The Ningaloo Coast is a World Heritage Site located in the northwest coastal area of Western Australia. The area, which is 705,015 hectares (1,742,130 acres) in size, is about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) north of Perth along the East Indian Ocean. The Ningaloo Reef, which runs along the Ningaloo Coast, is 260 kilometers (160 miles) long. It is Australia’s largest fringing coral reef and the only large reef near a landmass. The Muiron Islands and Cape Farquhar are part of this coastal area.

The name "Ningaloo" comes from the Wajarri language, meaning "promontory," "deepwater," or "high land jutting into the sea." The Yamatji peoples of the Baiyungu and Yinigudura groups are the traditional owners of the region.

Each year, the reef attracts 200,000 visitors. In 2011 and 2025, the reef experienced bleaching caused by marine heatwaves.

Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Site

The World Heritage status of the region was created and negotiated in 2011. The boundary included the Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth waters), Ningaloo Marine Park (State waters), Muiron Islands Marine Management Area (including the Muiron Islands), Jurabi Coastal Park, Bundegi Coastal Park, Cape Range National Park, and the Learmonth Air Weapons Range. The site was added to 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.

Although most famous for its whale sharks, which feed there from March to August, the reef also has a wide variety of coral and marine life. During winter, the reef is part of the migration paths for dolphins, dugongs, manta rays, and humpback whales. The beaches of the reef are an important nesting and feeding area for loggerhead, green, and hawksbill turtles. The reef supports many species, including 500 types of fish, 300 types of coral, and 600 types of molluscs, along with other marine invertebrates.

In some areas, such as Coral Bay, the reef is less than 0.5 kilometers (0.31 miles) from the shore. In 2006, researchers from the Australian Institute of Marine Science discovered sponge gardens in the deeper waters of the marine park that may be entirely new species. In December 2015, a short-nosed sea snake, believed to have been extinct for 17 years, was found on Ningaloo Reef.

During the early 2000s, there was controversy over a proposed resort at Mauds Landing, a key nesting site for loggerhead turtles. Concerns were raised that the resort would harm the marine park. Author Tim Winton, who lives in the area, opposed the development. In 2002, after winning the WA Premier's Book Award, he donated the A$25,000 prize (equivalent to A$41,412 in 2022) to a campaign to protect the reef. The resort was not built, but developers continue to show interest in the area.

The Ningaloo Collaboration Cluster, a research project started in 2007, is part of the CSIRO's Collaboration Fund Research Initiative. The project includes researchers from the CSIRO, Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre, and universities such as Curtin University of Technology, Murdoch University, University of Western Australia, Australian National University, and the University of Queensland. The goal is to create a model that combines economic and social factors with environmental impacts from human activities in the region. This model will be combined with an ecological model to develop planning tools and management strategies for the area.

The study includes collecting and analyzing data from tourists and local communities in Exmouth, Coral Bay, and Carnarvon. It also examines the environmental effects of human activities, such as resource use, waste, pollution, and impacts on plants and animals. Key stakeholders, including government agencies, local organizations, and researchers, are involved in the project. The initiative works with planners and managers to study how tourism is developed and managed in the region.

Specific reserved areas

• Bundegi Coastal Park
• Cape Range National Park
• Jurabi Coastal Park
• Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth waters)
• Ningaloo Marine Park (State waters)

• North Muiron Island
• South Muiron Island