Ningaloo Reef

Ningaloo Reef is Australia’s largest fringing coral reef, extending across 300 kilometres of coastline.”This spectacular area is a global biodiversity hotspot, a premier tourist destination attracting international visitors, home to the three communities of Carnarvon, Exmouth and Coral Bay, and a key service point for oil and gas development and exploration. Conservation and management of the reef given these multiple uses depends on quality science and integrated decision making.“

Places we snorkelled

Lakeside

Lakeside was by far our favourite due to the amount of live coral and the diversity of reef life around the bommies. It is also not tide dependent, any tide was fine. And it very rarely had a strong current, if any at all.

DIRECTIONS. From Yardie Creek Road (the main road) turn down the Milyering Discovery Centre road. They have toilets, refreshments, souvenirs and boards with useful information regarding snorkelling conditions if you want to stop. Drive past the centre and continue on the dirt road to Lakeside, its well sign posted.

From the car park, walk out to the beach, turn left and walk about 500 metres. You will see two yellow markers in the water and two corresponding (pairs of) posts in the dunes. They mark the no fishing zone, which is where the coral bommies are. About half way between the two markers you will see a post on the beach with a snorkel and arrow. If you go directly out from that you will find the first large bommie not far from shore.

Oyster Stacks

Oyster Stacks is a mid to high tide only snorkelling area. This is where we were entranced by an octopus until our camera batteries went flat. Access into the water is a little tricky due to the rocks, but we found one section where it was more sandy (photo below) – just turn left from the access and walk up the beach about 100 metres.

Turquoise Bay

Turquoise Bay is picture perfect. Such a beautiful place. There are two sections. One is the drift, where you walk left up the beach and let the current take you down along the reef (sometimes this is a gentle drift, other times extremely strong ) This was one of the sadder places for us to visit, as we remember when live coral was abundant and teemed with other life. Now we could find very little live coral or reef life. The other area is the bay, at the end of the drift, where families set up for the day – a safe area for kids to snorkel and swim as there is no current.

Osprey Bay

Best at low tide as the interesting things are on the bottom, not a lot of coral. But watch the wind. As apparently “It can be a washing machine here. Neighbouring Sandy Bay is a popular windsurfing spot. Avoid here if there is a south or south westerly wind. Light or any other wind direction should be ok.”

Life on the reef

Fish

Colour Changing Fish

Several fish species can change colour quickly.

• These include Chinamanfish, hogfish, peacock flounder, frogfish, tilefish and others.
• The colour change can be for camouflage, communication, and stress
• It is believed some fish ‘see’ with their skin. REEFS.com
• The one below we believe is a Chinamanfish. It was quite amazing to witness.
• The juveniles have long filamentous dorsal-fin rays, while the adults do not.
• Chinamanfish can be poisonous to eat and Australia bans its sale, due to the risk of ciguatera poisoning.

Other marine creatures

A compilation of our videos Tim has created, Best with sound on.

Octopus

Fears for Ningaloo after Cyclone Narelle

Fears for Ningaloo Reef after ex-cyclone decimates region amid coral spawning season.

The sheer number of marine life carcasses washed ashore by ex-tropical Cyclone Narelle has shocked many, but it is what lies beneath the ocean’s surface that has scientists most worried. The system arrived at the Ningaloo Reef as a category four cyclone during the marine park’s first coral spawning event since a record-breaking marine heatwave in 2025. Experts fear the consequences could be serious for the future of the World Heritage site

“Conservation groups are mounting a campaign against a proposal by South Australian oil and gas company Santos to drill exploration wells in the Bedout Basin off the coast of Port Hedland. The Environmental Plan submitted to NOPSEMA by Santos shows that oil spills from the Bedout project could have severe impacts on waterways and coastline, potentially impacting World Heritage Areas including .. Ningaloo Reef. “The company’s own Environment Plan admits this project could impact a long list of endangered species, including blue whales, southern right whales, loggerhead turtles, the dusky sea snake, and numerous species of seabirds and shorebirds.”

Places you can add your voice to protect our marine environments;

• Australian Conservation Foundation
• Australian Marine Conservation Society
• Protect Ningaloo
• Greenpeace
• Sea Shepherd Australia

We love the reefs of Australia, the magical and beautiful world waiting there. If you haven’t yet snorkelled on a coral reef we would encourage you to do it soon.

Until next time, Helen & Tim.