10 things to experience on the Houtman Abrolhos Islands
1 Take a flight. Seeing the archipelago from the air gives a great perspective on the islands and reefs. You’ll also see marine wildlife and the site of many historic wrecks.
2 Visit the stone fort on West Wallabi Island. Here, soldiers banished by Batavia mutineers found water and wallabies to eat, and built a fort for protection. The four-walled structure still stands today, the oldest European building in Australia.
3 Rehydrate at the Pigeon Island pub. Meet the locals while helping to support their community. Snap a photo of the colourful fishing shacks and jetties.
4 Visit the Latitude Pearls farm. See black pearls being grown before viewing the jewellery in the gallery in Geraldton. Prearrange your farm visit with the company.
5 Drop a line in. The waters here are rich with fish, making it a piscator’s paradise.
6 Scuba dive in calm weather on the Batavia wreck site in 4–6m of water, where VOC cannons are still visible.
7 Visit Turtle Bay, which is often protected from the worst of the wind, on East Wallabi Island. Walk the nature trail looking for tammar wallabies. Snorkel off the beach among giant clams, tropical fish and lobsters.
8 Meet an Australian sea lion in the northern part of its range. Look for them resting on beaches or rocks or cavorting in the water. Keep your distance on land because they can be aggressive if they feel threatened.
9 Be amazed by some of Australia’s largest seabird colonies. Always watch from a respectful distance and do not enter rookeries. When seabirds are forced to take flight, they waste precious energy needed for foraging and migration and may also be leaving eggs.
10 Pay your respects at Beacon and Long islands, feeling the ghosts of the past and experiencing the unforgiving environment faced by the Batavia survivors.