Hamelin Bay

Hamelin Bay was a timber port in the nineteenth century, and the remains of the jetty and several wrecks lie in the bay, which is now popular with divers. Its wider fame comes from the stingrays: smooth stingrays, black stingrays and eagle rays gather in the shallows near the boat ramp, some of them well over two metres across, drifting past ankles and knees in water shallow enough to stand in. The habit began with fishers cleaning catch at the ramp, and while feeding is now discouraged the rays still come. Touching or standing on them is dangerous for both parties, and signage asks visitors to keep their distance and shuffle their feet.

What you actually see

• The stingrays - large smooth and eagle rays in the shallows by the ramp.
• The wreck sites - remains of nineteenth-century vessels in the bay.
• The old jetty pylons - timber remnants of the port along the beach.
• The white beach - sand running north toward the caves coast.

When to go

September to April for warmer water and reliable ray sightings; they are present most of the year but less consistently in winter. Mornings are calmer. Summer holidays bring crowds to a small car park.

Honest expectations

The rays are wild and their presence varies; some days there are none. They carry a barbed tail and stepping on one causes serious injury, so shuffling feet and keeping distance matters. Feeding is discouraged and harmful. Facilities are minimal.

Nearby

Augusta and Jewel Cave lie south; Margaret River is north.