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Indian & Pacific Ocean

Diving in Australia

Ningaloo Reef stretches over 300 km along Western Australia's coast and is accessible directly from shore near Exmouth and Coral Bay. It is best known for a predictable annual whale shark aggregation, triggered by the reef's mass coral spawning each March. The Great Barrier Reef on the east coast is far larger and more coral-diverse, generally reached from Cairns or Port Douglas, but has no comparable whale shark season.

Australia

What you can see

Whale Sharks in Australia High confidence

Well documented, and reliably seen in season.

Best time: March to July, sometimes extending into August

Manta Rays in Australia High confidence

Well documented, and reliably seen in season.

Best time: May–November at Ningaloo (year-round at Coral Bay); June–September at Lady Elliot

Blacktip Reef Sharks in Australia Likely confidence

Consistently reported, but a good way short of a sure thing.

Best time: Year-round in the tropical north; September to May on the southern cays

Grey Reef Sharks in Australia High confidence

Well documented, and reliably seen in season.

Best time: September to January, when the Coral Sea crossing is most reliable

Leopard Sharks in Australia High confidence

Well documented, and reliably seen in season.

Best time: December to April, peaking January to March

Wobbegongs in Australia High confidence

Well documented, and reliably seen in season.

Best time: Year-round; best conditions December to May

Epaulette Sharks in Australia High confidence

Well documented, and reliably seen in season.

Best time: Year-round; best on the lowest night tides of the warmer months

Great White Sharks in Australia High confidence

Well documented, and reliably seen in season.

Best time: April to July for the biggest sharks; December and January a calmer second window

Port Jackson Sharks in Australia High confidence

Well documented, and reliably seen in season.

Best time: July to October; August and September the peak at Jervis Bay

Know before you go

Best season: March to July, sometimes into August, for whale sharks. Manta rays roughly May to November, and humpback whales June to August.
Conditions: Water runs about 24–28°C during the March–August whale shark season and 19–22°C in the cooler months; visibility often exceeds 20–30 meters in season. A 3mm shorty is usually enough in season.
Getting there: Exmouth is reached by flying into Learmonth Airport, which connects to Perth, or by a roughly 12-hour drive north from Perth. Coral Bay is an hour further south along the coast.