Welcome to Shark Bay
Shark Bay was inscribed on the World Heritage list in 1991 and is one of only 20 places on earth that satisfy all four of the natural criteria for World Heritage listing. The listed area incorporates 2.2 million hectares and visitors can find comprehensive discussion of the area at the Shark Bay World Heritage Discovery Centre in Denham.
Denham is the main town in this southern most Gascoyne Shire. Located on the central peninsular of Shark Bay, Denham is 833km north of Perth and 330km south of the town of Carnarvon.
Local industries include tourism, fishing, salt production, pearl culturing, shell grit mining, manufacturing and pastoral (sheep, cattle and goats). Denham boasts a wide range of local businesses providing goods and services for the local community.
Our Role in the Region
Nestled between two World Heritage listed areas that draw more than 220,000 overnight visitors a year, Carnarvon is a regional hub that offers more than expected. It is an emerging tourism destination with outstanding local food production, geothermal mineral water, exciting fishing and wind/water sports offerings and unique events.
Carnarvon has long been recognised for its unique small and sweet banana but that reputation is widening with an extensive range of subtropical fruit and temperate climate vegetables grown on the plantations lining the Gascoyne River.
The Gascoyne River is one of Australia’s ephemeral rivers, flowing only when heavy rain falls up to 500km inland. The township is on one of the delta inlets and centred on the picturesque Fascine.
A thriving prawn, scallop, crab and fishing industry also operates from Carnarvon. During the months of May to October freshly caught seafood can be purchased directly from the factories.
Renowned for its wonderful climate Carnarvon’s average maximum summer temperature (December to February) is 32oC with a winter (June to August) average maximum temperature of 22oC.
Nestled between two World Heritage listed areas that draw more than 220,000 overnight visitors a year, Carnarvon is a regional hub that offers more than expected. It is an emerging tourism destination with outstanding local food production, geothermal mineral water, exciting fishing and wind/water sports offerings and unique events.
Carnarvon has long been recognised for its unique small and sweet banana but that reputation is widening with an extensive range of subtropical fruit and temperate climate vegetables grown on the plantations lining the Gascoyne River.
The Gascoyne River is one of Australia’s ephemeral rivers, flowing only when heavy rain falls up to 500km inland. The township is on one of the delta inlets and centred on the picturesque Fascine.
A thriving prawn, scallop, crab and fishing industry also operates from Carnarvon. During the months of May to October freshly caught seafood can be purchased directly from the factories.
Renowned for its wonderful climate Carnarvon’s average maximum summer temperature (December to February) is 32oC with a winter (June to August) average maximum temperature of 22oC.
The Shark Bay Statistics You Should Know
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