Swimming with the Stingrays, Hamlin Bay, WA

I couldn't believe that I could be a metre away from a wild stingray.  As I paddled in the shallows, it seemed to come towards me on each wave breaking on the shore.  I was wet to the waist, but it was a beautiful sunny spring day and I was intent on filming the medieval creature as he swam close by almost taunting the crowd who were wading in the shallows with him.

Hamlin Bay is known for the Stingrays which come into the boat ramp, to feed off the fish bones and offal that the fishermen throw away as they clean the fish.

Travelling from Margaret River to Augusta, visiting Hamlin Bay was on our list. The Bay is situated in the Leeuwin Naturaliste National Park and the bush is majestic Karri Eucalypts and Peppermint Willow. The Bay has an old boat jetty, which makes for great spots for the kids to fish around and swim in the shallow protected water

Margaret River Discover Tour and Wilyabrup Sea Cliffs

Our tour started with a trip back out to Prevelly Beach and a morning coffee at White Elephant Cafe. Just to kick things off!!

With a wealth of knowledge of both white settlement and aboriginal ancestry, Sean our Margaret River Adventure Discovery tour guide took us to a beautiful spot on the river where the local aborigine tribe would meet and camp. It was easy to see why this spot was chosen, it was pretty, tranquil and in the heat of summer, lovely and cool.

Sean, had brought with him, some local home baked bread, which smelled delicious and was nice and crusty and he gave us a taste of three different types of honey from the local trees. One which stood out for me, was the honey from Agonis Flexuosa, the peppermint willow and you could actually taste the mint in the honey.

Canoeing Margaret River http://wanderingwoollies.blogspot.com.au/2016/08/canoeing-margaret-river.html

Fraser Gallop Winery http://wanderingwoollies.blogspot.com.au/2016/08/exclusive-lunch-fraser-gallop-winery.html

Lunch at Fraser Gallop at Wilyabrup is at the heart of the Margaret River Wine Region 

After Lunch we travel in Sean's Landrover and head into the scrub and four wheel drivie towards the Wilyabrup seacliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean. The track at times disappears into vast areas of deep sand and we are priviledged to see birds and grass trees as well as reptiles and kangaroos.

Overlooking the Wilyabrup Sea Cliffs to the Indian Ocean. We are not lucky enough to spot whales today. 

Wilyabrup Sea Cliffs

A shingle back lizard