"Monkey Mia, you must go to Monkey Mia.....you couldn't possibly be in Denham and not take the 28 kms trip out to the other side of the peninsula to feed the dolphins." So everyone kept telling us. And we did so, but I have to say here and now, only because it was on our doorstep. As well as being told this was a 'one in a lifetime' experience, we had also been warned about the rank commercialism and rip-off prices. It was time to see for ourselves.
The commercial area of Monkey Mia (shown here in this aerial shot taken form the Monkey Mia website) lies on the eastern side of the Peron Peninsula, almost opposite Denham. The area in which the feeding takes place is just to the right of the short jetty.
The 'dolphin experiences' as they are called occur if and when the animals themselves are ready. An early start is generally advised....we operated on 'genetlemen's hours' and found ourselves approaching the complex at about 0900 hours on the chosen morning.
The Department of Parks and Wildlife manage the area as a whole and one would expect to pay a fee for entry just as in all the National Parks throughout the State. What really peeved me about Monkey Mia is that the annual parks pass, which covers the entry fee to all other parks, does not apply here.....another fee over and above that one is charged.
That set the scene for me from the outset as a matter of principle, but in fairness, I must comment that the concessional $6.40 with which I had to part was not exorbitant.
So, duly anointed as fully paid up visitors we took up a position in the very busy car park. It was clear that we were late comers.
In essence, the infrastructure at Monkey Mia consists of the sections owned and managed by the Department of Parks and Wildlife
and the commercially owned and operated Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort, recently bought by the WA equivalent of our RAA, the RAC. This is obviously a motoring organisation on the move.....they had just bought up the Cervantes Caravan Park prior to our last visit there, for many, many millions. This conveniently placed sign in the car park showed us exactly where everything could be found.
Friends of ours had stayed in the caravan park area last year where they paid the utterly ridiculous price of $64 per night for a caravan site. I was off to see what lay behind the entrance gates and just what they received in return for this extraordinarily charge, even by WA standards.
Past the office I found the small lawned area which caters for the tents of the myriad of overseas backpackers who flock here for their 'dolphin experience'.
Directly opposite is a one group of park cabins (of which there are several), where, oddly enough one resident had a bloody big boat in tow! Shark Bay and big boats....they are synonymous.
And then I came to the van site area, these patches of dirt costing over $60 per day. All I could think as I strolled past the jammed conglomeration of vans and boats (this photo does not do the chaos real justice) is thank god we had been warned....Denham and a day trip was the far better option.
Quite a few of the park cabins are actually genuine 'beachfront', and these I concede would make for a delightful holiday, but at a cost of course,
and I have say that the beach at Monkey Mia is the best we had found to date in this part of the world.
Every 'resort' must have its restaurant, and that at MM is big.
Like the BBQ area
and the pool
the restaurant overlooks the beach and it set in a beautifully grassed area which was dotted with easy chairs and many easy (on the eye) young tourist bodies, all lounging about in the sun waiting for the second 'experience' or just loafing.
And for those who feel compelled to dong a ball at each other across a net, a tennis court is available to satisfy that need.
There are two very distinct groups on any morning at Monkey Mia.....those in residence and those visiting to learn about the dolphins and (hopefully) interact with them. I'll have more to say on that shortly.
MM does host a very large and well run Informative Centre. This is where the Parks and Wildlife folk come in.
Each day one staff member paddles about in the shallows and provides an excellent commentary about the dolphins in general and those which have chosen to come in for a feed specifically.
And here I learnt something I had not known about the dolphins of Monkey Mia. Generally some of the pod will nose into the beach for a tasty treat, usually early in the morning and then again mid-morning. But they make the decision. There is no enticement to bring them in, and even once they are gliding about in the shallows, feeding is limited to ensure that they do not become totally dependant on hand-outs and can continue to fend for themselves in the wild. This aspect of their management is particularly important to ensure the youngsters of the pod grow up to be 'real' dolphins.
By the time the recalcitrant Marshies were on the scene and ready to be entertained, one group had already done their thing. A notice board on the wall of the centre lists the times of the 'experiences' over the past week......we hoped that the averages would hold.....we were due at about 1000 hours.
Whilst we were waiting I wandered out on the jetty to have a closer look at the two beautiful cruise yachts which cater for those who would like a few hours at sea seeking dugongs, turtles and whales (in season).
As it happened, the skipper of the 'Aristocrat', the larger of the two, is an old Adelaide boy....we had a great chat. He even offered me a job as a 'deckie'. What a pity that we did not have some time up our sleeves....I would have jumped at it.
In the meantime there had been some activity on the beach. The hopefuls were lining up.
A few of the 'locals' had been spotted nosing about just offshore.
In their own good time a few cruised right up to the paddling crowd, during which time the expert on duty provided the names and histories of each of them, identifying the individuals by the shapes of their dorsal fins. She really did know her stuff, and put it across very well indeed.
After a few passes by our finny friends, the crowd was ushered back to the beach and more staff appeared on the scene armed with tasty fish morsels with which to reward those sleek mammals which had taken the time to visit.
And here comes the part about of the whole business which I reckon is a con, not from the perspective of the Parks and Wildlife folk who have nothing but the animals' best interests at heart, but from the promotional material which is promulgated about a visit to Monkey Mia. "Come and feed the dolphins etc etc" is the call, and, for most, an expectation. Wrong, wrong, misleadingly wrong.
During each 'experience' (you have probably gathered by now I think this is just a stupid word to use in these circumstances) but a very few of each assembled crowd are invited forward and allowed to feed a dolphin. None of this gets a mention in the blurb. "Come and feed the dolphins....if you win the local lottery....odds about forty to one - against" is how it should read.
I would hate to be a parent trying to explain to a very disappointed child that their number just didn't come up. This aspect of the whole business really annoyed me, as you have probably guessed....it is just downright dishonest.
As for us, well goodness me, we have grown up with dolphins on our doorsteps in Gulf St Vincent and beyond. We were quite blase about the whole business but could understand how for those less fortunate this would be a hoot and an 'experience' to remember.
My final analysis....great work by the Department, wide ranging infrastructure, ridiculous prices (in as far as we knew) a con of an 'expereince' and a crowded, commerical atmosphere. We could have been on the Cote D'Azure. Been there, done that!
With that smug feeling which comes from knowing that we had made a good home base decision, we drove back to Denham and, later that day, caught up with our old Bremer Bay mates, Yvonne and Les, for a few quiet ones at the Denham Waterfront Hotel.
It was from this first floor venue that we managed to capture one of several wonderful Denham sunsets.
Liz even went to the trouble of scurrying down to the shore line for a better shot. What a 'delightfully Denham' result she obtained.
This was not the only occasion the four of us got together. Yvonne and Les were in the other park, and the camp kitchen there was much superior to ours. So Chef Pierre moved camp on at least one occasion to avail himself of the facilities.
We did have a fine evening indeed....shades of Bremer Bay!
This was not the only visit we made to the park at the far end of the town. We had previously joined in conversation with a Canberra couple at the Denham pub who, it transpired, were also ensconced in the same park. We needed little excuse to again wander to the other end of the Esplanade for a few social drinks with Olivia and Dean, a couple we later ran into in Carnarvon and again in Coral Bay.
We have become good mates and very much hope to visit them in Canberra on our way back to Adelaide for Xmas.
For now, though, a visit to the incredible Shell Beach, the tired 'resort' at Nanga Bay and the lookout at Eagle Bluff to take in some marvellous views over Shark Bay remain on our agenda before we again head further north the fulfil a self-made promise.....a night on Gladstone Hill.
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