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Culturally and environmentally speaking, marine turtles are a crucial part of the framework of Western Australia. Living in the Land Down Under's major reefs and seagrass areas, these unique creatures have made their homes in the region for more than 100 million years, and have become local celebrities. When you take a medical job in Australia, be sure to venture to the West Pilbara Coast, where hundreds of turtles scuttle to the water after laying their eggs on the beach.
From September to April, flatback, loggerhead, green and hawksbill turtles arrive on the western shores to lay as many as 160 eggs a piece as part of their traditional nesting season. After about eight-to-10 weeks, these eggs hatch and the offspring attempt to make their way back to the Pacific waters. This journey is all a part of life's natural course for these hatchlings, as predators such as seagulls provide obstacles for the brand new marine life.
If you plan your visit at the start of the nesting season, you might even get to catch another much larger species of ocean animal: the magnificent humpback whale. From June to October, the Pilbara Coast is filled with these enormous mammals.