovery Centre is dependent on opening hours and time constraints.

This morning we depart Geraldton and head south to one of the most renowned landscapes in Australia, the Pinnacles. Here, thousands of limestone pillars rise from the shifting yellow sands, resembling a landscape from a science fiction movie. Enjoy a wander through these eerie formations before departing for Perth. This evening enjoy a farewell dinner as we look back on our adventure along the west coast of Australia.

This morning can be spent at your leisure before being transferred to the airport or your accommodation if staying on