Which ocean is west of Australia?
The Indian Ocean lies to the west of Australia. It washes the coast of Western Australia, including Perth's beaches, the Ningaloo Reef and Shark Bay.
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest ocean in the world, after the Pacific and the Atlantic. It stretches from Australia to Africa and is bordered by India, the Middle East and Southeast Asia to the north.
Along Western Australia, the warm Leeuwin Current flows south down the coast. It carries tropical water and marine life much further south than usual, helping coral reefs survive at places such as the Houtman Abrolhos Islands.
Australia's ocean islands
Australia's Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands lie in the Indian Ocean, along with the remote Heard and McDonald Islands far to the south. Perth's sunsets are famous because the sun sets over the ocean.
Ningaloo Reef, one of the world's largest fringing reefs, lies just off the Western Australian coast in the Indian Ocean. Whale sharks gather there each year.
Did You Know?
Cape Leeuwin, at the southwest tip of Australia, is often described as the place where the Indian and Southern oceans meet.