Cape Range National Park takes in the Ningaloo Marine Park, 13 hours north of Perth. It’s remote and awesome. To camp here, you must BYO everything, including all your water. Thankfully, the rangers keep the ‘bush loos’ well tended, so shovel toilets are not required.

Our volunteer camp ranger was Jules, a walking encyclopedia of where to fish, snorkel and view endangered wildlife in the park. He lives and dreams this place, and is a gem. Our favourite Jules moment was discussing a particular fishing spot for Rob, and I wondered whether I could also snorkel there. ‘Oh yeah!’ said Jules enthusiastically. ‘But it’s a little bit sharky.’ Thanks, Jules, might give that one a miss.

We had 3 nights at Cape Range and every day was brilliant. Highlights:

• snorkelling the Ningaloo Marine Park, right off the beach at Turquoise Bay (named Australia’s best beach by someone)
• the CSIRO turtle conservation scientists tagging and ultrasounding green turtles on the beach near our tent!
• swimming/fishing at Mesa with reef sharks and turtles floating right past Rob
• spotting endangered black-flanked rock wallabies in a park Gorge
• the night skies
• watching elegant egrets and herons catch fish from the bird hide at Mangrove Bay.

We’re already planning how we could come back here!

CSIRO scientists at work with 3 female green turtles.

No turtles were harmed during filming.

Iron Chef Rob

They were all thrown back.