Ningaloo Reef - Western Australia

Ningaloo Reef is located within the Ningaloo Marine Park in Western Australia. The park covers an area of 5,000 sq kms and being 260kms long and almost 20kms wide, stretching from Bundegi Beach near Exmouth and finishing at Amherst Point south of Coral Bay. The reef is one of the largest fringing reefs in the world, with many spots accessible only a short distance from the beach.

Found at the northern end of the reef and around 1,300 kms north of Perth is Exmouth, a great place to base yourself while you explore the reef. The climate at Exmouth is nice year round, with no wet season, and summer maximum temperatures averaging 37 degrees Celsius, and winter maximum average temperature is 24 degrees Celsius. If you are into snorkelling or scuba diving, or happy to sit on the boat while the captain finds the whales, Exmouth has many tour operators that will help you seek your adventure. There are also many tour operators that operate out of Exmouth if fishing is your game, including big game fishing.

The Ningaloo Marine Park is home to more than 500 species of fish and 250 species of Coral. From March to June you may be lucky enough to swim with the massive whale sharks which can grow up to 18 metres, while the giant Mantra Ray gently glides through the water below you. Between May and October the Humpback Whales can be spotted within the reef as they migrate to their breeding grounds, and all year round lookout for the dolphins and turtles as they swim through the water. For the snorkelers and divers, if you time your visit right then approximately 10 to 12 days after the full moon during March and April you may witness something truly spectacular as the coral spawns.

There are many beautiful beaches along the Marine Park where you can relax and enjoy the sunshine, and for people with a 4WD then there are plenty of tracks you can explore a little further and find that excluded beach. For snorkelling try Lakeside, Turquoise Bay, Turquoise Bay Drift Snorkel and Oyster Stacks. If you are after nice swimming beaches, try Coral Bay, Turquoise Bay and Bundegi Beach. As always, take extreme care when swimming in the beaches. As in most tourist spots, the visitor Centre gives you fantastic information on tours, accommodation and swimming spots, so when you arrive in Exmouth then drop in and get some local advice.


This article on Ningaloo Reef is brought to you by Lyndon Sparrow
Australian Outback Travel Guide