Written by Christi Sparrow
Welcome to the charming town of Denham! A quaint, sleepy stop in the middle of Shark Bay World Heritage Area, Denham has about 800 residents and a quirky, relaxed atmosphere. It’s conveniently located near several attractions in the area including Monkey Mia Reserve which is famous for its wild dolphin feedings.
We stayed in a comfortable, convenient two-bedroom apartment at Shark Bay Seafront Apartments on the southeast end of the foreshore. From our accommodation it was an easy walk to all of the attractions and shops on the foreshore.
We spent five nights in Denham, and honestly, we could have happily stayed for several more days! Our entire family loved the extensive waterfront pirate ship playground which included a lookout tower, swings, and plenty to climb. Across the street is the impressive Shark Bay World Heritage Discovery and Visitor Center. The center boasts interactive displays and films about the region, helpful staff, and a large gift shop.
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Denham’s calm atmosphere makes it a relaxing stop along the Coral Coast. And there are endless natural wonders to explore. Get ready to enjoy stunning Shark Bay!
Shell Beach
Our first Denham outing was a visit to Shell Beach. Instead of sand, Shell Beach, as the name suggests, is made of billions of tiny cockle shells up to 10 meters deep! The little white shells reflected the sun like snow, and they crunched like cornflakes beneath our feet. Our neighbor in Perth challenged Chloe to bring back a shell from Shell Beach, so Chloe was especially looking forward to this day!
Getting to Shell Beach was an easy 30-minute drive south of Denham on Shark Bay Road. The bay was perfectly calm which afforded Chloe and Camden the chance to wade, splash, and even taste the hyper-salty water. We admired the varieties of tiny shells, constructed a mermaid tail out of shells for Chloe, and took turns guessing how many shells made up the beach. Shell Beach is a lovely place to spend a day!
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Monkey Mia Reserve
One of Shark Bay’s most popular attractions is Monkey Mia Reserve, which is famous for its daily wild dolphin feedings. The park rangers host up to three daily feedings, provided the dolphins hang around! We drove the 25 kilometers from Denham to Monkey Mia early one morning to arrive by 7:30 to get in line to see the dolphins.
Good to Know: Monkey Mia is not included in a national parks pass, so be prepared to pay an entry fee upon arrival. When we visited in August 2020, we paid $15 per adult, and children under six years old were free.
Observing a dolphin feeding is free once you’re in the reserve, but the number of people admitted is limited. Be sure to arrive on time to prevent disappointment. We checked in and waited on a deck before we were invited down to the water’s edge by the park rangers. By 8:00 we were just a few meters away from four wild dolphins floating and frolicking in the shallow tide! The park rangers selected a few families to wade into the water and offer fish to the friendly dolphins, but we weren’t selected— yet.
About 30 minutes later, after the rangers cleared the beach of spectators, they hosted the second feeding with the next group of guests, (luckily, the dolphins stuck around!). We hopped into this second feeding group and headed back down to the water. This time we were chosen to feed a dolphin! We all waded into the water, Jay holding Chloe and I holding Camden. Chloe was given a slippery silver fish to offer to one of the dolphins. She and Jay held it out for the dolphin to accept, and Camden and I looked on just inches away from the graceful ocean creatures. We were so pleased to have the opportunity to get up close and personal with wild dolphins!
The park rangers were very friendly and offered information about the dolphins before and during the feedings. It’s a well-organized event, and the experience was modified in order to facilitate social distancing between families. There’s also a pier from which you might be able to continue observing the dolphins after the feedings— we did!
The only accommodation option at Monkey Mia is the RAC Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort. After the dolphin feeding, we met friends in the resort’s restaurant for a coffee and a snack, and it was a beautiful, relaxing space. Monkey Mia also has a 2-mile trail called the Wulyibidi Yaninyina Trail which is easy and great for families. It starts at the resort, winds inland past rusty-red sand dunes and then loops back up to the resort via the beach. Check with the reception desk at the resort for a trail map.
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Mac Attack Fishing Charter - Departing From Monkey Mia
Jay has always wanted to go deep sea fishing, so for an early birthday present, we sent him on a half-day fishing trip with Mac Attack Fishing Charters. For $180 AUD, (about $130 USD), he rode out through the bay and into the ocean on a charter boat with eight other customers. His trip departed from Monkey Mia Reserve.
After the skipper patiently hunted for schools of desirable fish, Jay finally dropped his line and caught two huge pink snappers! We were all excited to cook and enjoy this beauties. In fact, they provided four meals for us! Thanks, Jay!
Little Lagoon
A short five kilometers north of Denham is Little Lagoon, a crystal blue lagoon with still waters and abundant bird life, (including emus!). There are two places to access the lagoon: from the southwest along sandy walking tracks, (this route also has driving tracks which are accessible by 4WD vehicle), or from the southeast along Monkey Mia Road.
I ran from the town of Denham along the walking track towards the lagoon. I was soon rewarded with a beautiful place to stop for a rest at the Little Lagoon Creek Lookout. The lookout has parking if you wish to find it by car, and it offers a serene place to observe wildlife and enjoy some shade under the small pavilion.
Continuing on to Little Lagoon, I spotted an entire family of emus grazing in the bush! At the lagoon, I admired the sparkling water reflecting the sun like a prism and the red sandy earth just steps away. Throughout Denham there are stunning aerial photos of the lagoon which depict the bright colors of the water and the sand. This is a terrific place to bring your drone!
Ocean Park Aquarium
Ocean Park Aquarium is located just 10 kilometers south of Denham on a spectacular spot overlooking the bay. We were impressed with the one-hour guided tour which included information and interesting stories about indigenous Western Australian sea creatures. We learned about several poisonous animals, observed a sea turtle, and watched our guide feed a small shark.
The guided tour operates on a continuous loop, so whenever you arrive, just hop onto the tour and stick with it until you’ve seen it all. Their cafe, Ocean Restaurant, serves drinks, snacks, and lunch overlooking the sparkling bay. So definitely plan to stay and enjoy the sweeping views from the large outdoor deck!
Old Pearler Restaurant
To cap off our awesome stay in Denham, we made reservations at the landmark Old Pearler Restaurant located right on the foreshore. Built in the 1970s, the restaurant is made entirely of tiny cockle shells from Shell Beach! It’s one of only a few structures in Denham built this way. The cozy dining room was intimate and charming, and it felt like a beachy version of an English pub!
The restaurant filled up mostly with couples on dates. So in an effort not to disturb our fellow diners, we used the opportunity to work on our restaurant manners! Chloe and Camden did great. Jay’s surf and turf was excellent. Camden and I savored our fresh garlic shrimp and pan fried local fish. Chloe opted for the fettuccini carbonara. It was a special, delicious, memorable family date night!
That's a Wrap!
Denham was the penultimate town on our Coral Coast bucket list, and it certainly delivered on all fronts. From unique Shell Beach to magical Monkey Mia to the sparkling foreshore, Denham gave our family the perfect base for several exciting days of exploring. I particularly enjoyed how small Denham is, and I loved waking up across the street from the beautiful, calm turquoise bay.
There are two notable attractions in the area that we didn’t get to: Francois Peron National Park, and the Hamelin Pool stromatolites. Much of the national park is only accessible via 4WD vehicle, (which we did not have), and we elected not to spring for a 4WD tour. And we had planned to see the stromatolites on our drive out of Shark Bay, but it rained all morning so we chose to keep driving. But these missed sights just give us legitimate reasons to return one day!
On our way south to Perth, we stopped for two nights in Kalbarri, and then we stayed in Yanchep for two weeks. Our time in Yanchep felt nice and long after being on the go for nearly two months! In fact, we moved 15 times during our road trip!
I am simply awed by the vast expanse of coastline and wide open space in Western Australia. And I’m humbled by our incredible good fortune to have had the chance to explore it. Our WA road trip from Perth to Exmouth reminded us how little we actually need. It showed us how simple pleasures and experiences create the best memories. It revealed to us in new ways how captivating nature can be. And it gifted to our family chances to solve problems, define what matters, learn together, and lean on one another.
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