Wildlife encounters

<p>Encounter majestic humpback, southern right and blue whales as they perform their annual migration from May to December, travelling from south-west of Western Australia to the Kimberley.&nbsp;</p> <p>The longest whale watching season follows the epic annual migration of humpback, southern right whales and the rare blue whale, from the food-rich Southern Ocean in the South West to the warm breeding grounds on the north Kimberley coast. Get up close to the action on a whale watching tour.</p>

<p>An underwater encounter with a whale sharks is an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience.<br> Drawn by the annual spawning of more than 200 species of coral, the mysterious whale shark calls World Heritage–listed Ningaloo Reef (Nyinggulu) home between March and August each year. These gentle giants of the sea grow to 16 metres long and weigh around 30 tonnes, but they remain effortlessly elegant as they cruise along the reef, feasting on fattened krill.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dive into an amazing encounter with the ocean’s most playful creature, the bottlenose dolphin.&nbsp;</p> <p>Dolphins can be found along the coast year-round, but the best spots to experience these cheeky locals include the protected bays of Rockingham and Shoalwater Island Marine Park, the waterways of Mandurah (Mandjoogoordap), Bunbury Dolphin Discovery Centre, and the turquoise shallows of Monkey Mia Beach. Watch them from the shore, on a cruise or in the water – the choice is yours. Ocean’s most playful creature, the bottlenose dolphin.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Zipping along on their wide wingspans and occasionally leaping out of the sea, manta rays are the ballet dancers of the ocean.</p>

<p>View cavorting colonies of sea lions along the coast, especially near Perth, Rockingham, Jurien Bay, Albany (Kinjarling) and Esperance (Kepa Kurl) – or marvel at the Australian sea lion, the world’s rarest, in Shoalwater Islands Marine Park.&nbsp;</p>

<p>You won’t find the quirky quokka – one of the happiest marsupials you’ll ever meet – anywhere else on the planet.<br> <br> You can meet the quokka just off the coast of Perth, on Rottnest Island (Wadjemup). 63 stunning beaches, 20 beautiful bays and many coral reefs and wrecks invite you to enjoy some of Australia's finest swimming spots, snorkel trails and surf breaks. And on dry land, you'll meet the cutest mini marsupial, found only in Western Australia, the world famous quokka.</p>

<p>Forging a striking silhouette against a spectacular red-gold Indian Ocean sunset, the camel trains run by Broome Camel Safaris and Sundowner Camel Tours on Cable Beach are famous across the globe.</p>

<p>Birdlife here is abundant, from the north west’s magpie geese, ibis and cranes to the south’s parrots, kookaburras and red-tailed black cockatoos.</p>