Ningaloo: Australia’s Wild Wonder

Written by Time Winton

Illustrated by Cindy Lane

Reviewed by Mia Macrossan

Tim Winton is an internationally renowned Australian writer and conservationist, having written more than 30 books for adults and children. A four-time winner of the Miles Franklin Award and shortlisted twice for the Booker Prize, his work has been adapted for the stage and screen and is widely translated. It is so wonderful that he teamed up with Cindy Lane, a new kid on the block, although also someone with has formidable credentials.  A Perth-based artist, illustrator and children’s book creator, her first picture book, Great White Shark (written by Claire Saxby), won the Royal Zoological Society of NSW Whitely Award Best Children’s Book for 2022, and she was listed on the CBCA Shortlist for New Illustrator in 2022.

Tim Winton has been going to Ningaloo for more than 30 years, it is an area that he loves and knows well. With this book he shares his love and knowledge of one of the last great wild places on the planet, dedicating it to ‘For those who come after’. The message is clear – this area is wonderful in so many ways and we need to ensure that it preserved for future generations to enjoy.

The book begins with a careful description of the three areas that comprise Ningaloo: Ningaloo Reef, Cape Range and the Exmouth Gulf. There are many individual and overlapping habitats or ‘communities’, such as the coral reef, intertidal areas,  mangroves, searass meadows, the fossil reef, and to me the most fascinating – Karst, where over time, rainwater has dissolved the limestone rocks to create deep caverns and hollows underground, home to some of the oldest and rarest creatures on earth.

There are stunning pages illustrating some of the iconic animals and plants (some), of the region, including the whale shark, orcas, emus, the thorny devil and more. This is followed by a brief history of the indigenous people of the area and an account of how, over a period of time conservationists, scientists, environmentalists and others worked together to have the Ningaloo Reef and Cape Range declared World Heritage Areas. The conclusion is a call to action, with resources on learning more, how to stay informed and suggestions for taking action.

There is an excellent glossary and index and the book is supported by impressive Teaching Notes.

While the book is full of images and information the text is very clear and user friendly, able to be shared with very young readers and read independently by confident readers. The illustrations infused with the rich colours of Ningaloo, glorious sea and earth tones, are the background for the many animals that inhabit each double page spread. This book is enjoyable on many levels, it is informative for those who don’t know the region, it is a beautiful artefact gloriously illustrated, and it is an appeal to all of us to look after a rare marvel on our planet.

As Tim Winton said in his StoryLinks Author interview: The challenge was telling the story visually, letting the eye do as much work as possible. We needed it to be factual and accurate, but there’s no learning without beauty and that’s what Cindy’s beautiful illustrations have brought.

Highly recommended for all school and home libraries.

Fremantle Press 2025

Tim Winton (There are numerous sites about Tim Winton, although he doesn’t have his own.)

Watch Tim Winton as he takes us on a journey to one of the last intact wild places left on Earth. Its First Peoples call this global treasure Nyinggulu. The rest of us know it as Ningaloo. Ningaloo Nyinggulo on ABC iview

Cindy Lane