The Mackerel Islands aren't for everyone. Not that they're exclusive, reserved for the A-list to retreat and retire - quite the contrary. These isles are far removed from any glitz and prestige lifestyle.
The 10 low-lying islands and atolls are about 22 kilometres off the West Australian town of Onslow. Forming part of the Pilbara, these islands are raw, rugged and remote. There's not much to the main island, Thevenard: no Instagrammable infinity pool, no pub, no tourist shop hawking souvenirs.
Instead, Thevenard Island, skirted by honey-hued sands and sparsely populated with salt-resilient plants and shrublands, offers a bare-bones experience.
Think Survivor or Alone, with a safety net of 12 navy-blue beachfront cabins, which thankfully include mod-cons such as hot water, flushing toilets, beds, a full kitchen, and sparse phone reception in the wilderness. Sun-bleached shells bigger than human heads found ashore are used as decor. And yet, its quiet, simple offerings and appearance attract a loyal crowd.
"This is a fisherman's paradise," Daren Tetley, a hobbyist fisherman, says as he fillets a freshly caught red emperor at a fish cleaning station on the beach. He doesn't need to convince me: he's travelling with two friends on a week-long fishing trip with their lucrative haul on show.
A filleting table that would not be out of place in a commercial kitchen is covered with coral trout and thick rankin cod. I'm startled by the decapitated head of a goldband snapper, its remaining ripped pale pink flesh hangs loose.
"How do you know if it's fresh?" I ask, pointing to the snapper's head, its open mouth and black and gold eyes facing me.
"We saw the shark that took a bite out of it," he says of the action-packed moment with a chuckle.
I'm out of my depth here; I'm hardly an avid fisher. Until recently, this Class-C nature reserve was a challenge to access.
Tourism began on the island in 1973 after the current owners, a group of local farmers including the Shields family, took over the lease of Thevenard from two locals. There wasn't much there then, with three corrugated iron shacks standing on the eastern end of the six-kilometre-long isle, covering roughly 550 hectares.
But over the years, the owners continued to build and improve lodging and facilities, enticing fishermen, lovers of the sea and those seeking solitude. Accommodation was also built on nearby Direction Island in the late 70s, but is currently not in use.
Besides luring anglers with big fish, another drawcard to Thevenard is its abundant marine life. The island is surrounded by patches of coral reef, the distant cousin of Ningaloo Reef just to the south.
Turtles, stingrays, crays, and colourful (and tasty) fish flourish here. Whales and dolphins are also sighted.
Its main reef, Home, is within easy reach from my cabin's doorstep. With most of the fishers out at sea, I have reefs teeming with life all to myself. While lacking in vibrant colour due to coral bleaching, a sepia sea doesn't deter me from snorkelling, probing its naturally autumn-hued gardens, including big brain coral bommies few get to see.
To make my undersea exploration more thrilling (and help ward off the water's chill factor), I rent a kayak with an anchor to reef-hop, elevating my far-flung adventure above and below sea level.
Another way to experience the islands' protective fringe reef is by hiring a small Plaka boat. No boat licence? No problem. I have an island skipper ($50 an hour) take me along the coast.
I'm feeling like a queen in the front seat, stopping to look and explore coral gardens further from the shore. Many visitors, mostly fishers and local families, come here by boat from Onslow. As I don't have a skipper's licence, let alone a boat, I've come here the other way.
Thevenard Island has become more accessible with the newly launched two-night reef and retreat package from Exmouth. It's a 45-minute flight over the Exmouth Gulf in Ningaloo Aviation's Cessna 182 four-seater plane.
I double-dip with convenience, observing Cape Range National Park's lumpy appearance, passing droplet-like islands, the coast never out of sight. Spotting humpback whales adds to the spectacle.
Back at the island's unofficial meeting point - the cleaning station - I'm given a slab of goldband snapper. There are plenty of fish in the sea, and fishers are happy to share their wins. Now, isn't that the ideal Castaway experience?
THE DETAILS
TOUR
Mackerel Islands' two-night reef to retreat flight package from Exmouth is from $1317 (based on three guests). See mackerelislands.com.au
All meals are supplied/fridge is stocked with self-cook meals. Food is available to buy from the island store.
EXPLORE
Guests receive complimentary SUP, kayak and beach sports hire. Snorkel hire is $10 a day. See mackerelislands.com.au/activities
The accommodation offers fishing gear for hire ($20 a day for a fishing rod). Visitors should contact the accommodation directly for bespoke fishing charters.
The writer was a guest of Tourism WA. See westernaustralia.com
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