The North West Cape is surrounded by the Ningaloo Reef which is one of the world's largest fringing reefs. It is the only large reef in the world found so close to a continental land mass; about 100 metres offshore at it's nearest point and less than 7 kilometres at its furthest.
The Ningaloo Reef is home to a myriad of marine life, including one of the rarest, and the largest fish in the world - the Whale Shark who is a regular visitor to the Ningaloo Reef from March to June, when the plankton rich waters draw them close to the reef in search of food. Ningaloo Reef is the only easily accessible place in the world where these giants appear in large numbers at predictable times of the year. Whale sharks reach more than 12m long and weigh more than eleven tons.
Humpback Whales are in the area from June until November. Manta Rays can be seen along the reef near Exmouth from May to November, feeding on the plankton rich water.
Clownfish bathing in anemone tentacles, attractive lionfish or predatory moray eels are just some of hundreds of species of colorful tropical fish that can be seen all year round. The coral reef fish of Ningaloo are among the most colorful and beautifully patterned of all living creatures. You'll also find more than 180 species of coral, ranging from the cabbage corals, brain corals, lavender corals and delicate colorful branching corals, which form gardens in the shallow lagoons.
The Ningaloo Reef can really be dived year round. The best diving on the Reef itself is in summer: November - February, when there is not usually much swell. The water temperature climbs to 30°C in summer.