Latest news with #Esperance
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Lifestyle
- The Guardian
WA's Golden Outback: Two Aboriginal experiences you'll never forget
Western Australia's Golden Outback is known for its vast, wild beauty – but beyond the salt lakes, red-rock expanses and sweeping white-sand beaches lies a rich Aboriginal cultural landscape waiting to be explored. Here, in a place of ancient stories and deep connection to country, two Aboriginal-owned tour operators offer unforgettable experiences that reveal the spirit of the land. For anyone seeking more from their journey – deeper perspectives, cultural understanding and a sense of place shaped over tens of thousands of years – these are experiences not to miss. Aerial view of Hellfire Bay, near Esperance. Photo credit: Tourism Western Australia. In Esperance (Kepa Kurl), Annie Dabb and her family welcome visitors to their ancestral lands via Dabungool Cultural Experiences. Named after Annie's grandfather, Dabungool is a family-run business grounded in Nyungah culture and a strong sense of place. Each guided walk shares cultural stories tied to the land, highlighting the seasonal foods, plants and animals that have long sustained life in this region. The Hellfire Bay Walk is a journey through one of the most scenic and lesser-known spots in Cape Le Grand National Park (Mandoowernup). Walking from Hellfire Bay to Little Hellfire Bay, you'll learn about seasonal bush foods and plant life, and – in Makuru season (June-July) – may even spot migrating southern right whales just offshore. The trail winds among granite slabs and offers stunning coastal views, as guides provide insights into a landscape you'll soon realise is rich with meaning for the Aboriginal people who have lived here for tens of thousands of years. Dabungool Cultural Experiences. Photo supplied. On the Taananedtj Trail at Dempster Head, you'll forage for seasonal bush foods along a gentle walking track with sweeping views over Esperance Bay. Native herbs and edible plants are part of the story here, as you'll discover through tastings and sensory experiences along the way. The Wudjari people recognise six seasons – Birak, Bunuru, Djeran, Makuru, Djilba and Kambarang – with seasonal indicators such as flowering plants marking when one season ends and another begins. The trail is dog-friendly, and classed as an easy walk, making it a great option for young families and travellers with mobility limitations. For those wanting to explore inland, the Murdidyyinakabi Walk at Lake Monjingup offers insights into one of the most biodiverse areas in WA. This wheelchair-accessible walk reveals an astonishing variety of flora and fauna – including the pincushion hakea – along with some of the stories embedded in the land. You're likely to spot kangaroos, emus, frogs and birds while learning how the ecosystem guided traditional life. Katter Kich Gallery & Tours. Photo supplied. Near Hyden, the iconic shape of Katter Kich, otherwise known as Wave Rock, rises from the outback like a cresting wave of granite. For Nyungar man Michael Ward, a guide who grew up in the region and has strong cultural ties to the land, this is more than a landmark – it's a place of deep spiritual significance. Katter Kich Gallery & Tours connects visitors to the cultural history and living stories of the area through the sharing of traditional knowledge and seasonal lore, as well as providing access to some of the sacred sites here. The Half Day Tagalong Tour invites guests to follow Michael in their own 4WD vehicles as they visit places such as the Humps and Mulkas Cave. Along the way, he shares the Dreaming story behind the cave – a cautionary tale passed down through generations – and points out native bush foods, medicinal plants and local wildlife. For early risers, the Morning Tour begins at Hippos Yawn and includes a gentle climb for panoramic sunrise views across the salt plains and outback. You'll learn about ancient hand stencils, traditional tracks and the cultural significance of each formation, while soaking up the shifting colours of the landscape in morning light. Hippos Yawn near Wave Rock. Photo credit: Tourism Western Australia The Twilight Tour showcases the changing hues of Wave Rock at sunset to the squawks and chatter of galahs flying overhead. The tour includes a moderate climb and finishes with Dreaming stories and cultural insights shared beneath the towering granite. Both the Morning and Twilight tours include visits to ancient art sites, as well as talks on how the seasons influenced the gathering of food and medicine in this semi-arid environment. If you're heading to Western Australia's Golden Outback, Aboriginal cultural experiences can provide a deep understanding of places you might otherwise pass by – whether you're on a windswept beach or a hilltop trail, or at the base of a towering rock. Through storytelling, seasonal knowledge and walking together on country, these tours offer travellers opportunities to see this land in a new light. Discover more at
Telegraph
28-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
The popular Australian seaside town plagued by deadly shark attacks
Esperance is regularly touted for possessing some of the world's best beaches, but now this popular Australian tourist town is facing a crisis after becoming plagued by shark attacks. Swimmers and surfers have long flocked this dreamy spot on the isolated south coast of Western Australia, about 400 miles from state capital Perth. But many locals and tourists have become wary of entering Esperance's crystalline seas due to a tragic spate of shark attacks. Esperance had gone more than 100 years without such a death before four people were killed by sharks in just the last eight years. This harrowing sequence of events has not only devastated the town's tiny community of about 10,000 people. It has also affected its reputation as a tourist destination, and sparked debate about just how aggressively authorities should implement anti-shark measures. Most recently, in March, a 37-year-old tourist from Melbourne, Steven Jeffrey Payne, was surfing at Wharton Beach near Esperance when he died from a shark bite. Another surfer, 52-year-old Esperance man Andrew Sharpe, passed away in similar circumstances in October 2020 at Esperance's Kelp Beds. Earlier that year, 57-year-old local Gary Johnson was killed by a shark while scuba diving at Cull Island near Esperance. And in April 2017, a 17-year-old tourist from Mandurah was fatally wounded by a shark while surfing at Kelp Beds. It means Esperance has had four of the last seven deadly shark attacks in Western Australia. Such a concentration of deaths is unprecedented in this colossal state, which has more than 8,000 miles of coastline. As a result, these shark attacks have received heavy news coverage. Ron Chambers, Esperance Shire President, said many locals and visitors were now cautious about entering the sea. 'Every life lost, be it a visitor or local, is deeply felt across the region,' Mr Chambers said. 'Locals and visitors are more alert, but not avoiding the water altogether. Some change where and when they enter the water, [but] the recent shark incidents have not stopped people coming to Esperance, our tourist numbers are still high.' Should visitors to Western Australia be concerned? The state's Tourism Minister Reece Whitby said it has one of Australia's most comprehensive programmes aimed at protecting the public from sharks. It uses shark tagging, shark lookout towers, helicopter shark patrols, beachside warning systems, and shark sighting apps. It also operates 'swimming enclosures' at seven of its most popular beaches, including Town Beach in Esperance, where a 300m net helps to block sharks. The Western Australian government has also committed AUD $45,000 to upgrade seaside shark warning towers at Esperance's Twilight Beach, West Beach, and Kelp Beds. Government employees also visit locations inundated with sharks, such as floating whale carcasses. There they attach digital tags to the most dangerous shark species: great white, tiger, and bull. Certain beaches across Western Australia have digital receivers which can detect these tagged sharks. A detection prompts the nearby shark warning tower to activate flashing lights and warning sirens for at least one hour. Further shark detection comes via WA's Shark Smart phone app, which members of the public can use to log a shark sighting. Swimmers and surfers can check this app for real time reports of shark sightings. All four of Esperance's recent attacks involved great white sharks, a giant species up to 6m long. A 2018 study by Australia's top scientific body, the CSIRO, found there were more than 1,000 great whites in Western Australian waters. Esperance's natural environment and tourist activity have combined to cause its spate of shark attacks, said Dr Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research. 'Esperance is a pristine part of the coastline with a rich marine life, including a healthy population of Australian sea lions, a favourite food of white sharks,' Dr Naylor said. 'The increased density of white sharks in the area has resulted in an increase in bites on surfers. The surfers are likely mistaken for seals flopping around at the surface.' Should I be worried about sharks in Australia? Deadly shark attacks may make the news, but they're far less common than fatal car crashes, for example, says Dr Vincent Raoult, a marine ecologist from Australia's Griffith University. Over the past decade, Australia's had an average of 2.7 fatal shark attacks per year. Its annual road deaths are more than 40 times higher than that. Tourists to Australia can reduce their chances of encountering a shark by following simple advice. Avoid entering the sea at dawn or dusk, when sharks are more active. Choose beaches that have shark nets, shark lookout towers, or lifeguard patrols. Stay close to the shore, and avoid beaches with heavy fishing activity, which can attract sharks. Australian marine biologist Madeline Riley also recommends shark deterrent devices, which attach to a swimmers' limb and emit electrical pulses that can repel sharks. 'Some can reduce the risk of bites by around 60 per cent,' she said.
West Australian
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Touring theatre show to explore themes of poverty and family solidarity with Esperance students
Esperance students will explore themes of poverty and family solidarity as part of a thought-provoking theatre program. Hoods, a gritty suburban tale written by Angela Betzien, will be performed at Esperance Civic Centre on June 25 as part of a regional WA tour. The production is recommended for secondary students in Years 9 to 12. It forms part of a two-year partnership between Barking Gecko Arts and Horizon Power to bring theatre productions and creative learning programs to regional students through the Powering Imaginations initiative. Barking Gecko Arts chief executive Ryan Taaffe said the program would build students' wellbeing through engagement with the arts. 'When children experience live theatre, it fosters creativity and empathy, improves emotional intelligence, and brings bucketloads of joy,' he said. 'Thanks to Horizon Power's support, we can bring these transformative experiences directly to regional communities.' The $100,000 partnership from Horizon Power was delivered on behalf of the State Government and will also reach Exmouth and Karratha. Horizon Power chief executive Stephanie Unwin said the energy provider was pleased to support an initiative which would foster regional students' creativity. 'It's fantastic that Barking Gecko can continue to expand their program across regional WA so that more students have the chance to experience the excitement of their live theatre shows,' she said. 'We are proud to support this initiative and work together to bring the arts to an ever-increasing audience across the regions.' It comes after the latest round of Horizon's Community Partnerships Program which awarded $50,000 across 12 initiatives in the Goldfields-Esperance region. Beneficiaries include Cycling Development Foundation's Laverton Cycling Project, Esperance's Mother's Day Classic, and Mudjar Aboriginal Corporation's Reconciliation Day event, and a fire pit and furniture for the Wingellina (Irrunytju) Community, among others.
IOL News
27-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Mamelodi Sundowns: Balancing flair and resilience in the CAF Champions League final
Mamelodi Sundowns need the likes of Peter Shalulile to show their attacking qialify against Pyramids in the second leg of the CAF Champions League final in Egypt. Image: Backpagepix Mamelodi Sundowns have some of the best technically gifted players in the country. Their relentless march to an eighth consecutive Betway Premiership title was again evidence of that, as they swept the floor with most teams, losing only three league matches this past campaign. But in the CAF Champions League they showed a different side, which has been a feature of their performances, especially in the knockout stages. Sundowns have shown a dogged determination to be able to scrap when they needed to. In Africa, it hasn't been their sparkling football that has seen them get the results and make their way to the final, but tactical discipline and an appetite to suffer to get the job done. Their two away matches against Esperance in the quarter-final and Al Ahly in the semis were nailbiting affairs, with the team having to keep cool in pressure-cooker environments. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ In Tunisia, they protected a 1-0 lead in the second leg after beating Esperance at home in the first leg thanks to a Peter Shalulile strike. In the semis in Egypt, they rallied back from a goal down in the 24th minute to get the winning equaliser in the 90th minute. Their ability to stay composed under pressure, capitalise on late opportunities, and navigate hostile crowds in Tunis and Cairo highlight their mental fortitude. However, heading into Sunday's second leg of their CAF Champions League final against Pyramids in Egypt, they are going to need both their attacking flair and their dogged defensive ability to get the job done and win a second star. It's been nine years since Pitso Mosimane's Sundowns lifted the biggest prize in African club football. Since then, there have been a lot of near misses and heartbreak. There is a strong possibility that the heartbreak could go into a 10th year after Pyramids scored a late, but crucial away goal at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday to go into the second leg with a slight advantage after the 1-1 draw between the two teams.
West Australian
26-05-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Gold Valley iron ore exporting from Bunbury port in first ever South West shipping expansion
Gold Valley iron ore, a Perth-based company, have expanded their reach to Southern WA exporting from the Bunbury port for the first time. The decision to start exporting from Bunbury followed the company also beginning shipments from Esperance earlier this year. Gold Valley chair Yuzheng Xie said expanding shipments to the regions would be beneficial for the company. 'We were confident working with Southern Ports to export the product for the long term, knowing it would be beneficial for Gold Valley and the port,' he said. 'This iron concentrate supplements our iron ore that we export through the Port of Esperance to our global steel manufacturer with Gold Valley currently supplying over seven countries.' In two shipments in as many months, Gold Valley exported 93,000 tonnes of iron concentrate from Bunbury to China. The first shipment from Bunbury departed on March 9 after seven days of loading the concentrate onto Bao Yue Ling. The second shipment followed in April. Southern Ports chief executive officer Keith Wilks said he was pleased to have Gold Valley export from Bunbury port as well as Esperance. 'We're always actively seeking new and expanded trade opportunities with current and potential customers to help diversify our services and stimulate trade,' Mr Wilks said. 'It's fantastic to see that our partnership with Gold Valley has led to new opportunities to export through another one of our ports. 'We believe that strong regional ports contribute to strong regions, and this is the perfect example of this vision in action.'
