Abrolhos Islands

The Abrolhos Islands and their surrounding coral reef communities form one of Western Australia's unique marine areas.

The Abrolhos Islands lie about 60 kilometres west of Geraldton, on the Western Australian coast, and consist of 122 islands clustered into three main groups: the Wallabi Group, Easter Group and Pelsaert Group, which extend from north to south across 100 kilometres of ocean.

Lying in the stream of Western Australia's warm, southward-flowing Leeuwin Current, the marine environment surrounding the Abrolhos is a meeting place for tropical and temperate sealife.

Large breeding colonies of seabirds exist on many of the Abrolhos Islands, and depend for their food on schools of pelagic baitfish. More than 90 species of seabird have been identified. Smaller seabirds, in turn, provide food for white breasted sea eagles which occur in unusually large numbers throughout the Abrolhos Islands.

Access by charter/fishing/eco boat tours are available from Geraldton and Kalbarri.

The beautiful but treacherous reef-surrounded atolls have claimed many wrecks over the centuries. The most notable was the Batavia in 1629.

Today the Abrolhos Islands are the main source of supply for the rock lobster fishing industry.

Video of the Abrolhos

The Postcards WA television show visited Australia's Coral Coast and filmed some wonderful footage of the Geraldton region. Visit the Abrolhos Island video page to view the footage.

Scenic flights

Take in the beauty of the Abrolhos Islands from above by boarding a scenic flight. From the air the coral reefs and islands form a stunning abstract of the most incredible range of greens and blues. On clear days you can also spot whales and dolphins from the air and during the lobster season, you're sure to see some of the magnificent vessels which make up the lobster fishing fleet.

Ecotours

Abrolhos waters are home to charming marine mammals like the Australian sea lion and the bottlenose dolphin. You can watch the sea lions as they play in the waters or bask on coral beaches in the sun. Sampson fish are also common and some have become so friendly you can feed these huge fish by hand. Migrating humpback whales also inhabit Abrolhos waters during their migration from around July to October.