Discovering More of Australia

Australia is a big country and trying to see it all in one short visit is impossible. We've been there five or six times and have criss-crossed the country but continue to find more places to explore. While surfing the internet, I discovered a place called Exmouth on the west coast that I hadn't heard of before. Everyone knows of the Great Barrier Reef on the east coast but I didn't know there was a large marine park in the northwest.

Exmouth is a town near the Ningaloo Marine Park which means you are close to great diving and snorkeling. And what would you see? There are whale sharks and giant manta rays among many other smaller and interesting marine species.

Whale sharks are large creatures that feed off of plankton much the same as manta rays do. They are huge creatures but gentle and there are snorkeling adventures that encounter the sharks during the season they are in the local waters. 

What attracts the manta rays mostly though is that the area has lots of cleaner fish and other species that will help to keep the parasites off of the rays. The symbiotic relationship between the huge animals and the much smaller ones that clean the parasites is amazing. We were able to dive with manta rays in Papua New Guinea a few years ago. It was a memorable adventure and I would love to do it again.

The Cape Range National Park is also nearby featuring lots of walking trails and vistas that are said to be beautiful. Canyons, gorges and majestic ocean views all in the same area.

I'm thinking another visit to the land down under may be in order. There is certainly lots more to see and do.