Dive Into WA's Coastal and Marine Wonderland

Western Australia

The waters off Western Australia's 12,000 kilometre long coastline are regarded as some of the most pristine in the world – and home to a myriad of marine life.

Swimming with whale sharks is one of life's most exhilarating experiences, and there is no better place to do it than World Heritage listed Ningaloo Reef on WA's Coral Coast.

Known as the gentle giants of the ocean, these filter feeders visit Ningaloo each year from May to July. There are several tour operators to choose from at Coral Bay and Exmouth, including Ocean Eco Adventures, attending ATE, and newcomer Charter 1, which began whale shark tours this year following approval from the Department of Parks and Wildlife for a fifteenth business to operate in the region.

Ningaloo Marine Park is also home to world class dive sites such as the Navy Pier, near Exmouth. Local experts, Exmouth Diving Centre (attending ATE) can advise on the range of water based adventures in the region.

It's no secret some of the world's best surfers (think Kelly Slater, Mick Fanning, Stephanie Gilmore) visit WA's shores to catch some of the world's best waves. See local, national and international surfing stars at the annual Margaret River Pro, held in April each year, or find a surf school (they operate around the State), grab a board and hang ten.

Perth's own 'car free' island paradise is a short ferry ride from Fremantle, Perth or Hillarys with Rottnest Express or Rottnest Fast Ferries (both attending ATE). Relax on the beach or cool off at one of the island's 63 secluded bays and 20 beaches. A new Rottnest Island Bike Tour showcases the history and landscapes of the popular island. Rottnest Express joined forces with local operator, Two Feet and a Heartbeat, to launch the tours in early 2015.

A short drive south of Perth, Rockingham Wild Encounters (attending ATE) offers a unique 'swim with wild dolphins' experience between September and June each year. The business also launched a new Three Islands Wildlife Cruise which allows guests to enjoy the scenic highlights of Shoalwater Marine Park, including wild dolphin and sea lion sightings.

WA hosts one of the longest whale-watching seasons in the world. Each year from June to December, Humpback, Southern Right and rare Blue Whales call WA's oceans home. Albany, Broome, Exmouth, Perth, Fremantle, Hillarys, Denham, Kalbarri, Geographe Bay and Rottnest Island offer top vantage points and tours.

Then, there's Bremer Bay in WA's South West which sees hundreds of killer whales descend on Bremer Canyon each February and March. Naturaliste Charterscommenced the first ever Bremer Canyon Expeditions in February 2015, allowing guests to watch killer whales and other marine life 60 kilometres off Australia's South West coast.

Western Australia

There are hundreds of shipwrecks along WA's coast – in the South West, HMAS Swan at Dunsborough is WA's most famous prepared wreck, while the HMAS Perth, sunk to 36 metres at Albany, is the largest. Also in the South West, Busselton Jetty is one of Australia's greatest artificial reefs - hosting tropical and subtropical coral, sponges, fish and invertebrates. While Exmouth's Navy Pier, on the mid north coast is rated as one of the top ten shore dives in the world.

For more information on Western Australia's coastal and marine experiences, click on the Tourism WA media kit attached.