Dirk Hartog Island – Guide to WA’s Largest Island That You Haven’t Heard Of

Move over Rottnest! Julia explored Dirk Hartog island, a UNESCO World Heritage castaway paradise that’s slowly returning to its original state, one clifftop sunset at a time.

We Are Explorers acknowledges that this adventure is located on the traditional Country of the Malgana people who have occupied and cared for the lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them as the Traditional Custodians and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

Quick Overview

Western Australia’s largest island, Dirk Hartog Island (also known as Wirruwana in the Malgana language), is the stuff of eco adventure dreams. Spanning 62,000 hectares, the wilderness island is in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Shark Bay area, 850km north of Perth along the Coral Coast.

About Dirk Hartog Island

Dirk Hartog Island is an island you’ll want to be left stranded on (if the bare necessities, plus a snorkel mask, were taken care of, of course). You don’t need a big wardrobe: bathers, reef shoes, and a jumper for cool nights will do just fine on this World Heritage Island.

The island stretches 80km long and up to 15km wide, with shrublands, gorges, and rolling sand dunes crisscrossed by old pastoral tracks. A stay here is all about basking in the simple life and making the most of its rare and pristine natural splendours at the most western point of Australia.

Coastal cliffs meet striking ocean | Photo thanks to Dirk Hartog Island

There’s a lot of awe to be experienced: blowholes, a baby shark nursery, and Tamala limestone cliffs rising 200 metres above the coast, a dramatic locale to toast Australia’s last sunset over the Indian Ocean. Crystal clear beaches, coral reefs, soaring sand dunes, wildlife spotting, wildflowers (when in season) and fishing opportunities abound.

It’s a perfect day trip from Denham – the hub of Shark Bay – or a place to recharge, reset, and bask in this untapped paradise for a few nights, staying at one of the campgrounds or at the island’s sole accommodation, Dirk Hartog Island Eco Lodge.

The Homestead Campgrounds, just west of the Eco Lodge | Photo thanks to Dirk Hartog Island

Dirk Hartog Island’s History

The Malgana people have a history on Wirruwana / Dirk Hartog Island, with shell middens thought to date back at least 10,000 years. Malgana Traditional Owners from the Shark Bay region co-operatively manage the island with the WA Government and farmers – and manage a 5 hectare reserve to teach Malgana culture.

The island is home to the first ever recorded European landing on Australian soil, dating back to 1616. And the first European person to set foot on the island was, of course, Dutch explorer Dirk Hartog (and his crew).

Working for the Dutch East India Company, Hartog was headed to Bantam (now Bantenn) in Java when he inadvertently steered his ship Eendracht into Shark Bay instead. His crew left a pewter dish nailed onto a wooden pole to record their unplanned landing at now-known Cape Inscription. The plate was removed and replaced by Dutch explorer Willem de Vlamingh in 1967, with Australia’s oldest maritime relic now housed in Amsterdam’s Rijks Museum.

Centuries later, in the 1860s, the island became a pastoral farm, one of the region’s earliest industries. The pastoral lease changed hands several times until Perth’s former mayor, Sir Thomas Wardle, purchased it in 1968.

In 1993, the island began its transition from a remote sheep station to a world-class eco-tourism destination. Kieran Wardle, grandson of Sir Thomas, and his wife Tory established the rustic boutique Dirk Hartog Island Lodge in former homestead buildings along the coast. In 2007, the island was destocked, paving the way for its designation as a national park in 2009. The then Department of Environment and Conservation (now operating as two entities) launched the ‘Return to 1616 Ecological Restoration Project’.

Since then, the nationally lauded program has successfully rewound the clock by reintroducing endangered species and restoring the island’s ecology, in partnership with the Malgana Traditional Owners.

How to Get to Dirk Hartog Island

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but WA’s unspoilt paradise is not the easiest place to get to. But then again, what’s reaching utopia without a little bit of far-flung adventure, whether by car plus barge, flight, or ferry?

How to Get to Dirk Hartog Island by Car

The Hartog Explorer landing barge can transport 4WD vehicles from Shelter Bay, Steep Point to Dirk Hartog Island. One vehicle and one trailer (max combined length of 10.6m) are permitted at a time, with it taking roughly 15 minutes to navigate the South Passage.

Operating from the 1st of March to the 30th of November, there are multiple barge departures each morning, subject to weather conditions. (Subject to season availability)

Return 4WD barge and off-road trailer fares start from $185.

Read more: How to 4WD – A Guide to 4WDing for Beginners

If you have your own 4WD, skills, and supplies you can explore the island | Photo thanks to Dirk Hartog Island

How to Get to Dirk Hartog Island by Ferry

The easiest, most smooth-sailing way (pun intended) to get to Dirk Hartog Island is by a 12-metre Naiad vessel from Denham on a tour with Island Life Adventures.

Owned and managed by the Wardle family, it offers day tours and boat transfers (one hour each way) across Shark Bay, with a chance to spot epic marine life – dolphins, dugongs, seasonal whales, and turtles – en route (I did the tour, keep reading to learn more.)

How to Get to Dirk Hartog Island by Plane

The closest airport to Dirk Hartog Island is Denham. Regional airline Rex flies daily from Perth to Denham (Monkey Mia).

Double dip with convenience and a scenic flight over Shark Bay: fly from Denham Airport to Dirk Hartog Island. Shark Bay Scenic Flights offers charter transfers in four-seater Cessna planes.

Flying over the island is spectacular

Where to Stay on Dirk Hartog Island

There are limited lodging options on Dirk Hartog Island. Treat yourself to a comfy spring mattress and luxe amenities by staying at the island’s sole accommodation, Dirk Hartog Island Eco Lodge, at Homestead Bay.

Housed in the old homestead, the boutique all-inclusive lodge has six oceanfront-facing rooms and can accommodate up to 12 guests (two in each room. The beach is on your doorstep, with the coastline just 30 metres away.

Stay packages start from three nights and include all gourmet-prepared meals, non-alcoholic drinks, use of kayaks and SUPs. and return transfers from Denham either by barge or charter flight. It also includes unique experiences such as Australia’s last sunset sundowner and a marine safari cruise around the island’s most remote corners. The lodge also has one glamping tent.

Dirk Hartog Island Eco Lodge from Homestead Bay

Tight on time? Every Wednesday and Thursday between 1st of April and 30th of November, the island offers a one-night package to experience Australia’s Last Sunset.

For a more budget-friendly option, unroll the swag or pitch the tent at Homestead Campground, just minutes away from the lodge. The coastal campground includes a communal kitchen, firepit, hot showers, flushing toilets and free kayak and SUP hire. A minimum four-night stay is required, but it’s only $22 a night ($11 for kids!).

Lodge packages start from $2405 per adult for three nights from Denham or $1755 per adult for three nights from Steep Point (BYO 4WD).

Or if you’re fully self sufficient to go wild in the wild west, stay at one of nine basic campgrounds located in Dirk Hartog Island National Park.

• Turtle Bay
• Quoin Head
• Louisa Bay
• Notch Point
• The Block
• Urchin Point
• Sandy Point
• Dampier’s Landing
• Withnell Point

Vehicles must be fully equipped as drop toilets are only available at Withnell Point, Urchin Point, and The Block campsites. A minimum three-night stay is required for all sites.

The campgrounds are jointly managed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and Malgana Aboriginal Corporation, with bookings processed through Dirk Hartog Eco Lodge.

Read more: 10 Tips on How To Leave No Trace in Our Wild Places

Communal firepit at the lodge

Where to Eat and Drink on Dirk Hartog Island

Besides the lodge supplying decadent feasts for day trippers and lodge guests, there are no dining options on the island.

A feast served up at the lodge, otherwise you’ll have to BYO

However, there is a bar. The island is home to Australia’s most western pub, Inscription Bar & Café. Made from recycled sea containers and timber sourced from the island, the shanty bar also doubles up as a distillery. It offers three distinct small batch gins fusing botanicals sourced from the island. Gin tasting on a far-flung island? Count us in!

Another thing you wouldn’t expect on a largely deserted island is barista-style coffee, but, of course, this island is unlike anywhere else in the world.

Inscription Bar & Café commits nicely to the theme

Things to Do on Dirk Hartog Island

The best things to do on Dirk Hartog Island all require being in the great outdoors.

One Day Tour of Dirk Hartog Island

A must-do is Island Life Adventures’ flagship full day tour: ‘A Day at Dirk’. Departing from the Denham Commercial Jetty, the 35-kilometre scenic crossing gives guests the opportunity to spot the region’s diverse marine megafauna, including dugongs, dolphins, manta rays, and seasonal whales, all thriving within the world’s largest seagrass meadows.

Once on the island, guests can enjoy a morning tea and have a tour of the homestead, learning the history of the island itself before embarking on an expert-led 4WD overland adventure to the island’s most unique wonders. This includes:

• Blowholes – giant ocean swells pushing through ancient limestone along the island’s 200-metre-high western cliffs
• Surf Point – the protected marine sanctuary zone is one of the world’s most significant habitats and nursery grounds for nervous whaler sharks, appearing in large numbers

The tour also includes lunch, gin tastings and free SUP and kayak hire in free time in Homestead Bay.

Blowholes on the western side of the island | Photo thanks to Dirk Hartog Island

Australia’s Last Sunset

This exceptional experience is only available to guests staying on the island. Before witnessing the last ray of daylight touching Aussie shores, guests embark on an epic 4WD adventure to stroll (or slide!) on the island’s inland sand dunes.

After cheap thrills, guests are whisked away to a ‘secret spot’ to enjoy a sundowner along the island’s western cliffs – drinks and canapés included – to be one of the very few to witness Australia’s last sunset. Talk about exclusive!

Author Julia enjoying Australia’s last sunset along the western cliffs

Half Day Marine Safari

Another tour available for staying guests is the half day marine safari. The safari visits some of the island’s less-visited areas in search of whales, turtles, dugongs, and dolphins. It also includes splash and snorkel time to get your seafaring fix.

Sauna Time

Saunas have proliferated along Western Australia’s coast in recent years, including on Dirk Hartog Island. Book a 30-minute session in the island’s one private seaside infrared sauna for $25.

Stargazing

Look up to the galaxy and beyond! Shark Bay is one of WA’s best locations for stargazing. It doesn’t take much of a head tilt to see a blanket of stars, the faint clouds of the Milky Way.

Even if you’re seated by the roaring firepit – either at the homestead or at Homestead campground – you can still see the stars shining brightly.

Stargazing so bright you can shoot the Milky Way on an iPhone

Hosted Yoga Retreats

Dirk Hartog Island Eco Lodge regularly hosts yoga and meditation retreats so you can namaste by the bay. Check the website for upcoming retreats and events.

Essential Gear for Dirk Hartog Island

You don’t need to pack too much to enjoy the best of Dirk Hartog Island.

• Bathers
• Rashie
• Towel
• Hat
• Reef shoes (Tevas or crocs will do the trick!)
• Sunscreen
• Recycle water bottle
• Mosquito repellent (if staying the night, just in case!)
• Windbreaker (much needed for Australia’s last sundowner!)
• Fleece pants (for nights)

What It’s Like to Visit Dirk Hartog Island

If you’re a lover of adventures in the coastal wilderness, Dirk Hartog Island is your playground. There’s a bounty of marine life to encounter above and below sea level, sand dunes to run down, and different topographies to admire. It really is the perfect place for people to embrace a pristine environment, forget the everyday and rewind the clock to 1616.

I recommend staying a few nights on the island to reset and really soak in its remoteness. It truly is a special place.

Sunset on the Western Cliffs | Photo thanks to Dirk Hartog Island

Tips for Visiting Dirk Hartog Island

The official season to visit Dirk Hartog Island runs from March to November, with the best weather experienced from April to October.

Time your visit to see both the big and small whales and wildflowers, from July to August.

Sunset at Homestead Bay

Feature photo thanks to Dirk Hartog Island

Julia D’Orazio was a guest of Dirk Hartog Island, and all thoughts and opinions are of her own.