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00:03Big news. Look who got a boat license. Join me on back roads as I find my sea legs and
00:12dive into
00:13life off the westernmost tip of Australia. Well this is one way to see shark bay. Just try and
00:22stop me now. Shark Bay is an environmental treasure. A spectacular World Heritage
00:33listed site in the remote Gascoyne region of Western Australia where calm turquoise
00:41waters meet striking red cliffs. Denise look at this landscape. It's incredible isn't it?
00:48I don't know. A treasured place for the Molgana, Nanda and Yengarda people. We actually call them a
00:56Munyu plant. Munyus. Now shared with thousands of tourists who come to experience life on the edge.
01:09I want to know how can the shark bay community balance the impacts of tourism and still protect
01:15this unique way of life? And can the ancient wisdom help preserve the natural environment for everyone to enjoy?
01:35If there's one thing shark bay is famous for, it's bound to fall marine life. The biggest drawcard?
01:44Monkey Myers dolphins. Attracting more than a hundred thousand visitors a year.
01:54Monkey Myers. This is the only place in the world where wild dolphins seek out human contact.
02:06For decades tourists have lined these shores, eager to experience a close-up encounter.
02:16It was shark bay's fishermen who first attracted the dolphins, throwing their bycatch into the water.
02:28What do you think it is about dolphins that draws people here? I think they're just so
02:34charismatic and I think the fact that they actually come and they look at you, I think people get that
02:38connection with them and they look like they're always smiling even though they can't change their
02:41face but yeah they're very personable I guess. What we're doing now is we're waiting for the stars
02:47of the show, the dolphins. After nine years of watching over dolphins... So we're just going to
02:52wait and see if they come in. Reserves officer Kayla Porter begins this morning's encounter as she always does.
02:59This morning and the dolphins weren't here when we got here, some days they're ready to go
03:04at 7.45. Other days we wait for them. There's no set times, we don't have any bells, whistles,
03:09it's entirely up to the dolphins if they want to come in. The dolphins make the rules here.
03:12They have us very well trained and they will come into this area here, show us a bit of a
03:17look,
03:17roll on their side. Anticipation builds amongst the holiday makers. It's one of their main hunting
03:23grounds as well. Christina Crossman's travelled nearly 3,000 kilometres from Adelaide just for this
03:30moment. It's a trip 45 years in the making. I was driving in here crying yesterday. Had my sunnies
03:40down so no one could see. Thinking to myself, I'm here. This is a big deal for Christina and her
03:49husband Graham. Hubby's been unwell. He's in remission with cancer so we thought, really good time to come
03:57now in case it doesn't happen. So, really happy. Don't make me cry. A lot's changed though in the
04:07four and a half decades Christina's been dreaming of dolphins. It had to, because for many years it
04:16was pretty much anything goes. The best way is to pat them along the sides of their bodies.
04:22There's horror stories of people putting cigarette butts down their blowholes,
04:26trying to ride them, showing their dog the dolphin. All sorts of things. Very nasty stories.
04:33And sometimes you can kiss it on the nose and she'll be very, very mellow.
04:38Oof. It was a different time then, that's for sure. Thankfully, we've come a long way.
04:48We've learnt from the past and now we can only feed a strict number of dolphins, the same dolphins,
04:54and we make sure we only give them a little bit of food so it's not going to impact them
04:58throughout
04:58the day. We still need them to hunt and maintain all those skills. Such a balancing act, isn't it?
05:03To give people what they want but to protect what you've got. A hundred percent. So now we have a
05:08really great survival rate with the calves born to the hand-fed dolphins. It matches that of the
05:12offshore population so we know we're not impacting on them too much. What a relief. And they have the
05:19evidence to support it. Can I have a look? Every detail of the dolphins' lives is carefully observed
05:26and recorded. Let's go to OG 1982. Oh, this is how old it is. This is the original diary of
05:36the
05:36dolphins at Monkey Mire. Yeah. Yeah, it's crazy. That's amazing.
05:4328th of Feb. I thought this one was quite funny because it was it was quite a shock to see
05:47the
05:47beach so crowded and then it goes on to say there was only about 30 people on the beach
05:51and today that is extremely quiet for us. Oh, there's something quite gorgeous about it,
05:58even the way they've written a real lovely day out here today. It's a bit more scientific now,
06:04but this is how it started. Back on the beach, I noticed the crowds thinned. It's been over an hour
06:12and still no dolphins in sight. Feeling a little anxious right at the moment? Yeah. Yeah, it's like
06:20I've been, please come, please come. Just, just one. But you're not going to give up? Oh no,
06:27yeah, I'm staying right here until I know there's no hope of them coming.
06:36I mean, we could see them right out the back. Yeah. How frustrating. It is kind of frustrating
06:43for us because we do really want to have the experiences with them, but at the same time,
06:48it's also good because we do want them to be wild.
06:55Joana Oliveira sacrificed a lot to be part of the volunteer program.
07:01The marine biologist left Portugal in 2025 for a job at Shark Bay's local coffee shop,
07:08all so she can spend her days off here. Well, I really love dolphins. And I heard about
07:18what this area did with dolphins, to have this experience with them where you are so close, but
07:23still making sure that you're trying to disrupt their life as little as possible. I feel like it's very
07:31ethical compared to other tourism industries. What do you feel that you're contributing?
07:38Um, I feel like we have dolphins in the VA. Oh, okay. You've got to say something. What do you,
07:45what do you need to do? That's them there, isn't it? Yes. Gosh. We've got dolphins.
07:49Where's the climber? Look, we've got dolphins. Look and... Oh, wow. Look.
08:02Magical creatures.
08:06Wild wonders. And so close.
08:13After all the anticipation this morning, it's such a relief.
08:17Most of the day she's with her calf and her sister Piccolo. And Piccolo's her oboe.
08:24And I'm so happy for Christina. Her wish has come true.
08:29They spend their whole life together. They hang out together. They can sort females together.
08:33They will rest together.
08:38It happened. It really happened.
08:41It happened. I'm thrilled for you too. I was a bit worried.
08:46Dolphins are very tactile. They like to touch each other to show you how close they are.
08:52That's a lifetime dream come true for me.
09:18That makes me want to cry. That meant so much to her.
09:22Yeah. I can see why this place has an effect on people.
09:30Being here feels like such a gift.
09:34I can't help but wonder though, how would it have felt if the dolphins hadn't come to shore?
09:44It's a gentle reminder that we humans aren't always in control.
09:50It's something humbling about that. Something freeing too. Letting go and trusting in nature.
09:59Just as First Nations communities have done for tens of thousands of years.
10:08We drag this backwards and the shells come out of the sand and roll up onto the tray.
10:15For traditional owner Bobby Holt, the ocean's always been his source of income.
10:21And that's been a lifetime of adapting.
10:25It's not about the speed, I guess.
10:27Definitely not about speed.
10:30Bobby's family's like many here.
10:33Shifting with the times.
10:35From purling to shearing and then back out to sea.
10:40And you've got to do the whole thing walking backwards.
10:44The only way I've found out so far.
10:46I don't think I've ever chatted to anyone like this walking backwards, Bobby.
10:50I've been walking backwards all my life.
10:53So we don't find this hard work at all.
10:56The hands-on approach gets the job done while respecting the environment.
11:02Oh, wow.
11:03We've got a stack.
11:05Right there.
11:05Yep.
11:09There you go.
11:10A successful hunt for cockles.
11:13That's why we're here.
11:17Netfishing became the traditional way for First Nations people.
11:21Supporting countless families through the years.
11:26It became a way of life for Bobby and his mates.
11:29Right up until today.
11:33It's a dying art, unfortunately.
11:35How long have you all known each other?
11:37All our lives.
11:38How old are we?
11:40Bobby's the oldest.
11:41You're good, aren't you?
11:44This is the old fishing crew.
11:47They've left the industry behind now, but the memories linger.
11:52Back after dark, no killers.
11:56Much like the wildlife officers tracking dolphins at Monkey Mire,
12:01fishermen like Gaven Poland were meticulous record keepers of their castings
12:07and their catch.
12:09Thursday, the 2nd of April, 1998, dugongs on corner of bank.
12:14What's beautiful, though, is these pages also hold records of enduring friendships.
12:22Two holts gone south up to Spit.
12:25Are they talking about you, Bobby?
12:27Yeah.
12:28Bobby coming up here too, from Cowan Bluff to Wilson Island.
12:34Not too many whiting along here.
12:37So, Glen and Dennis, they would have gone to the Spit
12:41and you're coming up towards us guys now.
12:44That's almost 30 years ago.
12:46And you're writing down all these notes about who's fishing where.
12:49Yeah. So, we all keep an eye on each other.
12:52And we join up when we can.
12:54And we all get together anyway and meet up and pull nets together,
12:58have tea together or whatever.
13:01Eagles had a good win over pies.
13:06That's a long time ago.
13:07That's been a long time ago.
13:09You even got the footy in there.
13:11Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
13:11Oh, you think it's all around the footy.
13:13Yeah, yeah, yeah.
13:14They've stuck together through it all, this lot,
13:16including a 20-year fight to keep their connection to the seas and waterways alive.
13:25And as Ben Belotti tells me, 2018 saw the Molgana people formally recognised as native
13:32title holders of large parts of the bay.
13:37I don't think the significance of the moment really hit me till probably the next day.
13:43And I think, shit, we've done this.
13:45It's the beginning of a new journey for us, to be honest.
13:49The journey's far from over.
13:51But there's already promising changes underway.
13:57I'm off to learn about a project that has traditional owners genuinely hopeful.
14:03So I'm catching a ride with Denise Mitchell.
14:09Denise, look at this landscape.
14:12It's incredible, isn't it?
14:13I know.
14:14Denise grew up here, then raised a family while working across Western Australia.
14:20And now she's back on home ground and has recently become a Molgana ranger.
14:27I was like, oh, no, I'm too old for that now.
14:30But I'm so glad that I did it because it brings back the memories from growing up.
14:39But for Denise, those memories are few and far between.
14:43She tells me that as a child, her culture wasn't often talked about and it wasn't often practiced.
14:51I wish we were told by our old people the way it was for them, but they didn't acknowledge the
15:02culture openly. There was segregation back in the early days, which you wouldn't think it,
15:10you know, Shark Bay being such a touristy town, but it was there.
15:17We've come to Hamlin Station, about an hour out of town.
15:21Hello.
15:23Hello.
15:24Hi.
15:24Sarah Gilliland, gilly to most, has been posted here with Bush Heritage Australia since 2022.
15:34Hamlin Station was once a sprawling pastoral property.
15:39Stark contrast to how it looks today.
15:42So, these are the old sheep yards, essentially the remnants of a 200,000 hectare sheep station,
15:50which is now totally conservation.
15:58Gilly's worked across half of regional Australia as an environmental scientist,
16:03but taking on this job, living and working on a property so large and so remote, was a big call.
16:13You're a long way from the city chick in Melbourne that you once were.
16:17Yeah, I certainly am. It's a real change of scene being out here.
16:22And there's definitely a lot that I, that I gave up to take on this role.
16:26And that was a really conscious decision and 100% worth it.
16:30The dream job.
16:32The dream job. Yeah, that's it.
16:34While Gilly's managing the restoration project, she's not doing it alone.
16:38From the ocean seagrass I explored earlier, to this arid rangeland.
16:46The wisdom held in traditional knowledge is being incorporated into modern day solutions.
16:52A little bit straight down again, just to ruffle the feathers a bit.
16:58Alongside Denise and Gilly is fishing buddies, Gaven and Glenn Holt, who I met earlier.
17:06The traditional owners are now all working together in this new role.
17:11Tackling erosion, eradicating feral pests, and above all, spending time getting to know country.
17:23It's a bit different after spending 40 odd years on the water.
17:27I quite enjoy it, actually. Strangely enough, yeah.
17:33Wow, there's so much erosion here.
17:35It is a little bit, yeah, yeah.
17:37We haven't really had any much rain, but once it starts a bit of vegetation coming back,
17:44it'll hold the ground a bit better too.
17:49So whenever there's fauna surveys, or vegetation surveys, or it's simply infrastructure work
17:55that needs to be done, I'll reach out to the rangers and say,
18:00hey, we're doing this project, do you want to come along?
18:04It means that we're able to bring traditional custodians back on country,
18:09and we're able to facilitate that connection.
18:12Where do you think they might be coming through, down from Coburn or what?
18:16Yeah, Coburn.
18:17And there's so much that is outside of my knowledge that I will never get from a textbook.
18:28And the rangers? They may have begun this project feeling unsure about their traditional knowledge.
18:34Yeah, they're actually a bush bear.
18:37But their confidence is steadily growing.
18:40We actually call them a munyu plant, munyus.
18:44So did you eat these as kids?
18:47Yeah, yeah.
18:49And all the kids used to, you know, climb the trees and pick them.
18:52Yeah, we used to fight over them just about, eh?
18:55Yeah.
18:55Yeah.
18:56A couple of old aunties used to boil them up and have a bit of honey on them or something.
19:01Yeah?
19:01Yeah.
19:02They were lovely, aren't they?
19:05What can I see before me?
19:08A strengthening of culture, and at the same time, a landscape showing promising signs of recovery.
19:23It flew behind.
19:25Oh, there it is.
19:26Oh, stay here.
19:26Yeah, right there.
19:27So it's looking towards us.
19:29Yeah, I see it.
19:30It's about to go.
19:33Beautiful.
19:34So I'm pretty sure that was a boo book.
19:36So they make this really cute call at night time, and it's boop, boop, boop, boop.
19:42There he is.
19:42Whoop.
19:45Well, that's good.
19:46So if they're here, then it means there's other things here, because they wouldn't be here if
19:50there was nothing to eat.
19:51So that's a really good sign.
19:53I'm really happy with that.
19:55Bringing the place back to life.
19:56Yeah.
19:57Back to good health.
19:59Yay.
19:59We're winning.
20:01Yay.
20:02It was their ancestors who once stood on this very ground, working for others as stationhands,
20:10but never with the same freedom or recognition felt today.
20:16You're not sort of going, oh, you can't go down here, you can't go there.
20:19And we always feel welcome when we come here.
20:24And we have this freedom to come on country and work together.
20:30We don't have that freedom anywhere else.
20:35I think country needs its people as much as people in their country.
20:40Our culture's starting to come awake now, so we don't want it to go back to sleeping.
20:45We want it to be out there, you know, to show on country that we have got our culture
20:52alive.
20:55Things are shifting around here.
20:58In 2024, the Molgana people struck a landmark agreement with the WA government
21:04to jointly manage 180,000 hectares of new parks and reserves in the Shark Bay heritage area.
21:14The great hope is that experience will be as good as the one at Hamlin Station.
21:20And that by working together, they can make this place something for everyone to enjoy.
21:32What's encouraging is Shark Bay's next generation is ready to learn, eager to hear from their elders.
21:42They're a shark bay sea mullet.
21:46Best eating fish in the ocean, I'd say.
21:50Are they hard to catch?
21:51When they're schooling, you'll get big schools, big schools.
21:55And sometimes you get that bit in the net, you've got to open the net up.
21:59And you might end up with less than what you wanted, but you've got to look after this place.
22:04We never went hungry, there's no worries about that.
22:07Especially when you've got mullet.
22:09This is their gift.
22:11Sharing their stories.
22:13Continuing a sense of responsibility and belonging.
22:17What's the name of this shell?
22:19Anyone tell me?
22:20Bailer shell.
22:21Bailer shell.
22:21One of our elders, she would make things out of the big bailer shells.
22:26So what she would do is cut that there and take that top bit off, and she'd use that for
22:32something else.
22:33And then that whole shell would be a fruit bowl.
22:37A little bit heavy, just be careful.
22:40How often would you go shelling?
22:42Every time the tide was low, Aunty Maud we called her, she would have a spear,
22:47and she'll see a marking on the sand, and she knows there's a shell in there.
22:53And us kids that are coming behind, they knew to dig that up.
22:58Yep.
22:59The impact of talks like these grows slowly.
23:03I'll take that little bit, thanks.
23:05But that's the selfless hope behind it all.
23:09This is pretty yummy.
23:10Yep, 100%.
23:11But days like these will make a real difference now and in the future.
23:17The birds, when they go, they're a non-stop flight.
23:20They fly all the way.
23:22They're listening.
23:23There's no worries about that.
23:24Just to share my bit of knowledge with them and to pass it on, which is great.
23:30You know, nothing better than that.
23:31A bit more, you want to see.
23:33OK, these guys up here.
23:35What a way to spend the day.
23:37Yep.
23:39Shark Bay sure has a lot to offer, both at sea and on land.
23:45But what it looks like in the future will no doubt be influenced by outsiders.
23:53Tourism's the economic backbone here.
23:56And it's easy to see why.
24:02Look at the...
24:04This place is teeming with marine life.
24:08They're in stamping.
24:13So, the water in Shark Bay here, in Monkey Moire, it's about one and a half times salt in the
24:17ocean.
24:18I first met the Ridgely family on a community seagrass restoration project.
24:34This is one of the largest bays in Australia.
24:36We've got 18,000 square kilometres of water.
24:39Now, we also have the world's largest seagrass meadows here in Shark Bay.
24:42For Liam and Jade, there's nothing better than showing off their backyard.
24:47Well, when me and Liam work together, we usually have to say in the safety briefing
24:51that we're not married.
24:52It's worse, we're brother and sister.
24:54So, if we start arguing, there's no problems.
24:59It's okay.
25:01Oh, the dolphins are just off to the left of us here, 11 o'clock.
25:05Just on the bow there, guys, just down the front of the bow.
25:08Yeah, they love surfing the front of the boat.
25:10They think this is their Uber service across the bay.
25:12What heartens me is the tourists who travel all the way to Shark Bay
25:17aren't the kind who want to see it ruined.
25:22For Christina from Adelaide, that feeling's only deepened.
25:29I came here thinking about my dream to see the dolphins.
25:33I'm leaving here with not only my dream having been fulfilled,
25:38but knowing we have to do the right thing,
25:40which means we have to look after our oceans.
25:42We have to look after these animals.
25:44So, I'm gonna leave here more informed.
25:50Is this the Shark Bay effect?
25:54People may arrive chasing personal adventure,
25:58but they leave here changed.
26:01As ambassadors for a better way of living with nature.
26:06Shark Bay doesn't just welcome visitors.
26:10It transforms them.
26:13There's a certain fragility about the place.
26:17It's made me want to step a little more lightly.
26:21Mindful of the impact my presence has.
26:28The birds, when they go, they're non-stop flight.
26:31What's been exciting to see here is Indigenous knowledge leading the way.
26:37And they spend their whole life together, they hang out together.
26:39And how so many people are caring for this place.
26:42All wanting to see it flourish.
26:45Now and for the future.
26:48Oh wow, we've got a stack.
26:50My hope for the future is that I can come back here in 20 to 30 years
26:55and see this landscape absolutely buzzing.
26:57And there's really strong connections between that and relationships with traditional custodians.
27:03I've got a role that I need to play.
27:08And I'm hoping, you know, like the future generation will come back on country.
27:15I love it.
27:17And it is very unique, yeah.
27:29Next time on Backroads, I head to El Dorado in Victoria.
27:33Where the locals like to do things differently.
27:37Like living in straw houses.
27:39That's good hun.
27:40Or even teepees.
27:42They thought, oh god, here comes the hippies.
27:45And I discover more about human waste than I ever thought would be desirable.
27:51It used to be banana, then it was a turd, then we've composted, and now we're going to make basil.
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