Iconic Wildlife of Western Australia. Where desert meets sea and the wild still reigns.

Western Australia: Ancient and Vast

Western Australia (WA) is one of the oldest and most remote landscapes on Earth — a land shaped over billions of years and still wild at its core. Zircon crystals found in the Jack Hills, dated at 4.4 billion years, tell the story of its age-old beginnings.

It’s also enormous — large enough to swallow Western Europe — with a scattering of small towns and vast tracts of untouched wilderness. From the air, WA unfolds as a living painting: endless ochre plains, dry riverbeds, and the sudden shimmer of the Indian Ocean’s turquoise shallows.

Here, where desert meets sea, some of Australia’s most extraordinary wildlife encounters await.

A stunning aerial view of Ningaloo Reef, showcasing its vibrant turquoise waters and expansive coral formations along the Western Australian coast. Photo: Australian Geographic

Numbats and Orcas of the South-West

In the forests of south-western WA, one of Australia’s rarest marsupials still clings to life — the Numbat. Once common across southern Australia, fewer than a thousand remain today, mostly in Dryandra Woodland National Park.

These striped, termite-eating marsupials are daytime foragers, a rare trait among their nocturnal cousins. With patience — and a knowledgeable local guide — travellers might catch a fleeting glimpse of a Numbat darting through sun-dappled woodland.

Not far away, the coast offers an entirely different spectacle. Each summer, the deep blue waters of Bremer Bay transform into a stage for Orcas, the ocean’s most powerful predators. Beneath the waves, a vast canyon drives nutrient upwellings that attract everything from Blue Whales to squid — and the Orcas follow. Watching these sleek hunters work in pods is one of the most thrilling marine experiences in the Southern Hemisphere.

A numbat with distinctive stripes traverses a fallen log in its natural habitat. Photo: Australian Geographic.

Whale Sharks and Rock-Wallabies of Ningaloo

Head north and the landscapes shift dramatically — from forests to desert, from cool seas to tropical reefs. The Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Area stretches along WA’s remote north-west, where coral meets sand dunes in surreal contrast.

Between March and July, Whale Sharks arrive to feed on plankton blooms along the reef’s edge. Swimming beside these gentle giants — the largest fish in the sea — is a moment that stays with you forever.

The reef itself teems with life: manta rays, sea turtles, dolphins, and kaleidoscopic coral gardens. Offshore, humpback whales breach during their annual migration, while sea snakes weave through shallow coral channels.

On land, the nearby Cape Range National Park hides another treasure — the Black-flanked Rock-wallaby. Shy, endangered, and impossibly agile, they navigate sheer canyon walls like ghosts of the stone. Conservation work is helping their numbers recover, but spotting one remains a rare privilege.

A humpback whale surfaces near Australia's coast, with rugged hills in the background. Photo: Australian Geographic.

Why Western Australia?

What sets WA apart is the sheer diversity of its ecosystems — and the fact that they remain largely untouched.

• In the south, cool forests and rugged coasts shelter rare marsupials and powerful marine life.

• In the north, coral reefs and desert gorges overflow with vibrant species and color.

WA’s scale and remoteness ensure these experiences feel authentic, raw, and deeply connected to nature. There are no crowds, no staged encounters — just the quiet hum of a land that’s still wild.

A black-flanked rock wallaby blends seamlessly with a rocky outcrop in its natural environment. Photo: Australian Geographic.

A Journey Between Worlds

Linking WA’s south-west and Ningaloo Coast creates a wildlife journey like no other.

In a single trip, you can:

• Track endangered Numbats in native forest.

• Witness Orcas hunting in deep open waters.

• Swim beside Whale Sharks on a UNESCO-listed reef.

• Spot Rock-wallabies clinging to red canyon walls.

It’s a journey that moves between worlds — from forest to reef, desert to ocean — and through time itself.

Final Thought

Western Australia’s wildlife is iconic because it is ancient, rare, and spectacular.It’s a land where the wild still rules, where travelers rediscover wonder, and where every encounter feels like the first moment Earth took a breath. Plan Your Western Australia Journey.