Dirk Hartog Island

Dirk Hartog Island is located off the Gascoyne coast of Western Australia.

Discovered in 1616 by the Dutch sea captain Dirk Hartog, the island is approximately 80km long and consists mostly of scrub covered sand dunes.

The island has been used as a sheep station at times, however the number of sheep on the island has been reduced recently to minimise their environmental impact.

Dirk Hartog Island lies within the Shark Bay World Heritage area. The island is a popular ecotourism destination, being an important nesting site for Loggerhead Sea Turtles.

A lighthouse is situated on the island’s northernmost point. This is also the sight of the inscription plates left by the early Dutch explorers, hence the point’s name, Cape Inscription.