D’Entrecasteaux National Park

Looking out towards the endless expanse that is the mighty Southern Ocean, one of many moments where I stopped and took in the view whilst wandering around D’Entrecasteaux National Park last summer. The area covers 1,188 square kilometres of beautifully rugged wilderness. It is one of the most remote areas in the South West of Western Australia and for the most part, it’s unspoilt. The park is a rich and diverse bit of country. It’s home to more than 850 plant species alone and forms part of the Southwest Australia Ecoregion, labelled one of 200 Biodiversity Hotspots in the world! At the right time of year, you may be able to observe Southern right whales from the very spot you see here. Earlier in the day I spent a good ten minutes with an emu who must have been less than 40 metres away, unfazed by my curious gaze whilst making the most of some kind of food or another. After I took this photograph, I happened upon a magnificent Tiger Snake, of whom are a very normal part of coastal jaunts in this part of the world, especially at this time of year where the snakes litter the trails in search of an open quiet spot to bask in the warmth of the sun. Later in the day, I admired a Brown Goshawk in flight, also clearly on a quest for food. These experiences formed just a few moments of hiking during a single day. I was hiking for 13 days all up, and could not possibly recount all the moments that had me awe stricken. The more experiences I have like this, the more I love places like this. It is an ever deepening connection and this is just a tiny part of the magic nature gifts us.