Western Australian coast could be World Heritage site

The Ningaloo coast in Western Australia has been nominated for inclusion on Unesco's World Heritage list, the state tourist board has announced.

Tourism Western Australia said the proposal reflected the area's "outstanding natural beauty, biological richness and international geological significance".

One of the most significant aspects of the Ningaloo coast is the 260km of coral reef on the north-west cape.

More than 500 species of tropical fish and 220 types of coral are found in the area, along with the largest fish in the world, the whale shark, which visits the coast of Western Australia between March and June every year.

Donna Faragher, the state's environment minister, said: "The reef is part of a marine ecosystem that ranks seventh on the world's list of coral reef biodiversity 'hotspots' and is second in terms of the number of species to be found within a limited range."

She added: "The Ningaloo coast represents the best opportunity in the world to encounter whale sharks … together with globally significant populations of manta rays, dugongs, marine turtles, humpbacks, other cetaceans, rays and sharks."

Flights to Perth, the capital of Western Australia, are operated by Emirates, British Airways, Qantas and other carriers.

Posted by Kate, 13 January 2010 12:05

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