Cleaverville Campground

Visited: late dry season

Recommendation: Although this campsite and area look dry and devoid of wildlife, there are some interesting animals to be found. The scenery is stunning and if you are camping, it is a great choice.

Cleaverville campground is a beautiful area east of Karratha on the north coast of Western Australia. My partner and I liked it here very much. The views were stunning and it was very peaceful. There weren't too many birds to be seen initially, just a reef heron and Osprey. 

As we ventured out at night to see if anything was around, we just about fell over a group of hermit crabs. They were everywhere, particularly around the waste water pipe of the van. Food, I guess. These little critters are quite amazing, and have some unique characteristics. As the name suggests, they are primarily terrestrial, venturing into the ocean only to moult or reproduce. Like other hermit crabs, they rely on finding and carrying empty shells (often from marine snails) to protect their soft abdomens. They are typically more active at night and can be found in groups, especially when congregating at food sources.

Australian Land Hermit Crab (Coenobita variabilis) 

My partner found a recently moulted outer shell of a Painted Crayfish. The vibrant colours of Painted Crayfish (Panulirus versicolor) serve several important purposes. Their striking patterns help them blend in with their coral reef environment and the intricate colorations break up their outlines, making them harder for predators to spot. 

Painted Crayfish (Panulirus versicolor) 

We did have a rather unpleasant problem while staying at Cleaverville and this meant we left after one night. Despite having bug nets on the windows and doors, a plague of midges invaded us and left me with dozens of very nasty bites. The next morning, feeling very groggy, we drove out and heard fairywren. We stopped to find several females and a male in moult.