One of Australia’s most stunning regions has bounced back from disaster

We’ve snorkelled into Tim Winton’s Ningaloo Nyinggulu documentary but someone has hit the fast-forward button. Fingers laced behind our backs, the natural slipstream pulls us along like a liquid conveyor belt. Caught in the drift, we float over coral gardens and alongside rivers of tropical fish, their neon colours flaring like falling stars. One moment, a green turtle flashes into view; the next, a pouty-lipped grouper blows kisses in our wake. Overhead, the sun spins like a giant mirror ball, throwing shards of light across the reef.