More whale shark visitors

The whale shark tour industry in the Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Area has attracted a record number of visitors. Visitor statistics show nearly 17,500 passengers were transported to the Ningaloo Marine Park in the 2011 season, compared to 14,286 in 2010

That means a 22.4 per cent increase from 2010 and 130 per cent increase from the number of tour participants in 2006.

The total number of whale shark tours at Ningaloo in 2011 was 994 (up from 889 the previous year)

The whale shark watching season traditionally runs from early March to July/August each year.

The number of tours in 2011 increased by 11.8 per cent from the 2010 season and there was a similar rate of contact with whale sharks during the tours.

The increase in visitors swimming with the whale sharks is a reflection of highly successful cooperative marketing efforts in raising awareness of the Ningaloo region as an extraordinary holiday destination.

Karma for Rottnest

The Karma Royal Group is now operating Rottnest Lodge, which is located on Rottnest Island, off the coast of Perth. The lodge will form part of Chakra, a new four-star lifestyle brand currently in development by the group, which will complement the Karma Resorts brand.

The group's vision for the lodge includes significant upgrades and reinventions throughout, with a focus on renovating the restaurants and bars, and revamping the food and beverage. 

Port Hedland to get resort

Mirvac is to increase its presence in Western Australia, with construction set to commence next year on an exciting new AUD 50 million state-of-the-art hotel resort and residential development in Port Hedland.

Mirvac will develop the property as a high quality Sebel-style 178-room hotel resort, which will also include an adjacent residential development.

Meanwhile, Mirvac’s new The Sea Temple Surfers Paradise is set to open next month. All apartments will offer ocean views and five-star standard amenities, while a restaurant, bar and in-room dining operations will commence in December.

The new 5-star Mirvac property will boast spacious, elegant, luxurious apartments and.is located along one of Australia's most famous beaches with spectacular views of the Gold Coast and beyond from every angle.

With its white sand, turquoise-blue ocean, tropical climate and cloudless skies, Surfers Paradise is one of the world’s most idyllic coastal locations.

Set in the centre of the multimillion dollar Surfers Paradise Foreshore redevelopment, Sea Temple Surfers Paradise has been designed with the utmost style and sophisticated luxury in mind.

The 77 level tower is made up of two and three bedroom apartments, each with spectacular uninterrupted ocean view

World Masters Athletics for WA

Another top class international sporting event is on its way to Perth -- the 2016 World Masters Athletics Championships.

The 2016 championships will be a major event for Perth and Western Australia and is expected to attract thousands of athletes and spectators.

Perth had bid for the 2015 championships however following changes to the World Masters Athletics constitution two championships were up for grabs with Western Australia winning the 2016 event. Lyon, France will host the 2015 event.

The changes mean that following the 2015 event the championships will be held every even numbered year, starting with 2016, instead of the current odd-year schedule.

The result is a testament to the hard work of the bid committee, which submitted a top-class presentation to the assembly.

 The bid process has been a collaborative effort between Eventscorp, Masters Athletics Australia, Masters Athletics Western Australia, Athletics Western Australia, Athletics Australia, the Department of Sport and Recreation and VenuesWest. 

Endeavour does a circular tour

The Australian National Maritime Museum’s replica of Captain Cook’s ship the Endeavour is making an historic circumnavigation of Australia, visiting 18 ports on a 13-month voyage.

The ship departed Sydney in mid-April and is scheduled to be back in Sydney towards the end of May next year.

The circumnavigation of Australia has been divided into 20 legs, each of five to 14 days. The ship is being sailed by a core professional crew and 40 adventurous voyage crew who pay for their places on board and learn first-hand how seafarers sailed and navigated tall ships in the 18th century.

From the end September until mid-January next year, the Endeavour will be sailing down the coast of Western Australia. The dates and places it will visit are:

Geraldton: September 30 –  October 4

Fremantle: October 14 – November 1

Bunbury: November 9 -13

Fremantle:  December 20 – 30

Albany:  January 14 – 18