WENDELL HUSSEY | Cadet | CONTACT
A pair of sexagenarians have today ticked a big item off their bucket list – potentially in the nick of time.
Grahame and Cheryl Withers from Betoota Heights have managed to squeeze in a breathtaking snorkeling excursion to the Ningaloo (Nyinggulu) Reef this week.
“Absolutely priceless,” confirmed Grahame, about the correctly described priceless World Heritage Site.
“So great we got to see it before it’s cooked,” said Grahame, referencing the shocking coral bleaching event that is currently underway on the reef.
Grahame’s comments come during a record marine heatwave that has persisted since last winter, and seen water temps in the area rise up to 3C higher than average.
The devastating climate change induced marine heatwave has wreaked, and will continue to wreak damage on the reef that has historically been somewhat more protected from these events than the Great Barrier Reef.
“Haha yeah we made sure to see the Barrier Reef ages ago,” laughed Grahame, whose generation has overseen decades of inaction on climate change.
“So it was great to see Ningaloo before it’s potentially irreversibly damaged by this bleaching event.”
Set amongst the backdrop of global conflict, cost of living crises, and a rapidly evolving post truth political landscape – the red alert event for the precious reef has gone somewhat under the radar.
Scientists are set to gather at the end of March to come up with a climate vulnerability assessment for the Ningaloo region following what is set to be the worst bleaching event in the reef’s history.
The event also takes place as the Government prepares to sign off on Woodside’s massive gas expansion in the region – a project which has been labelled a potential climate disaster.
“Perfect timing if you ask me,” laughed Cheryl.
“I don’t know why you are rolling your eyes at me,” she said to our reporter.
“Go contact your local MP and ask them what they are doing about it. They’re the ones with the ability to make noise.”
“We’ve just got a flash caravan, an Isuzu, and a property portfolio that pays for us to go travelling around Aus for months at a time.”
More to come.
