400 years after the first European sighting of the islands by Dutch explorer Frederik de Houtman in 1619, the Western Australian Government has officially gazetted the Houtman Abrolhos Islands as a National Park.
Located approximately 60km off the coast of Geraldton, the Islands are often referred to as Australia’s own Galápagos Islands. Unique in its biodiversity, the famed Western rock lobster, Noddy Sea Birds, Tammar Wallabies and endangered Australian sea lions all make a home here.
The Abrolhos Islands is a unique marine environment of 122 coral cays (or islands), clustered into three main groups: the Wallabi Group, Easter Group and Pelsaert Group, extending from north to south across 100 kilometres of the Indian Ocean. Access to the islands is by live-aboard vessel or light-aircraft as a scenic flight tour from Geraldton or Kalbarri.
The Islands have become increasingly popular as an ecotourism destination for nature-lovers, divers, and fishing enthusiasts. In 2017, international conservation organisation Mission Blue cited the island as Western Australia’s first Hope Spot (global locations considered critical to the health of the ocean).
The islands have a rich and, in many ways, infamous history being the location of the notorious Batavia mutiny. Their clean, pristine waters also support the highly-prized black pearl, produced at hatcheries found in the archipelago.
The WA Government’s vision is to develop the site into a world-class tourism experience whilst protecting the unique environmental values. Tourism investment will include the construction of new jetties, toilets, shade shelters, walk trails and visitor interpretation with airstrip upgrade on East Wallabi. The Government will also continue to support recreational fishing tourism in the area.
According to David O’Malley, Chief Executive of Australia’s Coral Coast, visitors can expect world-class snorkelling and diving sites, with the Batavia shipwreck ranked the #1 dive spot in Western Australia.
“The islands are very deserving of this national park status given the significant biodiversity that exists across both marine and land-based environments, and the link to Western Australia’s history with the infamous Batavia mutiny in 1629. Before heading to the Islands, make sure you pop into the Museum of Geraldton to hear the fascinating yet brutal Batavia story.”
Scenic flight operators based in Geraldton, and further north in Kalbarri, offer scenic flights that include land-based activities on the islands such as guided nature walks, bird watching, wallaby spotting and snorkelling. There are numerous ship wreck sites to see from the air, including the Zeewijk, Ocean Queen, Windsor and Ben Ledi.
For those with more time, several boat charter operators offer multi-day tours with live-aboard accommodation providing guests with a more immersive experience. There is no commercial accommodation on the islands, only colourful huts which are home to fishermen during crayfishing season.
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