The Houtman Abrolhos Islands are located 70 kilometres from Geraldton, on the Coral Coast and feature an incredible range of marine and bird life.
Made up of 122 islands, The Abrolhos consist of three main groups – the Wallabi group to the North, The Easter group and then the Pelsart group to the South. The coral based islands offer superb diving, with some of the most magnificent coral gardens and ship wrecks in the world and are home to a lucrative cray fishing industry. With amazing bird life, spectacular marine life – dolphins, whales, sea lions and more, The Abrolhos Islands are nothing short of magic.
54 vessels are listed as wrecked here, with the most famous being the Dutch ship Batavia. The story of the Batavia is one of mutiny and massacre with many relevant sites still to be seen today.
MARINE LIFE
On any given day you will see an abundance of wildlife at the Abrolhos Islands. humpback whales (July – October), pods of bottle-nose dolphins, fish, sea lions, turtles, wallabies, lizards, starfish and much more. Many of the fishermen on the island camps are regularly visited by their ‘pet’ fish – huge Sampson fish.
BIRD LIFE
For seabird watchers, the Abrolhos is one of the most important sites for breeding. There is about 100 species of seabirds such as white breasted sea eagles, crested terns, button quails, lesser noddies, shearwaters and many more.
SWIMMING
The gorgeous and secluded Turtle Bay in the Wallabi Island group features a pristine sandy beach. Most of the day tours stop at Turtle Bay. The shallows of Long Island in the Southern Group is also another popular swimming spot. Swimming off the end of an island jetty is not always a great idea with regular sightings of sharks following the boats.
SNORKELLING & DIVING
With countless lagoons, and pristine coral reefs abundant with sea life, the Abrolhos Islands offer world class diving. Water temperature during winter is about 20C with fantastic visibility.
SURFING
If you’re after seclusion the Abrolhos offers uncrowded world class waves in some of the most remote and pristine waters off the WA coast.
FISHING
Boasting some of the best fishing grounds in the world, the Abrolhos Islands. Dhufish, Pink Snapper, Baldchin Groper, Coral Trout, Sweet Lip Emperor, Tuna and Mackerel are just some of the fish on offer.
NATURAL BEAUTY
Despite it’s incredibly violent history, the Abrolhos Islands are one of the most beautiful places in the world. Flying over to the Abrolhos allows you to take in the incredible view from above – over the coral reefs and islands. Lookout for lobster fishing boats out at work, pearl farms, shipwrecks, fishermen’s camps and any number of whales!
HISTORY
The treacherous reefs of the Abrolhos islands are home to many ships wrecked over the centuries, the most famous being the Batavia. In 1629 the Dutch ship Batavia, ran aground on Morning Reef in the Wallabi group. Whilst the survivors made it to land, they were faced with mutiny which ended in the bloodiest incident in Australia’s maritime history. You can dive on the remains of the vessel and see the oldest European building in Australia – Webbie Hayes’ fort, built by the survivors. Long Island was where the Batavia Mutineers were hanged, and Beacon Island, where many victims were buried. Now the islands are inhabited by local crayfishermen, pearl farmers and other marine industries. A fantastic book written by Hugh Edwards, one of the discoverers of the wreck of the Batavia, is ‘Islands of Angry Ghosts’ a look into the most horrific maritime incident in Australia History.
GETTING THERE
To visit this incredible piece of paradise, you will need to be on an organised tour out of Geraldton or Perth. There is no accommodation for tourists at the Abrolhos Islands. For more information contact one of the organisations below:
Geraldton Visitors Centre
www.visitgeraldton.com.au
Geraldton Air Charters
www.geraldtonaircharter.com.au
Kalbarri Scenic Flights
www.kalbarriaircharter.com.au
Corsaire Aviation
www.corsaireaviation.com.au
Eco Abrolhos Cruises
www.ecoabrolhos.com.au
Abrolhos Island Charters
www.abrolhosislandcharters.com.au
MORE INFORMATION
The Abrolhos Islands Information Guide http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Documents/recreational_fishing/fhpa/abrolhos_islands_information_guide.pdf
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