WA's Five Best Boat Destinations
Western Australia, with its endless crystal-clear ocean waters and abundant marine life, is a mecca for boat enthusiasts
Not to mention the weather is sunny and perfect for being on the water for most of the year. Being Australia’s largest state and with the longest coastline, there are countless areas to take the boat and enjoy the sunshine. With so many places ideal for boating, it’s hard to name just a few as the ‘best’, but we’ve narrowed our list to the top five for the purpose of this article.
Please note, while boating and fishing often go hand-in-hand, be sure to check online regarding fishing or bag limit restrictions first.
Ningaloo Reef
The World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef, approximately 1200km north of Perth, is the world’s largest fringing reef and one of the longest near-shore reef systems in the world. It homes an incredible 250 species of hard and soft corals and over 520 species of fish. With countless boat docks in the area, getting out on the water is easy and fast and opens you up to the vastness of the Indian Ocean if you have a larger boat capable of going further out.
If you love snorkelling, Ningaloo Reef is definitely the place to go. With all its coral, whale sharks, sea turtles and multitude of fish, you could explore the 260km reef for days. It is also the migratory route for dolphins, dugongs, manta rays and humpback whales! Seeing the massive humpback whales jump out of the water is a memory that will stick with you for life.
The best time of year to go is when the whale sharks are feeding from March to June. Start off at Coral Bay, where the reef is only 500m from the shore.
Rottnest Island
Just 33km away from Perth’s city centre (and just 19km from Fremantle), Rottnest Island offers stunning scenery, a remarkable limestone reef, diverse marine life and several iconic dive sites including underwater caves.
If you love fishing, there are many great catches off Rottnest, just make sure you’re well clear of the sanctuary zones. You could score yourself some pink snapper, breaksea cod or dhufish, and further out even some kingfish, mahi-mahi or Spanish maceral.
And if exploring the island itself, you must check out the cheeky quokkas, they’re only native to Rottnest and aren’t found anywhere else in Australia.
Please keep in mind that due to conservation, the island does require visitors to pay anchoring and admission fees (which fund further conservation work) and there are several no boating areas which much be observed.
The best time of year to visit is over summer and the fringes of autumn and spring, so October to April.
Shark Bay
Shark Bay, the westernmost point of Australia and about 800km north of Perth, is a World Heritage Site and Australia’s largest bay. It boasts a large variety of sea creatures and is home to some of the best fishing in the country. The area is vast and there are many things to do and see, including feeding wild dolphins at Monkey Mia, strolling above the ancient stromatolites of Hamelin Pool or seeing a dugong fed among seagrass meadows.
The red cliffs, white beaches and clear blue water are incredible to see and there are a number of tranquil beaches which can only be reached by boat. As with the other locations mentioned, if fishing, make sure you steer well clear of the sanctuary zones. There is also a shipwreck called Gudrun that you should definitely check out if snorkelling in the area.
It’s no secret that the coast of WA can get quite windy, especially in the afternoons, so if kite surfing is your thing, make sure you have a go in the beautiful bay where many people love to kite surf.
The best time of year to visit is during summer, so December to February, but March, April and May are also commendable.
Houtman Abrolhos
The Houtman Abrolhos, often referred to as the Abrolhos Islands, is a chain of 122 islands approximately 60km west of Geraldton. The islands are composed of three main groups (Pelsaert, Easter and Wallabi) and are absolutely stunning to see. The islands are most famous for being the tragic spot where the Batavia struck coral reef and sunk on 4 June 1629. The story itself is fascinating and led to hundreds being ferried off to neighbouring islands while 40 men went down with the ship.
The islands are famous for top-notch fishing, diving, snorkelling, windsurfing and swimming, plus you can see migrating whales at the right time of year.
The best time to visit is the shoulder season, think April, October and November, as this is when the Geraldton weather is warm yet there’s relatively low rainfall. Also keep in mind that due to their geographic location, the Abrolhos Islands are almost always very windy.
There are limited public moorings available throughout the islands, and no reservation system to reserve in advance. If you are not able to secure one of these moorings, officials recommend anchoring in areas of sand and mud bottom. Avoid reefs and seagrass areas, and always be aware of weather conditions before anchoring.
Horizontal Falls
Horizontal Falls, located near the top of Western Australia and about 250km from Broome, are a breathtaking rock formation on the sea referred to as “one of the greatest natural wonders of the world” by the great Sir David Attenborough.
The two ‘sideways’ waterfalls are created by extreme tides forcing huge volumes of water through two narrow gaps. The waterfalls change directions every time the tide changes and it’s a phenomenal site that has to be seen in person at least once in one’s life. The gaps are very narrow, one being about 30m and the other even small at 10m. That’s why it’s important to have the right boat if attempting to go through and weather and sea conditions should always be checked before as well as exercising a high level of caution.
The best time to visit is from May to September, however, the conditions vary on a daily basis so it’s important to find a time when the falls are not too quiet and of course, not too fast/high, as this can become extremely dangerous.
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