The weeks before we arrived were all hopes and ideas of what Dirk Hartog offered. We had little knowledge of the surprise that awaited us. Time was like torture, waiting for the moment to come, waiting for memories to be made, waiting to travel to Dirk Hartog Island.

We spent the first few days exploring the vast and magnificent eastern side beaches. Forget sticking to the homestead and not journeying to new places, we were born adventurers. One day, we decided we would head north and see what was around in the next bay, to find some shells and see more sights, but we had no idea what we were in for.

After almost half an hour in the buggy along the beach, we found ourselves at the end of the bay. We hopped out and looked back at the small, distant, white roofed homestead, hidden in the bushes. It seemed like we had gone so far but it just took longer after stopping every few seconds to look at another shell that Audrey likes.

At the end of the bay there were rocks and no way we could go much further in the buggy. We all had a quick look around, Mum and Audrey searching for shells, Dad looking for somewhere else to venture, Grace amazed at all the fish and me, kicking rocks and pretending I was driving the buggy.

Just as we started enjoying ourselves messing along the shore near the buggy, Dad found a track heading over the dune into the next bay. Although we were entertained where we were, we were determined to explore. Soon enough we found ourselves back in the buggy and bouncing around up the boggy dune. As we reached the top we all caught the sight of the new bay.

I was extremely over excited, I believed that my dream would come true and we were going to discover a bay filled with dinosaurs. My heart was pounding faster than I could count, I was ready to find the new Jurassic Park and become a millionaire in seconds, or maybe my eyes would explode with amazement… and then I saw it. It was really what I had dreamed, it was a spectacular sight, my eyes really did explode when I realised the bay was filled with… with… with… sea cows?

We drove the buggy down onto the shore of the new bay with our jaws locked open, speechless. We were awestruck, surprised at how quickly the bays changed. It was no longer crystal clear, pristine water but it was an underwater grass paddock fit for hungry dugongs. It was Dugong Bay.

Within seconds of arriving in Dugong Bay I jumped out of the buggy in amazement. I could see at least five dugongs at once and most were less than 50 metres away, I was astonished and all I wanted was to touch one. So I did.

Too excited to think about danger, I was determined and I was going to touch a dugong. The water was about waist deep and I slowly crept out to one of the dugongs, trying not to make a sound and trying not to stun it, it was the most effort I’d put into something in ages. Then, eventually, I was about a metre away from the dugong, I reached out to touch it and… a huge splash of water to my face, and when I rubbed my eyes and it had disappeared. It had vanished like it could swim at the speed of light. It was gone.

When I returned to the buggy, I was filled with sorrow. I never got to touch the dugong and the world was going to end. My face was planted in my palms, my eyes were bawling out tears, my holiday was ruined forever (remember, I was eight). When I started to settle I looked up and we were halfway across the bay, still driving, but then something caught my eye. I looked over and saw another dugong even closer than the last. My tears stopped instantly, my face immediately turned into a close replication of the Joker’s and I had the largest smile in the world.

Of course, the day was starting to end. I didn’t have enough time to try and touch a dugong so I’d have to save it for another time.

On the way back, Dad let Grace and I take turns at driving the buggy. What a day.