Coral Coast - Corals, Sun, Beach and the Sea

The Coral Coast is a coastal area in the state of Western Australia, which is about 1,100 kilometres long and is located between the towns of Cervantes and Exmouth north of Perth. The Mediterranean climate in the south and the subtropical climate in the north create pleasantly warm temperatures and many hours of sunshine throughout the year.

The nature at the Coral Coast is characterised by stunning white sandy beaches, turquoise blue sea water, impressive gorges, unique pillar formations, colourful coral reefs and a mainland which is decorated with wild flowers. In addition, you find a fascinating underwater world. It is extraordinarily diverse with numerous tropical species of fish and corals, sea turtles, dolphins, whale sharks, manta rays, whales and sea cows (dugongs) and gives the World Natural Heritage sites of Shark Bay and Ningaloo Reef a special appeal. The latter is located in the Ningaloo Marine Park near Coral Bay and is Australia's most popular diving location next to the Great Barrier Reef. Shark Bay, on the other hand, is not known for its sharks but for the Francois Peron National Park, Shell Beach, bizarre stromatolites ("living stones") and the beach of Monkey Mia. To marvel at the mainland of the Coral Coast with its wonderful carpet of wild flowers and the red gorges, you only need to visit the Lesueur National Park or the Kalbarri National Park. The famous limestone pillars of The Pinnacles are located in the Nambung National Park.

The Coral Coast in Western Australia has a long and eventful past. Bloody mutinies, tragic shipwrecks, exciting discoveries and pioneer expeditions as well as difficult attempts to settle the area are part of the regional history, which you can learn about by visiting several museums, monuments and historical sites. Insights into the contemporary culture and way of living are offered by many small fishermen's villages such as Greenough, Carnarvon and Dongara. The cultural centre of the Coral Coast, however, is the scenic city of Geraldton. It is the fifth biggest city in Western Australia and offers a number of historical buildings, museums, art galleries, a beautiful yacht harbour and a charming beach promenade. The city's landmark, which has an area of 189 km², is the HMSA Sydney II Memorial, which commemorates the seamen who were killed during World War II.

Nature, its inhabitants and the sea are important parts of everyday life at the Coral Coast in Western Australia. Tourists do not only become aware of this in the many fishermen's villages but also while feeding dolphins at the beach of Monkey Mia. The graceful sea mammals have been coming to the beach since the 1960s and are still looked after and fed by the area's animal care attendants. Visitors can watch this daily ritual at close range in the knee-high water, which is a great way of experiencing the region's spectacular fauna. If you get hungry yourself, you can have lunch in one of the many cosy restaurants in the area and taste local dishes and drinks such as lobster, oysters and wine. Geraldton and Carnarvon are the ideal locations for shopping trips and going out because they have several shops, greater shopping centres and various markets as well as bars, pubs and night clubs.

The Coral Coast is a great destination for going diving and snorkelling. Since the Ningaloo Reef is close to the coast - in contrast to the Great Barrier Reef - travellers can already marvel at the colourful and diverse underwater world from the beach. Water sports such as surfing, windsurfing, fishing, kayaking and swimming are popular leisure activities here. Great conditions for being active on shore are offered by the many hiking trails in the area, for example in the Kalbarri National Park. The wonderful red gorges, steep cliffs and impressive waterfalls are a great change from the countless sporting activities in and on the water.

Due to the Mediterranean weather throughout the year, the Coral Coast can be travelled at any time. You best reach the shoreline, which is 1,100 kilometres long, via the international airport in Perth. There are regional airports in Geraldton and at the Coral Bay.