Marine ParkPatrimonio Mundial UNESCO

Ningaloo

Australia · Western Australia

Western AustraliaDeclared in 19872,600 km²

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One of the few places in the world where a coral reef runs parallel to the shore, reachable on foot from the beach

Area

2,600 km²

Declared in

1987

Region

Western Australia

Climate

Tropical, Árido / desértico, Templado, Mediterráneo

Best time

March to May

Ocean World Heritage

Plan your visit

Best time: March to May
Area: 2,600 km²

Highlight

One of the few places in the world where a coral reef runs parallel to the shore, reachable on foot from the beach

Declared in 1987 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011, Ningaloo is one of the few coral reefs in the world that runs directly parallel to the mainland shore, rather than being separated from land by a wide lagoon as on the Great Barrier Reef — which means the reef can be reached by walking straight off the beach, with no boat needed. Every year between March and July, the mass coral spawning draws one of the greatest concentrations of whale shark in the world, the largest fish on the planet, making Ningaloo one of the few places anywhere where swimming alongside these giant filter feeders is well documented and regulated for responsible ecotourism.

Location

See on the interactive map

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1 dive site within 300 km is also shown.

95 species documented in Ningaloo

10 Mammals6 Birds5 Reptiles13 Cartilaginous fish28 Fish2 Bivalvia6 Anthozoa4 Cephalopoda6 Gastropoda5 Malacostraca1 Hydrozoa2 Asteroidea2 Polychaeta1 Turbellaria1 Scyphozoa1 Cubozoa2 Holothuroidea

At conservation risk:Tiburón ballena,Dugongo,Napoleón,Tortuga carey,Tortuga verde,Almeja gigante,Caballito de mar amarillo,Chucho pintado,Delfín jorobado del Indo-Pacífico,Manta de arrecife,Manta gigante oceánica,Marrajo dientusoand 7 more