Ningaloo Reef
Australia · Western Australia
Ningaloo Reef on Western Australia's coast is the world's most accessible whale shark swim — fly out from Exmouth, find a whale shark, slip in next to it. Plus humpback whales (in season), mantas, and pristine fringing reef.
How this reef is doing
ⓘ How we measure thisReef state
Whale shark season (Mar–Jul) is the main draw and still excellent. Reef colour is patchy after the 2024 bleaching — focus on the outer reef bommies rather than shallow lagoon.
Coral cover
Fish life
About what a healthy reef of its kind holds.
Heat
No unusual heat right now.
Fishing
Some fishing is allowed here, in marked zones.
Sources · Reef Life Survey · Reef Life Survey · NOAA Coral Reef Watch · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity
Coral cover over time
Live coral cover, by survey year
Across surveys in 2014 and 2024, live coral cover here has fallen from 37% to 28%. Every point is a real survey reading, never a projection.
Live coral cover, percent by year
| Year | Coral cover |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 37% |
| 2024 | 28% |
What you will see
51 species across the dive sites here
New Holland Honeyeater
Seen 20 days ago
at Engelbrecht Cave
Least concern
Superb Fairywren
Seen 27 days ago
at Engelbrecht Cave
Least concern
Australian Magpie
Seen 28 days ago
at Engelbrecht Cave
Least concern
Crimson Rosella
Seen 28 days ago
at Engelbrecht Cave
Least concern
Lagoon Triggerfish
Seen 1 month ago
at Ningaloo Whale Shark Encounter
Least concern
Semicircle Angelfish
Seen 1 month ago
at Ningaloo Whale Shark Encounter
Least concern
Australasian Swamphen
Seen 1 month ago
at Ewens Ponds
Little Corella
Seen 1 month ago
at Navy Pier Exmouth
Least concern
Whale shark
Seen 1 month ago
at Ningaloo Whale Shark Encounter
Endangered
Basedowena oligopleura
Seen 1 month ago
at Cocklebiddy cave
Clown Coris
Seen 1 month ago
at Ningaloo Whale Shark Encounter
Least concern
Emu
Seen 1 month ago
at Navy Pier Exmouth
Least concern
Convict Surgeonfish
Seen 1 month ago
at Ningaloo Whale Shark Encounter
Least concern
Greencheek Parrotfish
Seen 1 month ago
at Ningaloo Whale Shark Encounter
Least concern
Silver Trevally
Seen 1 month ago
at Neptune Islands
Least concern
Horseshoe Leatherjacket
Seen 1 month ago
at Neptune Islands
Least concern
Yellowtail Kingfish
Seen 1 month ago
at Neptune Islands
Least concern
Western Blue Groper
Seen 1 month ago
at Neptune Islands
Vulnerable
Zebrafish
Seen 1 month ago
at Neptune Islands
Least concern
Southern Eagle Ray
Seen 1 month ago
at Neptune Islands
Manta ray
Seen 1 month ago
at Ningaloo Whale Shark Encounter
Vulnerable
Old Wives
Seen 2 months ago
at HMAS Hobart
Least concern
Eel-tailed Catfish
Seen 2 months ago
at Engelbrecht Cave
Least concern
Great White Shark
Seen 2 months ago
at Neptune Islands
Vulnerable
Blind Cave Eel
Seen 2 months ago
at Cocklebiddy cave
Grey nurse shark
Seen 2 months ago
at Navy Pier Exmouth
Critically endangered
Eurasian Blackbird
Seen 2 months ago
at Ewens Ponds
Least concern
Freshwater crayfish
Seen 2 months ago
at Ewens Ponds
Leatherjackets
Seen 3 months ago
at HMAS Hobart
Short-finned eel
Seen 3 months ago
at Ewens Ponds
Near threatened
Orange-Chinned Parakeet
Seen 3 months ago
at Fossil Cave
Least concern
Hypselodoris brycei
Seen 4 months ago
at Navy Pier Exmouth
Tasselled wobbegong
Seen 5 months ago
at Navy Pier Exmouth
Least concern
Australian Sea Lion
Seen 5 months ago
at Neptune Islands
Endangered
Mulga Parrot
Seen 9 months ago
at Cocklebiddy cave
Least concern
Yellow-Throated Miner
Seen 9 months ago
at Cocklebiddy cave
Least concern
Humpback whale
Seen 10 months ago
at Ningaloo Whale Shark Encounter
Least concern
Dusky Woodswallow
Seen Feb 2025
at Cocklebiddy cave
Least concern
Gray Shrikethrush
Seen Feb 2025
at Cocklebiddy cave
Least concern
Australian Smelt
Seen year round
at Engelbrecht Cave
Least concern
Blue Devils
Seen year round
at HMAS Hobart
Crenarum Syncarid
Seen year round
at Fossil Cave
Flathead Gudgeon
Seen year round
at Engelbrecht Cave
Least concern
Freshwater Shrimp
Seen year round
at Cocklebiddy cave
Galaxias fish
Seen year round
at Ewens Ponds
Hornei Syncarid
Seen year round
at Fossil Cave
Morwong
Seen year round
at HMAS Hobart
Octopus
Seen year round
at HMAS Hobart
Least concern
Pineapplefish
Seen year round
at Navy Pier Exmouth
Least concern
Giant Queensland grouper
Seasonal visitor
at Navy Pier Exmouth
Cave Gudgeon
Rare sighting
at Cocklebiddy cave
Dive sites
Ningaloo Whale Shark Encounter
whale shark · manta ray · humpback whale · semicircle angelfish
Navy Pier Exmouth
grey nurse shark · tasselled wobbegong · giant queensland grouper · pineapplefish
Cocklebiddy cave
blind cave eel · cave gudgeon · freshwater shrimp · gray shrikethrush
Engelbrecht Cave
eel-tailed catfish · australian smelt · flathead gudgeon · superb fairywren
Ewens Ponds
short-finned eel · freshwater crayfish · galaxias fish · superb fairywren
Fossil Cave
flathead gudgeon · eel-tailed catfish · orange-chinned parakeet · crenarum syncarid
What divers say
Walking onto a beach, looking left and seeing whale sharks two minutes offshore — Ningaloo makes it feel ordinary.
Good to know
Whale shark code
Strict no touch, distance rules. Operators enforce.