The waters off WA'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 the world's largest fish is one of life's most exhilarating marine experiences. Ningaloo Reef is regarded as one of the best locations in the world to swim with whale sharks - due to the clarity of the water, regularity of the whale sharks and professionalism of the tour operators. Visitors also have the opportunity to swim with humpback whales from July to October at Ningaloo Reef, with a number of local operator's trialling the swim tour for the first time in 2016, including Exmouth Diving Centre (attending ATE). 

Easily accessible from shore, World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef is also home to manta rays, sea turtles and dugongs. Ningaloo is among the most biologically diverse marine environments on earth, and is also the closest coral barrier reef to a land mass in the world – meaning that visitors can walk straight off the beach and snorkel over superb coral gardens teeming with colourful fish mere metres from the shore.

It's no secret some of the world's best surfers – think Kelly Slater and Mick Fanning - visit WA's shores to catch some of the world's best waves in the famed Margaret River region, in the State's South West. See local, national and international surfing stars compete at the annual Margaret River Pro, held every April, or find a local 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 short drive south of Perth, Rockingham Wild Encounters (attending ATE) and Bunbury's Dolphin Discovery Centre offer a unique 'swim with wild dolphins' experience. There's no enclosures here, the dolphin swims are in the sheltered waters of the Shoalwater Marine Park (Rockingham) and Koombana Bay (Bunbury). At Monkey Mia (850 kilometres north of Perth), a small pod of dolphins regularly visit the shallows to play. In Broome make sure to take the new snubnose dolphin boat tour at Roebuck Bay.

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.

An easy drive south of Perth you'll find Penguin Island, part of the Shoalwater Marine Park. Visitors can see and learn more about WA's largest colony of little penguins at the Discovery Centre. The island is also home to many species of seabirds and Australian sea lions. Jurien Bay Marine Park, just a three-hour drive north of Perth, is also famous for its sea lions and marine life. In Esperance on WA's south east coast, take a cruise to Woody Island and see New Zealand fur seals, sea lions, white-breasted sea eagles and dolphins. Also in Esperance, make sure to head to Lucky Bay to spend time with the friendly local kangaroos who like to sunbake on Australia's whitest beach. 

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 in 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. Exmouth's Navy Pier, in the Coral Coast, is rated as one of the top ten shore dives in the world. 

In WA's South West, hundreds of killer whales descend on Bremer Bay Canyon each year between February and April. Naturaliste Charters commenced the first ever Bremer Bay Canyon Expeditions in February 2015, allowing guests to watch killer whales and other marine life 60 kilometres off Australia's South West coast.

Media enquiries:

Jayde Little
Tourism WA Destination and Events PR Executive
jayde.little@westernaustralia.com
08 9292 1769

Emily Andrews
Tourism WA Destination and Events PR Officer
emily.andrews@westernaustralia.com
08 9262 1811