The Western Australian Museum acknowledges and respects the Traditional Owners of their ancestral lands, waters and skies.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that this digital guide may include images, sounds, and names of now deceased persons.

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The 'Blue Room' in the Down Under gallery is a great place for families to learn all about marine wildlife.

WA Down Under Gallery

Learn about the incredible marine life that can be found along Western Australia's coastline.

Be immersed in an underwater world, see rare specimens, and find out how local communities can help protect our natural landscapes.

Promoted Deep Dives

Looking from the water at the outside of the Museum, a rock formation can be seen above the surface.

Limestone bar

The map shows the Swan River/Derbarl Yerrigan in dark blue against a yellow background representing land. It meanders from the coastal location of current day Fremantle/Walyalup all the way east and inland as it narrows to Guildford/Mandoon.

Nyoongar place names

Two silvery coloured fish swim side by side in deep blue water.

Mulloway

Studying fish songs to protect populations

Viewed from above, a Museum worker in overalls works on the inside of Megamouth's tank on the floor of the Museum. Beside the tank, the shark rests on large straps of fabric, as if napping before making the move.

Megamouth

Video

A friendly Museum staff member talks to us in front of our megamouth's tank.

Meet Megamouth!

Distant Discoveries

Many pale branches of coral reach up toward the surface in shallow water.

Animal or Vegetable? - WA's Corals

Corals and the environment

Hero Objects

In the corridor leading to the Down Under gallery is a white wall with a sculpture of coral on it. Colours are projected onto it.

Coral Wall

Interactive Experience

The blue room

The Blue Room

Interactive Experience

A brown sting ray with blue spots lying on sand in a shallow glass display case.

Bluespotted Ribbontail Ray

Taeniura lymma (Forsskål 1775)

Ruby Sea Dragon

Ruby Sea Dragon

Phyllopteryx dewysea

In a wide shallow display case on the Museum's floor are many colourful coral resting on sand.

Coral reef life box

Coral communities

A small octopus with blue ring markings lying on sand in a shallow glass display case.

Blue Ring Octopus

Hapalochlaena cf. lunulata

Deep Dives

From behind a large pink coral the green head of an eel pokes around. It feels like it's looking straight at the camera.

The Moray Eel – Reef Predator

Video

A large dark speckled sting ray swims above rocks. A diver's flippers are visible in the distance.

Stingrays – The Electric Hunters

Video

Two striped fish with yellow fins swim over coral. Their faces have large black patches.

Which Fish am I?

Video

A very pretty, colourful fish swims above coral.

Damselfish – Citizens of the Reef

Video

A yellow measuring tape extends across the width of the photo. Swimming just above it is a turtle. The sea bed is covered in coral.

Curiosity and the Turtle

Video

A person standing on a boat with a fishing rod has caught something, the rod is sharply bent downward.

Fishing for DNA

Video

A strange creature that looks like a bundle of feathers makes a dark shadow in front of a Museum diver's hands.

Welcome explorers

Video

Its mouth closed, a dark shark with a white stomach just barely touches the sandy sea floor as it swims.

Sharks – Top of the food Chain

Video

A small coral with very bright pink tips.

Hard Corals – Reef Architects

Video

Museum staff in white hats stand around a large pool of liquid, the shark's fins are visible beneath.

Moving Megamouth

Timelapse

Video

Museum staff shift a large white container in our loading bay.

Moving Megamouth Feature

22 September 2010

Video

A brown turtle resting on rocks just under the water's surface.

Climate Change and WA Marine Life

Ningaloo Reef - a giant air filter

Article

A small octopus with blue ring markings lying on sand in a shallow glass display case.

Small but Deadly - The Blue Ringed Octopus

Watch out, it might be small but it can kill you

Article

A brown sting ray with blue spots lying on sand in a shallow glass display case.

Things that Fly Underwater - Stingrays

Bluespotted Ribbontail Ray

Article

A large shark lying exposed on top of seaweed on a beach.

Mysterious and Rarely Seen- The Megamouth Shark

They are not all scary - Megamouth

Article

A whale shark swimming with its mouth open. Many smaller fish swim around it.

Rare and Endangered - Marine Life at Risk

Marine life at risk - who is going to help?

Article

Waves crash against rocks either side of a canal. The ocean is visible in the distance.

What Lies Under the Water - WA Marine Life

Life from a hidden world

Article

A red sea dragon laid out on a white surface for measurement, a ruler underneath.

Rare and Beautiful - The Ruby Seadragon

A rare beauty - the Ruby Seadragon

Article

The 'Blue Room' in the Down Under gallery is a great place for families to learn all about marine wildlife.

Woodside WA Down Under Gallery.
Credit: WA Museum