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Monkey Mia is a popular tourist destination located about 526-560 miles (847-900 kilometres) north of Perth in Western Australia. It is known for its wild dolphins, which have been interacting with humans for over 50 years. The site is also of cultural significance to the Aboriginal community, with the name 'Mia' deriving from an Aboriginal term for 'home' or 'shelter'. Monkey Mia is part of the Shark Bay World Heritage Area, which boasts pristine beaches, rare plants, and an abundance of marine life.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | 847-900 km north of Perth, Western Australia |
| Distance from Perth | 847 km (526-530 mi) north of Perth |
| Travel time from Perth | 8-9 hours by car, 2 hours by flight |
| Nearest airport | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) |
| Distance from Shark Bay Airport | 18 km (11 mi), 13-15 minutes by car |
| Best time to visit | Early summer (December to February) |
| Temperature | Can go upwards of 40°C (104°F) in the middle of summer |
| Tourist footfall | 100,000 tourists each year |
| Main attraction | Dolphins, rare plants, beaches formed of shells, stars, stromatolites |
| Dolphin visits | 4-9 dolphins visit the shore for feedings |
| Dolphin feeding times | Between 7.45 am and 12 noon |
| Other attractions | Emus, dugongs, sharks, rays, turtles, humpback whales, fish, red sand dunes, white beaches |
| Research | Laboratory location for behavioural and biological research on bottlenose dolphins |
| Type of area | Conservation park, Marine Park, World Heritage Site |
| History | Site of Australia's first European landing in 1616, base for pearling and fishing industries in the 1800s |
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What You'll Learn
Monkey Mia is a popular tourist destination
The area is known for its natural beauty, including its turquoise waters, red sand dunes, and white sandy beaches. It is also home to a variety of wildlife, such as emus, dugongs, sharks, rays, and turtles, humpback whales, and of course, the famous bottlenose dolphins. Up to 100,000 tourists visit Monkey Mia each year, with the main attraction being the opportunity to interact with these wild dolphins, which have been coming close to shore for more than fifty years. The dolphins are fed three times between 7:45 am and 12 noon, and visitors are urged not to touch them.
The name "Monkey Mia" is derived from the Aboriginal word "Mia," meaning "home" or "shelter," and "Monkey," which may refer to a schooner called "Monkey" that arrived in the area in 1834 or was anchored there in the late 19th century during the pearling industry's heyday. The area was originally used as a base for pearling and fishing in 1890. In the 1960s, locals began feeding wild dolphins, drawing attention and leading to infrastructure upgrades.
Monkey Mia is now a protected marine park and conservation area, recognised for its World Heritage-listed natural assets. It offers a range of activities for visitors, including hiking trails, four-wheel-drive tours, and scenic flights over the Shark Bay area. The RAC Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort provides accommodation for those wishing to stay in the heart of this West Australian wilderness. The best time to visit Monkey Mia is early summer (December to February) when the skies are clear and the water is a glistening blue.
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It is located about 900km north of Perth
Monkey Mia is a popular tourist destination located about 900km north of Perth, in Western Australia. The drive from Perth takes about nine hours. There are no public transport options in Monkey Mia, so visitors will need to hire a car to get there. The closest airport to Monkey Mia is Shark Bay Airport (MJK), which is about 18km away. The flight time from Perth to Shark Bay Airport is about two hours.
Monkey Mia is situated on the eastern shore of the Peron Peninsula, about 25km northeast of the town of Denham, in the Shark Bay Marine Park and World Heritage Site. The Shark Bay region is the most western point of the Australian coast and is made up of two peninsulas jutting out into the Indian Ocean. The area is known for its natural assets, including striking ochre sand dunes that dive into turquoise waters, and its diverse wildlife.
The main attraction at Monkey Mia is the bottlenose dolphins that have been coming close to shore for more than fifty years. A small pod of dolphins from a larger super-pod regularly swim to shore up to three times a day, and on average, seven or eight dolphins regularly visit. Park rangers closely supervise the interaction between humans and dolphins, and visitors are urged not to touch the dolphins.
In addition to dolphins, Monkey Mia and the surrounding area are home to a variety of other wildlife, including emus, dugongs, sharks, rays, and turtles, humpback whales, and fish. The area is also known for its rare plants and beaches formed of shells. Visitors to Monkey Mia can enjoy a range of activities, including hiking trails, four-wheel-drive tours, and scenic flights over the Shark Bay area.
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The area is known for its wild dolphins
Monkey Mia is a popular tourist destination located about 530-560 miles (850-900 kilometres) north of Perth in Western Australia. The area is known for its wild dolphins, which have been attracting visitors for over 50 years. These Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, a subspecies of the common bottlenose dolphin, swim to the shore almost every day to interact with humans. This makes it one of the world's greatest wildlife experiences, with more than 100,000 visitors each year.
The Monkey Mia dolphins are part of a larger superpod, with a small pod of around four to eight dolphins regularly visiting the shore up to three times a day. The dolphins are fed by park rangers, who provide them with a small amount of fish, less than 10% of their daily intake, to ensure they continue to behave and hunt naturally. This feeding occurs in a specific area within an 800-metre radius of the Monkey Mia jetty, where boating, swimming, and fishing are prohibited to minimise disturbance to the dolphins.
The dolphins at Monkey Mia have also been the subject of extensive behavioural and biological research, providing valuable insights into their ecology, genetics, and social structures. Researchers Richard Connor and Rachel Smolker initiated the Monkey Mia dolphin research project in 1982, and their work has drawn scientists from prestigious institutions worldwide. The dolphins are carefully monitored, and strict guidelines govern interactions between humans and dolphins to ensure the dolphins' ongoing welfare.
The name "Monkey Mia" is derived from a combination of "Mia," which comes from an Aboriginal term meaning "home" or "shelter," and "Monkey," which may refer to a schooner named "Monkey" that visited the area in the 19th century or the pet monkeys owned by early Malay pearlers who worked in the region in the mid-19th century. The area has a rich Aboriginal history and is also known for its natural assets, with striking ochre sand dunes, turquoise waters, and diverse wildlife, including emus, dugongs, sharks, rays, turtles, and humpback whales.
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It is a protected marine park
Monkey Mia is a protected marine park in Western Australia. It is located on the eastern shore of the Peron Peninsula, 23 kilometres from the town of Denham, in the UNESCO Shark Bay World Heritage Area. The park is home to a variety of wildlife, including the famous Monkey Mia dolphins, who have been visiting the shore for more than fifty years.
The waters adjoining Monkey Mia were declared a marine park in November 1990 and are managed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. The park is also recognised as a conservation park area, with access subject to a reserve fee that contributes to the management and conservation of the park. The Malgana people are acknowledged as the Traditional Owners of the Monkey Mia Conservation Park.
The main attraction of the park is the opportunity to interact with the local bottlenose dolphins, who have become accustomed to humans through years of contact and hand-feeding. Park rangers from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions carefully supervise the interaction between humans and dolphins, ensuring that the dolphins continue to behave in a wild manner. Visitors are urged not to touch the dolphins and to maintain a distance of at least 50 metres when in the water.
In addition to the dolphins, the park is also home to a variety of other wildlife, including dugongs, sharks, rays, and turtles, humpback whales, and various fish species. The surrounding area features striking ochre sand dunes, turquoise waters, and red cliffs. The nearby Francois Peron National Park offers an otherworldly landscape where the red earth of the desert meets white sand beaches and blue waters.
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The name Monkey Mia comes from the Aboriginal word 'Mia' meaning 'home' or 'shelter'
Monkey Mia is a popular tourist destination located about 526-560 miles (847-900 kilometres) north of Perth in Western Australia. The reserve is 16-25 kilometres northeast of the town of Denham in the Shark Bay Marine Park and World Heritage Site. Monkey Mia is best known for its wild bottlenose dolphins, which have been coming close to shore for more than fifty years. The main attraction is the opportunity to interact with these dolphins, which attract thousands of visitors to the region each year.
The name Monkey Mia is derived from the local Aboriginal term "Mia", meaning "home" or "shelter", and the word "Monkey", which is believed to refer to a pearling boat called the "Monkey" that anchored in the area in the late 19th century when pearling was a prominent industry in the region. However, there are other theories about the origin of the name "Monkey". Some believe it refers to the pet monkeys owned by early Malay or Malaysian pearlers who worked in the area in the 19th century, while others suggest it was named after a schooner called the "Monkey" that arrived in 1834.
The area that is now Monkey Mia was originally gazetted in 1890 and served as a base for the pearling and fishing industries. In the 1960s, a local fisherman and his wife began feeding bottlenose dolphins when returning with their catch, and news of the dolphins coming inshore spread, attracting visitors eager to see them. Over time, the site has gained recognition for its Aboriginal roots and cultural significance, with culture walks teaching visitors about the local land and the importance of respecting it.
Today, Monkey Mia is a conservation park area and a protected marine park, managed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and Parks & Wildlife. It offers a unique opportunity for researchers and scientists to study the behaviour and biology of bottlenose dolphins in a way that is not possible elsewhere. The site also boasts stunning natural landscapes, with ochre sand dunes, turquoise waters, and diverse wildlife, making it a popular destination for nature lovers and those seeking relaxation and adventure in Western Australia.
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Frequently asked questions
Monkey Mia is located on the eastern shore of the Peron Peninsula, 23km from the town of Denham, in the UNESCO Shark Bay World Heritage Area. It is about 850-900km north of Perth.
Monkey Mia is a popular tourist destination, famous for its wild dolphins that swim close to the shore. It is also a conservation park with hiking trails, red sand dunes, and secluded white beaches. Visitors can also see sharks, rays, turtles, humpback whales, and
You can drive or fly to Monkey Mia. It is about a 9-hour drive from Perth along the Coral Coast Highway. Regional Express Airlines flies between Perth and Shark Bay Airport, which is about a 15-minute drive from Monkey Mia.
