Coral Coast
Western Australia’s beautiful Coral Coast is home to World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef, unusual fossil geography, wildflower-covered national parks and Monkey Mia’s playful dolphins. Enjoy water sports, hiking and snorkeling adventures on this stretch of coast extending from Cervantes north of Perth to Exmouth.
In the sleepy beach town of Cervantes, satisfy your appetite with local lobster and octopus dishes or try fishing from the jetties. Just outside town you’ll find Lake Thetis, where strange calcium stromatolite deposits were created by a microbe that is one of the earth’s earliest life forms.
Just south of Cervantes and Jurien Bay is Nambung National Park, known for its unearthly landscape of dunes and limestone pinnacles. Visit Pinnacles Desert Discovery Centre for information on walks through the flowering heath and eucalyptus groves to the blue-green waters and white sand beaches of Kangaroo Point and Hangover Bay.
Take a boat tour from Jurien Bay to watch sea lions play in the waves. If you’re visiting in peak wildflower season between July and October, head to nearby Lesueur National Park, home to rare and endangered flora and over 100 bird species. Hike up Mt. Lesueur for panoramic views of the coast.
Glimpse the complex culture of the Yamatji people in historic Geraldton. Visit the Yamaji Art Centre or join the guided Yamatji Cultural Trail to discover important indigenous sites rich with stories. Sail in a replica of a 17th-century Dutch longboat from the 1629 Batavia wreck and visit the impressive memorial to the HMAS Sydney II, sunk during World War II. Geraldton’s homestead and lighthouse museums provide insight into the Coral Coast’s people and history.
Stop at Monkey Mia to encounter wild bottlenose dolphins before heading north to Exmouth, the entry to the Ningaloo Reef. Swim with huge whale sharks and manta rays between March and July. Turtles nest and hatch here between November and February. Snorkel among Ningaloo’s brilliant corals and oyster stacks and camp in Coral Coast’s beautiful Cape Range National Park with emus, kangaroos and echidnas for neighbors.