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Traffic on Humpback Highway is officially underway
Winter marks the return of one of Western Australia's greatest wildlife spectacles.
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Winter marks the return of one of Western Australia's greatest wildlife spectacles.
Published
2 min read
Text size
Published
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By: Natalie Pugh
While winter in Western Australia is often associated with wildflowers and cosy getaways, it’s also the season when one of nature’s greatest spectacles returns to our coastline.
Between July and November, an estimated 45,000 humpback whales migrate along Western Australia’s Coral Coast, travelling thousands of kilometres from Antarctic waters to their breeding grounds in the Kimberley.
It’s one of the largest whale migrations on Earth, and one that transforms the coast into one of the country’s most remarkable wildlife destinations.
The season is already underway, with Coral Bay Eco Tours celebrating its first humpback whale swim of the year, while the first humpback whale sightings have also been recorded off Exmouth.
Ningaloo remains the only place in Western Australia where visitors can join guided tours to swim with humpback whales, offering a rare opportunity to share the water with these curious and intelligent marine mammals in the clear waters of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed reef.
Ellie Farquhar, photographer for Coral Bay Eco Tours, says no two humpback whale swims are ever the same.
Every humpback whale swim is unique, and in my opinion can be one of the most mutualistic
interactions you can have in the water.
Beyond whales and whale sharks, Ningaloo is also home to the region’s celebrated Big 5 - manta rays, turtles and dugongs rounding out one of the world’s richest marine wildlife experiences.
Travellers who prefer to stay aboard can still experience the migration through whale watching cruises departing from Exmouth, Coral Bay, Kalbarri and Geraldton, where breaching whales, tail slaps and playful calves regularly steal the show.
With demand expected to remain high throughout winter and spring, visitors planning their trip to the Coral Coast are encouraged to book tours early.
