The known distribution of manta rays in Australian waters is patchy, with records primarily centred around tourism hotspots. We collated 11,614 records of M. alfredi from photo-ID databases (n= 10,715), aerial surveys (n= 378) and online reports (n= 521). The study confirms an uninterrupted coastal distribution from north of 26°S and 31°S on the west and east coasts respectively. More southerly M. alfredi records relate to warm-water events with a southernmost extent at 34°S. Coastal sightings of M. birostris were rare (n= 32), likely reflecting a preference for offshore waters, but encompass a wider latitudinal extent than M. alfredi of 10-40°S. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.