The Ningaloo Coast is a
World Heritage Site located in the
north west coastal region of
Western Australia. The heritage-listed area is located approximately north of
Perth, along the
East Indian Ocean. The distinctive Ningaloo Reef that fringes the Ningaloo Coast is long and is Australia's largest fringing
coral reef and the only large reef positioned very close to a landmass.
The Muiron Islands and Cape Farquhar are within this coastal zone.
The coast and reef draw their name from the
Australian Aboriginal Wajarri language word ''ningaloo'' meaning "promontory", "deepwater", or "high land jutting into the sea". The
Yamatji
Yamatji (or Yamaji) is a Wajarri word that has at least three different meanings:
* a member of the Watjarri people
* any Aboriginal Australian person from the Murchison region of Western Australia
* any group made up of members of different I ...
peoples of the Baiyungu and Yinigudura clans have inhabited the area for over 30,000 years.
Ningaloo Coast World Heritage site

The World Heritage status of the region was created and negotiated in 2011, and the adopted boundary included the
Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth waters), Ningaloo Marine Park (State waters) and Muiron Islands Marine Management Area (including the Muiron Islands), Jurabi Coastal Park, Bundegi Coastal Park,
Cape Range National Park
Cape Range National Park is a national park in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia, north of Perth. The park occupies the western side of the North West Cape peninsula over an area of . The nearest town is Exmouth. Directly off the coast i ...
, and the Learmonth Air Weapons Range. The site was
gazetted on the
Australian National Heritage List on 6 January 2010 under the ''
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999''.
In 1987, the reef and surrounding waters were designated as the Ningaloo Marine Park.
Reputation
Although most famed for its
whale sharks which feed there during March to August, the reef is also rich in
coral and other marine life. During the winter months, the reef is part of the migratory routes for
dolphins,
dugongs,
manta rays and
humpback whales
The humpback whale (''Megaptera novaeangliae'') is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the only species in the genus ''Megaptera''. Adults range in length from and weigh up to . The hump ...
. The beaches of the reef are an important breeding ground of the
loggerhead
Loggerhead or Loggerheads may refer to:
Places
* Loggerheads, Denbighshire, a village in Denbighshire, Wales
* Loggerheads, Staffordshire, a small village in north Staffordshire, England
* Loggerhead Key, the largest islet in the Dry Tortugas, ...
,
green and
hawksbill turtles
The hawksbill sea turtle (''Eretmochelys imbricata'') is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Eretmochelys''. The species has a global distribution, that is large ...
. They also depend on the reef for nesting and food. The Ningaloo supports an abundance of fish (500 species), corals (300 species), molluscs (600 species) and many other
marine invertebrates.
The reef is less than offshore in some areas, such as
Coral Bay.
In 2006, researchers from the
Australian Institute of Marine Science discovered gardens of sponges in the marine park's deeper waters that are thought to be species completely new to science.
The
short-nosed sea snake
''Aipysurus apraefrontalis'', commonly known as the short-nosed sea snake or Sahul reef snake, is a critically endangered species of venomous sea snake in the family Elapidae, which occurs on reefs off the northern coast of Western Australia. Eng ...
, thought to have been extinct for 17 years, was found on Ningaloo Reef in December 2015.
Conservation controversy
In the early 2000s, there was much controversy about the proposed construction of a
resort
A resort (North American English) is a self-contained commercial establishment that tries to provide most of a vacationer's wants, such as food, drink, swimming, lodging, sports, entertainment, and shopping, on the premises. The term ''resort ...
at an area called Mauds Landing, which was a major nesting ground of the
loggerhead turtle. It was also feared that the resort would be generally degrading to the entire marine park. Author
Tim Winton, who lives in the area, was vocal in his opposition to the development. In 2002, when he won the
WA Premier's Book Award, he donated the 25,000 prize money to the community campaign to save the reef. Ultimately the planned resort did not go ahead. However, developers continue to take an interest in the area.
Ningaloo Collaborative Research Cluster
The Ningaloo Collaboration Cluster is a major research project that commenced in the region in 2007. It is part of the
CSIRO
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is an Australian Government
The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentar ...
flagship Collaboration Fund Research Initiative. The project involves researchers from the CSIRO, Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre and a range of Australian Universities including
Curtin University of Technology,
Murdoch University
Murdoch University is a public university in Perth, Western Australia, with campuses also in Singapore and Dubai. It began operations as the state's second university on 25 July 1973, and accepted its first undergraduate students in 1975. Its n ...
,
University of Western Australia,
Australian National University and the
University of Queensland. The project will deliver a dynamic model of Ningaloo incorporating socioeconomic and environmental load implications of human activity in the region that can be integrated with an ecological model of the region with the ultimate aim of developing planning tools and management models to ensure sustainable use of the region.
The study involves the collection and processing of socioeconomic data from tourists and the host communities of
Exmouth
Exmouth is a harbor, port town, civil parishes in England, civil parish and seaside resort, sited on the east bank of the mouth of the River Exe and southeast of Exeter.
In 2011 it had a population of 34,432, making Exmouth the List of town ...
,
Coral Bay and
Carnarvon. It also involves the collection of data concerning the environmental load of human activity including natural resource use, waste generation, pollution, visual impacts and impacts on flora and fauna. The interactive project involves key stakeholders in the region including the
WA Department of Environment and Conservation, the Shires of
Carnarvon and
Exmouth
Exmouth is a harbor, port town, civil parishes in England, civil parish and seaside resort, sited on the east bank of the mouth of the River Exe and southeast of Exeter.
In 2011 it had a population of 34,432, making Exmouth the List of town ...
, local tourism organisations and Tourism WA, the Gascoyne Development Commission, the WA Department of Water and Environment, researchers from Wealth from the Oceans and Ningaloo Project, Chambers of Commerce, WA Department of Energy and Resources, WA Department of Fisheries, the
WA Department for Planning and Infrastructure, the Ningaloo Sustainable Development Committee and Ningaloo Sustainable Development Office, Yamatji Land and Sea Council representatives, and the Ningaloo research community along with other cluster project members and the state's Ningaloo project. The project also engages with planners and managers in the region to examine tourism development and management.
Specific reserved areas
National parks and reserves in the World Heritage Area
* Bundegi Coastal Park
*
Cape Range National Park
Cape Range National Park is a national park in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia, north of Perth. The park occupies the western side of the North West Cape peninsula over an area of . The nearest town is Exmouth. Directly off the coast i ...
* Jurabi Coastal Park
*
Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth waters)
* Ningaloo Marine Park (State waters)
Bays of the World Heritage area
Islands of the World Heritage area
* North Muiron Island
* South Muiron Island
Peninsulas of the World Heritage area
Marine Park zones
* Bundegi Sanctuary Zone
* Murat Sanctuary Zone
* Lighthouse Bay Sanctuary Zone
* Jurabi Sanctuary Zone
* Tantabiddi Sanctuary Zone
* Mangrove Sanctuary Zone
* Lakeside Sanctuary Zone
* Mandu Sanctuary Zone
* Osprey Sanctuary Zone
* Winderabandi Sanctuary Zone
* Cloates Sanctuary Zone
* Bateman Sanctuary Zone
* Maud Sanctuary Zone
* Pelican Sanctuary Zone
* Cape Farquhar Sanctuary Zone
*
Gnaraloo Bay
Gnaraloo is a working pastoral Station (Australian agriculture), station and wilderness tourism business located in the Gnaraloo Bay in the Shire of Carnarvon, Western Australia. It is adjacent to the Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth waters ...
Sanctuary Zone
* 3 Mile Sanctuary Zone
* Turtles Sanctuary Zone
* South Muiron Conservation Area
* North Muiron Conservation Area
*
Sunday Island Conservation Area
Coastal forecast area
Ningaloo Coast is a designated weather forecast area, by the
Bureau of Meteorology.
[ Western Australia Forecast Areas]
See also
*
Protected areas of Western Australia
*
Gnaraloo
Gnaraloo is a working pastoral station and wilderness tourism business located in the Gnaraloo Bay in the Shire of Carnarvon, Western Australia. It is adjacent to the Ningaloo Marine Park and north of Carnarvon. It is famous for its coast ...
*
Gnaraloo Turtle Conservation Program
The Gnaraloo Turtle Conservation Program (GTCP) is an environmental organisation based at the Gnaraloo pastoral station and run by the Gnaraloo Wilderness Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation. The aim of the GTCP is to identify, monitor a ...
*
Ningaloo Station
*
Warroora
Warroora or Warroora Station is a pastoral lease that once operated as a sheep station and is now operating as a cattle station in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia.
The property offers eco friendly accommodation to tourists with visi ...
References
External links
*
;Official websites
*
UNESCO World Heritage List
Shark Bay, Western Australia*
*
*
;Additional information
Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre siteDepartment of Environment and Conservation SiteA Ningaloo conservation site
{{Authority control
Coral reefs
Shire of Exmouth
Australian National Heritage List
World Heritage Sites in Western Australia
Protected areas of Western Australia
Marine parks of Western Australia
IMCRA meso-scale bioregions
Biogeography of Western Australia
Central Indo-Pacific
IMCRA provincial bioregions