Geraldton Destination-Information Listings
Australia's Coral Coast
Beaches, exotic marine life, national reserves and the bluest ocean you’ll see anywhere in the world, can all be found in Australia's Coral Coast.
This coastline region commences at Cervantes, where you’ll find the unique rock formations of the Pinnacles and stretches as far north as Exmouth, home of the internationally renowned Ningaloo Reef, this amazing area is also great for diving and fishing all year round with a variety of spectacular reefs and marine life, white sandy beaches and warm turquoise waters. Inland is just as exciting, as carpets of wildflowers burst into colour during the wildflower season.
The region offers amazing experiences and interactions with a variety of marine life, including meeting the dolphins of Monkey Mia, sea lions, manta rays, dugongs and humpback whales. Australia’s Coral Coast is one of the few places in the world where you can swim with the world’s largest fish – the whale shark.
Check out Nature's Calendar for some suggestions of when to go.
Geraldton
Located 424 kilometres north of Perth is the bustling coastal town of Geraldton.
Blessed with beautiful beaches and warm, sunny weather, Geraldton provides a smorgasbord of water-based recreational and sporting activities, with special emphasis on yachting, surfing and diving. The town is also world renowned as a Mecca for windsurfers and kite-surfers. It’s also a major export centre for far flung pastoral, mining, agricultural, manufacturing, construction and fishing industries.
Situated on Champion Bay on a spectacular stretch of coastline known as the Batavia Coast, Geraldton offers culture, entertainment, shopping and sporting facilities. The newly redeveloped foreshore offers two children playgrounds, a water park, cafes and barbeque facilities.
Among Geraldton's many attractions are the Western Australian Museum-Geraldton, which houses relics of ships wrecked off the rugged coastline, and the magnificent Memorial to the 645 crew members who were lost when HMAS Sydney II went down on 19 November 1941. The beautiful St Francis Xavier Cathedral offers guided tours and the Old Gaol is now a museum and craft centre.
Geraldton is an ideal base for self-drive tours, especially during the famous wildflower season from July to November. Throughout the year there are scenic flights along the Batavia Coast to Monkey Mia (where wild dolphins visit), Kalbarri National Park and the spectacular Murchison River gorges. Tours to the amazing 122 Abrolhos Islands are also available by boat and plane, offering fascinating views of these unique islands and offering a snorkelling experience to remember.
Operators can help you explore the surroundings using small buses or four wheel drives. Visitors can get a deeper insight into the local Yamiji culture, explore the surrounding sand dunes or tour the city’s iconic buildings in air-conditioned comfort.
A marine commercial centre, it’s distinguished as the world leader in rock lobster fishing, producing world class quality as a result of the pristine water