Denham WA 6537 (Pop 1 500)

Denham is a pretty Coral Coast township on Peron Peninsula 832 km north of Perth. It is Australia’s most westerly town and gateway to Monkey Mia, home of the region’s friendly dolphins. Surveyed in 1858 by Capt Denham, pearling and fishing industries followed with the town’s streets littered with pearl shells. Sadly the local council tarred over the shells in 1960s completely destroying any evidence of them. Today Denham is a very popular tourist destination attracting visitors wishing to see the dolphins, beautiful Shark Bay and explore the surrounding national park.

Tourist Attractions & Info:
Interesting Buildings (built of coquina shell block) include St Andrews Church and the Old Pearlers Restaurant. Pioneer Park, Hughes St with a rock slab inscribed by Captain Denham in 1858.

Nearby:
Little Lagoon (3 km north) idyllic recreational and fishing spot. Francois Peron NP (7 km north) this former pastoral station with an old homestead is now a 52 500 ha spectacular park at the northern end of Peron Peninsula and situated within the Shark Bay World Heritage Area and adjacent Shark Bay Marine Park. Its scenic rugged coastline and gypsum claypans must be accessed by 4WD. Old pearling shells can still be found at Herald Bight, an old pearling camp. Eagle Bluff (20 km south) sea eagle habitat and good shark and stingray spotting area. Monkey Mia (26 km n-e) world renowned for its daily dolphin visits. The feeding of the wild bottlenose dolphins began in 1960s with a local but is today more carefully monitored by rangers. Shell Beach (45 km s-e) as the name implies, has countless coquina shells. Hamelin Pool (88 km s-e) where a sizeable number of stromatolites (world’s oldest and largest living fossil) can be viewed from a boardwalk. Nearby is the interesting Flint Cliff Telegraph Station & Post Office Museum (1884). Shark Bay World Heritage Area home to about 10 000 dugongs or 10% of the world population. These sea cows are an endangered species and the only vegetarian sea mammal.

Accommodation:
Denham has a couple of hotel/motels, holiday cottages/units/villas, a farmstay and 3 caravan parks. Visitor Information Centre: 71 Knight Tce. Tel (08) 9948 1253.

Airports:
Shark Bay Airport (MJK), Monkey Mia Rd. (Shark Bay Shire) Tel (08) 9948 1218. (7 km north); Geraldton Airport (GET), Gordon Garratt Dr. Tel (08) 9923 3207. (416 km south).

Hospital:
Carnarvon Hospital, Cleaver St. Tel (08) 9941 0555. (330 km north).