800 km north of Perth off North West Coastal Highway. Shark Bay is formed by two long spits of land jutting out from the coast. The island which extends beyond the western spit of land – Dirk Hartog Island – is the westernmost point in Australia. This is named after the Dutch explorer who landed here and nailed to a post a pewter plate inscribed ‘Anno 1616’, the first recorded instance of a European setting foot in Australia. (This plate was later pinched by another passing Dutch sailor, and is now on display in the Rijksmusem in Amsterdam – though you can see a replica in the Maritime Museum at Geraldton.)

The entire Shark Bay region is of such ecological importance that it has been designated as a World Heritage and Marine Park. Shark Bay itself is 100 km wide and 200 km long and the only sizeable settlement in the area is Denham, which is on the central spit which juts into the bay. To reach Denham you turn right off the North West Coastal Highway at Overlander Roadhouse, and then follow the signs for around 130 km. Denham was once a pearl-fishing centre, but now relies on prawns and tourists. From Denham you can take a number of cruises out into the bay, whose glassy water teems with exotic flora and fauna, and whose beaches are a marvel in themselves.

Some 25 km north-east of Denham, on the other side of the peninsula, is Monkey Mia, the main tourist destination in Shark Bay. Around forty years ago, the wife of a local fisherman befriended a bottle-nosed dolphin here, and started feeding it tidbits by hand. Dolphins may be intelligent animals, but they obviously can’t keep a secret. Within no time, shoals of dolphins were turning up to be fed by hand. Over the years these clever creatures have managed to train human beings to feed them on a regular basis. The trained human beings are now given a uniform and called rangers. Despite gross over-exploitation of this custom (by both humans and dolphins alike), it’s still quite a sight. The dolphins usually turn up around 10 am: they may be technically wild, but like any civilized creature they prefer a late breakfast. If you stand knee-deep in the water, a dolphin will occasionally rub up against you so that you can run your hand along its side.