Published on : Friday, May 24, 2019
The Ningaloo Whale Shark Festival will celebrate the migration with a three-day festival in Exmouth, featuring family entertainment, local seafood and coastal culture.
Whale sharks migrate to Western Australian shores between March and August each year, and have become a popular drawcard for locals and tourists.
The festival is held annually on the last weekend in May, and this year will include free entry for visitors into Cape Range National Park on Sunday, May 26.
“Swimming with the whale sharks at Ningaloo is an absolutely extraordinary experience and a big drawcard for people visiting from interstate and overseas,” Tourism Minister Paul Papalia said adding that “the State Government is happy to support the festival, which not only showcases whale sharks and the incredible Ningaloo Marine Park, but also helps raise awareness of the importance of conservation.”
Following the festival, Exmouth will host the 5th International Whale Shark Conference, a prestigious event that aims to generate and support international collaboration in whale shark science, conservation and management. Previous host countries have included Mexico, the United States and Qatar.
The event is hosted by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions with support from major sponsors Woodside, BHP and Santos.
Ningaloo Marine Park is world famous for its megafauna encounters, with its tropical waters considered one of the best places to swim with whale sharks due to reliability and accessibility.
More than 32,000 people visited the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef in 2018 to swim with whale sharks.