FROM the plane, and even when we later drove through its treacherous dirt tracks, the vast arid Western Australian coastal outback appeared inhospitable, covered largely by sun-browned shrubs and stunted trees.

No animal was in sight. Not a leaf stirred. Who or what could survive in such severe conditions, I thought one afternoon during a recent six-day visit to north-western Australia.

So when I later learnt that we were to spend four hours to acquaint ourselves with this uninviting Aussie wilderness, I was not exactly excited.

But that was before we, a group of friends and I, benefited from the fascinating ecology lesson our guide, Michael Verhage, 46, gave us.

When this outing ended, I was truly in awe of this desert landscape which supports so much life, and of Western Australia's coastal beauty, which is truly nature's masterpiece.

Mr Verhage knows the Aussie outback like the back of his hand. He took us in his powerful Ford Maverick 4WD to areas such as the Peron Peninsula, where we finally chanced upon emus, a hedgehog and a procession of 120 fat caterpillars (yes, we counted) moving in single file like a long freight train across the sun-baked sand to heaven knows where.

Animals, Mr Verhage explained, hide in shady spots during the day to escape the heat and this was why we initially saw none.

Among the animals found here are the bandicoot (a small furry marsupial), the thorny devil (a spiky lizard), pythons, iguanas and echidnas (spiny anteaters).

He took us to a brown bush with a canopy of young green leaves and asked us to taste its shoots. We realised the young leaves were soft and succulent. The taste: Mild tamarind with a touch of salt. It was pleasant and edible - a survival resource for lost trekkers.

We were also shown the Kurrajong tree whose roots when wedged with a knife seeps drinkable water - another lifesaver.

We also examined the ubiquitous spinifex, a thorny bush with needle-sharp spikes which the Aborigines use as roofing material. They also use the bush's thick sap as glue.

Our next stop was an unusual one - the strikingly white Shell Beach along Shark Bay. This 110km stretch comprises only tiny sun-bleached shells which can be 10m deep at certain stretches. Those who love true outdoors adventures - swimming with the whale sharks, traversing the outback, sailing on a catamaran, ogling at coral reefs and colourful fishes, seeing bright stars, spending a night in an eco-camp by the sea, kayaking or scuba-diving - must visit this part of Western Australia, about 1,270km north of Perth.

They should stop at coastal towns such as Monkey Mia to feed the dolphins; enjoy snorkelling in Shark Bay Marine Park, a Unesco heritage site; and also visit the coastal town of Exmouth, further north, to swim with the docile and languid whale sharks in the crystal-clear waters of Ningaloo Reef.

The best place to set up base for these excursions is the Novotel Ningaloo Resort in Exmouth.

This four-star low-rise hotel boasts cosy bungalows with porches facing Sunrise Beach, named thus for obvious reasons.

The best period to visit is from June to September when the weather is ideal for the outdoors.

Skywest Airlines, which has special holiday packages, flies from Perth to these resorts. For details, log on to www.westernaustralia.com and www.skywestholidays.com.au

This trip was sponsored by Tourism Australia (www.australia.com) and Qantas (www.qantas.com.au).

Photos by Philip Lee

This article was first published in the Special Projects Unit, The Straits Times on April 22, 2008.