Shark Bay, Marine World Heritage Site in Western Australia.
The 23,000-square-kilometer area contains diverse marine ecosystems, including seagrass beds, sandy beaches, red cliffs, and salt flats along the Indian Ocean coast.
Dutch navigator Dirk Hartog made the first European landing in the region during 1616, while English explorer William Dampier named it Shark Bay in 1699.
The Malgana people named this area Gathaagudu, meaning 'two waters', and archaeological evidence shows their presence dates back 22,000 years in the region.
Visitors can access Shark Bay through Shark Bay Airport or by taking the World Heritage Drive from Overlander Roadhouse on the North West Coastal Highway.
The Hamelin Pool contains ancient stromatolite formations, microscopic organisms that represent some of the earliest known life forms on Earth dating back billions of years.
Location: Western Australia
Part of: Indian Ocean
GPS coordinates: -25.52149,113.75403
Latest update: November 28, 2025 08:26
The Australian outback encompasses a vast territory featuring distinctive geological characteristics, including ancient sandstone formations, deep canyons, and expansive salt lakes. This region contains some of Earth's oldest landscapes, from the red monoliths of the Northern Territory to the layered rock formations of Western Australia. Visitors can explore underground settlements created as shelter from extreme temperatures, as well as impact craters dating back millions of years. The collection includes sites such as Uluru and Kata Tjuta in the Northern Territory, which represent massive red sandstone formations. Kings Canyon offers tall sandstone cliffs and gorges, while Purnululu National Park in Western Australia is known for its orange and black striped sandstone domes. Other notable locations include the Devils Marbles (Karlu Karlu), rounded granite boulders in the Northern Territory, and Wolfe Creek Crater, one of the world's largest meteorite craters. Karijini National Park displays deep gorges with layered rock, while Ningaloo Reef on the western coast hosts a coral reef system. The region also contains rainforest areas such as the Daintree Rainforest in Queensland and wilderness areas in Tasmania.
Hartog Plate
78.7 km
Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve
104.5 km
Francois Peron National Park
31.6 km
OTC Satellite Earth Station Carnarvon
72.8 km
Shark Bay Marine Park
40.3 km
Ocean Park Aquarium
54.7 km
Edel Land National Park
92.3 km
Dirk Hartog Island National Park
75.4 km
One Mile Jetty Sunset's Cafe
73 km
Prawning Jetty
72.1 km
One Mile Jetty
72.8 km
Port Hotel, Carnarvon
71.7 km
Cape Inscription Lighthouse
78.7 km
Babbage Island Lighthouse
72.9 km
Babbage Island Causeway Bridge
71.7 km
Parish Hall, Carnarvon
71.5 km
Rocky Pool, Gascoyne River
93.6 km
Carnarvon War Memorial
71.6 km
One Mile Jetty and Tramway
72.3 km
ANZ Bank Building
71.6 km
Carnarvon Public Library
71.6 km
Homeswest Building
71.6 km
Jubilee Hall, Carnarvon
71.5 km
HMAS Sydney Memorial, Carnarvon
71.5 km
Gascoyne River Bridge
77.2 km
Kormoran Monument, Carnarvon
71.6 km
St George's Anglican Church
71.5 km
Carnarvon Lighthouse Keeper's Cottage
72.9 kmReviews
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