Shark Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which also is home to the more famous *Monkey Mia. Useless Loop is a closed company town, servicing the Solar Salt Operation "Shark Bay Salt" which has been in operation since 1968 and whose salt is renowned as the purest in the world. Useless Loop has won awards in recent years due to its support of programmes to protect and relocate Australian endangered mammals including the Burrowing Bettong.
Aerial view of the town with salt crystallisastion ponds:
The first half of Useless Loop's unusual name was bestowed upon it by French explorer Henri-Louis de Sauices de Freycinet, brother of the more famous Louis de Freycinet. during the Baudin expedition to Australia. Henri-Louis dubbed the area "Havre Inutile" (Useless Habour"), because he believed the inviting harbour to be entirely blocked by a sandbar.
*Monkey Mia is a popular tourist destination located about 800km (498 miles) north of Perth, Western Australia. The reserve is 25k northeast of the town of Denham in the Shark Bay Marine Park and World Heritage Site. The main attraction is the daily feeding of the bottlenose dolphins that have been coming close to shore for more than forty years. Rangers from the Department of Environment and Conservation carefully supervise the process.
Mia is the Aboriginal term for home or shelter, while the Monkey part of the name is allegedly derived from a pearling boat called Monkey that anchored at the now Monkey Mia in the last 19th century, during the ays when pearling was an industry in the region.
In the November, 1990 the waters adjoining Monkey Mia were declared a Marine Park. In recent years, more attention has been given to the Aboriginal roots of the area and their knowledge of the local land. For visitors, the most visible evidence of this change of culture are the culture walks, where visitors are taught to respect the land.
Another amazing place! I love learning about Australia. Thank you Mimsie!
ReplyDeleteI've never been to Monkey Mia but those that have say it is was worth the trip. Glad you enjoyed this visit.
DeleteUseless Loop cracks me up. And some day I will get to Monkey Mia. Thank you. So very much.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't help laughing when I found it either. My days of hoping to get to see those dolphins are long past but I enjoy watching them on film. Glad you liked this post.
DeleteUseless Loop! I love that name. and I really, really want to see monkey Mia one day and feed the dolphins. My brother has been there and done it, but of course he lives closer.
ReplyDeleteThe name is really different isn't it? I live fairly close too but we've missed out on Monkey Mia. Probably should have deviated when going to or coming from Carnarvon years ago but not sure was the same back then.
DeleteUseless Loop is a great name but very wrong I see. Love the history. Hug B
ReplyDeleteI too enjoy discovering these snippets of history and I'm glad they stuck with that name. Thanks for popping by. x
DeleteImagine being able to just wade into the water to feed dolphins......so cool.
ReplyDeleteIt's great to see though that the whole thing is so well organised. I've seen film about these dolphins and it is all so interesting. I reckon if you googled Monkey Mia dolphins you'd find something on the internet. May ever do that myself, just for fun.
DeleteWhen I visited Monkey Mia I marveled at what a circus it would have been in the US. It was so ... Dignified and controlled. I loved it.
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