Western Australia - Pilbara and Shark Bay

Ancient Landscapes, birds and mammals of the Pilbara and Shark Bay regions

Image:  Spinifex pigeon - A. Schulte
Join us on an extensive and thorough tour of this vast region, taking in a wide variety of habitats such as spinifex-covered ranges, rocky gorges, mangroves, mulga and extensive mudflats.
Duration:
16 days
Group Size: 
38 people
Tour Overview

Join us on an extensive tour of this remote region of Western Australia, taking in a wide variety of habitats such as spinifex-covered ranges, rocky gorges, mangroves, mulga and extensive mudflats. The scenery throughout the Pilbara and Shark Bay regions is breathtaking, and is home to unique wildlife. Targets include Rufous-crowned Emu-wren, Western Grasswren, Striated (Pilbara) Grasswren, Western Bowerbird, Grey-headed Honeyeater, Black-chinned (Golden-backed) Honeyeater, Grey Honeyeater, Spinifexbird, Rufous Fieldwren, Dusky Gerygone, Spinifex Pigeon, Flock Bronzewing, Mangrove Robin, Mangrove Golden Whistler, White-breasted Whistler, Painted Finch and, with luck, the rare and elusive Grey Falcon. Mammals also feature on this tour and we will target Red Kangaroo, Common Wallaroo (Euro), Black-flanked Rock Wallaby, Rothschild’s Rock Wallaby, Dugong, Common Bottle-nosed Dolphin, Finlayson’s Cave Bat, Kaluta and Pilbara Pebble-mound Mouse. Expect interesting reptiles and plants too!

The Pilbara also contains some of the world's oldest surface rocks, including granitoids that are over three billion years old, ancient remains of stromatolites (the earliest fossil evidence of life) whose living relatives we will see at Shark Bay, and Aboriginal rock art. And we cannot forget the famous Red Dog, whose statue we will also visit on this tour.

We are also very excited to visit world-famous and spectacular Shark Bay region which includes a trip to Dirk Hartog Island (seldom offered on itineraries due to the difficulty of organising logistics) where we will search for specialities such as the black and white form of White-winged Fairywren and the isolated Dirk Hartog subspecies of Southern Emu-wren and Western Fieldwren. We also have the chance to see the range-restricted Western Grasswren. This is a tour not to be missed.

Tour Dates
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Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Exmouth

Make your own arrangements to arrive at Exmouth (Learmonth) airport today. After lunch and settling into our accommodation, there will be an opportunity for some birding around town. The most obvious birds will be species like White-plumed Honeyeater, Yellow-throated Miner, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Torresian Crow, Zebra Finch, Brahminy Kite and Rainbow Bee-eater. There should be Banded Lapwing on the main oval or golf course and possibly Emu. There might also be an opportunity to visit the coastal heathland of North West Cape for an introduction to this remote area. North West Cape is an arid peninsula extending north into the Indian Ocean. To the east is sheltered Exmouth Gulf, with its white sand beaches, seagrass beds and clear waters that are a shelter for Dugong and Green Turtle. The hills that run north-south are made of limestone, dissected into gorges by infrequent rain. With some luck we’ll be able to locate the tiny, secretive Rufous-crowned Emu-wren among the spinifex. We will also look for one of the plants endemic to this area – Cape Range Kurrajong, Brachychiton obtusilobus.

Accommodation: Exmouth (en suite rooms).

Meals included: L, D

Day 2: Exmouth Area

After yesterday’s taste of the area, today we will explore further around Exmouth and the Cape Range, starting with a visit to the mangroves at Turquoise Bay and Yardie Creek. Birds include a chance of mangrove species like Mangrove Golden Whistler, Mangrove Fantail and the Western Australian endemic Dusky Gerygone. Nearby we’ll look for Rufous Fieldwren, Western Bowerbird (Cape Range ssp), and Grey-headed Honeyeater. We should get good views of Black-footed Rock Wallaby, plus the very reddish-looking western morph of Euro. Red Kangaroo are also in the area. Perentie (Varanus giganteus) will be the main reptile target but quite a few other reptile species are possible, including the parthenogenetic Bynoe’s Gecko (Heteronotia binoei), sleek Spinifex Slender Blue-tongue (Cyclodomorphus melanops) and diminutive Children’s Python (Antaresia children). If there has been recent rain, we might be fortunate in finding the bright yellow Flame Grevillea (Grevillea eriostachya) in flower. The afternoon can be spent closer to Exmouth at the harbour, sewage ponds, and golf course, areas that are popular with birds. We will have dinner in town and then check the roads after dark for nocturnal critters.

Accommodation: Exmouth (en suite rooms).

Meals included: L, D

Day 3: Exmouth to Onslow

We will head away from the North-west Cape region today and move north-east to the port of Onslow. En route we will look for Spotted Harrier, Australian Hobby, Budgerigar, Cockatiel, Rufous Songlark, Brown Songlark and Horsfield’s Bushlark. If the spiky Wickham’s or Holly-leaved Grevillea (Grevillea wickhami) is in flower then we may see Crimson Chat, Black Honeyeater, Pied Honeyeater, Black Honeyeater and Masked Woodswallow. Near Onslow we will be looking for nomadic Flock Bronzewing, Painted Finch, possibly Pictorella Mannikin, Brolga, Black-necked Stork and a variety of water birds. This hot, arid area is also home to a range of reptiles, including the Western Australian endemic Western Spiny-tailed Gecko (Strophurus strophurus) and the Pilbara endemic Long-tailed Sand-dragon (Ctenophorus femoralis). We will keep a look out for the delightful Green Bird-flower (Crotalaria cunninghami), which bears yellow-green flowers that resemble birds. (They flowers also attract birds!)

Accommodation: Onslow (en suite rooms).

Meals included: B, L, D.

Day 4: Onslow to Karratha

We continue north today with our destination Karratha and the Burrup Peninsula. As we head north, we cross several rivers: the amount of water in them depending on the success of the summer rains. Near Karratha we will stop at a place on the Nullagine River hoping for Barking Owl, Brown Quail, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Pictorella Mannikin and Pheasant Coucal. We’ll also keep an eye open for Pilbara Minni Ritchi or Curly-bark Tree (Acacia trachycarpa), identified by its characteristic ‘hairy’ bark made of thin strips that peel away and curl but remain attached to the trunk. We may also see the Rock Kurrajong (Brachychiton acuminatus), which occurs between Karratha and the Karijini area. During the late afternoon we will check in at our accommodation in Karratha. Karratha is a working town lying on Nickol bay between a line of low hills and tidal flats. The flats separate the town from the Burrup Peninsula.

Accommodation: Karratha. (en suite cabins).

Meals included: B, L, D.

 

Day 5: Karratha Area

We will spend the day in the Port Samson and Cossack areas north of Roebourne, including the mangroves on the Nullagine River at Cossack. Canary White-eye, Mangrove Robin and the chunky, crab-eating White-breasted Whistler are possible here. We will head out to the Burrup Peninsula on dusk to look for the Pilbara endemic Rothschild’s Rock Wallaby, as well as Spotted Nightjar and small flocks of Finlayson’s Cave Bat emerging from caves for the night.

Accommodation: Karratha (en suite cabins) as for last night.

Meals included: B, L, D.

 

Day 6: Karratha to Port Hedland

Today we head north-east to Port Hedland, the second largest town in the Pilbara and a significant port. Leaving Karratha in the morning, we’ll visit Back Beach to check for some shorebirds (including a chance of Beach Stone-curlew) and then the wastewater treatment plant (Painted Finch, some waterbirds, Horsfield’s Bushlark, maybe Brown Quail). We will also stop at the Sherlock River where we should find 40 or more species with good chances of Painted Finch, Black-tailed Native-hen, Red-kneed Dotterel, Brolga, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Red-browed Pardalote and Brolga. Approaching Port Hedland, we will visit the South Hedland Water Treatment Plant where, from outside the fence, we will see a selection of waterbirds. In Port Hedland itself, we will stop at Six Mile Creek to look for shorebirds out on the mudflats and mangrove specialties such as Mangrove Golden Whistler, Canary White-eye, White-breasted Whistler, and Dusky Gerygone. If there is time, we can check out the De Grey River area or a bit of woodland along Quartz Quarry Rd for woodland birds. If we’re up for a bit of spotlighting after dinner we’ll look for owls, mammals and reptiles.

Accommodation: Port Hedland (en suite cabins).

Meals included: B, L, D. 

Day 7: Port Hedland to Tom Price via Munjina

We’ll leave Port Hedland and head inland this morning. Along the way we will check any ephemeral pools, or pools in creeks to look for Painted Finch, Spinifex Pigeon, Red-browed Pardalote, Black-chinned Honeyeater, Diamond Dove, Crested Bellbird and nomadic species such as Budgerigar, Cockatiel, and Pied and Black Honeyeaters. We will have lunch at Munjina before heading to some mulga country in search of Grey Honeyeater, Spinifexbird, Rufous-crowned Emu-wren and a chance of Striated (Pilbara) Grasswren.

Accommodation: Tom Price (en suite cabins). 

Meals included: B, L, D.  

Day 8: Tom Price area

This morning we will explore the Mt Nameless area, where a very early start is required to find the target, Striated (Pilbara) Grasswren, in the extensive stands of Spinifex of this area. Also here are Spinifexbird, Rufous-crowned Emu-wren, Black-chinned (Golden-backed) Honeyeater, Grey-headed Honeyeater, Grey-fronted Honeyeater, Western Bowerbird, Spinifex Pigeon, Australian Ringneck (smaller form in the Pilbara) and Little Woodswallow plus others such as Brown Quail, Common Bronzewing, Hooded Robin, Purple-backed Fairywren and Western Gerygone. At some point we will visit Kings Lake to look for a variety of species including Star Finch, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Mistletoebird, Crimson Chat and Black-tailed Native-hen. In the afternoon we have the option to visit scenic Hamersley Gorge and nearby woodland and creek-lines, where we will try for all the key targets. We will spotlight in the evening (or tomorrow evening) for Spotted Nightjar.

Accommodation: Tom Price (en suite cabins) as for last night.

Meals included: B, L, D.

Day 9: Karinjini National Park.

We will spend a full day visiting the gorges in Karjjini NP, which have been cut out of 2.5-billion-year-old rocks. The geology here is as beautiful as it is interesting. Among the ancient formations are the Banded Iron Formations laid down during the period of Earth history known as the Great Oxidation Event. The park contains habitat for birds such as Grey Honeyeater, Black-chinned Honeyeater, Black-tailed Treecreeper, White-winged Fairywren and Redthroat. We might also see Pygmy Python (Antaresia perthensis) and the lively Ring-tailed Dragon (Ctenophorus caudicinctus) sunning itself on the red rocks. This area is rich in endemic plants, among them several species of eucalypts found only in the Pilbara. Although not restricted to this area, the Rock Kurrajong (Brachychiton gregorii) also occurs here.

Accommodation: Tom Price (en suite cabins) as for last two nights.

Meals included: B, L, D. 

Day 10. Tom Price to Carnarvon

Today is mostly a travel day, as we have a long drive to Carnarvon, but there will be opportunities for birding along the way. Raptors are always possible, and we’ll keep an eye out for species like Australian Bustard, Spotted Harrier, Australian Hobby, Square-tailed Kite, Black-breasted Buzzard and the exceedingly scarce Grey Falcon. In the afternoon we’ll arrive in Carnarvon, a bustling coastal town on the Gascoyne River.

Accommodation: Carnarvon (en suite rooms).

Meals included: B, L, D.

Day 11. Carnarvon to Denham

We will bird around the Carnarvon area this morning where our main target will be Slender-billed Thornbill, which lives in coastal marshes and salt lakes. We will also visit the mangroves and mudflats near town to look for Dusky Gerygone, White-breasted Whistler, Mangrove Fantail and shorebirds such as Lesser Sand Plover, Eastern Curlew, Great Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey-tailed Tattler, Terek Sandpiper, and maybe Broad-billed Sandpiper. Common Redshank and Asian Dowitcher have been occasionally recorded here. Wetlands and the sewage treatment plant in town may yield birds like Musk Duck, Red-kneed Dotterel, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and Hoary-headed Grebe. After lunch we’ll hit the road again, making our way to Denham and our accommodation for the next three nights. Denham is on the Peron Peninsula, a long sandy strip of land that is part of the Shark Bay World Heritage Area. The peninsula is named after French naturalist François Péron who visited in the early 1800s.

Accommodation: Denham (1 or 2 bedroom apartment).

Meals included: B, L, D.

Day 12. Dirk Hartog Island.  

Today we are booked on a boat trip out to the remote Dirk Hartog Island, where we will take part in a guided 4x4 tour. In the sand dunes and coastal scrub, we’ll look for the range-restricted Black & White form of White-winged Fairy-wren (ssp. leucopterus), the Dirk Hartog Southern Emu-wren, (ssp hartogi) and the Dirk Hartog Rufous Fieldwren (ssp hartogi). Whilst on the boat we will also have our best chance to see Dugong in the sea-grass meadows of the sheltered waters around the island, as well as Green and Loggerhead Turtles, Eastern Osprey, and White-bellied Sea-eagle. Lunch will be included on the tour. Dirk Hartog Island is WA’s largest island and is a band of limestone with cliffs to 150 m tall on the Indian Ocean side and to 30 m on Denham Sound. Dutch East India Company captain Dirk Hartog landed on the island in 1616 on his way to Java. He left a pewter plate on the island to mark his arrival. After Hartog, a succession of Dutch, French and British explorers investigated the island although none deemed it suitable for settlement. In the 1860s, the island was turned into a pastoral lease with devastating effects on native species. Destocked and protected, the island is now home again to a variety of native mammals.

Accommodation: Denham (1 or 2 bedroom apartment) as for last night.

Meals included: B, L, D. 

Day 13. Shark Bay area. 

Today we’ll explore the fascinating Shark Bay region, including the coastal town of Denham, Peron Peninsula and the famous Monkey Mia. Here we’ll have a great chance of seeing the range restricted Western Grasswren, as well as getting up close and personal with Inshore Bottlenose Dolphins. Other birds here in the coastal shrublands and shoreline include Emu, Rufous Fieldwren, Southern Scrub-robin, White-browed Babbler, Crested Bellbird, Pallid Cuckoo, Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo, Black-eared Cuckoo, White-backed Swallow, Pacific Gull, Eastern Reef Egret, Fairy Tern and Eastern Curlew. Malleefowl has been re-introduced into the area as well. Terrestrial mammals feature well in the region, with several successful re-introduction programs having taken place. Species such as the Greater Bilby, Brush-tailed Bettong (Woylie), Rufous Hare-Wallaby (Mala) and Banded Hare-Wallaby have been re-wilded in the Francois Peron National Park but we are unlikely to see them as access is not possible after dark.

Accommodation: Denham (1 or 2 bedroom apartment) as for last two nights.

Meals included: B, L, D. 

Day 14. Denham to Carnarvon

Today we will visit the stromatolites at Hamelin Pool on our way back to Carnarvon. Hamelin Pool is a hypersaline embayment at the southern end of the Peron Peninsula. Stromatolites are limestone bommies, formed by colonies of cyanobacteria, which set down layers of calcium carbonate as they grow. These stromatolites are a link to the earliest days of life on earth: they are ‘living fossils’, unchanged in form over 3 billion years. Hamelin Pool offers a rare view of ancient Earth. Orange Chat has been seen in the samphire around here and there is an excellent area of mulga at the turnoff where we will look for Crested Bellbird, Red-capped Robin, Hooded Robin, Chestnut-rumped Thornbill, Inland Thornbill, Southern Whiteface, Slaty-backed Thornbill, Mulga Parrot, Bourke’s Parrot, Chiming Wedgebill. This is the northern limit of Dusky Woodswallow, Australian Raven and Western Yellow Robin and we will look for Little Buttonquail. Closer to Carnarvon we will search for nomadic birds such as Pied Honeyeater, Black Honeyeater, White-fronted Honeyeater and Masked Woodswallow.

Accommodation: Carnarvon (en suite rooms).

Meals included: B, L, D. 

Day 15. Carnarvon to Exmouth

This morning we will get an early start looking for woodland birds east of town with the possibility of Bourke’s Parrot, Black-tailed Treecreeper, Black-eared Cuckoo, White-plumed Honeyeater, Hooded Robin or Spinifex Pigeon there in eucalypt woodland and adjacent shrublands. We can look for birds at their northern limit such as Silvereye and Dusky Moorhen. We will then head north, returning to Exmouth for our last night.

Accommodation: Exmouth (en suite rooms).

Meals included: B, L, D.

Day 16. Optional extra - Whale shark excursion. 

Tour ends after breakfast today. You will be picked up at 7am today from the hotel reception for your Whale Shark day excursion. These giant filter-feeding sharks visit Ningaloo reef in the cooler months.

Accommodation: Exmouth (en suite rooms)

Meals included: B, L.

Day 17. Optional extra - Exmouth and depart. 

Own arrangements for meals, activities and transfer to airport today.  

Accommodation: None.

Meals included: None.

 

 

Additional Information:
Inclusions & Exclusions
Additional Information
Terms and Conditions
Inclusions:

Accommodation as per the itinerary, specialist guide and transport, meals, entrance fees and activities as mentioned in the itinerary. (These prices are based on the current rate of GST and may need to be adjusted if there are significant changes.)

Exclusions:

International and domestic airfares, alcoholic beverages, snacks, internet, laundry or other items of a personal nature.

Remoteness: Please note that for much of this tour we will be birding in a wonderful yet remote part of Australia. Some of the roads are unsealed and rough and travel will be in 4WD vehicles. If you have medical conditions or health concerns, it is important you make us aware of these in advance of this tour. This doesn’t necessarily preclude you. We just need to be well-informed.  

Driving Times: This tour covers a large region and therefore will include a substantial amount of driving time.

Luggage: We won’t have a huge amount of room for lots of luggage on the trip and will need to restrict the luggage to one soft sided duffle bag 2-3 ft long or similar per person plus a day pack/camera/binoculars etc that can be carried in the vehicle with you. We are trying to avoid hard sided suitcases which don’t pack well in the back of 4WDS. We’ll need to carry other stuff like water which I think is more important than too many clothes.  

The itinerary: Whilst we aim to follow the itinerary as planned, please note that the itinerary provided should only be used as a guidelineDepending on individual trip circumstances, weather, and local information, the exact itinerary may not be strictly adhered toThe guides reserve the right to make changes to the itinerary as they see fit. 

There are terms and conditions relating to payments, cancellations, refunds, insurance and responsibility for our tours.

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Inala Nature
320 Cloudy Bay Road, Lunawanna
South Bruny Island 7150
Tasmania, Australia

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Phone: +61 3 6293 1217

Inala Nature acknowledge and pay respects to the palawa people as the traditional and original owners, and continuing custodians of this land, lutruwita, and acknowledges Elders - past and present. Inala Nature Tours and the Inala Foundation Inc are located on lunawanna- alonnah, also known as Bruny Island, the traditional land of the Nuenonne people.

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