Great Australian Bight Esperance Albany - Denmark Albany Best in the SW
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
The numerous islands and reefs found between Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste are packed with large fish, rock lobsters and dense, colourful sponge gardens.
During the calmer autumn months the region has very good scuba diving, snorkeling and underwater photography, and divers can enjoy the many great dive sites. Because of the large swells which crash onto the rocky coastline for much of the year, this region remains one of the least explored areas of southern Western Australia. Dive shops in Augusta and Margaret River offer charter trips and invaluable tips on the local dive scene.
Its hard to pass up taking shot after shot of of Australian Sea Lions, they are so photogenic and so affable.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
The numerous islands and reefs found between Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste are packed with large fish, rock lobsters and dense, colourful sponge gardens. Because of the large swells which crash onto the rocky coastline for much of the year, this region remains one of the least explored areas of southern Western Australia. During the calmer autumn months, however, divers can enjoy the many great dive sites. Dive shops in Augusta and Margaret River offer charter trips and invaluable tips on the local dive scene.
The deep water reefs are just covered in an absolute smorgasboard of marine life. The sessile species like sponges and ascidians are so diffferent than those on the east coast, and many are undescribed species.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Seal Island
The many gutters and ledges along the rocky bottom, at a depth of just 12 m, are lined with soft corals, sponges, gorgonians and ascidians. Rock lobsters, crabs, shrimp, blue devilfish, cuttlefish, nudibranch and even the elusive Western Australian jewfish are found under the overhangs. Many reef fish can usually be seen around the reef, as well as schools of pelagic visitors such as samsonfish, kingfish and trevally.
At 20 metres Giant 'Old Man' Western Rock Lobsters Panulirus cygnus come right out of their caves and check you out. The trick is to get the shots without letting them actually touch you with their antennae.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Groper Bay
Actually anywhere along the offshore coast could be called Groper Bay as there are more Blue (Groper ) Wrasse Acherodus gouldi in deeper water than in the shallows, as most of the inshore ones have been speared.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
One of the number of interesting shore dives in the area is the rock hop at Groper Bay. At 12 m, on a rocky reef with a thick coverage of kelp, are leatherjackets, sea stars, wrasse, morwong, scorpionfish, bullseyes, nudibranchs, globefish and a few rock lobsters.
Very well camouflaged in its reefy, sea weed covered habitat, the Western Scorpionfish Scorpaena sumptuosa lies in wait for unsuspecting prey to wander close enough and then strikes with lightning speed.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
St Alouarn & Flinders Is
A few kilometres off Cape Leeuwin, the exposed rocky outcrops known as St Alouarn and Flinders Island offer spectacular diving when conditions allow. Divers report brilliant sponge gardens surrounding the islands. Jewfish, morwong, snapper, blue gropers, samsonfish, kingfish and many other species are common. Seals occasionally visit the area, and there have been reports of bonze whalers and great white sharks as well.
The weird and wonderful sponge life on the deep water reefs of south Western Australia is unique and very characteristic. Perhaps one day we will be able to identify them in the field.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Only present on the deeper reefs, the Long - snouted Boarfish Pentacerostris recurvirostris is one fish that is very easy to recognise. It is sought after by spearfishermen because it is easy to get close to, easy to shoot, and good eating.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Cumberland Shipwreck
Cape Leeuwin has always had a bad reputation among mariners. Shallow reefs and rough weather have claimed over a dozen ships, including the Cumberland (1830) the remains of which were discovered in 1981. The wreck is scattered in depths from 3-8 m on a rocky, kelp-covered reef. You will find anchors, some of the timber hull, cannons and other artefacts among the kelp.
In the beam of an underwater torch the very colourful colonies of Zimmers Sea Fan Mopsella zimmeri stand out everywhere. On occasions they have small Spindle Cowries living on them.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Wrapped tightly around its host the White Black Coral Antipathes sp. the Clinging Snake Star Astrobrachion adhaerens stays secure during the daylight hours. At night it unravels and climbs around the branches of its host, feeding on the mucous it exudes.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Named after the research vessel 'Saori' this species is visually distinctive by the large round tabulae that extend down the arms. The Saori Sea Star Nectria saori occurs from South Australia to south Western Australia where it lives on reefs, feeds on sponges and grows to 120 mm.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Great Australian Bight Esperance Albany - Denmark Albany Best in the SW
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 around Augusta and Cape Naturalist.
( Copyright Neville Coleman/Nigel Marsh)
