“As the flooding from Tropical Cyclone Narelle’s violent visit to Exmouth subsided and the winds dropped, Brinkley Davies headed to Graveyards beach.”

“The beach, at least according to some Exmouth locals, got its name because of the tendency for turtles to get stuck on the dunes.”

“But on Sunday morning, this stretch of sand in remote Western Australia had turned into a literal graveyard, strewn with thousands of baby turtles and turtle eggs alongside dead fish, sea snakes, dolphins and seabirds.”

“Davies – who makes a living as a free diver, occasional stunt double, tour guide and photographer – is the founder of the Balu Blue Foundation conservation charity that cares for injured wildlife.”

“But with no permanent building, Davies took in more than 70 seabirds and other animals into her home and driveway in the days after the cyclone.”

“Many of the birds were 'too far gone', she said, but alongside other volunteers more than 20 have been nursed back to health and released.”

“Cyclone Narelle was the first storm to make landfall as a severe system in three different states and territories since Tropical Cyclone Ingrid in 2005.”

“After travelling for thousands of kilometres over Australia’s north, the storm was a severe category four system as it passed Exmouth, delivering wind gusts of about 250km/h.”

“Riley Carter, a wildlife officer at the WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, said hundreds of shorebirds had been found dead on beaches around Exmouth and the Ningaloo coast and about 30 dead cetaceans had been recorded.”