Great Australian Bight Esperance Albany - Denmark Albany Best in the SW
Augusta - Cape Naturalist Busselton - Geographe Bay Fremantle - Cockburn
Sound Rottnest Island Houtman Abrolhos Jurien Bay - Geraldton Shark Bay
Ningaloo Reef - Exmouth Port Hedland Dampier Broome - Cape Levique
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Christmas Island Diving
Today many attractions bring scuba divers, snorkelers and underwater photographers and underwater explorers to Western Australia, particularly during the annual gathering of whale sharks of Ningaloo Reef.
Other excellent dive experiences include exploration of the exceptional complex of caves under the Nullarbor Plain, the islands and reefs of Esperance and Albany, the limestone reefs and shipwrecks of Rottnest Island, the species-rich coral reefs of Ningaloo and Shark Bay, and the live-aboard diving off the Houtman Abrolhos, Monte Bello Islands and the North West Shelf.
Offshore, the island territories of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are fabulous areas for scuba diving, snorkeling and underwater photography.
Fishhook Bay, Rottnest Island, is as picturesque as can be. A perfect place for new dive students, snorkellers and reefwalkers to visit and discover some of the fantastic species that occur around the island.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Western Australia has the most varied marine environment of all the Australian States. In the southern temperate waters grow dense, colourful sponge gardens where seals, giant cuttlefish, leafy sea dragons, harlequin fish and a host of other interesting species are found. Coral reefs and isolated atolls flourish in the warmer waters off the northern coasts, where dugongs, sea snakes, turtles, reef sharks, manta rays and a range of tropical fish and invertebrates are common. An interesting mixture of tropical and temperate species is found off the mid-coast of Western Australia, in the warm water carried down the coast by the Leeuwin Current.
Giant Cuttlefish Sepia apama abound throughout south Western Australia. They grow to a metre in size and are very curious towards divers.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
A common bottom - dwelling species, the Harlequin Rock Cod Othox dentex has an amazing number of colours and is one of the most colourful of its family.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
In stark contrast to the south Wests abundant greenery, the "Zuytdorp" Cliffs on the way north to Shark Bay are a desolate, inhospitable land that few have ever explored. Apart from the individual wreck divers and those from Western Australias Maritime Museum ( searching and retreiving materials from the "Zuytdorp" wreck) the offshore reefs are virtually unknown.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Faulkners Stony Coral Tubastrea faulkneri is found from Rottnest Island, all the way north and out to Christmas Island and Cocos ( Keeling ) Islands.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Gold - lip Pearl shell altar at Beagle bay Mission Church on the way to Cape levique, north of Broome. A stark reminder of what was behind the pioneering spirit of the great north - west.
( photo; Neville Coleman)
The search for pearls lured the first divers to the waters off Western Australia. Pearl oysters thrive in the warm waters along the northern beaches of Australias largest State, and during the last century this discovery attracted thousands of Japanese, Chinese, Filipinos and Malays to a number of towns north of Shark Bay. Broome was the heart of the pearl diving industry, and in the boom years between 1890 and 1910, over 2000 Japanese lived I the town. Many returned to Japan as wealthy men, but over 900 of the divers were not so lucky, and were buried in the Japanese cemetery in Broome.
Typical pearl shell seeding raft at Cape levique . A handful of divers still work in the industry, collecting pearl shell for seeding. However the great majority of pearls are now cultured, seeded by a small bead of mother-of-pearl being inserted into the oyster.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Ningaloo Reef is a massive complex of reefs and lagoons, channels and run - offs. During April and May numbers of Whale Sharks gather here to feed when the corals are spawning.
photo: Neville Coleman)
Snorkelling with the Whale Sharks Rhincodon typus at Ningaloo Reef is an unforgettable experience. As the worlds biggest fish, its dependence on some of the oceans smallest life forms ( including fish and coral spawn) is just one of the millions of examples as to why it is important to keep in mind that ALL life forms are important, as they are all interdependent.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Today many attractions bring divers to Western Australia, particularly the annual gathering of whale sharks of Ningaloo Reef. Other excellent dive experiences include exploration of the exceptional complex of caves under the Nullarbor Plain, the islands and reefs of Esperance and Albany, the limestone reefs and shipwrecks of Rottnest Island, the species-rich coral reefs of Ningaloo and Shark Bay, and the live-aboard diving off the Houtman Abrolhos, Monte Bello Islands and the North West Shelf.
Offshore, the island territories of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands have been recently opened up to visitors. The diving is spectactular and totally awesome at both these outposts and for the diver seeking a little more adventure, its like diving the egde of the world!
Western Australia has a massive 12,500 km coastline, and covers an area of (2) 5 million sq km, most of which is desert. While the south-west corner of the State is lush and green, with lovely pastures and dense forest, the rest of the State is dominated by the Nullarbor Plain, Great Victoria Desert, Gibson Desert and Great Sandy Desert.
Only a few kilometres inland from the coast at Ningaloo, the terrain is unbelievably stark, a mass of writhing canyons and tortured ridges.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
The first Europeans to explore the Western Australian coastline were the Dutch, who found the country dry and inhospitable. Settlement of the State was delayed until 1829, when a small colony was established on the banks of the Swan River, the site of present-day Perth. However, the development of the State was slow, due to its isolation and vast size.
The stark granite shoreline decorated with lichens and framed by coastal greenery at Albany in south Western Australia, gives little justice to the fantastic creatures that live in the waters of King Georges Sound.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Just one of the inhabitants of the relatively unexplored reefs off south Western Australia, the unique Leafy Sea Dragon Phycodurus eques is without doubt one of the worlds most spectacular fishes.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Just one small example of just how much sessile marine life can fit on 1.5 metres of jetty pylon at Busselton Jetty. Multiply this a thousand times and the realization of just how good jetty diving can be in south Western Australia, becomes more than most can comprehend. The Leewin Current is one of the richest in the world, carrying with it an awesome number of sea creatures destined for
Western Australia.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
One thing that Western Australia has besides an amazing array of marine life, is a bountiful abundance of wild flowers. From the great south West to the northern deserts (after rain) the numbers and unique species has to be seen to be believed.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Even though Western Australia is known for its arid outback, there are hundreds of species of fantastic frogs, even frogs that live in the desert and dozens of new species waiting to be discovered and described. One of the most attractive species Moores Tree Frog Litoria moorei lives in the great south West.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
The southern town of Albany was established soon afterward, and became the first port of call for ships crossing the Indian Ocean, but the rest of the State did not expand until gold was discovered in the 1890s. Mining is still one of the States major industries.
Western Australia has a steadily growing population approaching 2 million, and because of its relative isolation, there are still endless opportunities for small business ventures. The great majority of the population lives in Perth, the States capital, situated on the bank of the Swan River. Perth is a young city with plenty of attractions, including museums, parklands, historic buildings, the Perth Zoo, markets and beautiful sandy beaches. Travel to and from Perth is quite expensive by plane, train or bus. While there are good sealed roads across the Nullarbor Plain and up the coastline to Darwin, the interior of the State is best explored by 4WD.
The desolate beach at the end of Peron Peninsula is bordered by the rich red cliffs
Shark bay is well known for.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
For the more adventurous, Western Australia has many spectacular National parks and rugged areas to explore. The desert (or outback) is well worth a look, especially after rain as wildflowers bloom in abundance. Caves, rainforest, low mountain ranges, deep gorges, rivers, lakes and meteor craters are found in the National parks and wilderness areas across the State.
As extraordinary a creature as one might imagine, the Thorny Devil Moloch horridus appears threatning. However, this beautiful little desert lizard is harmlees and feeds on trailing ants.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
A little upriver at Yardie Creek, Ningaloo, one might be forgiven for thinking it was a little more than, a creek. Certainly, the wide, deep canyon walls and wooded sandy islands given rise to many a raging torrent during past wet seasons.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Western Australia experiences a wide range of climatic conditions. Summer sees monsoons and cyclones in the north and warm dry conditions in the south, while winter is cool and wet in the south, but dry and warm in the north. The air temperature varies from 10-25¼C in the south to 20-35¼C in the north. For divers, the best time to visit the north of the State is over winter and the south over summer. Water temperature ranges from 13-20¼C in the south to 20-28¼C in the north.
As the dying embers of the sun reach out reflections to a lonely cloud formation etched into the blackness of an icy desert sky, one can be asssured that tomorrow, will be another beautiful day, in Western Australia.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
The dive industry in Western Australia is still developing, and many local divers still spend most of their time hunting fish and rock lobsters. Only a handful of marine parks exist in the State, but these protect some of the most popular diving areas such as Ningaloo Reef, Shark Bay, Rottnest Island, the Houtman Abrolhos and Rowley Shoals. While many dive shops and charter boats service the major centres, many small towns such as Bremer Bay and Lancelin, have exceptional dive sites offshore that are only accessible to divers with their own boats.
Great Australian Bight Esperance Albany - Denmark Albany Best in the SW
Augusta - Cape Naturalist Busselton - Geographe Bay Fremantle - Cockburn
Sound Rottnest Island Houtman Abrolhos Jurien Bay - Geraldton Shark Bay
Ningaloo Reef - Exmouth Port Hedland Dampier Broome - Cape Levique
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Christmas Island Diving
Neville Coleman's diving expeditions, fauna surveys, photographic fauna surveys and marine life identification courses include every major group of marine life.
Neville Coleman's expertise in marine life identification extends to the identification of Algae, Sea Grass, Forams, Sponges, Stony Corals, Soft Corals, Sea Anemones, Sea Jellies, Zoanthids, Corallimorphs, Black Corals, Flatworms, Segmented Worms, Crustaceans, Barnacles, Shrimps, Rock Lobsters, Hermit Crabs, Squat Lobsters, Molluscs, Chitons, Univalves, Bivalves, Cephalopods, Octopus, Cuttlefish, Squid, Opisthobranchs, Nudibranchs, Sea Slugs, Bryozoans, Sea Mosses, Echinoderms, Sea Stars, Feather Stars, Brittle Stars, Sea Urchins, Sea Cucumbers, Ascidians/Sea Squirts, Marine Fish, Sharks and Marine Mammals, all found in the waters off Western Australia.
( Copyright Neville Coleman/Nigel Marsh)
