kids encyclopedia robot

Coastal regions of Western Australia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Western Australia has the longest coastline of any state or territory in Australia. It stretches for about 10,194 kilometers, or even 12,889 kilometers if you count all the small inlets. If you include all the islands, it reaches an amazing 20,781 kilometers! This huge coastline makes up a big part of Australia's total shore.

The first complete maps of this coastline were made during explorations in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Along this long coast, you can find some features and living things that are present everywhere, while others are unique to specific areas.

Various government maps have been created over time. These maps show different types of coastal shapes and features, like the 1984 map that included photos of the coast.


Understanding Coastal Regions

The IMCRA is a system that divides Australia's ocean and coastal areas into different regions. This helps scientists study the environment and geography of these areas.

Coastal Areas for Weather Reports

The Bureau of Meteorology uses specific points along the coast to give weather reports. These points help people understand what the weather will be like in different coastal areas:

  • North Kimberley Coast: From the WA/NT border to Kuri Bay.
  • West Kimberley Coast: From Kuri Bay to Wallal. This is part of the Kimberley land region.
  • Pilbara Coast East: From Wallal Downs to Cape Preston. This is in the Pilbara land region.
  • Pilbara Coast West: From Cape Preston to North West Cape. Also in the Pilbara land region.
  • Ningaloo Coast: From Northwest Cape to Carnarvon. This is part of the Gascoyne land region.
  • Gascoyne Coast: From north of Carnarvon to Kalbarri. Also in the Gascoyne land region.
  • Geraldton Coast: From north of Kalbarri to Jurien Bay. This is in the Central West land region.
  • Lancelin Coast: From Jurien Bay to Two Rocks. This is in the Lower West land region.
  • Perth Local Waters: From Two Rocks to Dawesville. This covers the Perth Metropolitan region.
  • Perth Coast: The waters west of Rottnest Island, with the same limits as Perth Local Waters.
  • Bunbury Geographe Coast: From Dawesville to Busselton. This covers parts of the Lower West and South West land regions.
  • Leeuwin Coast: From Busselton to west of Denmark. This is in the South West land region.
  • Albany Coast: From west of Denmark to Bremer Bay. This is part of the south coast region.
  • Esperance Coast: From Bremer Bay to Israelite Bay. This is in the Southeast coastal land region.
  • Eucla Coast: From Israelite Bay to the SA Border. This is in the Eucla land region.

General Coastal Groupings

There are also broader ways to group the coastal regions. For example, a plan from 2003 divided the coast into five main regions:

  • Kimberley Coast: From the Northern Territory / Western Australia border to Broome.
  • Canning: From Broome to Port Hedland.
  • Pilbara Coast: From Port Hedland to Onslow.
  • Coral Coast or Gascoyne region: From Onslow to Kalbarri. This includes areas like Shark Bay.
  • Kalbarri to Cape Naturaliste: This large area includes the Batavia Coast, the Turquoise Coast, and the Sunset Coast.
  • South West Capes: From Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin.
  • South Coast: From Cape Leeuwin to Israelite Bay. This area includes the coast between Cape Leeuwin and Windy Harbour.
  • South East: From Israelite Bay to the Western Australia / South Australian border near Eucla.

Coastal Towns and Ports

Many towns and cities are located along Western Australia's long coastline. These places often have important ports that help with trade and shipping.

Further information: Category:Coastal towns in Western Australia and Category:Port cities in Australia

Fishing Zones (Bioregions)

To manage fishing properly, the Western Australian coast is divided into four main fishing regions under the Fish Resources Management Act 1994:

  • North Coast (Pilbara/Kimberley): From the Western Australian and Northern Territory border to an area just west of the Ashburton River mouth.
  • Gascoyne Coast: From west of the Ashburton River mouth to a point about halfway between Kalbarri and Denham.
  • West Coast: From the point halfway between Kalbarri and Denham south to Black Point, which is east of Cape Leeuwin.
  • South Coast: From Black Point, east of Cape Leeuwin, to the South Australian Border.

Coastal Features

The coastline of Western Australia has many different features like sandy beaches, tall cliffs, and rocky shores. These features depend on the type of rock and land underneath. Here are some of the main geological areas and the coastal forms they create:

  • Eucla Basin: Around Eucla and Israelite Bay, you'll find coasts made of limestone.
  • Yilgarn Craton: This ancient rock area creates rugged coastlines in places like Point Malcolm and Point Hood.
  • Bremer Basin: From Israelite Bay to Point D'Entrecasteaux.
  • Perth Basin: From Augusta to the Murchison River.
  • Carnarvon Basin: From the Murchison River to Cape Preston.
  • Pilbara Craton: From Cape Preston to Port Hedland, this area has very old rocks.
  • Canning Basin: From Port Hedland to King Sound.
  • Kimberley Basin: This forms the rugged Kimberley Coast.
  • Bonaparte Basin: Found around Cambridge Gulf.

Gulfs

A gulf is a large inlet of the sea that is partly enclosed by land. Western Australia has several important gulfs:

Sounds

A sound is a large sea or ocean inlet that is deeper than a bay. Here are some sounds along the WA coast:

Archipelagoes and Island Groups

An archipelago is a group of islands. Western Australia has many beautiful island groups:

Amazing Aquatic Plants

The Western Australian coastline is home to the most different types of seagrass in the world. These seagrass meadows are also some of the largest on Earth! They are very important for marine life. Some types of seagrass found here include:

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Coastal regions of Western Australia Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.