Ningaloo Reef - Western Australia
Located within the Ningaloo Marine Park is Ningaloo Reef. The Marine Park covers an area of ocean 260kms long and 20kms wide, covering 5,000 sq kms, starting at Emherst Point near Coral Bay, up to Bendegi Beach near Exmouth. Being one of the largest fringing reefs in the world allows for fantastic access to many stunning spots to explore only a short distance from the beach.
A good place to base yourself while exploring Ningaloo Reef is Exmouth, around 1,300 kms north of Perth and at the northern end of 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. Exmouth has many tour options available for exploring the reef, from coral viewing to snorkelling, whale watching and scuba diving. 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. Between March and June each year and measuring up to 18 metres in length, the massive Whale Sharks come into the reef to feed on the plankton. 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. Contact the Exmouth Visitor Centre and they will point you in the right direction and give you advice on tours etc.