Latest news with #Ningaloo
Daily Mail
10-07-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Sinister twist in the hunt for missing German backpacker, two weeks after she vanished without trace in the remote WA outback
The search for missing German backpacker has taken a chilling new turn after a burnt-out van matching the description of her vehicle was reportedly discovered near a remote WA campsite. Caroline Wilga, 26, who has spent two years backpacking around Australia working at mine sites and farms, was last seen with the van on CCTV at a service station in Toodyay, northeast of Perth, on June 28. She made contact with friends the next day while travelling near Beacon, in WA's remote Wheatbelt region but then vanished without a trace. The burnt-out van, stripped of licence plates, was spotted by local man Geoff Roberts in Gnaraloo, on the Ningaloo coast, around 11 hours from Ms Wilga's last known location. Mr Roberts raised the alarm after seeing the call for information on the Western Australia Police Force Facebook page. 'Very similar vehicle to this one burnt out between Gnaraloo 3 Mile camp and the homestead. Plates have been removed,' he posted on social media, tagging in WA Police. Police are yet to confirm the link to the missing backpacker, but its discovery has deepened fears for Ms Wilga, who has not been seen or heard from in 12 days. She was believed to be travelling in the black and silver 1995 Mitsubishi Delica van with WA licence plates 1HDS330 and a distinctive rooftop tent. Police are yet to confirm the find, but the sinister claim has only deepened fears for the young woman, who has not been seen or heard from in 12 days. Her phone has since been switched off, and investigators say all contact stopped suddenly. Homicide detectives have now joined the case, though police say it is not officially a murder investigation 'at this point.' 'We are very concerned for her welfare,' WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch told reporters. 'They are investigating - not that it's a homicide at this point, but we want our very best capabilities to investigate something that is very concerning to us.' The WA Police air wing has also been deployed, with land and aerial searches underway across the vast outback region. Caroline is described as having a slim build, long frizzy dark blonde hair, brown eyes, and several tattoos, including on her left arm. Wilga has not been seen or heard from since her last contact with friends in Beacon. Before she was last seen, Ms Wilga would also routinely contact her family. Police say she was believed to be travelling in a black and silver 1995 Mitsubishi Delica van with WA licence plates 1HDS330 (pictured) and a distinctive rooftop tent They last heard from her on June 18. The family hold concerns for her welfare due to the lack of 'regular communication'. Her devastated mother, Katja from Castrop-Rauxel near Dortmund, appealed to the public for help in response to a post shared on social media. 'I'm her mother and need her help, as I can't do much from Germany,' she commented on a social media post. 'Carolina is still sorely missed. If anyone has any information, please contact the police. Please keep your eyes open!' Police are urging anyone with information or dashcam footage from the Beacon area or northeast Wheatbelt between June 29 and July 4 to come forward.
ABC News
14-06-2025
- Science
- ABC News
Business as usual at Exmouth after shark, crocodile and Irukandji incidents
The picturesque Ningaloo and Exmouth coasts are best known for swimming with whale sharks, humpback whales, manta rays and turtles, as visitors head north to escape the southern winter. But recently, the region has been plagued with reports of crocodile sightings, shark bites and Irukandji stings — so, is there something in the water? Late last year Exmouth residents reported sightings of crocodiles and great white sharks, while earlier this week two people were hospitalised with Irukandji syndrome after swimming in Ningaloo Marine Park. Irukandji jellyfish are known for their stings, causing severe pain, nausea and vomiting. Irukandji expert and Giffith University PhD candidate Jess Strickland said whether there were more Irukandji around the Ningaloo was up for debate. "It's a bit of a tricky one," she said. "Mainly because we've only just started paying attention and studying them in this part of the world, so there are no long-term data sets." Ms Strickland is studying Irukandji at Ningaloo reef, with the hope of increasing the understanding of the species to inform public safety. She said that while reporting had increased, it did not mean the danger had. "But is that because there are more people in the water, more awareness about Irukandji jellyfish and Irukandji syndrome, and a slightly better reporting system? "Or does it represent a genuine increase in their presence in the area? We don't know." Ms Strickland said warming waters were contributing to marine species experiencing shifting distributions, concerning researchers that stinging jellyfish on the WA coast were moving south. Exmouth local Rusty Ellis volunteers in marine rescue and spends as much time as he can on the water. When asked if he had witnessed more Irukandji in recent years, Mr Ellis was resolute. "No, there's no sort of increase, per se," he said. "If there's a bit of warm water, like we had this year, that comes down from up north, there's a good chance it's going to be bringing the Irukandjis down with it. "With the increased population and the increased numbers of the people swimming out there … more people in the water, there's more chance of an interaction. Exmouth's local population has grown from about 2,400 people in 2011 to just over 3,000 in 2021, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics census. The local population triples at the height of the tourist season and the area is a popular school holiday destination. When it comes to crocodiles and sharks, Mr Ellis said the Parks and Wildlife Service had "done a pretty good job of sorting them out". "There's thousands of sharks out there and they don't very often have interactions with the public," he said. "There's that much other food out there for them that people really don't taste that good." Mr Ellis's message to others is simple. "Just don't be silly."
ABC News
10-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Warning issued as Irukandji jellyfish sting two swimmers in northern WA
Swimmers in northern Western Australia have been being urged to take precautions after two people were stung by Irukandj jellyfish on Monday. The sting of the jellyfish can cause severe pain, nausea and breathing difficulties. Two people were admitted to hospital after swimming in the Ningaloo Marine Park. They have since been discharged. Griffith University PhD candidate Jess Strickland said two types of Irukandji were found in the Ningaloo region. "Keesingia gigas is the world's largest species of Irukandji and they can get to over 50 centimetres long," she said. "They sort of look like a giant rocket-ship. "The more common species we get is called Mallo bella. "It's a lot smaller — it's your typical sort of Irukandji jellyfish shape, so a small bell about the size of the tip of your thumb, and four tentacles, one coming off each corner." Ms Strickland said encounters were most likely during the dry season. "They're most commonly sighted from March onwards and we're seeing them through into August occasionally," she said. Ms Strickland said the best way to prevent stings was by wearing clothing that covered as much of the skin as possible, such as a lycra swimsuit. "They don't actually have a brain, so they're not consciously choosing to sting someone," she said. "It's a trigger that happens automatically when the jellyfish would brush up against someone." Ms Strickland said Irukandji delivered venom via a "sort of microscopic, harpoon-like structure". "People are at risk of being stung if bare skin brushes up against them," she said. A Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions spokesperson urged visitors to "remain vigilant while enjoying the marine park." "Wearing stinger suits or rash shirts can help reduce the risk of being stung," they said. The spokesperson said any sightings should be reported immediately to Parks and Wildlife authorities. The WA Country Health Service and WA Department of Health declined to comment.
The Guardian
06-06-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
WA reefs experiencing 'worst coral bleaching event' ever to hit state
From the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo all the way to Ashmore Reef about 1,500 km north-east, Western Australia's reefs are turning white. Now, teams of government scientists are reporting widespread coral death as they warn of widespread bleaching caused by increasing water temperatures.
The Guardian
06-06-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
‘It was our hope spot': scientists heartbroken as pristine coral gardens hit by Western Australia's worst bleaching event
The Rowley Shoals are on many a diver's bucket list. The three coral atolls, hundreds of kilometres off the Western Australian coastline, are teeming with pristine coral gardens that for a long time, unlike many of the world's reefs, had escaped the ravages of global heating. 'I've seen a fair bit of death and destruction, but Rowley Shoals was always the place that was still standing,' says Dr James Gilmour, a research scientist at the Australian Institute of Marine Science. 'Just the sheer abundance of life is incredible. It was our hope spot. It's the reef I love more than any other. So this was super emotional.' Starting in August 2024, an unprecedented heatwave has swept across Western Australia's reefs, turning corals white from the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo all the way to Ashmore Reef, about 1,500km north-east. Now, teams of government scientists are reporting widespread coral death, which they say is the worst bleaching to hit the state. There are still areas of live coral, and some bleached coral will recover, but as scientists gather data, the scale of mortality has left many shocked. At Rowley Shoals, Gilmour, who has been researching corals for 30 years, says a visit in mid-April presented a devastating and confronting scene. 'It was several weeks after the peak heat stress. Some corals were still bleached white, but most had died. We saw that over vast areas,' he says. 'The structure is still there but they're now all covered in algae. Everywhere was dead coral skeletons.' Coral bleaching describes a process whereby the coral animal expels the algae that live in its tissues and give it its colour and much of its nutrients. Without its algae, a coral's white skeleton can be seen through its translucent flesh, giving off a bleached appearance. Mass coral bleaching over large areas, first noticed in the 1980s around the Caribbean, is caused by rising ocean temperatures. Some corals also display fluorescent colours under stress when they release a pigment that filters light. Sunlight also plays a role in triggering bleaching. Corals can survive bleaching if temperatures are not too extreme or prolonged. But extreme marine heatwaves can kill corals outright. Coral bleaching can also have sub-lethal effects, including increased susceptibility to disease and reduced rates of growth and reproduction. Scientists say the gaps between bleaching events are becoming too short to allow reefs to recover. Coral reefs are considered one of the planet's ecosystems most at risk from global heating. Reefs support fisheries that feed hundreds of millions of people, as well as supporting major tourism industries. The world's biggest coral reef system – Australia's Great Barrier Reef – has suffered seven mass bleaching events since 1998, of which five were in the past decade. The sandy-bottomed reef lagoons – usually alive with colourful branching corals and fish filling every space – are now 'huge fields of staghorns, all dead,' Gilmour says. 'The outer slope drops from a few metres to 50 metres and it's like looking down the side of a cliff. You can usually see the life down there – the sharks swimming. But this time we looked down the side of the mountain and you didn't see life.' Gilmour says the temperatures at every reef north of Ningaloo reached as high as or higher than ever recorded. 'We've never had every major WA reef affected in a single event. This is the worst coral bleaching event recorded for WA reefs.' Dr Chris Fulton, a principal research scientist at AIMS, has been going to the World Heritage-listed tourism hotspot of Ningaloo since 2008. After a research visit in late January when corals were turning white, he and colleagues returned last week. 'It was a real shock and a lot of us were deeply affected,' Fulton says. 'You have the desert going right to the water's edge and you can just step off the shore in to a spectacular reef that you don't get anywhere else. These natural features are comforting. So imagine if they've all been painted white. Every shape and size of coral colony are being affected with bleaching and mortality.' Fulton spends hundreds of hours a year diving and, usually, the water temperature isn't something that registers. 'But we were all struck by the massive heat in the lagoon,' he says. Ningaloo has bleached badly before, in 2010/11, but Fulton says this year is worse. Temperature loggers in the water showed it was up to 3C above normal – levels that can be devastating for corals. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email After surveying one personal favourite spot, known as the Oyster Stacks, Fulton says he emerged 'bawling my eyes out'. 'I couldn't believe how bad it was – but then there's a resolve to document what's happening.' Fulton says the seaweed meadows used by fish as nurseries have fared OK, but the fish that feed on coral – such as the Chevron butterfly fish – are crowding around the few surviving corals. 'They're often the pretty fish, but they're usually the first to go. They literally starve to death, and we're starting to see that already. I'm not optimistic they're going to survive.' One bright spot, says Fulton, is that some individual corals across a wide variety of types had managed to survive when others of the same species had died. 'I'm astounded by that,' he said. 'So it's a genuine source of optimism.' Elsewhere along the WA coastline, the story of coral death is repeated. At the Kimberley Marine Research Station, intern and recent university ecology graduate Tara Thomsen, from Melbourne, says even though temperatures have started to fall, there is still bleaching 'I've found it pretty heartbreaking, coming to this beautiful part of the world with pristine areas but seeing in some places the reefs reduced to rubble. It's pretty sad,' she says. Phillip 'Bibido' McCarthy, coordinator of Bardi Jawi Rangers, says there are 50 or 60 small islands off the Dampier Peninsula, many with big reefs. 'We've had a big impact right through the coastline,' McCarthy says. 'We can see the whiteness even off the boat ramp. It's quite terrible. Our resources come from the ocean. These habitats are where the fish grow. I'm 56 but I've never seen anything like this.' Dr Thomas Holmes coordinates the marine science program at the WA government's Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Reefs have been monitored from the air and in the water. He says the heatwave started to reach levels to bleach corals in December. At Ningaloo, bleaching is still unfolding. 'I'm not afraid to use the word unprecedented,' he says. 'We have never seen this in recorded history, whether it's the period of time – it started getting hot in December and some places are still bleaching – or in how hot it's got. And it's unprecedented in scale.' Dr Claire Spillman, principal research scientist at the Bureau of Meteorology, confirms marine heatwave conditions started in WA as early as August 2024 and are ongoing in central and southern parts of the state's waters. Australia's ocean areas have warmed on average by 1C since 1900, and several WA ocean areas have seen their hottest months in this latest heatwave. 'Warming events like the one we are seeing now off the WA coast are becoming more frequent,' Spillman says. Helping fuel the heat, too, has been an accumulation of warmer water in the far western Pacific, which pushed down the WA coast to become part of the Leeuwin current running south. About 90% of the extra heat trapped by rising levels of greenhouse gases has been absorbed by the ocean. Gilmour says the sheer scale of ocean heating is something corals in the region have never had to deal with. 'When you're out there it looks like everything is dead, and it's overwhelming. For Rowley Shoals it will take 10 years [for some recovery] – if we don't get another severe bleaching event. But of course, we are going to get one. 'What really worries me and others is not so much the loss of the corals and reefs, it's that we have reached the point where all these ecosystems are in the same situation. 'And what does this mean? 'This is what 1.5C above the preindustrial [average temperature] means. Things will get a lot worse before it gets better, and that's what makes me sad.'
