Western Australia's unique Leeuwin current

Cold currents flowing along the western edge of continents is the norm for all except Western Australia, where the warm Leeuwin current, coming from the north between Australia and Indonesian archipelago flows down the west coast, forcing the cold current off shore.  This benefits the terrestrial environment.  As the water off Western Australia is warm, evaporation from the sea surface creates clouds, bringing rain further north than would be the case off the coast of South Africa or South America.  Mean average rainfall in the mid-west of Australia is more than twice as high as rainfall at an equivalent latitude on the west coast of Africa.

Agriculturally, Western Australia benefits from the warm Leeuwin current.  Although there are no high mountains to produce orographic rainfall (rainfall related to altitude) on the west coast, the warmer seas compensate to some extent.

Uniquely, significant upwelling does not occur on Western Australia's coast because it is suppressed by the Leeuwin current.  Driven by the relatively high water levels in the Indonesian archipelago it can rise water levels as high as 20 cm.  This warm current may decrease marine productivity off the west coast, but it allows coral reefs to grow as far as Perth in Western Australia.

A great lecture worth watching called  "Life along the Leeuwin Current: seashells of the Central West and Houtman Abrolhos" by Shirley Slack-Smith who is an aquatic zoologist gives a great talk about the uniqueness of the Western Australian's coast.

http://museum.wa.gov.au/explore/videos/life-along-leeuwin-current-seashells-central-west-and-houtman-abrolhos