Whale shark in New South Wales

The largest fish in the sea, encountered by snorkellers off Ningaloo from March to July and at Christmas Island in the wet season.

Rhincodon typus

All states QLD NSW VIC TAS SA WA NT Territories

Ningaloo Reef is the most reliable place on earth to swim with whale sharks. After the coral spawns in March the sharks arrive to feed on the plankton bloom and stay until July; licensed operators out of Exmouth and Coral Bay use spotter planes to find them and drop snorkellers in ahead of the shark under strict rules (ten people in the water, no closer than 3 m from the body and 4 m from the tail, no touching, no flash). Encounters last from a few minutes to half an hour. Divers occasionally meet them on the Ningaloo reef sites and at the Navy Pier, and at Christmas Island during the November–January red crab spawning.

Field notes

How to find whale shark on the dive

Depth: Surface to 10 m during a swim.
Habitat: The outer edge of Ningaloo Reef, March to July, following the coral spawn plankton; Christmas Island November to April. Licensed swims only, with spotter planes.
The tell: You will be put in the water in front of the animal by the crew; the job is to get your head down quickly and look for the spotted back and the white belly rising out of the blue. They are bigger and slower than you expect and the mouth is at the front, wide open when feeding.
Behaviour: Cruising at a slow walking pace just under the surface, filter-feeding. They will swim with a group for several minutes before dropping away; a fast swimmer can keep pace, most cannot. Pilot fish, remoras and sometimes cobia travel with them.
Etiquette: Code of conduct enforced by the operators: 3 m from the body, 4 m from the tail, no touching, no flash, no diving under the animal, ten swimmers in the water at a time. The rules are why the sharks keep coming back.
Photographing them: Widest lens you own, no strobe, shoot slightly upward to get the white belly against the surface.

Whale shark sites in New South Wales0 sites

Ordered by how regularly the site is dived and how well it is documented. The species is listed in each site's recorded marine life; sightings are never guaranteed.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find whale shark on a dive?

The outer edge of Ningaloo Reef, March to July, following the coral spawn plankton; Christmas Island November to April. Licensed swims only, with spotter planes. You will be put in the water in front of the animal by the crew; the job is to get your head down quickly and look for the spotted back and the white belly rising out of the blue. They are bigger and slower than you expect and the mouth is at the front, wide open when feeding.

Where is the best place to see whale shark in Australia?

Ningaloo (Exmouth and Coral Bay); Christmas Island; occasional sightings on the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea in spring.

When is the best time to see whale shark?

March–July at Ningaloo (April–June peak); November–January at Christmas Island.

How should I approach whale shark?

Book a swim tour rather than hoping to meet one on a dive; sightings on tours are above 95 per cent in season.

How to find whale shark on the dive

Depth

Surface to 10 m during a swim.

Habitat

The outer edge of Ningaloo Reef, March to July, following the coral spawn plankton; Christmas Island November to April. Licensed swims only, with spotter planes.

The tell

You will be put in the water in front of the animal by the crew; the job is to get your head down quickly and look for the spotted back and the white belly rising out of the blue. They are bigger and slower than you expect and the mouth is at the front, wide open when feeding.

Behaviour

Cruising at a slow walking pace just under the surface, filter-feeding. They will swim with a group for several minutes before dropping away; a fast swimmer can keep pace, most cannot. Pilot fish, remoras and sometimes cobia travel with them.

Etiquette

Code of conduct enforced by the operators: 3 m from the body, 4 m from the tail, no touching, no flash, no diving under the animal, ten swimmers in the water at a time. The rules are why the sharks keep coming back.

Photographing them

Widest lens you own, no strobe, shoot slightly upward to get the white belly against the surface.

Whale shark sites in New South Wales0 sites

Ordered by how regularly the site is dived and how well it is documented. The species is listed in each site's recorded marine life; sightings are never guaranteed.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find whale shark on a dive?

Where is the best place to see whale shark in Australia?

Ningaloo (Exmouth and Coral Bay); Christmas Island; occasional sightings on the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea in spring.

When is the best time to see whale shark?

March–July at Ningaloo (April–June peak); November–January at Christmas Island.

How should I approach whale shark?

Book a swim tour rather than hoping to meet one on a dive; sightings on tours are above 95 per cent in season.