Australia's vast coastline gives it an unparalleled array of aquatic treasures and plenty of opportunity to interact with amazing marine life. Go swimming with the biggest fish in the world, snorkel on pristine coral reefs just a few meters offshore and see colorful fish, rare turtles and migrating humpback whales.

At a number of places along the long coastline pods of friendly dolphins visit the shore almost every morning to be hand fed. You can see them leaping in the air and feeding in the shallows of sheltered bays.

Go snorkeling, diving, fishing or boating. Either way you'll be rewarded with breathtaking scenery, native wildlife and distant horizons.

In Australia, you�ll find unspoiled nature at its best � bone-white beaches, turquoise water and amazing coral reefs, just meters from the shore on our west coast and running down our coastline and surrounding our tropical islands on the east.

Some marine life and island facts -: �Australia�s marine environment is home to 4,000 fish species, 500 coral species in the northern reefs alone, 50 types of marine mammal and a wide range of seabirds. �It is estimated that as many as 80 per cent of marine species found in southern Australian waters are found nowhere else.

�Around seven per cent of Australia�s marine jurisdiction is identified marine protected areas.

�About half the size of Texas, the world's biggest coral reef, the Great Barrier Reef is home to creatures ranging from tiny burrowing sea-worms to tiger sharks weighing more than a ton - as well as dolphins, dugongs, whales, turtles, ponderous potato cod, moray eels and hump headed Maori wrasse. Proclaimed a marine park by the Australian Government in 1975, the reef, provides incomparable vistas of multi-colored coral, sponges and varieties of seaweed.

�The Great Barrier Reef will stun you with its magnificence. It's as big as the total combined area of the United Kingdom and Ireland, and contains more than 1,000 islands.

�Ningaloo Reef, covering 5,000 square km of ocean, is famous for whale shark diving and in Shark Bay you can hand-feed wild dolphins.

�Shark Bay is home to 10 per cent of the world�s dugong population; as well as a number of other marine and land animals including dolphins, whales, manta rays turtles, sharks and rare marsupials.

�In the latest US Travel + Leisure awards, Tasmania ranked as the top island in the �Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific Region� and sixth in the �Top 10 World�s Best Island� category.

Places to visit -: �Swim with wild dolphins at Rockingham, near Perth or in Tangalooma Resort, about 75 minutes from Brisbane.

�Take a whale watching boat or sightseeing trip from one of our many coastal towns geared up for this activity.

�Visit Port Stephens on the NSW coast, a barefoot paradise, complete with bottlenose dolphins, passing whales, fabulous seafood and great diving right off the beach at Nelson Bay.

�Dive or snorkel the ribbon reefs of the Great Barrier Reef. June and July is the perfect time to spot dwarf minke whales.

�Tour the turtle rehabilitation centre at Reef HQ, the world�s largest living coral reef aquarium, located in Townsville, northern Queensland.

�Call in at Baird Bay on the South Australian coast, one of the few places in the world where you can swim with dolphins and sealions in the wild. �Get a glimpse of magical sea creatures, Leafy Seadragons, in the clear waters off Kangaroo Island, or view them close up at the Port Lincoln Seahorse Farm. �Walk on the beach among the sea lions � though you do have to maintain a respectful distance � at Seal Bay on Kangaroo Island. �Watch the sunset march of the penguins on an exclusive beach viewing with a private ranger. Phillip Island is home to a colony of little penguins that make their way from the sea to their burrows every day at dusk and Australia�s largest colony of fur seals.

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For further information please contact Alison Holmes, Public Relations � Bahrain Tel: +973 17 564531 Fax: +973 17 581457 Email: alisonh@batelco.com.bh