A Representative Marine Reserve System for Western

I I r t I I E I n I I T I I I E T I I REPORT OF THE MITRINE PARKS AND RESERVES SELECTION WORKING GROUP I PUBLISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT oF I qONSERVATIoN AND LAND MANAGEMENT I JUNE 1994 I I I I I I A REPRESENTATIVEMARINE I RESERVESYSTEM FOR WESTERN I AUSTRATIA I T I I I T I I I T REPORTOF THE MARINE PARKS AND RESERVESSELECTION I WORKINGGROUP Publishedby the Department of Conservation r and Land Management t luNE1994 I I I I I I Thisreport prepared by the Marine Park andReserves Selection Woyking Group for theHon Kevin MinsonML,A, Western Australian Minister for theEnvironment, is publishedon behalfof the t WorkingGroup by the Department of Conservationand Land Management. Thevaluable contribution made by the Chairman and mernbers ofthe Working Group, over a I numberofyears, is gratefullyacknowledged, asis thefinancial assistance towards the work of the WorkingGroup, in recentyears, from the Commonwealth Government through the Ocean Rescue 2000Program. T Theviews expressed in this reportare those of theWorking Group, and are not necessarilythe views of theWestern Australian Department of Conservationand Iand Management, the Western I AustralianMinister for theEnvironment, or theCommonwealth Government. I I I fu*AL'-4- I SydShea t ETCUTIIv'EDIRECTOR DEPARTMENTOF CONSERVATIONAND 1.4NDMANACEMENT I t I I I I I I r MAKINGA SUBMISSION r Wewant to knowwhat you think of theproposals in this reporl haveyou thought of writinga submission?

I WHY WRITEA SUBMISSION?

It is an opportunityto provideinformation, express your opinion, suggest alternatives and have a say I on howwe are proposing to developthe marine reserve system in WesternAustnlia. I If youprefer not to writeyour own submission you could make a joint submissionwith others. WHAT HAPPENJTO YOURSUBMIsSION?

I All submissionswill besummarised according to thetopics discussed. The repod will thenbe reviewedin thelight of thesubmissions, according to establishedcriteria (see overleaf). A summary of thesubmissions will bepublished, including an indication of howthe reportwas or wasnot I amendedin responseto thesubmissions, along uith thefinal report. If a submissionis marked CONFIDENTIALit will notbe quoted in thesummary or published.

I WHAT MAKESAN EFFECTIVESUBMISSION? I To ensureyour submission is aseffective as possible: . makeit conciseand clear; . list yourpoints according to theparts (and page numbers) in thereport; I . describebriefly each subject or issueyou wish to discuss; . saywhether you agree or disagreewith anyor all of thereport's contents, particularly the recommendationswithin each subject or justthose of specificinterest to you;clearly state your I reasons(particularly if you disagree); and . givesources ofinformation where possible; and suggest alternatives to dealwith anyissue with T whichyou may disagree. Note:It is as impoftant to indicotethose recommendations gou agreewith as it is thoseuith I which gou disagee. Eachsubmission is importantin its ownright but thosethat give reasons for concerns,give support I whereappropriate and offer useful information and suggestions are most useful. I DEADLINE Submissionsare welcomefor three months until 11 November,1994. I WHERETO SENDYOUR SUBMISSION Writtensubmissions should be sent to:

I ExecutiveDirector Departmentof Conservationand Land Management POBox 104 T coMowA 6152 Attention:Manager Marine Unit I I T

T lll I CRITERIAFOR ANATYSING PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS

Thereport will beamended if a submission: I

. providesadditional information on physical,biological or geographicalfeatures of relevanceto the recommendations; I . providesadditional information on affectedgroups ofdirect relevance to therecommendations; . indicatesa change in Governmentlegislation, management commitment or managementpolicy; proposesstrategies that would better achieve objectives; or I . indicatesomissions, or a lackof clarity.

There9oft uill not beamended if a submission: I

. clearlysupports the draft proposals; . offersa neutralstatement oy no changeis soughu T . addressesissues beyond the scope of thereport; . makespoints which are already in thereport or wereconsidered during its preparation; . is stronglyopposed to othersubmissions with theexisting recommendations providing a I preferredoption; or . contributesoptions which are not feasible (generally due to conflictwith legislation,or Governmentpolicy). T I GUIDETO THISREPORT I The report is dividedinto five parts:

. Part I: Introduction I . PartII: MarineReserves ofthe Kimberleyand the Sahul Shelf . Part III: MarineReserves on the Canningand Pilbara Coasts and the RowleyShelf . Part IV: MarineResewes on the WestCoast I . Part V: MarineReserves on the SouthCoast

TheWorking Group'srecommendations occur throughout the text,but arealso gathered into a I Summaryof Recommendationssection after Part V.

Part I is a genenl introductionto the WesternAustralian marine environment, with a statementof I the principlesapplied in the processof selectionof areasfor considerationfor reservation.

Eachof PartsII to V containsa generalstatement about the physicaland biological features of a I sectionof the coast,current resourceutilisation, existing marine reserves, descriptions of the major ecosystemunits whichthe Working Croup considers have particular significance, and recommendationson. which. specific areas warrant consideration as rescr.i.€s. T

It is important to notsthat the recommendationsin this repor'Ldo not constitutethe Noticesof Intent requiredunder Ihe Consenationond:l:and Management Act 1984which must be published I for public commentbefore marine parks and marine nature reserves may be declared. I I t I I I I

I Hon.Kevin Minson MLA Ministerfor theEnvironment

I 23May 1994 I

I DearMr Minson I MarineParks and Reserves Workino Groun Reoort At its meetingon February1, the Working Group approved the final dnft of thereport subject to someminor amendments. The amendments have now been made. I ampleased, on behalfof the I WorkingGroup, to forwardthe report for yourconsideration. " It hasbeen our experiencethat the function of marinereserves is notwidely understood in the t community.Although strong community support quickly develops, for examplethe local support nowevident for theNingaloo Marine Park, initial response is oftennegative from some sectors. The WorkingGroup believes that a publicparticipation program is neededto gaingeneral public support I for therecommendations contained in thereport. It is our hopethat you will decideto releasethe reportfor publiccomment and establish a process for its review,in thelight of publicinput, before I thereport is adoptedby the Government. Wth thesubmission of thisfinal repod to you,the task of theWorking Group is completed. However,should you decide to releasethe report, the members would welcome an opportunity to be T involvedin thereview ofDublic comment. t YouYssincerely I I //A

I lJ.K, Wllson Chair I MarinePark & ReservesWorking Group I I I I I r MARINEPARKS 8 RESERVESWORKING GROUP

I TheWorking Group was initially appointed by theMinister for theEnvironment in 1986.The Group helda seriesof workhopsesions to considerinformation gathered on stretchesofthe Westem Australiancoast from the Kimberley to Eucla.Drafts were prepared after each session for further I discussionat successivemeetings until theGroup was satisfied with the lesults.The drafts and the finalreport were prepared, with contributionsfrom Working GYoup members, by Murex Consultants Pty.Ltd. Maps were prepared by the Department of Consewationand Land Management Land I InformationBranch.

Sincethe initialappointments, some members have moved to otherpositions and have been replaced I by otherspecialists in theirfields. The following is a list ol peoplewho have served on theworking Groupat somestage. Those noted with anasterisk were involved in theearly work of theWorking I Groupbut notin thepreparation of thereport. MEMBERSOF THEWORI(INC CROUP

I Dr P.F.Berry8Sc. (Hons) MSc., PhD. Western Australian Museum Mr A. Carman-BrownGrad. Dip. IJrban & RegionalPlanning. Depatment of Planning& Urban Development I Dr C.J.Crossland* BSc. (Hons) PftD. CSIRO Division ofFisheries & Ooeanography Dr I. EliotE.Sc.(Honl, PhD.Geography Department, University of WesternAustralia Dr B. Hatcher*BSc., PftD. CSIRO Division of Fisheries& Oceanography I Dr H.E.Jones 8Sc., PftD. Western Austlalian Fisheries Department Dr H. Kirkman8lg. Sci.,MAg. Sci., PhD. CSIRO Division of Fisheries& Oceanography Dr R.C.LenantonBSc. , MSc., PhD. Western Australian Fisheries Department I MrsL.M. Marsh 8.4.(Hons), MA. WesternAustralian Museum Dr J.R.Ottaway* BSc. (Honl, PhD.WesternAustralian Environmental Protection Authority Mr M. Poole*.4,4PTCDip. Toun & RegionalPlanning, FRAPI. Department of Planning& Urban I Development Dr V. SemeniukBsc.(Hons), PhD. V. & C.Semeniuk Research Group Dr C.J.Simpson Blpp. Sc.,Grad. Dip. Nat.Res., PhD. Western Australian Environmental Protection I Authority MrsS.M. Slack-Smith BSc. Conservation Council of WesternAustralia Dr D.l.Walker 8Sc. (Hons), D.Phil. Botnny Department, University of WesternAustralia I Dr B.R.Wlson FTS (Chair),BSc. (Hons), PhD. Murex Consultants Pty' Ltd.

Note:Although not a memberofthe Working Group, Dr E.P.Hodgkin contributed material on I estuanes. I DEPARTMENTOF CONSERVATION AND LANDMANAGEMENT SUPPORT Mr H. ChevisBSc.. MSc. Mr R.F.May BSc., Dip. Ag. Sci. I MrsS. King (secretarial support) LandInformation Branch (preparation of maps)

I MUREXCONSULTANT' STAFF

Dr B.R.Wlson FTS BSc. (Hons), PhD r Mr D.B.Johnston iY,4 pp. Sc.(Suru.& Map,),Dip. Cartogtaphg I I T I vll I AIMS AND SCOPE

The aimsof this report areto reviewwhat is knownof the flora andfauna, habitats and I geomorphologyof WesternAustralian coastal waters, and to identifr areasthat haveparticular value for conservation,scientific and public recreation,making them worthy of reservationfor thesepublic purposes. I

Eachset of recommendationsin the bodyof the text is precededby backgroundinformation about the naturalattributes of the areain questionand the reasonsthe WorkingGroup selected it asa I worthy candidatefor reservation.The locations of the areasare shown on the maps.

For quickreference, the recommendationsare also listed independently in the section'Summary of I Recommendations'following Part V.

TheWorking Groupconsisted chiefly of marinescientists familiar with the coastand its flora and r faunaand recreationaluses. The groupdid not considermining or commercialfishing, although theseactivities were noted where they were known to occur.Consideration of suchvalues and uses of the selectedareas would be moreappropriate at a future phaseof the marinereserves program, I beforeimplementation begins. t I I I I I I I I I t I I I vlll t I I CONTENTS

I AIMSAND 5COPE...... viii

I PARTl: INTRODUCTION I 1. GENERALINTRODUCTION...... l-5 2. EXISTINGMARINE RESER'v'ES ...... 1-13 I 3. NATURALMARINE SYSTEMS IN WESTTRNAUSTRALLA...... 1-15

I PART II: MARINE RESERVESIN THE KIMBERLEYAND THE 'AHUL SHELF 1. INTRODUCTION...... II-5 I 2. EXTSTTNGMARINE RESER!'ES...... n-9 I 3. RECOMMENDATIONSFORMARINE RESERVES ON THE KIMBERLEY COAST ...... II.11

I PART lll: MARINE RESERVESON THE CANNINGAND PILBARA COASTS AND THE ROWTEYSHETF I 1. INTRoDUCTION...... III-5 2. EXISTINGMARINE RESER!'ES ...... III-13 I 3. RECOMMENDATIONSFOR MARINE RESER!'ES ON THE PILBARAAND CANNING COASTSAND THE ROWLEY SHELF...... III-15 I I PART lV: MARINE RESERVESON THE WEST COAST 1. TNTRODUCTTON...... N-5 I 2. EXISTINGMARINE RESERVES ...... ru-15 3. RECOMMENDATIONSFORMARINE RESER!'ES ON THE WEST COAST...... IV-21 I PARTV: MARINERESERVES ON THETOUTH COAST I 1. INIRODUCTroN...... v-5 2. EXISTINGMARINE RESERVES ...... v-15 I 3. RECOMMENDATIONSFORMARINE RESERVES ONTHE SOUTH CoAST...... V-I7

I SUMMARYOF RECOMMENDATION5...... ,...... 1_24 REFERENCES I LIST OF MAPS I MAPS

I lx I I r I I copeLevequ ".t# I t I Norlh\A,bstCope I -{ *M I I I I I I I ti .tl $ south co.f CopeLeeuwin J I I t I

Map showlng the four sectlonr of thc Wertern Australlan I coartllne dealt wlth In thls report I I I I I I I A REPRESENTATIVEMARINE RESERVESYSTEM FOR WESTERN AUSTRAtIA

Report of the Marine Parks and ReservesSelection Working Group

PART I INTRODUCTION I CONTENTS I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I r. GENERATINTRODUCTION

l.l. Background

TheState Conservation Stratcgy (19E7) sets as one of it-sprincipal goals the eslablishmcntof a consen'ationreserves system representative of the f-lora and thuna and habitats of WesternAustralia. Protectionof naturalvalues outside the resen',esystem, to an extentthat is consistentwith other land uses,is anotherprimary consen'ation goal.

Theneed to applythese conseJl'ation strategies to the marineenvironment as urell as to the terrestrialenvironment has only recently gained credence. There is growingcommurlily awareness andconcern about degradation o{some of WesternAustralia's estuarjne and marine environmenls throughalienation, pollution and overuse. The situations of concernrange from obvious pollution "the (eg.Pecl-Haney Estuary) to generalisedawareness that flshjngis not likeit ustdto be".On the otherhand, there is alsogrou'ing a\rareness that Western Australia possesses estuarinc;rnd marine rtsour.cesof greatpotential for l-isheries,other useable resources, recreation and torrrism. In orderto protect;indwisel),use thesB resources for long-termcommr.lnity benefit, eftort must bt focusedon managementofthe marine environment. A reDresentativr resen'e syslem is an essenlial part of anlt envjronmentalrnanagement program, and estuarine anil marinc cnvironment.s areno excepllon (Iiooney dl ,l/., 1978;Salm li Clark,1984; C0NC0I1. 19t5: Australian Comm ittee lbr ltJCN,1986; I{rllther& Kenchington,199()).

Ilarinrrcsrru-es scne sevcral important lLlnctions. Thei are intrndcd as nlaces u'hcre lrlanls and animalsand their hrbitats may br nrotectedol manaAedto ensurelong term sun'ival in natural con'litiofs.l,ike their terrastrial equivalents, rnarine constn'ation rescrvrs htlp prolect species and Irasarvcthc diversitl'of life. Thcy ma1'also be a rcsourcelor educalion, recrealion afd tourisnr lroAr:1msj\tan!, national p: kspl;i1,a fLmdame nlirl rolr in thc toulisllrindListry. Illrinc parksm:iy ha|t thr s;rnretunction. The Grcat Barrjer lleei Ilarine I'ark, for. example. isthe brsic ftsourcr lrfon u'hicha rnaiorproportion of tlreQueensland tourism induslr) is based.Restrvalion allorr's manegemantprograms to beput in placeto cnsurethat tht rrsourceis both;rccrssjble and .sLIs t:t I rt:lii ie.

Wrslern.\ustraliais blessrduith a lorlgilnd varicd colstlint and an airundanceof rn:rrjrreliie. juarjtrrr.rc.rertion and toLrrism are vrry irnfortanlin lhis Staie.Rrcreatjon;rl fishing is an rrNlrorr.iirtelr'm.ni in th. lifrst!leoi manl'\\'estcrnALrstrali;rns. Rccrr::rtional ishin! and the divr lour indLlslryboth pla! rmportantroles in regionaland local eL:ononries. Sitr:s likr: tht NingirlooReef nd tlrr ['crth n]etrofolitlrrreefs arr:riready extensively uscd b1'local peoplc a|ld n;rlion;rl irnLl irtrrr,rlioral visitors.Thtrr rspot!ntial ior furthrr dn'rloptnrnlot th.sr acti\,iticslo imfrove both oc:ilqu:riit1, oi IileanJ lhr noi!nlialior commerciallourislr. but increLscdusr oi thr niltLlriil rusoLrrcruill nrcd incrtasrLlproieation lnd rnanilg€mtnt.

'lhe Lltgrrl lor,rhichnlrine !,:os\rstrrrsalc rnttr connt',:lrd'is rlLrcirrlreiltrr tirari in Inrir ',crrrslriijitquivalenls. In lhc sa:llhr wakr m!dium iiselfis tha\fi.olc or pJrt irabitat0i a vrry largc nroDo'lrouof miiinr livrngthings. Plarktoric and ncktonic plants and ilimals tl)atlive their eftire lrvrsdf iiling or s\,,rrrmrngin therr'iittr comprise the bulk o[ the m;irinrbiom:rss. l,vrn mostnrarirc hcntiriL(holtorrr living) urg:inisrns h,ivc lan'al stagrs that arr plalrktonicand mir.v br \ridrl),disptrsed b! r'atrr cLrrrcnl-\.The u'atcr nrassis:ilso the sitr of nro-\to115g 669111',s primary prolirrction.Thc rtsultingcncrgy ma), bc car.fj.dhi warercrrrrents from ils placeol originovcr long distances to sLin0(Jrt()ih€r ecos\,strms. !\'atcr cul'l.arrts mav iilso qLrickll spread lollutants frorr tht sitr of 0ri!in to nr.1rb!habitats.

Thc oDennessoi niarineecosl'sterrs has -several consequences 1or elrvi)'onmtsntiil managcn(nt. Thty maybt inlluencedby eventsbeyond lheir oun boundarics1'el they may be quickly rccolonised fronr otherarcas by meansof planktoniclanae if theybrcorne degraded. .i\larine reserve maniigemcnt nust take thesefactors into account.

In additionto their natureconsen'ation and public recreation functions, marine protecled areas play an important role in the lorg terrn sustainableuse ol the living resourcesof thr coastalzone. It is

Prrtl-5 I nowwell established that marineareas where habitats have become degraded or whereliving resourcestock havebecome depleted through overuse, may be much more quickly repaired and replenishedifthere are protected, unexploited areas nearby. This is truewhere tourism has degraded I thehabitat or wherefishing has depleted the target stock. The folloluing quotation from a recent IUCNNewsletter makes this point: I "In recentye2rs there havebeen a number oftheoreticalstudies that indicatemarine reserves may be usefulas fishery management tools in multi-speciestrcpical fisheries. Mathematical models su€gest that reservesclosed to fishing,can improve fishing outsidethe reservesby providingboth a sourceofjuveniles I and adultswhich moveout ofthe leserveand by maintaininga largespawning population which produces larvaewhich settleoutside the reserve.Empirical studies are scarce but a recentpap er in theJoumal du Cor?sel'Adirect test ofthe effectsof protectivemanagement on abundanceand yield of a tropicalmarine t reserve,'(1990, volume 47, no. 1, p. 40-47,by Alcalaand Russ),provides empirical evidence that reserves can improveyields. The authorscompared yields from fishingon the coralreefs at Sumilon lslandin the Philippineswhen 25% of the reefhabitatwx closedto fishingwith yieldsfrom fishing during a period when the entire reef habilat was fished. Ifteg estimoted that closing 250/oofthe reef habitqt to fishing I resulted in 540/ohigher catchesfor the entire island than catchesobtained ahen the entire reefarea was lkhed.' [Emphasisadded. Source: IUCN-CNPPA Newsletter No. 54,April-June 1991.] I

At presentWestern Australia has eight marine reserves, seven established under the Conservation and LandManagement Act 1984 (CALM Act) and one under the Rottnest Island Authority Act 1987. I Recognisingthe need for a Statewidemarine parks and reserves system, the State Government establisheda Working Group in 1986comprising marine scientists and planning officers representing a rangeof Governmentagencies and academic and research bodies. The brief of theWorking Croup I is to reviewthe coast as a whole,and to identifyareas that have particular values for conservation, scientific,and public recreation purposes making them worthy of reservation,so improving the representativenessof the State marine reserve system. I

Giventhe multiplepurposes ofa marinereserve system, it is necessaryto select and reserve areas wittneither high natureconser!?tion value or recreationaluse, or both. Nowadays,when nature tours t andappreciation of thenafinal environment are becondng so importan! in outdoorrecreation, natureconservation values, such as high species diversi$and aninrnl breeding colonies, may be significantelements of therecreational resource. Sometimes the particular conservation value may I beincompatible with accessfor recreationaluse but oftenthe two purposes may be fulfiilled simultaneously,with appropriatemanagement. I Thereare sometimes circumstances where coastal areas should be reserved because they are already subjectto heawrecreational use and need to bemanaged. At the otherextreme, an area may have extremeconservation or scientificvalue for a specificreason - the reservation ofthe Hamelinpool I MarineNature Reserve for protectionof stromatolitesand other sedimentary deposits is an example. Moregenerally, however, the principle of representativehabitat tlpes and biota is thebasis of reserve selection. I

It mustbe emphasised that the ayailable information on thehabitats, flora and fauna and recreationalpotential of manyparts of theWestern Australian coast is verylimited. Although the I WorkingGroup has done its bestto gatherwhat information exists, it is inevitablethat further studieswill bringto lightareas of highconservation and recreational value that have been overlookedin thissurvey. The recommendations in this report should not preclude the addition of I otherareas of highvalue that maybe discovered in future.

Theareas proposed in this reportas worthy of considerationfor reservationhave been identified on I thegrounds of conservation,scientific and public recreation values. It is acknowledgedthat further considerationof managementissues, especially those relating to boundariesand impacts on existing users,will benecessary before any reserve is declared.The boundaries shown in themaps of this I report,where they occur, are provisional only, and may be modified during the necessary further publicconsultation phases. I Therecommendations in this report reflect the professional judgement5 ofthe Working Group. They donot constitutethe public notices required by the statutory processes for marineresewe I Partl-6 t I declarationdescribed in Section1.2. If theGovernment adopts the report in principle,it will be necessaryfor eacharea recommended for reservationto beconsidered individually and in detail. I Beforeany area can be reserved, a notice of intentmusl be published, specifying its proposed boundariesand purposes and inviting public comment. Endorsement of the Minister for Fisheries will benecessary. Only when these steps have been taken, may the Minister for theEnvironment I publishthe declarations in theGovernment Gazette. Final approval of eachreserve proposal then dependson acceptanceby Parliament.

I PartI of this reportcontains basic descriptive information about the biological and physical environmentof WAcoastal waters, which the Working Group prepared as a basisfor itswork. The laterparts deal with particulardetails of eachof themajor biogeographical zones along the coast, I fromnorth to south,using the modified criteria recommended in the Council of Narure ConservationMinisters' report (CONCOM, 1985), and identify areas that the Working Group r considersto beworthy of reservationfor conservationor recreationalpurposes.

1.2.Statutory basisfor marine parks and marlne nature retervesin Western I Aurtralia

In Australia,land is "owned"by the Croun or byprivate individuals under freehold tenure. Crown I landmay be leased, reserved for particularpublic purposes, or heldas Vacant Crown Land. In many traditionalsocieties in maritimecountries, areas of thesea may also be held in someform of "ownership",at leastconceming the rights to it5produce, but theseconcepts are not well developed I in contemporarywestern societies. The Commonwealth and State territorial seas are owned solely by government,there is no privatefreehold, and the major part of theterritory is regardedas a "common"with its resourcesacceJsible to everyone. Statutory provisions for leasesand limited I accessto fisheryand mineral resources cover a minorpart of thesewaters.

Coastallagoons, estuaries and rivers in thesouth-west of WesternAustralia are subject to particularly I heavyuse and their management is often complicated by the fact that manydifferent authorities are involved.The Waterways Commission has been established to ensure that waterways are conserved andeffectively managed to maintainor enhanceenvironmental quality and public amenity. The I Commissionis established under its ownlegislation and has powers for the declarationofwaterways in needof coordinatedmanagement asManagement Areas. The Swan River is a specialcase and co- ordinationof managementis the responsibility of the Swan River Trust. Powers to controlpollution I in theestuary of theSwan are delegated to theTrust under the Environmental Protection Act. t Reservationof areasof theterritorial sea for particularpublic purposes is a relativelynew concept. Aquaticreserves may be declared under Section 30 of theFisheries Act 1905for thepurposes of protectingfish stocks or theirhabitats, or for otherpurposes relating to thefishing industry. A I FisheriesAct aquatic reserve cannot be established over the same waters and land that comprise a marinenature reserve or marinepark undEr the CALM Act. Similarly, aquatic reserves cannot be establishedfor thesame purposes as those assigned to CALMAct marine reserves. Aquatic reserves I declaredunder the Fisheries Actwould be vested in theMinister for Fisheries and managed by the DepartmentofFisheries. However, no marineor estuarinearea has been reserved in Western Australiaunder Fisheries legislation. Retention ofthe aquaticreserves provisions in theFisheries Act I is currentlyunder review.

Legislativeprovisions for thedeclantion of marinereserves for natureconservation and public r recreation,equivalent to teyrestrialnational parks and nature reserves, were introduced in Western Australiain 1984with passageof theConservation and Land Management Act (CALMAct). Most marineareas beloru High Water Mark that are reserved for thepurposes of conservationand public I recreationare declared under Section 13 of theCALM Act and are vested in theNational Park and NatureConservation Authority. Land above High Water Mark that is adjacentto or integrallyrelated to reservedmarine areas may be declared under Part 111 of theLand Act 1933,as either marine park I or marinenature reserve. Provisions of theCALM Act relating to thedeclantion and management of I marinereserves were amended in 1988and 1991.

I Partl - 7 I Thereis one marinereserve established under special legislation in WesternAustralia - the Rottnest IslandAuthority Act 1987established the RottnestIsland Reserve including the waterssurrounding the islandfor a distanceof 800m. The marinepart of the RottnestIsland Reserve does not havethe I statusof a marinepark but is reservedfor the samepurposes.

Marinereserves established under the conservationand Land Management Act are of ha,otypes: I

l. Maine Nature Reserre:Marine nature reserves are reserved for: "(a) I the conservationand restorationof the naturalenvironment; (b) the protection,care, and study0f indigenousflora and fauna;and (c) the preservationof any featureof archaeological,historic or scientificinterest.,, I "taken" Marineflora and fauna may not be (ie.killed or interferedwith) in marinenature reservesexcept for scientificpurposes under licence. Recreational and commercial I frshingare not permitted. 2, Marine Park:Marine parksare reserved for: I ",.. thepurposes offulfilling so much of the demand for recreation bymembers of thepublic as is consistentwith theproper conservation and restoration of thenatunl environment,the Dtotection of I indigenousflora and fauna and the preservation of any feature of archaeological,historic or scientific interest:... "

Thisdefined purpose is qualifiedby the following: r "... but in theevent of anyconflict or incoflsistensybetween any of ths fureEloin€pu{poses and an} pro.visionof theFish'eni€s Act 1905 relating to commercjal.or recreatiooatr fishing, the lattersha,lllprwaill,, t

Thus,comrnercia,l and recreationalfishing are permissible in marinepark in accordance with the FisheriesAct andadministered by the Fisheri?sDeDartment. I

The Declarotion Process TheGALM Act specifiesthe proceduresfor declarationof marineparks and marinenature reserves. I whichinclude:

publicationof a noticeof intentspecifying the boundaries of theproposed reserve and its I proposedpurposes; a periodof not lessthan 2 monthsfor publiccomment; referralto LocalAuthorities and the Ministerfor Fisheries; I submissionof the proposalby the Minister,modifierl as he thinks fit, to the Governorfor considerationof the publicationof an order in the Cazetteeffecting the reservation; tablingof the orderin eachof the Housesof parliamentwithin 6 sittingdays of its gazettai; I duringthe following 14 sitting days either House may pass a resolutiondisallowina the order whichwould thereupon cease to haveeffect. r TheAct providesthat the Minister "shall notmake a submissiontothe Governor ..,unless the Minister to wh0m the Fisheries Act 1905 is for I thetime being committed concurs with the submission".

Mtnngement I Oncedeclared, marine parks and marine nature reserves are vested in the Nationalparks and Nature conservationAuthority and managed by the Depadment of conservationand Land Management. In the cxe of marineparks, commercial and recreational fisheries are managed by the Fish;ies I Department.

TheCALM Act specifies procedures for the developmentof managementplans by the Nationalparks I andNature conservation Authority, including publication ofdrafts and periods ior pubJiccomment, andthe eventualreferral of the plansto the Ministerfor his aooroval. I Partl-8 t r

I Underthe provisions of theAct, ifthe Ministerfor Fisherieshas made submissions on a proposed managementplan for a marinepark, the Minister:

I "... shall not approvethe proposedplan - (a) unlesshe is satisfiedthat it giveseffect to thosesubmissions; or (b) unlesshe hasreferred the proposedplan to the Covernorand is satisfiedthat it giveseffect to th€ I decisionof the Covemor,so far asthe submissionsor the decisionrelate to the taking of fish (within the meaningin the FisheriesAct 1905)in the park."

The CALM Act contains provisions allowing for the zoning of marine parks and marine I naturereserves, so that spatial separation ofincompatible activities may be achieved. Preparationand approval of managementplans follow a statutoryprocess, which obliges the managementauthority to managea marine reserve and its specifiedzones in I accordancewith theapproved management plan.

Marineparl$ and marine nature veserves declared under the CALM Act may be classified as Class A, I in whichcase the purpose and boundaries of theresewe may not be amended or cancelledexcept by anAct or a resolutionof oneofthe Houses of Parliament.

I TheRottnest Island Authority Act gives the Authority the power to protect,maintain and restore the floraand fauna and natural environment of theRottnest marine reserve. Regulations have been passedby the Authority declaring two small marine areas as "conservation zones" where flora and r faunaare totally protected. Control of fishingactivities within the remainder of thereserve is effected underthe Fisheries Act.

I Thereare no statutoryrequirements for managementplans or publicparticipation in planningin the I caseof FisheriesAct aquatic reserves. 1.3. Designinga marine reservesystem for

Giventhe multipleaims of a conservationreserve system, the design and selection criteria must r involveboth socio-economic and biological factors.

Naturalareas with highscenic quality are highly valued as recreational reserves. Accessibility and I infra-structurefor managementare important socio-economic factors that mustbe taken into accountin selectingnatural areas for designationas recreation resewes. High biological diversity I andbiological and geological features of specialinterest are also important factors in selecting naturaltreas for recreationaluse. However, in somecircumstances, recreational activities may need to beconstrained to avoiddamage to thesenatural values. Areas with highnatural values that are I subjectto intensiverecreational use may need intensive management to protect those values and reservationis a meansby which management can be effectively implemented. I Therehas been a numberof attemptsto developa methodology for designingreserve systems for conservationof floraand fauna (eg. Bolton & Specht,1983). A strictlybiological resewe selection methodwould be based on thecriteria of diversity,r€presentativeness, naturalness and I effectiveness. Mostmethodologies begin with a biogeographicalclassification of the region and select ecosystem I typeswithin the biogeographical units in orderto achievethe best possible representativeness. The

I Partl-9 I assumptionis usuallymade that a reservesystem that is representativeof the region,s ecosystems will maximisespecies diversity contained within them, even though details ofthe actualfloral and faunalcomposition may be unknown. I "naturalness" The criteriongives preference to areasthat have been little affectedby humanactivity. I (Paradoxically,this is a criterionfor selectingrecreation reserves as well as nature conservation reserves,even though increased public access may reduce the naturalness ofthe areas.) "effectiveness" I The criterionrefers to the manageabilityofthe areaand includes size and boundary factors.Larger areasare usually more naturally sustainable than smaller ones. I Followinga seriesof seminars,the council of Natureconservation Ministers produced a working paperon the developmentofa marinereserves system in Australia(CONCOM, 1985). The CONCOM paperrecommends a twolevel classification of theAustralian coasfline, firstly on geographical I regionsand secondly on habitattype, as a basisfor theselection of a representativesystem of marine conservationreserves (referred "Marine protected to as andEstuarine Areas',or MEpAs). I Thisreport is basedon a modifiedversion of thecoNC0M classification of coastal biogeographical regions.The western Australian coast has been divided into foursections, ie. Kimberley, canning- Pilbara,west coast and South coast. The divisions between them (in theareas around cape Leveque, I Northwest cape and cape Leeuwin) represent parts of thecoast where significant changes in biota occur.The biological differences between the four sections are believed to havedeveloped as a result of thegeological events that shap€d the Australian continent as well as modern climatic and other environmentalconditions. I In terrestrialsystems, the nextlevel of classificationafter the biogeographical one is usuallybased on I vegetation.This is notso relevant in thesea. The Working Group has found it helpfulto applya classificationof coastalgeomorphology asthe second level in theprocess. coastal marine habitats arevery much dominated by landform and sediment type. The concept of "majordistinctive coastal gpes"has been adopted as the second level of classification,based mainly on geomorphological t cdteria.Wthin thosecoastal types a numberof ecosystemtypes occur (eg. coral reefs, mangals, rockyshores, seagrass beds, tidal flats) whose local expression is grea y influencedby the gross geomorphologyof the area. I Thisstructured classificatory approach to yeserveselection has led to a conceptof a four-tiered I systemfor environmentalmanagement of Western Australian coastal waters.

I' Thebroadest tier of thesystem regards the entire area of theState's territorial waters "common". as I equivalentto a Its resources,living and inanimate, may be utilised by appropriately authorisedpeople and agencies subject to regulationsestablished under such State legislation asthe Fisheries, Environmental Protection and petroleum Acts. In somerespects the marine I commonis akinto vacantcrown Land in theterrestrial environment. Although management of non-reservedareas is beyondthe scope of thisworking Group's brief for marinereserves, membershold the view that there is a needfor moreconsideration to beqiven to I environmentalmanagement ofthe whole coast. 2. Thesecond tier in thesystem is thalof majordistinctiae coastal tgpe described above. An I exampleis theNingaloo Reefwith its lagoons,reefs and off-shore zones. Another is thesection of coastbetween the southern end of ExmouthGulf and Onslow with itswide mangals, the intertidaland shallow sublittoral flats seaward of themand the wide supra-tidal flats behind I them.The South West estuaries also fall into this category. In eachof theseexamples the ecosystemas a wholeis definablein geomorphologicalterms and is likelyto havea highdegree of internalecological integrity. t Eachof theseexamples has special merit in conservationand resource management terms, within thewider coastal context, and is worthy ofspecial care and management attention. Such marine I areascould be treated as environmentally significant areas subject to morestringent protection with "common". respectto resourceutilisation than the surrounding Managementand protection could be exercisedthrough fishery, environmental protection, waterways and mining legislation, as has been I

PartI - 10 I I donein the caseof thecoastal lagoons and estuaries in thesouth-west of theState (see Section 1.2). Analternative would be to reservethe whole of theseareas for managementas multiple-use marine I protectedareas. 3. Thethird tier of thesystem is thatmarine areas ofspecial recreation, resource or conservation valueshould be reserved for specifieduses, giving a greaterlevel of protectionand t management.These might include areas representative ofthe habitatsfound within a distinctivecoastal type or areasof uniquerecreational or environmentalvalue. Areas selected I for reservationspecifically for thepurposes of conservationand public recreation would usually bewithin a majordistinctive coastal tlpe subjectto specialmanagement and would thus be affordedthe necessary buffer against adverse external influences. In somecases marine recreationaland consewation reserves could be large and comprise an entire distinctive coastal t typeor ecosystemunit, such as Nornalup-Walpole Inlet, Shark Bay or theNingaloo Reef. I 4. Finally,the fourth level of theconcept is for marineareas of extremeconservation value or sensitivitythat should be reserved to affordtotal protection against any form of usewhich mightproduce or riskchange in theirecosystems or affect any of theirspecies or features. Suchresewes or zonescould be designated to protect features of specialimportance (eg. turtle I nestingsites, stromatolites) or to protectcommunities in pristinecondition for scientific referenceor publiceducation and enjoyment purposes. Marine nature reserves and marine I parksanctuary zones will usuallybe relatively small. In thisfour-tiered marine management system reserves are areas set aside for specificpublic I purposeswithin a "wholeof coast"management context. The scheme overcomes the difficulty that ecosystemsof isolated marine reserves may be hard to maintainif theyare surrounded by and inter- connectedwith unmanagedareas of "common".The marine reserve system proposed in thefollouing I partsof thisdocument assumes that means will befound to provideadequate management of the marineenvironment surrounding them. I I I I I t t I I I I I PartI - 11 I 2. EXISTINGMARINE RESERVES

TheWestern Austrdlian Conservation Through Reserves Committee (CTRC) recommendations of the I 1970sand 80s included proposals for severalmarine reserves. At thattime there was no Westem Australianlegislation for thedeclaration of marinereserves other than "aquatic reserves" under the FisheriesAct. Wth passageof theCALM Act (1984) statutory provision was made for declarationof I marinereserves for natureconseruation and public recreation purposes.

Someofthe CTRCrecommendations for declaration of marinereserves have now been I implemented,often with modificationofthe originally suggested boundaries resulting from negotiationwith thefishing industry and other interested parties, and from additional knowledge of conservationand recreational values. Western Australian marine reserves existing as at 30June, 1993 I areas follows:

CAW Act mdrinereserues I . NingalooMarine Park (224 000 ha., declared 3/4/87) o MarmionMarine Park (9 350 ha., declared U5/871 . ShoalwaterIslands Marine Park (6 545 ha., declared 2515/90) I . RowleyShoals Marine Park (23 388 ha., declared 2515/90) . SwanEstuary Marine Park (340 ha., declared 2515/90) . SharkBay Marine Park (748 735 ha., declared 30/11/90) I o HamelinPool Marine Nature Reserve (132 000 ha., declared 25/5/90) I I Speciallegislation marine resetue . RottnestIsland Reserve (declared 1987) I t t I t I t I I I I I I PartI - 13 I I 3. NATURALMARINE SYSTEMS IN WESTERNAUSTRALIA I 3.1. General In broadterms two different factors determine the characteristics of coxtal biota and habitats. geographic patternsof I Geologicaland climatological history determine the broad distribution speciei,while physical environmental factors determine the particular combinations of species I "Iepresentative" forminglocal communities and ecosystems. A systemof reservesmust take into I accountboth broad biogeographic and local ecosystem factors. Marineenvironmental management is a newand developing field. As on landthe basic objective is to ensurethat natural features are sustained indefinitely. This may require measures to protectthem r frominappropriate or excessiveuse. A keyto successwill beunderstanding the interactive biological andphysical components of marinenatural systems. I A broadoverview of theWestern Australian coastal and estuarine environment has been given by wlson, Hancock& chittleborough(19?9). Hodgkin & Major(1978) published an index to ecological informationon estuariesand embayments of westeln Australia. other more specific references are I givenin appropriateSections of thisreport.

I 3.2. Distributlon patterns of thc wA marine flora and fauna Distributionpatterns of theAustralian marine fauna have been reviewed by Wilson and Allen (1987). T Distributionpatterns of marineflora are generally similar and their review may sewe as a sourceof informationon bothmarine flora and fauna distributions in WesternAustralian waters. I Basically,there are two fundamental marine floral and faunal provinces in wA, a tropicalprovince in thenorth, and a temperatepYovince in thesouth. I Thetropical northern flora and fauna belong to thevast Indo-west Pacilic Region uhich stretches fromthe eastcoast ofAfrica to FrenchPolynesia in thecentral Pacific, and from the Ryukyu Islands of Japanto the northerncoasts ofAustralia' A majorityof speciesfound in northernWA are I widespreadthroughout that region, although there is significantlocal endemism, especially in those groupswhich lack a longlivedplanktonic dispersal stage. t Thetemperate flora and fauna belong to thesouthern Austfalian Region which extends across the entiresouth coast of thecontinent. The majority of southernAustralian species are endemic to this Region.There is alsoa significantdegree oflocal endemism along the south-westeln and south- I easterncoasts of southemAustnlia. Themodern Indo-west Pacific floral and faunal elements are descendants ofthe floraand fauna of I theonce even greater Tethyan Province which, during the early Tertiary, occupied the uorld's entire tropicalzone. The modern Southem Australian marine floral and faunal elements have a muchmore variedand complex history. The region is dominatedby species which originated from an ancient I high-latitudesouthern hemisphere biota. These species account for muchof thevery high level of endemicityin thesouthern marine flora and fauna. They have a differentevolutionary history to the speciesofthe northernIndo-West Pacific elements. However, in thesouth-west, there are many I endemicspecies derived in morerecent times fvom Tethyan and Indo-West Pacific ancestors. Thecentral west coast of WA,ie. from about Carnarvon to CapeLeeuwin' is a zoneof overlap T betweenthese two major floral and faunal provinces. It followsfrom this brief summary that the marine floras and faunas of thenorthern and southern I coastsrespectively are quite different in speciescomposition, due to quitedifferent geological histories.There are also modern processes, however, which influence the present geographic ranges I of species,ie. local climate, ocean currents and the geomorphological character of coastalhabitats. r PartI - 15 I 3.3. Eanimal species and communities comprised of intenctivesets of populationsof differentspecies. Communities of marineorganisms in turn interactwith physicalor ibiotic systems (eg.weather, water circulation, sediments) ofthe environmentsin which they occur to form t recognisablecombinations ofhabitat and biota called ecosyst€ms. Ecoqrtems may be defined by eithertheir physical or biolcgicalchancteristics but theyalways encompass both tlpes of processes. t Ecosystemsrepresent important functional units which must be considered in theirentiretv when developingstrategies for marinereserve management. t Ecosystemsmay extend over hundreds of metres(eg. conl islands),or overhundreds of kilometres (eg.the NingalooReef). Regardless of their size, or thelevel of organisationat whichthey are I defined,it is theinteraction ofbiological and physical processes which determine the pattern and productivityofthe diversemarine ecosystems which characterise the Western Australian coast. It is of greatsignificance to managementthat these processes are already being modified by human activitiesin manymarine enviyonments of Western Australia. I All ecosystemsinteract with others,due to suchfactors as water flow or animalmigration. This I interactionranges from subtle exchanges to direct influence on thestructure or eventhe existence of geognphically-associatedecosystems. Migntory animals range across ecosystem boundaries during theirseasonal cycles of activity.some marine animals (eg. the Shark Bay dugong population) are r confinedwithin one ecosystem. others depend on differentecosystems for differentactivities, eg. marineturtles andsea birds which feed in theocean and breed and rest on theland. I A particularfeature of marineecosystems is the extent to whichspecies depend on verydifferent and geographicallysepanted ecosystems for differentstages of theirlife cycle. Most important are the manycases of marineanimals which have a pelagiclarval stage floating in theupper layers of the t ocean,alternating with a moresedentary, or evenattached, sexually mature, adult stage living on the seabed. I Thisis oneofthe featuresof marineecology responsible for a muchhigher de gree ol inter- connectednessthan is thecase with terrestrialecosystems. A forest may be greatly influenced by recruitsbrought in bywind or migratoryanimals, but for themost part it is self-contained.A coral I reefmay depend to a muchlarger extent on immigrants "upstream" broughtto it bywater currents from for continuanceof its generationsand, for dailysustenance, its membersmay depend on water-borneplanktonic food and nutrients from outside the system. I watercurrents and tidal flows also play a muchgreater role in thedistribution of energy(as organic foodand inorganic nutrients) from one ecosystem to another, than wind and water achieve in t teffestrialenvironments. For example, mangals (mangrove assemblages) areextremely high producersof organicdetritus, constantly feeding energy into adjacent coastal ecosystems by meansof thepumping action of tidalflows. some coastal ecosystems are enriched by nutrients derived from I adjacentdeep-water ecosystems, or from the land ala river flow or groundwaterseepage. Thisvery high degree of inter-connectednessbetween marine ecosystems means that there is alsoa I highdegree of i nterdependencewhich must be taken into accountwhen planning a marinereserve systemand managing coastnl marine environments. Healthy mangals and estuaries, for example,are essentialas nursery areas and sources of foodfor coastalmarine ecosystems; any effective reserve I systemmust give special attention to theprotection of thesemost important areas. well developed pacific tropicalmangals in the Indo-west Regionmay have a rateof primaryproduction of ashigh as 5 kg carbonper m2 per year, equal to theprimary production oftropical rainforests, and mucir oTtnis I materialis releasedinto theadjacent coastal waters. T t

PartI - 16 I I 3.4. Physi(al basls to e

I Whileit is importantto stressthe biological components of ecosystemsand hence devise a systemof classificationthat reflectsthis emphasis, it is alsohelpful to viewecosystems from a physical perspective.The physical ftamework can be often more easily defined and described than the biotic T components.Classification of ecosystems is most conveniently based on physicaldescriptors, as follows.

T At thelargest scale the recognised marine ecosystems based on physical structure are: (i) continentalshelf systems; (ii) shoresystems; I (iii) estuarinesystems.

Thisrepresents a gradient from wholly open marine systems to partlymarine-padly land influenced I systems.These main ecos)Etem types with theirinternal subdivisions, and some of theirconspicuous bioticassemblages are briefly described below.

I ContinentalShel f sgstens Continentalshelves fringe the shores of WesternAustralia. ln someinstances the shelves are relativelynarrow and simple. In otherareas the shelves are bathymetrically complex, broad and I intemallyvery heterogeneous. Major publications that deal with continentalshelves are Fairbridge (1953)and Collins (1988). Continental shelves may have substrates ofsand, gravel, rock or mud,and theseconstitute major habitat settings on thesea-bed for differentbiota. There is alsothe habitat I providedby the oceanic water column which supports a hostof {ree-swimmingand free-floating life forms.

T Shote sgstems Theshore systems are located in thebroad zone between the open oceanic system and the hinterland.Wthin theshore system there are: I o beaches; . rockyshores; . tidalflats; T o soundsand embayments; . deltas.

I Beachesare composed ofsand or graveland are relatively simple systems. The other types of shore systems,however, can be quite complex in termsof internalgeomorphology, substrates, energy gradientsand water depths. Accordingly the range ofbiotic assemblages which inhabit shore systems r canbe similarly complex.

Rockyshores can be of limestone,or granite,gneiss, or otherindurated metamorphic and I sedimentaryrock, and the extent of theirdevelopment is dependent on thecoastal setting and the hinterlandgeology.

I Tidalflats can be dominated by mud, sand, rock, or rockpavement, with concomitantchanges in the benthicbiota.

I Soundsand embayments tend to bedominated by mud in theirdeepwater parts and may be fringed bymore complex shorelines.

I Deltastend to producetidal flat andbeach systems within their structure.

Estuoine s{stems T Theestuarine systems are inland of theshore systems and consist of lagoons,inlets and embayments wherefresh water influx has a majoreffect, either daily with tideor seasonallywith theclimate, or both.Estuaries contain a complexof physicaland chemical variations and support a varietyof I benthic,nektonic and planktonic plants and animals. Estuaries are transitional ecosystems between fully marineand fully freshwater systems. T I PartI - 17 I 3.5.Currents

Thecurrent systems around the Western Australian coasts have been extensively studied. Summaries T maybe found in Pearce& Cressr,vell(1985) and in a specialvolume of theJournal of theRoyal Societyof WesternAustralia dealing with theinfluence of theLeeuwin Current on coastalclimate andmarine life, edited by Pearce & Walker(1991). T

Thedominant currents influencing the WA coast are. i) TheWest Wnd Drift,a circumpolarcurrent which flows across the southern face of the I continentfrom west to east.It carries]arval dispersal stages in thatdirection and is responsible for thepresence of someAustralian species in theNew Zealand biota, and the presence on the southernAustralian coast of cerLainspecies which have southern hemisphere circumpolar I distributions.

ii) ThePacific-Indian Current (derivedfrom the SouthEquatorial Current of the Pacific)which T flowsacross the northernface of the continentfrom eastto west (interruptedto a largeextent by NewGuinea) bringing Pacificwater (andlarvae) onto the North WestShelf. I iii) The LeeuwinCurrent which flowsoffshore from north to south downthe centralwest coast, carryingthe propagulesof tropicalspecies into the SouthernAustralian Region (Pearce & Walker,eds., 1991). This currentvaries seasonally and annually in its rate of flow and extentof I southwardDenetration. I 3.6. Geomorphology

Apartfrom the influenceof climateand currents,many of the importantdifferences in marine I habitatsfrom north to south,result from geologicaland other physical features. According to Jutson (1950)six to twelvemajor geomorphologiczones can be recognisedaround the WesternAustralian coast.The recognitionof thesezones is basedprimarily on the combinationsof naturalfeatures of T climate,coastal geology, rivers, tides, coastal water movem€nt and exposureto oceanicforces. Other authorshave provided a moresimple subdivision of the WesternAustralian coast, recognising major sectorsrelated to subcontinentalscale geology (eg. Woods, 1980; Woods et. al., 1985; Gill, 1982).On I the other handsome authors, with moredetailed work, havesubdivided what appearsuperficially to besingle units into complexesof units,eg. Galloway (1980) and Semeniuk (1993a) for thetropical WesternAustnlian coast,and Searle& Semeniuk(1985) for the inner RottnestShell coast.It is at I the localscale that organismsrespond and the speciescomposition of communitiesis determined.

For the purposesof this study10 primarygeomorphic coastal zones are recognised along the Western I Australiancoast. They are briefly described below in orderfrom north to south.

7, Cambidge Gulfl,This is a largeseasonal estuary and gulf characterisedby broadtidal flatsbacked I by a hinterlandof high relief.The regionis macrotidaland with relativelyIow waveenergy although the terrain towardthe outer reachesof the systemis subjectto waveaction. The areais set in a semiaridtropical climate. Mud flatsand some sand and gravel flats dominatethe shorezone. I Sedimentis broughtin annuallyby the Pentecost,King and Ord Rivers. The dominance of mud,and the macrotidaland wind andwave conditions result in waterbeing turbid throughoutthe year. Mangroveformations are conspicuousfeatures of the shorevegetation. I

2. The KimberlegCoasf. This coastis characterisedby low-energy(ie. low waveaction) conditions, exceptfor occasionalsevere cyclonic storms. It is a ria coastwith deepembayments and many I islands.It alsohas a high but seasonalrainfall, and there are manylarge rivers which flood annually. Consequently,the shelfareas off the Kimberleycoast are characterisedby terrigenoussediments and the coastalwaters are turbid. Thereis alsoan extremelyhigh tidal range.Mangals, tidal mud and I sandflats, and some rocky shores are the dominanthabiiats. Coral reefs occur but arenot usually well developedexcept around offshore islands. Semeniuk (1985) recently subdivided this coastalzone into mediumand small scale habitat units that arecharacteristic of the whole ria-t\,Deshore in this I region. I PartI - 18 I t 3. King sound.This large sound, encompassing the Fitzroy River estuary and Stokes Bay, is similar in mariyaspects to CambridgeGuU. It is a largegulf with somefeatures of a seasonalestuary. Its I shoresire iharacterisedby broad tidal flats. The region is macrotidalwith relativelylow wave energy.The area is setin a semi-aridtropical climate and the estuary/gulf is thereceivin! basin for theFiLroy, May and Meda rivers. Mud flats, sand flats and gravel flats dominate the shore types, but T to thenorth there is localdevelopment of rocky shores as the system grades into the lia shore complexof the Kimberleymast. As with cambridgeGulf the dominance of mudand the extreme tidalrange result in turbidwaters in thearea throughout the year. The southem part of Kingsound I hasbeen subdivided by Semeniuk (1981a, b) into5 shoretypes.

4. CanningCoast.This coastal zone, extending from Cape Leveque to CapeKeraudren, is I characteriiedby shoresofMesozoic rock, oolitic limestone, or dunesand, a€iainst which have accumulateddunes, barrier dunes and associated inlets, and tidal embayments. The coast is characterisedby little or no fluvialrun-ofi a carbonatemud-dominated sedimentary system and a I shorewith altematingsmall embayments and headlands (semeniuk 1985). The northern part of the areais setin a semiaridclimate and the southern part in anarid climate. The shore has a verylarge tidalrange but waveenergy varies from moderate along some parts of theDampier Peninsula coast I andEighty Mile Beach, to lowwithin the broad shelving embayments such as Roebuck Bay.

5. ThePilbam coasf. This coast is alsoa low-eneygycoast and the climate is arid.The coastal I geomorphologyhas been described by Semeniuk(1993a). Although there are large rivers, they are ieasonaland flooding is infrequent.Nevertheless, the shelf sediments consist primarily of terrigenous muds,and long beaches and muddy tidal flats dominate the shoreline. Coral reefs are better I developedthan on theKimberley coast but arenot a majorfeature except on the moredistant islands andalong the shelf-break.

I Alongthe Pilbara coast systems of barrierislands and associated protected la€loons, embayments, deltas,and archipelago-ria shores predominate and the coast is eitheropen oI partlyprotected by chainsand clusters of smallislands. The hinterland has moderately high topographic reliefuith Pre- t Cambrianrocks, and is drainedby numerous rivers and streams. These fluvial features have built a coastalplain and deltas along the coast. The boundary ofthe Pilbaracoast section is well definedin thenorth by the Decrey River and its delta,and in thesouth by the YannyaYe and Ashburton Rivers I andtheir deltas.

Thereare 3 mainfactors contributing to thegyoss development of regional coastal t)'"pes in the I Pilbaracoast: . deltaicconstruction to developdelta lands, and post depositional destruction ofdeltas to developbarrier islands; I . accumulationofaeolianites along former shorelines forming Pleistocene ooid limestone ridges,often also developing barrier islands; and I o extensionof thePilbara hinterland geology as bedrock outcrops in thecoastal zone. ThePilbara zone can be viewed as a systemof nearlycontinuous stretches of barrierislands composedof shellylimestone or ooidlimestone behind which are the protected embayments, lagoons I andtidal flats. This prevalent pattern is disruptedlocally by active deltas, or bybedrock outcrops, to developa contrastin coastalform at theregional scale.

I 6. North WestShelf OceanicPmttince. The outer part ofthe NorthWest Shelf, from the North Kimberleyto NorthWest Cape, comprises an oceanic province. It is sometimesdivided into a northernpart known as the Sahul Shelf, and a southernpart known as the Rowley Shelf. Except I wherethere are tidal scour channels, the bottom sediments of theshelf tend to befine silty sands or muds.

T Thereis a seriesof coralatolls along the shelf-edge, and a numberofouter-shelf and mid-shelf islands.Together these comprise an oceanic geomorphic zone. The islands can be naturally $rouped into categoriesbased on materialsthat comprise their cores; these cate$ories also tend to form I geographicgroupings. The categories are: I o Tertiary-Pleistocenecoralline limestone atolls; I PartI - 19 I r Tertiarylimestone islands; . Pleistoceneooid limestoneislands; . Pleistoceneshelly limestone islands; I . Holocenesand islands.

The shelf-edgeatolls (Seringapatam,Scott and the threeatolls in the RowleyShoals) are formed on I the topsof faultedblock of corallineTertiary limestone and are ancient structures. The largestof the coastalislands is Barrowin which the Tertiarylimestone is an extensionof a structuraltrend from CapeRange. The LowendalGroup and Montebello Islands are formed of Pleistoceneooid limestone. I The remainderare relatively small islandscomposed either ofPleistocene shelly limestone, or Holocenesand, or Pleistocenelimestone core with a Holocenesand mantle. I 7. The CapeRange-Cascoyne Coast. Ovenll this is a moderatelyhigh-energy zone, encompassing the coastfrom CapeRange to Kalbarri.It comprisesuplifted Tertiary sedimentary rocks and Quaternarylimestone and basin deposits forming a regional-scalebarrier in the CapeRange area. I Ridgesof limestoneand sandstone form rockyshores which aresubject to high-energywave action.

This zoneabuts arid landswith fewrivers which floodinfrequently. The shelfis relativelynarrow, I dominatedby bioclasticcarbonate sediments, and has relatively clear waters. Coral reefs are well developedand there aresome species-poor mangals in protectedareas. The NingalooReet the GascoyneDelta, the SharkBay embayments,and the rockyZuytdom Cliffs in exposedareas are I significantfeatures of the region,each forming a verydifferent kind of marinehabital makingthis sectorone of the mostvaried and complexon the WA coast. T Although moderateto high waveenergy is a majorfeature of this coasl thereare embaymentswhere waveenergy is lessand fine sedimentsaccumulate. The limestoneridges cradle small embaymentsin which mangroveenvironments may develop, as along the southernand south-western shores of T ExmouthGulf. Thereare also two major embayments,Exmouth Gulfand SharkBay, which are protectedfrom the strongprevailing southerly wind of the regionby the peninsulasforming their westernboundaries, although the embaymentsare subject to storm impactfrom the north. Asa T result,mud accumulatesin theiy relativelylow-energy environments. This sedimentis derivedfrom erodingshores, the aeolianhinterland and fluviatile sources. I 8. The Centrol WestCoast (ie. Kalbarrito CapeNaturaliste). This coastis a microtidal,relatively high-energyarea, with a moderatelynarrow shell clearwater and few rivers, and is dominatedby bioclasticcarbonate and quartzsediments. The coastlineis commonlyof long sandybeaches with T occasionallimestone cliffs and headlands,and with offshorelimestone island and reef complexes. Limestonerock platformsare a featureof this coast.There are manyestuaries, ofwhich three,the Swan,Peel-Harvey and Leschenault, are Iarge and permanently open to the sea.Cockburn Sound is a I major enclosedmarine embayment. Jurien Bay, Warnbro Sound and Geographe Bay are major but moreopen embayments. Sheltered lagoonal habitats are developed behind off-shore limestone reefs in manylocalities. Although south of the usuallatitude for coralreef development, there are I significantshelf-break coral reefs at the HoutmanAbrolhos which havedeveloped as a consequence of the southerly-flowingLeeuwin Current. T Searle& Semeniuk(1985) subdivided the coastalenvironment ofthe centralwest coast south of Dongarainto five distinct naturalsectors. Each sector has its own distinctiveancestral geomorphology,processes of sedimentation-erosion-tlansport, stratigraphic evolution and modern I coastalgeomorphology. These coastal sectors are:

. WedgeIsland-Dongara sector, characterised by a complexnearshore bathymetry of ridges I and depressions,limestone rocky shores erosionally scalloped at a largescale, extensive shorewardmigrating dune fields and asymmetric accretionary cusps of Holocenesediments; . Whitfords-Lancelinsector, characterised by marineridges and depressions,limestone rocky I shoresand isolatedaccretionary cusps of Holocenesediment; . CapeBouvard-Trigg Island sector, characterised by a complexbathymetryic morphology of marine ridgesand depressionsdeveloped on limestone,and extensivebut discretesites of t Holocenesediment accumulation resulting in progradedbeach ridge and aeolian sand plains; I Part I - 20 I I . Leschenault-Prestonsector, characterised bya barrierdune-estuarine lagoons system and a simplesubmari ne bathymetry; I . GeographeBay sector, characterised bya lowhinterland, a broad,open, north-facing embaymentand by simple bathymetry'

I g. Thesouth westcoast (ie. cape Naturaliste to Isnelite Bay).This is a high-energycoast exposed to healywave action driven by the West Wind Belt. Off-shore the sediments are primarily bioclastic carbonatesand the water is clear.The geology of thecoast is predominantlygranitic and the I shorelineis chancterisedby hi$h lranite headlands with curvingsandy beaches between. Three shoretypes of lesserextent also occur. In manyplaces there are cliffs and rock platforms developed in superlicialQuaternary limestone deposits between or belowthe granite headlands. Between cape T Leeuwinand Black Head, along the southern face of thesedimentary Perth Basin, the shore is beach. At onelocation in cheyneBay where the sedimentary Bremer Basin meets the coast, a bouldershore I is formedalong an outcropof theEocene Pallinup Siltstone. Rainfallis relativelyhigh in thewest but loweyin theeast. There are many small rivers and many I estuariesof differentttpes. lo. TheGreat Ausbotian Bight.Here also there is a hea'"yswell. The wide shelf is dominatedby bio- clasticcarbonates and the water is clear.The adjacent land is aridand there are no riversor I estuaries.The shoreline is dominatedby long sandy beaches and high limestone cliffs.

Fromthis account of coastalgeomorphology it is evidentthat physical features of thecoastal zones, I togetherwith climaticcharacteristics, create a rangeofvery different habitat tlDes along the WA coaslsuperimposed upon the historical biogeognphic zones. For the most part, these geomorphic coastalzones conform with or combineto formthe biogeographic zones recognised in thisreport. I Thereare two exceptions. The western portion ofthe Southwest coast (9), between cape Naturaliste andCape Leeuwin, lies within the West Coast sector while the coast east of CapeLeeuwin lies within the Southcoast sector. The North west Shelf oceanic Province (6) is alsosplit, in thiscase between I theKimberley coast and the Canning-Pilbara coast.

I 3.7. Marine and Coartal E(oiyttems in weitern Australia

In thissection the majormarine ecosystems ruhich are represented in Western Austnlia are briefly I described.(The term ecosystem is discussed in Section3.3.)

Thelevel of ecosystemclassification we have chosen usually corresponds to that of the dominant I biologicalcommunity within the ecosystem (eg. seaweed-kelp beds, mangroves). In somecases ecosystemsare classified in termsof theirphysical boundaries (eg. the rocky intertidal, southern estuaries)because it is thesewhich constrain their main ecological processes. while this multiple- I levelapproach to theclassification of marine ecosystems may not be consistent, it is ecologically defensible,and it servesthe purpose of thisreport well because it definespYactical units of I management. Theecosystems discussed are as follows: 3.7.1.Saltmarsh; r 3.7.2.Rocky shore; 3.7.3.Seaweed-kelp bed; 3.7.4.Seagrass meadow; I 3.7.5.Coral reef; 3.7.6.Southern estuary; 3.7.7.Mangal; t 3.7.8.Tidal flat; 3.7.9.The oceanic environment. I I I PartI - 21 t 3.7.1. Saltmarshes Saltmarshesare a coastalwetland type characteristicof temperater€gions (latitudes higher than about30 degrees).Mangroves dominate the equivalentshore t),!es oftropical regions(latitudes lower I than about30 degrees).However, mangroves and saltmarshes overlap and coexist in the subtropicalA,varm-temperatezone between latitudes 30o and 35o. The occurrence of saltmarshes, mangrovesand other coastalwetlands (saltpans, or salt flats,and freshwater-dependent vegetation) is I stronglyinfluenced by the relativesalt andfreshwater regimes, viz.:

. Reedswamps depend on the dominanceofa freshwatersource. t . Saltmarshhalophytes (plants able to tolerateelevated salinity) are associated with the inundationof both seawater(sometimes as spray) and freshtrater (especial)y from nocturnal dewformation). I . Saltpans,or salt flats,with sparsehalophytes and algal/microbial surface crusts, are characterisedby intermittent tidal inundationand limited freshwaterintrusion. . Mangroves,like saltmarshes,are also able to withstandelevated salinities but extendlower T downthe shoreand are evenbetter adapted to marineinundation than aresaltmarsh halophytes. T In WesternAustralia, saltmarshes are poorly developedbecause of limited areasof freshwaterinflow. However,saltmarsh halophytic vegetation has relatively high regionalsignificance as it is often the only herbaceousvegetation in the coastalzone. Halophyte persistence depends on dewformation, T occasionalrainfall, seasonal floods, and ground water. Saltpans, or salt flats,are often a dominant featurein low-profilecoastal areas of WesternAustralia where soilwater/groundwater becomes very hypersalineand mangroves cannot grow. T

Largeamounts of detritusmay form in saltmarshhabitatJ and the exportof theseorganic materials (andnutrients derived from them) is importantto moreseaward communities. Depending on the I degreeof their development,saltmarshes may serve as imporLant habitat for birds,fishes and invertebrates.By binding coastalsediments, saltmarshes help to control erosion. I 3.7.2. Roclryshores Rockysubstrates of the littoral zoneare of particularinterest because the phenomenonof vertical zonationis pronounced,the habitatsof manyofthe animalsand plants which live there being T restrictedto a narrowhorizonal band around the shore.Different zonation patterns occur, depending on the kindofrock, range oftide, degree ofwave action, and biogeographic province. Frequency and durationof exposureof the rock surfaceto the air andsun duringperiods of low tide are the primary I physicalfactors determining the zonation patterns.

Intertidal zonationhas been well studiedon the limestonerock p)atformsof the WesternAustralian I centralwest coast (Hodgkin, 1960; Marsh & Hodgkin,1962) but hardlyat all in the northor on the granitic shoresof the south coast. I Southen Western A ustr ali a Usuallyzonation of marineplants between tide markson rockycoasts is obviousbut in southern WesternAustralia the lunar tide is veryslight andtides are complicatedby the water levelsrising and I fallingwith changingbarometric pressure. This irregularity and relatively small change in Ieveldoes not yieldsuch obvious zonation of communitiesas may occur in regionswith greatertidal range. I In the southernpart of the Staterocky shores are of two quite differenttypes (see Section 3.6, coastal zonebDes 8 & 9). From CapeNaturaliste southwards granitic rock is the most commonbDe. Thjs tendsto weatherinto relativelysmooth slopes descending into the sublittoralzone in areasexposed I to heaw waveaction, or to form boulderzones where wave action is lesssevere. Zonation patterns aremost distincton the openocean rock slopes.The animals and plants which live thereare necessarilyadapted to clingtightly to thesubstrate by some means - sessileanimals like limpets, I abalone,chitons and barnacles, and algae with strongbasal holdfasts tend to dominate.Intertidal bouldershores with rock poolsprovide a much greatervariety of micro-habitats,and hence a richer flora andfauna, and vertical zonation patt€rns are not asclear. I I I Onthe west coast, offshore limestone reefs run in brokenchains parallel to thecoast. They are the remainsof consolidatedaeolian sand dunes submerged by various changes in sealevel. In many placesalong the west coast these Quatemary limestones form rocky shores. On sections of thesouth coastthere are superficial limestone deposits of thesame period on or betweenthe granitic headlands.

Onthese limestone shores, profiles have developed which are very different to thoseof granitic shores.The limestone erodes by physical, chemical and biological means quite differently to granitic rock. Horizontal(shorewards) erosion is oftenmuch faster than vertical erosion and horizontal rock platformscommonly develop between tide levels. At theshoreward limit of theplat{orm, the "notch" combinedaction ofphysical and biological factors undercuts the rock face and creates a in theupper intertidal zone. The height at whichthe platform develops is largelydependant on the forceofwave action. An ecologicaleffect ofthe horizonalplatform is to splitthe vertical zonation, separatingthe upper slope ofthe intertidalzone from the lower slope.

Rockplatforms of suchshores are covered by water for mostofthe timebutwhen the tide falls they mayquickly become bare and exposed to theair andsun. The shoreward parts are exposed for the longestperiods. Shallow pools like rice-paddieswith slightlyelevated rims commonly occur where sedentaryanimals and plants can find shelter from desiccation at lowtide, provided that theduration of isolationfrom the sea is nottoo prolonged and that the weather is notso hot thattempentures becomelethal and the pool water becomes de-oxygenated. Mass mortality of theintertidal biota of limestonerock platforms occasionally occurs during periods of extremelou tideand extreme hot weather.

At thehighest levels on theshore (ie. the upper part of thenotch) the only plants are thinJayered, prostratelichens and filamentous green algae which penetrate into therock pores. The action of the grazerswhich feed on themis a majorfictor in theerosion ofthis part of theshore. This high zone maybe wet only by wave splash at hightide and few animals and plants can exist there. Those which caninclude pirazers like the littorinid and siphonarian gastlopods, the latter being air-breathers.

Lowerin theintertidal zone, grazers also predominate, especially limpets and chitons. However, wherethere is a sufficientperiod of immersion,sessile filter-feeders like barnacles,mussels and tubiculouspolychaete worms may also establish distinctive zones. Leafy green, brown and red algae andcarnivores like crabsand thaid whelks also appear in themid-tidal zone. Calcareous red algae are characteristicof thispart of theshore. Like the animals the algae are often very distinctly zoned' The permanentmolluscan and echinoderm grazers, and the transient fish and crustncean grazers which invadethe intertidalzone at hightide, generally keep the algae grazed down to a "turf'but ifthe grazersare killed by a catastrophicweather event, such as extreme hotueather during periods of low tide,or bypollution, or areremoved by predation, the algae may develop into a thickcoveY on the rockyshore.

Australiantemperate rocky coasts have the most diverse algal speciation in theworld. In southern WesternAustralia rock platforms and offshore reefs support at least900 species ofalgae.

Northem Westefl Australia In thenorth of theState tidal range is generallymuch greater than in thesouth, wave action is less severe,and there is a muchgreater variety of animalspecies. These three factors produce rocky shoreswhich have very different profiles and different biological zonation patterns.

Thehighest zone, ie. the supra-littoral, is characterisedbylittorinid and siphonarian grazers much as it is in thesouth, although the species are generdlly different. In theupper and middle littoral zone animalswhich have a particularlyimportant impact are Saccostrea (a genvsof oysters)which build substnntialramparts in theintertidal zone, Brachidontes (a genus of mussels)which form mats on the rock surfaces,and the borersl/fftophaga (anothergenus of mussels)and l,rlftothgra (sta'lked barnacles)which make burrows in limestonerock severalcentimetres deep, opQning them up to the destructiveeffects of$ave action and chemical corrosion.

Becauseof thepreferred vertical zones of thesespecies, limestone shores in thenorth often have a doublenotch. In thehighest part of theintertidal zone a notchis formedby the abrasive action of

PartI - 23 grazinganimals and wave action, together with chemicaleffects. In thelower part the burrowing actionof theborers, together with grazingand physical and chemical action may also eat into the rockface. But in themiddle zone occupied by the oysters there is a horizontalridge or shelfbetween theupper and lower notches, partly due to thegrowth of theoysters. This forms the double notch characteristicof WesternAustralia's northern limestone rock platforms.

Onnorthern shores where there are granitic or other"hard" rocla, smooth intertidal slopes rarely developas they do on thesouth coast. This is becauSethere is far lesswave action. Instead, hard rock shoresin thenorth tend to formrock piles or cliffs.Zonation in theupper and middle littoral of such shoresis againdominated by the accretionary effects of oystersand mussels but theborers have little impact.

3.7.3. Scaweed-kelpbeds Shorelineand offshore reefs in temperateregions support a diversityof algalspecies which form an importantcomponent of rockyshore and sublittoral ecosystems. In temperate zones algae may be so denseas to forma distinctecosystem known as a seaweed-kelpbed. Although such beds are usually developedon rockysubstrates, it is usefulto treatthem as a distinctecosystem tlpe for theyhave characteristicsdifferent from those of otherrock substrates. They develop particularly in tempente regionsbecause higher latitudes do not have the multitude of herbivoresthat reduce algal communitiesto turfsas they do in thetropics.

Thediverse assemblages of algae in seaweed-kelpbeds are habitat for a largenumber of animals adaptedto livingon andamongst algae. The high biomass ofplants and sessile animals, and the high productivityof theplants, produce a largebiomass of detritalmaterial. This is foundon thesea floor betweenthe reefsand the shore and on theshore in largedrifts, particularly during winter, and after storms.The decomposition and mechanical breakdor,vn of drift materialproduces dissolved organic matter,and results in therelease ofplant nutrients and suspended particulate material into thewater column.

In thewarm temperate waters ofsouthern Western Australia the most abundant and visually dominantalga is the kelpEcklonia radiala which, in manyplaces, forms a completecover from 2m to about14m depth, becoming less well represented asthe reefs become deeper. Underneath the kelp coveris a diverseassemblage of calcareous encrusting red algae. In otherareas and in depthsgreater thanI0m, Caulerpaspecies and fleshy red algae are more conspicuous. At shallow depths, the annual reproductivefronds of thebrown alga, Sargassum lacerifolium, grow rapidly from September until Aprilbut declinein winter.There are relatively few large herbivores in thisplant-dominated system.

In theshallow sublittoral zone of thewesl coasl Ecklonia, Sargasum and other leaf,r brown algae frequentlyform extensive seaweed-kelp beds which play a majorrole in the energycycles of coastal waters.For example, at theAbrolhos they are a majorcontributor to thehigh biotic productivity whichsupports the rockJobsterfishery. Competitive interaction of thealgae and corals at that localityis oneof themost interesting features ofwest coast biogeography and ecology (Johannes ef a/..1983).

3.7.4. Seagrassmeadows Seagrassesare flowering plants able to livepermanently in marineenvironments. They form the basisof a characteristicecosystem. Aspects of seagrassbiology and their ecological importance in the Australianregion are discussed in Larkum,McComb & Sheperd(1989).

Seagrassmeadows cover vast areas ofthe sea bed along the WA coast. The seagrdss communities of southernWA (ie. Shark Bay to theSA border) are probably the most extensive in theworld. Seagrass extendsfrom the mid-intertidal zone to greaterthan 50m depth, usually occurring in shallow,sand- sill soft-bottomhabitats. A depthzonation pattern of differentgenera and species is evident, reflectingthe interaction of a numberof parametersincluding intertidal exposure, substratum stabilityand light availability.In addition,temperature and salinity tolerance of individualseagrass specieswill affecttheir local and latitudinal distribution.

Trophicinteractions within seagrass communities and between associated ecosystems (eg. mangroves,coral reefs) are not only complex but are esential in maintainingthe integrity and

Partl - 24 productivityof seagrassassemblages. The total community represents a rich and highly dynamic food chainwhich sustains resident and migratory marine animals and birds. Seagrass communities are a majorsource of organicdetritus in thecoastal zone. Utilisation ofthe detritaland living plant resourcesinvolves most classes of invertebrates,some ofwhich are eaten by carnivoreshigher in the foodchain. In thenorth, turtles and dugong are direct consumers of seagrass.Food availability and sheltermake seagrass communities an important nursery forjuvenile fishes, rock lobsters and pnlwns,and many other animals. Commercially important fishes and lobsters often shelter in associatedhabitats by dayand travel large distances to feedin seagrassbeds at night.

Thecoastal waters of Western Australia contain 11 ofthe 12genera of seagrassesfound throughout theworld. Tventy-four species are represented,. Posidonia is the richestgenus with eightspecies foundfrom Shark Bay to theSouth Australian border.

Unlikemost other coasis in Australia,the strongly seasonal estuaries of southernWestern Australia donot representa major habitat for seagrassbeds, although seagrdsses are ecologically important in mostof them.The open coast has the largest seagrdss beds. They are located in positionsprotected by offshorereefs or, in the caseof the southerncoast, by the physicalaspects of the bays.Generally, a singlespecies ofseagrass dominates in mostareas but natural,localised eyosion and disturbance may createsites ofdynamic change with greaterdiversity and varying abundance of species.

Thetropical seagrasses arewell represented around the northern islands but donot formextensive bedsalong the open coast where the effects of strongcurrents and large tidal flows dominate. The distributionofseagnsses in northernWestern Australia is outlinedby Walker & Prince(1987).

Theecological importance of seagrassecosystems in trophic transfers, maintenance of fishery resourcesand mastal stabilisation makes the need for soundconservation and management practices particularlyvital.

Althoughseagrasses may be relatively resilient to somenatural and human impacts, such as storms or anchorand propeller damage, other activities such as coastal engineering projects, landfilling, dredgingand sand-mining can cause complete destruction. Thermal pollution, sedimentation, nutrientenrichment, sewage discharge, oil andchemicals have also been shown to depleteseagrass communities.Toxic elements from agricultural run-off can have marked effects on seagrasssystems in estuariesand landlocked bays.

Recentstudies in CockbumSound and elsewhere have shown that seagrass communities do not readilyrecover after suffering severe damage from pollution (personal obseryation Kirkman).

3.7.5. Conl Reefs Coralreefs are found throughout the tropics and subtropics, usually between 30"N and 30"S, and are confinedto regionswhere the annual mean water temperature is greaterthan about 18oC. Various physicalfactors interact to determinegeographical and depth distribution of coralreefs.

Australiancorals and coral reefs, including those of WesternAustrali4 are described in Veron (1986a).Veron & Marsh(1988) published an annotated list of thehermatypic corals of Western Australiaand major coral reefs systems of theState. Coral reef handbooks have been published by Kenchington& Hudson(19M) and Mather & Bennett(1984).

Wth theexception ofa fewdeep-water genera and species, reef-building corals occur in waterless thanabout 50m in depthwith maximumgro$th taking place in lessthan 20m, reflecting the depth to whichlight may penetrate in sufficientquantity to maintainmetabolism by zooxanthellae. Optimumcoral growth occurs at 25-29"Cand at normalocean water salinity .

Coralreefsystems are found characteristically in waters having low nutrient concentrations. Excessivenutrient loads can be detrimental to coralsurvival.

Reef-buildingcoral species are found along the entire coast of WesternAustralia from the north Kimberleyto theCreatAustralian Bight, although there is a markedprogressive diminution of speciesfrom north to south.At southernlocalities the few coral soecies mav be abundant but do not

PartI - 25 formreefs. Coral reefs, with theirtypical communities are developed only as far southas the HoutmanAbrolhos (lat. about 30'S). At higherlatitudes than this cord,ls occur as isolated colonies on rockysubstrates.

A widevariety of coralreef types is foundalong the tropical and subtropical coasts of theState. Tertiarytectonic activity and Pleistocene transgressions and regressions around the continental marginsof WesternAustralia have left a legacyofgeological structures providing the foundations for moderncoral reef development. The variety of reeftypes results in partfrom the different structural foundationson whichthey are built, and in partfrom the regional climate and hydrological conditions.

Fivecoral reefprovinces may be recognised in WesternAustralian coastal waters:

i) Platform rcefsof the SahulShelf Thewaters of thisarea, off the coastof theNorth Kimberley, are generally turbid and the substrates muddy(see Section 3.6). There is a hightidal range and strong tidal current flow. Nevertheless corals growprolifically and extensive modern coral bank andlarge platform reefs are formed. Adele, Browse,lrng andAshmore Reefs, the Holothuria Bank and Hibernia Reef are major examples. The innerparts of theSahul Shelf have been successively flooded and laid bare by Pleistocene sealevel changesso that coralgrowth has been intermittent. The modern reefs have been very little studied but appearto bevery diverse in speciesof coralsand other conl reefplantsand animals.

iil North WestShelf shelf-edge ahlls SeringapatamReef, Scott Reef and the Rowley Shoals form a seriesof largeshelf-edge atolls growing on block-faultedPleistocene and Tertiary coralline limestones. They have deep central lagoons, wide reefflatsand steep reef-front slopes. Several of themhave small unvegetated sand cays. These atolls areextremely rich in coralspecies and support a diversemarine flora and fauna typical of clearwater oceanicatolls. Many ofthe atollspecies are not foundin thecoastal reef communities closer to the mainland.

iiil WestKimberley and Pilhara Mnging reefs Thereis extensivecoral reef development, growing mainly on Pleistocenecoastal limestone foundations,on theseaward sides of manyislands along the coast from the Lacepedes to the Muirons. Thebest developed reefs are around the more distant offshore islands, eg. the Montebellos. The diversityofspecies is moderatelyhigh on thesereefs where the tidal range is greatand the water moderatelyturbid.

iv) NingalooReef Thereis a fringing-barrierreef system, some 260 km long,developed on Tertiarylimestone foundationsalong the western side of theCape Range Peninsula anticline. The continental shelf is verynarrow in thisregion and the waters are clear. There is a shallowlagoon between the reefand theshore. Species diversity is moderatelyhigh with manyoceanic coral reefspecies occurring there but whichare not found on theinshore reefs ofthe Pilbancoast to thenorth. vl HoutmanAbmlhos Thisremarkable reef and island complex is locatedin relativelyhigh latitudes (about 30"S.) and appearsto beestablished and sustained by thewarm, southerly-flowing Leeuwin Current. The reefs areplatform reefs or pseudo-atolls,rtith a foundationofPleistocene coralline and coastal limestones. Diversityof coralspecies is surprisinglyhigh for suchlatitudes. Brown algae play a prominentrole in the reefenergycycles, and appear to competewith thereef-building corals, so that the ecosystem is agpicalof coralreefs in somerespects (Johannes et. al., 1983).

Becauseof their complexity,coral reef systems can show a varietyof responsesto stresses, such as stormdamage, or pollutionfrom such sources as sediments, thermal effluents, or nutrient enrichment.A commonresponse following such events is a progressivetransformation from predominantlyliving coral to a deadsubstrate covered by macroalgae. There are also occasional catastrophicupsets to coralreef communities when coral predators become excessively abundant. Episodicoutbreaks ofthe Crown-of-thornsstarfish (Aconthaster plancf) have caused localised destructionon theDampier Archipelago coral reefs. The coral-eating gastropod Drupelln comus hu

PartI - 26 causedvery extensive damage to back-reefcommunities ofthe NingalooReef. Whether such predator outbreaksare due to natunl causesor someform ofhuman interference in naturalecological processesis unknown. Whatever the cause, coral reef communities are usually slow to recover,even whenthe causeofthe stressis removed.

Tropicalcoral reefs rarely sustain major single-species fisheries like those found in nutrient-rich temperatewaters and in areasofupwelling. The rock-lobster fishery at theAbrolhos is aninteresting exception,probably related to theatypical ecosystem' features resulting from the dominance of brown algae(Johannes et a/.,1983). over-fishing of resident,migratory and pelagic fishes from reefal waters canlead to majorchanges in coralreefecosystems. Selective fishing (ie. ofparticularly popular species)can result in subtlechanges to fishcommunities detrimental to thereef ecosystem as a whole.

3.7.6. Southcrnestuaries Theterm 'estuary' as used here includes all partiallyenclosed coastal waters into which rivers flow andwhich are, at onetime or another,open to thesea, and does not includecoastal lakes that are neveropen to thesea. Saltmarshes may be considered extensions of estuarineecosystems into the supra-littoralzone. While acknowledging this they are dealt with separatelyin Section3.7.1 of this report.

In southemWestern Australia (ie. south of SharkBay) the estuaries are quite well studied (Hodgkin & Major,1978; Hodgkin & Clark,1987-1990) and, although they are extremely variable in structure, hydrologyand biology, they fit theusual notion of "estuary"reasonably well, Estuaries of the northernpart of theState, hor,vever, are relatively poorly studied and they are dominated by mangal habitats.For this reason the estuaries of northernWestem Australia are not dealtwith in this section but aretreated as mangals in Section3.7.7.

Physiognphically,most southern estuaries have lagoons (locally called 'inlets'), the tidal reaches of tributaryrivers, and narrow entnnce channels through Pleistocene or Recentdune systems to the sea.However, there are also a numberof riverineestuaries which do not havelagoons. All, except OysterHarbour and the Swan estuary, have entrance bars which obstruct tidal exchange with thesea. (TheSwan bar was removed by dredging to developFremantle Harbour in 1897.)Many estuaries also havefluvial bars which partially isolate riverine reaches from the lagoons.

Southernestuaries vary greatly in sizefrom Peel-Harvey with anarea of 130km2 to severalthat have lagoonsI km2or less.There are also great differences between the estuaries in theirgeology and morphology.For example,the Swan estuary is aninundated meandering coastal river complex with a channelthrough Pleistocene limestone dunes; Leschenault Inlet is a barredlagoon behind Holocene barrierdunes; Nornalup Inlet and Wlson Inlet are in basinsenclosed by Pleistocene dunes and with Pre-Cambrianheadlands; several very shallow south coast estuaries are in rivervalleys excavated in thesoft Pallinup Siltstone.

Hydrologicallythe estuariesofthe SouthWest are 'seasonal estuaries'; eituary water alternates betweennearly fresh in winterand brackish, marine, or hypersalinein summer-autumn.This is causedby the extremeseasonality of rainfalland river flow, the small tidal range, and the obstructing entrancebars. lt is a verydifferent situation from that in a conventionalestuary where the tides causethe position of thesalinity gmdient to shiftup anddown the estuary daily.

Thedefinition of estuaryused here excludes coastal lakes that are not open to thesea, however it shouldbe noted that several ofthe southerncoastal lakes have rivers and lagoons that were estuarine until recently.Their bars are now high and never break, but in otherrespects they are similar to semi-permanentlyclosed estuaries. Culham Inlet thelargest was certainly estuarine until at least 4000Before Present (BP) (and probably within the last few hundred years). The Jerdacuttup Lakes wereprobably estuarine during the mid-Holocene. Lake Nameless (in theFitzgerald River National Park)may also have been estuarine during the mid-Holocene. The Vasse-Wonnerup lagoons were onceestuaries, probably in theseasonally open, lagoonal category, but arenow artificially closed by locksand maintained as freshwater wetlands.

Paftl - 27 Thehydrological and ecological status ofthe estuariesdepends to a largeextent on howoften the barsare breached. Three categories are recognised: l. Permanentlyopen estuaries,

Thefollowing estuaries belong to thispermanently open category:

. Murchison; o Swan-Canning; . Peel-Harvey(Serpentine, Murray and Harvey rivers); o Leschenault(Collie River); . Hardy(Blackwood and Scott rivers); . Nornalup-Walpole(Deep and Frankland rivers); . OysterHarbour (King and Kalgan rivers).

Althoughthe bars ofthese estuaries never close they do restricttidal exchange to a greateror lesser extent.River water floods them in therainy season. During periods of lowriver flow, sea water enters anda salinitygradient progresses upstream. Extreme stratification of thewater may develop in the riverineparts.

2. Susonallg openlclosd estuaries Thereare two types of estuaryin thiscategory: those where there is a coastallagoon into which the riversflow, and those where the rivers flow directly into thesea and there is no lagoon.

a) Lagoonalestuaries: Larger estuaries including the Broke (Shannon River); Irwin (Bowand Kentrivers); Wilson (Denmark and Hay rivers); and estuaries with anarea less than 2 kmr: Greenough,Moore, Parry, Torbay, Taylor, Normans, Cordinup, Cheyne.

b) Riuerineestuaries: Chapman, Margaret, Donnelly, Warren, Gardner, Torradup, Munglinup, Alexander,Blackboy, Thomas, Jorndee, Poison. On the west coast, the Hutt, Buller and Irwin Rivershave short stretches of estuarinewater.

In estuariesof this categorythe bars close when effective river flow ceases, isolating them fromthe sea. They usually open annually when river flow breaches the bars, or whenthey arebreached artificially. The large estuaries ofthis categoryare seldom fully marine,but somesmaller estuaries become marine or evenhy'persaline in summer.

3. Semi-petmanentlgclosed xtuaries Beaufort,Wellstead, Gordon, St Mary,Fitzgenld, Dempster, Hamersley, Oldfield, Stokes, Barker.

Theseare estuaries where the bars remain closed for severalyears at a timeand only open when thereis above-avengeseasonal river flow or whenthere is floodflow (either winter or summer). Theyare all in thelow rainfallarea east ofAlbany, with lessthan 600 mm annualrainfall near the coastand 400 mm inland.The heavy winter rains of September-October1971 broke the bars of all theseestuaries, as did the summer floods of January1990. Most bars only stay open for a fewweeks, but the Gordonand Wellstead bars sometimes remain open for severalyears. Estuary water may be brackishfollowing river flow but becomesincreasingly saline while there is little or no riverflow; it maythen become hypersaline through evapontion. Many of theseestuaries dry up altogether followinglong periods with no riverflow.

Ecologg Substratetype, bar behaviour, water depths and changes in waterlevel, and the hydrology all influencethe ecology ofthe estuaries.There are usually extensive areas of shallowsand and mud flats anddeeper water mud basins, but mostestuaries have limited areas of naturalsolid substrates (rock andlogs) except in riverineparts. Macrophytes are important substrates for epiphytesand fauna. In thoseestuaries which are permanently open to thesea and receive regular tidal water, there may be developmentof extensiveseagnss beds.

PartI - 28 Thetime, season, duration and frequency ofbar opening determine the recruitment of marindestuarinefauna. Changing water levels determine when and where both emergent and aquaticplants and benthic fauna can settle and survive. However, it is thehydrology, the great range ofsalinityexperienced and the duration of exposureto thesalinity extremes, that largely determines thediversity of speciesand their distribution.

In the Swanthe number of speciesofbenthic macrofauna decreases progressively from the entrance channelwhere stenohaline marine species may be present seasonally, through the lagoon with euryhalineestuarine-marine species, to theriverine part dominated by a dozentrue estuarine species (Chalmeref a/.,1976).

Othersouthem estuaries (except Oyster lfurbour) have a morelimited diversity of species,dominated bytrue estuarinespecies and a fewestuarine-marine species (Hodgkin and Clark, 1987-1990). Studies of thefaunas of southemestuaries include those on: Blackwood(Wallace, 1976), Peel-Harvey (Chalmerand Scott, 1984) and Wilson Inlet (Platell,1990).

Mostfish and other nektonic estuarine fauna, such as crabs and prawns, spawn in theocean and enterand leave estuaries in responseto changingsalinity. There are a fewexclusively estuarine species.The diversity ofspecies within an estuaryis principallyrelated to thesalinity regime. For example,137 species of fishare recorded from the Swan (l,oneragan eta|,1987), probably about half that numberin Peel-Harveyand decreasing numbers in otherestuaries where salinity range becomes moreextreme. There is oftenmassive mortality of fishand benthic fauna when the water becomes hypersalinein closedestuaries. Recruitment is fromthe saline rivers, the from the sea when floods breakthe bars. Initially the fauna may be diverse but asthe water becomes hypersaline species die out progressively(Lenanton and Hodgkin, 1985).

Consentationoalue Theharshness of theextreme seasonal variation in watersalinity and associated physical conditions, andthe inconsistency of those conditions in manyofthe southernestuaries from one year to the next,determine that species diversity in theiraquatic faunas and floras is relativelylow and that communitystructures are unstable. Nevertheless, the estuaries of southernWestem Australia are highlyproductive in thebiomass and nutrient sense and provide rich feeding grounds for fishand nurseryareas for a numberof coastalspecies. They are also important feeding grounds for waterbirds,especially for themany migratory species ofwaders. The Peel-Harvey Estuary is a designatedWetland of InternationalImportance under the Conoention on Wetlandsof Intemational ImportanceEspeciall! as WaterfoulHa6ilal (knownas the RAMSARConvention) in recognitionof its significanceas habitat for waterbiyds.

Thesouthern estuaries are valuable scenically and for recreationalfishing, boating and other aquatic activities.Several of themsupport long-established netfisheries. Some are currently the sites of oysterculturing establishments and there may be further opportunities for developmentof aquacultureindustries without damaging the estuarine environments.

Humanactivities have had a varietyof impactson estuariesofthe SouthWest. Sometimes these have benefitedthe estuaries in thesense that a moreequable environment is createdpermitting a higher diversityof aquaticspecies to persistthere, eg. dredging the entrance of theSwan at Fremantle.More oftenthey have been detrimental as the result of thedischarge of industrialwastes and sewage. Recently,nutrients from fertilisers have made a numberof estuarieseutrophic. Probably the most seriouslong term threat is fromclearing in catchmentsand the consequent eutrophication and sedimentationin estuariesthat are already shallow. In StokesInlet the sedimentation rate has increasedtenfold following clearing, from <1 mma yearto 20-25cm of drysediment in thelast 30 years.

Giventhe high aesthetic and commercial values ofthe southern estuaries there can be no doubtthat theydeserve special management to ensurethat their water quality and biological systems are maintained.Howevet this is a verydifficult thing to achieveand requires management ofthe catchmentsbeyond the limits of theestuaries as well as management ofthe estuariesthemselves.

PartI - 29 3.7.7. Mangals(Mangtoves)* Mangrovecommunities occur in theintertidal zone, growing along the edges ofbrackish and seawatershores, and comprise plants (trees and shrubs) able to colonisewaterlogged and saline soils. Mangrovescontrol coastal erosion and contribute to shorelineaccretion.

Theecology of mangalshas been studied extensively. Useful references in theAustralian context are Lugo& Snedaker(1976); Galloway (1980); Hamilton & Snedaker(1984); Hutchings & Saenger (1987).

Globally,mangals are chancteristic of tropicaland subtropical regions and are limited by low air temperature(< about20"c) although the grey mangrove (tuicennia) will tolentetemperature minimaaround 10"C. The presence and health of eachmangrove stand are determined by the interactionof tides,salinity and water table parameters in thepresence ofother physical factors, for example,low energy and low profile coastlines. Saltwater input minimises competition by other plants,and the availability of silt andterrestrial sediments provides nutrients and substntes.

Diverseflora and fauna are associated with mangroves,and adult and juvenile fishes frequently migratefrom ofrshore ecosystems to feed and seek shelter during growth. The biotic density ofthese communitiesreflects their complex food chains and the integrdted trophic exchange ofterrigenous materials,marine materials, and mangrove primary production between the mangalsystem and the adjacentterrestrial and marine ecosystems.

Asprimary producers, mangroves make significant contributions to estuarineand inshore productivityvia an energyflow pathway based on detritus.Leaves and branches fall into thewater, or ontothe sediment substrate, where they are microbially decomposed and made soluble. particulate organicmatter sustains elaborate food chains within mangrove stands and also is flushedout of the mangalsto benefitnearshore marine ecosystems. The high productivity sustained through detrital foodchains originating in mangalscontributes to thehigh biomass and dense populations of resident andmigratory animals of themangals themselves and adjacent habitats.

Importantpublications on thefloristics, distribution of mangrovesspecies and the community structureofmangal systems in westernAustralia are those ofSemeniuk & wurm (19g2),semeniuk, Kenneally& Wilson (1978), Wells (1981) and Johnstone (1990).

Mangal Floristicsanil RegionalDistribution of mangrouespecies in WA Eighteenspecies of mangrovehave been recorded from Western Australia (Semeniuk, 19g3).

Themost diverse mangals occur in thehumid tropics, with fewspecies extending into thetemperate regions.As with manyother groups of animalsand plants, there is a trentlfor a decreasein species diversityof mangroveswith increasinglatitude.

In aridregions, salt flats and salt marshes develop at landwardedges of mangalsand replace mangroves.on a regionalbasis, there is a progressivedecrease in speciesdiversity as aridity increases.In westemAustralia this means a decreasefrom the high diversity centre in theNorth westKimberley, west and south down the wA coast,compounding or at leastparalleling the trend for a decreasein speciesdiversity with increasinglatitude.

Mangalsof westernAustralia occur in 4 climaticzones which are (in orderof speciesdiversity): . tropicalsubhumid (16 species); . tropicalsemiarid (8 species); . tropicalarid (5species); . subtropicalarid (>5species).

Althoughthere are few data, it canbe assumed that diversity of associatedfauna will showthe same trend,ie. decrease from tropical subhumid to subtropicalarid.

* 'mangal' Follolvingcontemporary practice the term is usedto referto the vegetation assemblagesof treesknown as mangroves associated with tidalflats. 'Mangroveiis commonly usedin layterminology as a synonymof ,mangal,.

PartI - 30 Rhbophorast$osa and Auicennia marina are probably the most common mangrove species along thewestern Austialian coast. The southernmost outlier ofR. slglosa occurs at Yardiecreek in the NingalooMarine Park. South ofthatpoint,A. maina is theonly mangrove species present. There are smallmangals comprised solely of thisspecies in the mouthofthe GascoyneRiver, at several locationsin SharkBay, and at theAbrolhos. The most southerly occurrence of A. maina is at Bunbury.

Theassociated fauna in ther,vell-developed mangal ecosystems along the northern coast is veryrich (Wells,F.E., i983, 1984, 1986a and b; Wells, F.E. & Slack-Smith,1981) and includes a numberof importantfishes, such as barramundi, bream, prawns, and mud (mangrove) crabs. Further south, the relativelyless developed mangrove ecosystems have an importantrole as centres of highprimary productivity.

Mongolhabitab Thephgsical settings Whilethe geographical distribution of mangrovespecies determines the potential size and compositionof themangal communities at anypoint on thecoast, the realised floristics and structureofparticular mangals are set by the habitat conditions prevailing there. Habitat is determinedby a combinationof regionalgeomorphological/stratigraphic features and local physical features(Wells, 1981; Semeniuk, 1985).

Fourmajor tlpes of coastlinesrelevant to the developmentof mangrove habitats were recognised by Semeniuk(1985). These coastline types are:

. ria shore- archipelagosettings; . delta- barrierisland settings; o shelteredbay-embaymentsettings; . gulfsettings.

Riashores are deeply indented coxtlines formed by subsidence of the land and the inundation of coastalriver vallep. Coastal islands are formed by the same process so that ria andarchipelago settingsare inter-gradational at the regional scale. Similarly, deltas and barrier islands are inter- gradational.

Wthin thesefour primary regional coastal types there are recognisable coastal types at a smaller scale.For example, along the Canning-Pilban coast 12 coastal types are recognised for thepurposes ofthis report(see Part III, Section1.1.2).

Wthin eachof thesecoastal types there are particular habitats which support characteristic assemblagesof mangrove species and formations. Individual mangals vary in floristic(and faunistic) composition,species richness, community structure, and zonation, according to local geomorphologicalfeatures, tidal range, substrate, aquifers, physiochemical processes and salinity. Freshwaterseepage, in particular, has a largeinfluence.

Mangroveformations in WesternAustralia are diffrcult to classifybecause much compositional and structuralvariation exists at theregional scale. Even at thelocal scale one formation tlpe commonly gndesinto another because of smallscale responses to physiochemical gradients. Mangrove systems in othercountries, mmprising fewer floristic components, have lent themselves to classificationinto structuraltypes, eg. the riverine, basin, fringing and dwarf categories of McNae(1966), Lugo and Snedaker(1976) and Wells (1981) and the structunl schemes of Specht(1981). The floristics of the mangalsare not incorporated into thenomenclature of theseclassifications. This approach is not successfulin WesternAustralia

Theapproach of Semeniuk(1985) and Semeniuk and Wurm (1987) is adoptedhere, wherein, in the first instance,mangrove formations are classified according to theirhabitat setting. This approach encompassesthe implication ofphysiochemical variation present in thehabitat, and consequently alsoencompasses (and implies) the variation in structureand floristic gradation and zonation present in the mangroveswithin that habitat. The major mangrove habitats (and assemblages) are:

PartI - 31 . muddytidal flat assemblages; . sandytidal flat assemblages; . tidalcreek assemblages; . spiVchenierassemblages; . alluvialfan assemblages; . hinterlandlringe assemblages; o rockyshore assemblages; . beachassemblages; . shoalassemblages; . lagoonassemblages.

Someof thesetypes are specific to certaingeomorphic settings, whereas others occur throughout tropical north-westernAustralia. In additionto variationsin habitatslocally and regionally, it.r. i, compositional(floristic) variation regionalry, in responseto climate(Semeniuk rgsl). rnui, floristically,assemblages colonising similar habitats will varyfrom region to region. Fromthese considerdtionsit folrows that establishment of a reservesystem representative of the mangal habitatsand the mangroveflora of WesternAustralia will needto takJaccountof rrariation produced geographic by distributionofspecies, regional climatic t,.pe, regional and Iocal coastal tlpes,and site-specifichabitat t1pes. within eachof theprimary climatic types, reservation of areas- representativeofthe coastaltypes will usuallyencompass most of thehabiiit types provide and,ttrereby a representationofthe variety of mangalformations and mangrove species. Suscep ti bil i ty of Mangals Mangroves maybe disturbed or destroyedby naturareventi such as cycrones, tidal waves, or coastal erosion. Humanactivities arso may have far-reaching effects. For example,ru"onrfirg una o'.JJG cancause changes in drainagepatterns, deforestation in the hinterland can increase iedi ment irnlff anddeposition in the mangars,and changes in agricurturalpractices and coastal development can changethe environment and deplete mangroves. Discharg.i fro,n po*., anddesalination installationscan modify temperatures and salinity. 1a 3-s"c increase in ambientseawater t€mperature in thetropics can cause mangrove mortarity, as well as up to 90%reduction in the density andmass ofassociated fauna.) water polution by refusedumps, sewage, oil andchemicars canbe detrimental to mangrovesand associated food chains important to people. Mangals, especiallythe highdiversity mangals of thefar north,are worthy of conservationin their ownright andattention shourd be paid to preservingan exampleof eachof th. u*i.t;;;;;o;;-' habitat:ystems in eachof themajor geomorphic provinces and subprovrnces in tropical western Australia'However, theyhave particurar importance to conservationof coastatwaters, irresfective or theirown species richness,because of thegreat contribution they make to coastarnuirient ilows anJ asnursery areas for many marine species.

3.7.8. Tidalflats Tidalflats predominantly occur in thecoastal zones of northernWestern Australia where tidal range is moderate to high.As described in an earriersection (3.4), they comprise mud flats, sand flats, ro"ik pavementsand boulder or pebbleflats and pavements. In addition to substratevariations from rocarity to rocaritydue to shoreenergy gradients and variations.in sourcemateriars, there is variation in inundationdue to risingilo-re revel. es a resutt, thereis a largevariation in smallerscare habitats on thetidar flat (seeSemeniuk, 19g5). There is a correspondinglylarge variation in bioticasemblages which inhabit the tidal flats. Habitat heterogeneity withina tidalflat system such as at bampierArchipelago (semeniuk, charmer & Le Provost,1982) is reflectedby an equariy varied distribulion of bioticassembrages. ionversely, a monotonoustidal flat systemmay be inhabited by relativelysimple aEgregations ofbiotic assemblages.

Forthe purposes ofthis study,because ofthe variedbiota on thetidar flats, it is preferabreto treat thetotal various assemblages x ,'tidal flat assemblages".

Part I - 32 Tidalflats commonly are temporary sinks for detritusthat is transportedinto thesystem from adjoiningproductive areas such as mangals, samphire flats, or offshoreseagrass/algae meadows. Tidal flatsalso function as important nursery grounds for a varietyoffish and invertebrates such as swimmingcrabs and molluscs. Their importance lies in providingshort term shelter in residualpools at lowtide and in providingfood for thejuvenile fauna. Shallow water and tropical conditions promotethe grouth ofseagnss, algae and diatoms and these, with materialimported from other primaryproducing areas, form the basis ofthe trophicweb.

Themost common types ofassemblages inhabiting the tidal flats of northernWestern Australia are describedbelow. The assemblages areinformally named after a conspicuous,or dominant, or identifyingbiotic elemenl and the assemblages are described in termsof composition,general substrateconditions and general tidal setting.

I. Uca(fiddler cnb\ - Macrophthalmus(crab) assemblages. These encompass a range of Ucd speciesand Macrophthalmus species, together with mudskippers (fish), polychaete worms and, lesscommonly, potamidid whelks (gastropods). They are variable regionally, but the assemblagesinvariably inhabit mid to low-tidalmud flats. 2. Mictyk assemblage.This is a soldiercrab assemblage that inhabitslow to mid-tidalsand flats. 3. Scopimeraassemblage. This is a sandbubbler crab assemblage that inhabitslow to mid-tidal sandflats. 4. Callista-Anomalocardia assemblage. This assemblage inhabits sandy and muddy sandy low to mid-tidalflats, and is composedofvarious molluscs, crustaceans, polychaetes and echinoderms. Conspicuousmolluscan genera are the bivalvesCallista, Tellinq Mactra,Anomalocardia, Placamenand Dosinia, and the gastropodsNaticq Polinices,Cerithium, Clgpeomorus and Nassarfiis. 5. Anadaraassemblage. This assemblage is composed ofsmall molluscs, polychaetes, mudskippers andcrustaceans, with theconspicuous bivalved molltssc Anadara.lt inhabits mid-tidal to low- tidalmud flats. 6. Halophilaassemblage. This is a seagrassassemblage with componentsof molluscsand echinodermsthat inhabit low-tidal sand flats. 7. Xanthidassemblage. This assemblage is composed ofvarious xanthid crab species togetherwith encrustingsponges, benthic algae and sessile molluscs that inhabitlow-tidal to mid-tidalrock pavements,especially those formed of flat limestone.

Otherassemblages are comprised of mixedmolluscs, polychaetes and other invertebrates and seem to beaggregations ofspecies that are specific to particularregions or tidalflat settings(eg. the low-tidal flatsofBroome differ from those ofthe Kimberleyand Exmouth Gulfl.

Tidalflats are susceptible to naturaland human-induced disturbance of theenvironment. Natural disturbancesmay include cyclone-induced erosion or sedimenttransport, or flood-induced blanketingofsubstrates by different sediment tlpes. Human-induced disturbances may include the effectsof dredgingand spoil dumping, so creating turbid water, and the dischargeoftoxic materials into thewater column which then mav seeD into thesubstrate.

3.7.9. Theoceanic environment 'oceanic' Theterm usuallyrefers to thefar offshore marine environment but in this contextit is used for thehabitats within the water mass above the continental shelf as well as beyond it. Althoughno mannereserves are proposed specifically to representthe oceanic habitat, it is obviousthat an elementofthis habitatwill bepresent in everymarine reserve and reference must be made to its principalfeatures.

Theocean water mass is itselfthe habitat of a vastnumber of marineplants and animals. Its upper part'where light penetrates, is known as the photic zone. In thoseoceanic waters where there are highconcentrations of dissolved nutrients, this zone may support very large densities of photosyntheticplants and other organisms that feed on them.The principal environmental factors thatinfluence oceanic habitats and their plant and animal communities include water currents, waterturbidity (to which is relatedthe depth of thephotic zone), temperature, salinity and other physicalproperties ofthe water, especially dissolved nutrients.

PartI - 33 Threeterms used for oceanicorganisms are nekton, plankton and micronekton.

Thenekton are the larger swimming animds, such as fishes and squids, that live permanenfly in the watermass.

Planktonis theterm used for organisms,planti or animals,which float in thesea driftins at the mercyofwater currents. Although their abundance varies dramatically from one area to inother. theirtotal biomass probably accounts for thelargest proportion of marinelife. photosynthetic planktonicplants and bacteria are the basis of mostof theocean's primary productivity. planktonic plants(phytoplankton) and animals (zooplankton) range from single-celled to mmplei.multi_celled organisms.They include creatures that spend their entire lives drifting in thewatei column and the eggand larval stages ofothers whose adult lives are spent on thesea floor or asnekton.

Micronektonis a termused by biological oceanographers to describe marine swimming animals in thesize range 10-100mm. The size is intermediatebetween plankton and nekton. InclJded in the micronektonare many hundreds of speciesof fin-fishes,crustaceans and cephalopods. Micronekton surveysare extensively used in biologicaloceanography when determining water mass alfinities, sites ofoceanupwelling and pollutant inputs. A fewspecies support commercial fisheries harvesting micronektonicadults. There are also commercial fisheries based on nektonicor benthicadults of specieswhich have micronektonic lawae. In westernAustralian coastal waters, micronekton is commerciallysignificant on theNorth west Slope, where deep-water prawn lisheries have develooed since1985. Two species of caridand four species of penaeidprawns are the mainstays of those fisheries.

Manyinshore fishes, molluscs and crustaceans have planktonic or micronektoniclarvae and juveniles aspart of theirIife-cycle. The phyllosoma larvae of thecommercially important western Roci Labster,Panulirus cggnus, are members ofthe micronekton.They live far offshore,migrating inshoreprior to metamorphosisand recruitment into the adult population. collection ;f phyilosoma larvaeduring this inshore phase provides the basis for theprediction ofthe fisheryyield in future years.settlement ofphyllosoma from the micronekton to thebenthos is deDendenton coastal habitatssuch as seagrass and reefs of limestoneand coral.

Wth the notableexception ofthe larvaeof theWestern Rock Lobster, there is little informationon westernAustralian plankton and micronekton. some offshore sampling has been done by Australian andinternational oceanographic research ships. Most inshore sampling has been in thevicinity of urbanareas, eg. in CockburnSound.

Thesestudies indicate that the plankton and micronekton densities do not reachthe high concentrdtionsknown from someother coasts.The FAo (7972)Atlas of the Liuing Resourcesof the Seagives figures of 100-150mgc/m3/d for phytoplanktonproduction and 5l-200 mgc/m3/d for zooplanktonoff the centralwest coast and slightly higher levels for theNorth west Shelf. These relativelylow concentrations probably relate to therelatively low nutrient levels ofthe oceanwaters off theWestern Austnlian coast.

Thescant knowledge ofthe planktonand micronekton of western Australian waters remains an obstacleto developingknowledge of coastalmarine ecosystems. The environmental factors that influencethe planktonic larval development and recruitment into adultpopulations of mostinshore benthicanimals remain unknown.

PartI - 34 A REPRESENTATIVEMARINE RESERVESYSTEM FOR WESTERN AUSTRATIA

Report of the Marine Parks and ReservesSelection Working Group

PARTII

MARINE RESERVESIN THE KIMBERTEYREGTON CONTENTS

PART II: MARINE RESERVESIN THE KIMBERLEYAND THE SAHUL SHELF

1.INTRODUCTION 1.1Coastal geomorphology...... '....'...... 5 1.1.1Cambridge Gulf...... 1.1.2King Sound. 1.1.3North Kimber1ey...... 6 I. INTRODUCTION

Thesection of theWestem Australian coast considered in PartII extendsfrom the Northem Territory borderto CapeLeveque. It includesthe northernpart ofthe NorthWest Shelf Oceanic Province sometimesknown as the Sahul Sheli fromthe mainlandshore to thelimit of theState territorial waters.This does not exactlyaccord with theregion commonly known as the Kimberley.However, thereis anabrupt change of coastalgeomorphology at Cape Leveque, with a correspondingchange in marinehabitats, so that it is a convenientpbint for a boundarybetr,veen the Kimberleyand Canning- Pilbarasectors for thepurposes of thisreport. This boundary conforms with thebiogeographical zonesdescribed in theCouncil of NatureConservation Ministers working paper on marineprotected areas(CONCOM, 1985).

TheKimberley is oneof themost remote and inaccessible stretches of theAustralian coast, extending for a distanceof about1 000km. Much ofit is nowuninhabited. Until the years immediately followingWorld War II, Aboriginalgroups lived in traditionalcircumstances along these shores and therewere severdl mission stations. The mission at Kalumbururemains. In recenttimes Aboriginal communitieshave been re-established at One Arm Point, Cone Bay and Oombulgurri. The ports of Derbyin theruest and Wyndham in theeast are the only major coastal settlements. Between Derby andWyndham there is no roadaccess to thecoast (except for sevenlfour-wheel-drive tracks) and the onlysettlements are the above-mentioned Aboriginal communities and small communities on Koolanand Cockatoo Islands and at Kui Bay.

TheKimberley coast is of extraordinarybeauty. The high, colourful cliffs and densely vegetated hinterland,craggy headlands and sheltered inlets create a variedlandscape which is like no other. Forthis reasoncommercial tourism has already established operations in the regionin spiteof (or perhapsbecause o0 its remoteness.

Almostall the ruggedhinterland is reserved,for eitherAboriginal or consen"tionand public recreationpurposes. There is pastoralland in thevicinity of KingSound and between Cambridge Gulfand the Northern Territory bordey. Mining leases (for bauxite) are held over land at Mitchell Plateau.

In 1980the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority published a reporton conservationreserves in theKimberley (System 7) basedon an earlier,comprehensive report by the ConservationThrough Reserves Committee. Although the emphasis ofthese reports was on the terrestrialenvironment, both contained recommendations for'aquatic reserves'. The Department of Consewationand Land Management published an updateofthat reportin 1991(Burbidge el a/.), includingadditional proposals for marinereserves on theKimberley coast. Those recommendations areincorporated into this account.

TheWorking Group acknowledges that Aboriginal people have traditional interests in thisarea and thatany proposal for reservationof coastalwaters will needto bediscussed with them. Administrativearrangements for theestablishment and management of marine reserves in the Kimberleywill necessarilyinvolve Aborigines. These matters will beaddressed during the implementationphases of themarine reserves program.

An extensivebibliography on thegeomorphology and biology of theKimberley region was compiled but notpublished by Goudie & Sandsin 1986at theKew Botanic Garden in connectionwith the Kimberleg,Australia, 2000 expedition.

l.l. Coastalgeomorphology

Animportant factor in coastalecology of theKimberley, both marine and terrestrial, is thepattern of rainfall.The North Kimberley mast between Cape Londonderry and Walcott Inlet is anarea of high rainfall,with anannual average in excessof 1 000mm. East of CapeLondonderry and south of WalcottInlet the rainfall decreases.

PartII - 5 Fourmajor distinctive coastal types may be recognised in theXimberlev. 1.1.1. CambridgeGulf In the east,cambridge Gulf is a broadlyopen seasonal estuary located at thehead of thewide Joseph BonaparteGulf. Its shoresare muddy and there is extensivedevelopment of mangals and ,rp.fi;i mud geomorphologv flats.The of theGulf has been described by wright et 4t. ttgzzl,w;citiiii. (1973)and Thom at al. (1,975).

1.1.2. (ing Sound In thewest, King sound is alsoa wide,open gulf with a shoreof relativelylow reliefand some featuresof a seasonalestuary (Semeniuk, 1985). It toohas extensive mangal and supra-tidal mud flat habitats. Thestratigraphy, sedimentology and Holocene history oftidal flits in xi"g sounJnu* u-..n describedby Semeniuk(1980, 1981a 198lb, 1982).

1.1.3. NorthKimberley Betweencambridge Gulfand King sound the north Kimberley coast is ofthe heavilydissected, ria typewith relativelyhigh relief.The resulting coastal valleys have been inundated byitre sea formlng a complexshore with manyislands, landlocked gulfs, inlets and headlands. Tidal range is up to liri andin someareas vast areas of mudflats are exposed at lowtide.

Theria natureof theNorth Kimberley coast provides a verywide nnge of localmicro-habitats determined,in part,by the degreeof protectionfrom wind and wave iction. Thelandlocked gulfs and inletsofthe regioncontrast as habitats with theseaward, exposed shores ofthe headlands and islands.The whole of themainland Kimberley coast is characterisedby muddyshores due to ihe high seasonalrainfall and strong tidal currents. Terrigenous mud substrates also dominate across the innerpart ofthe continentalshelf. These are the conditions which produce mangal and tidal mud flat habitntsnther thansandy beaches and coral reefs.

1.1.4. Oceanicislands Thecontinental shelfis ratherwideoffthe Kimberley coast. The shelfedge is depressed,presumably ' bysubsidence, and the continentalslope begins at a depthof about600 ri. the d'eeptimor trench separatesthe Australian shelffrom the island chain of easternIndonesia. Browse and Adele Islands aretwo mid-shelfislands built on platformcoral reefs. There is alsoa seriesof mid-shelfreefs and banls,including Holothuria Bank. Near the shelfedge there is a seriesof reefsand bank, namely sahul,Fantome, Ashmore and cartier, the two last-named with mediumsized islands. Further south aretwo large shelf-edge atolls, seringapatam Reef and Scott Reef. Although the inner shelfwaters are muddy,conditions become increasingly oceanic towards the shelf edge. Fringing reefs ofhigh species richnessgrow on rockysubstrates along the mainland shores. The mid-shelfind outer shelf-bank andthe shelf-edge atolls are true coral reefs. Accounts of thecoral reefs and islands of theSahul shelfhave been given by Teichert & Fairbridge(r948), Fairbridge (1950), veevers (r923), powell (7976),Hinz,etaL. (1978), Wlson (1985), Berry dr Marsh (1986) and Berry (1993). f .2. Marine flora and fauna

Biologicalexploration of theKimberley coast and coastal waters has not been extensive and informationabout the marine flora and fauna there is sparse.

Theearliest collections of marinefauna were taken during phillip parker Kingrs hydrographic surveysof theregion in 1819-21aboard the vessel HMS 'Mermaid". Molluscs irom thoJe jollections weredescribed by Gray(1827). Some collections "Penguinrr weremade during hydrographic surveys by the in 1890-91.A briefnote on thecorals ofHolothuria Bank collected during fhit voyagewas publishedby Bassett-Smith(1899). In recentyears studies of a mangalfauna in edmiraltyGulf have beenpublished (wells, F.E., 1981; wells & slack-smith,1981). In 1991the western Australian Museumsurveyed marine fauna along the North Kimberley coast and produced a summaryreport (Morgan(ed.), 1992). There have been descriptions of theconl reeffaunas at seringapatamRief (lVilson,1985), Seringapatam and scott Reef (various authors in Berry(ed.), 19g6) ind Ashmoreand CartierReefs (various authors in Berry(ed.), 1993).

PartII - 6 Althoughknowledge of theKimberley marine fauna remains far fromcomprehensive, some general featuresare evident. The nearshore fauna is onlymoderately diverse, probably mainly due to the prevalenceof muddyand macrotidal mnditions. Many species endemic to northernWestern Australia ire presentin thenearshore habitats. In contrast,the offshore islands and reefs have a moretlpical Indo-WestPacific fauna and a veryhigh diversity (l\tilson, 1985; Wells, 1986b). A suiteof coral speciesknown only from turbid lagoons and inshore waters is well represented on theinner shelf Kimberleyreefs (Marsh, 1992). This pattern appears to betrue ofall the majortaxonomic groups.

Themangals of theKimberley have been moderately well studied (Thom et 4/.,1975; Semeniuk el a/.,1978; Semeniuk, 1980, i983, 1985; Wells, A.G., 1981; Johnstone, 1990). The greatest species diversityand structural complexity occurs in thehigh rainfall zone between Cape Londonderry and WalcottInlet. Iarge and structurally complex mangals provide habitat for a suiteof mangrovebirds (Johnstone,1990) and bats (McKenzie & Rolfe,1986; McKenzie & Start,1989).

Saltwatercrocodiles (Crocodilus poros.{s ) are natural inhabitants of thecoastal waters and estuaries of theKimberley. Although their numbers became depleted as a resultof huntingfor theirskins in post-waryears, they have partially recovered since hunting was prohibited. These animals breed on sandybank behindthe mangals in someof theestuaries.

Manyof thenearshore islands and some mainland beaches are nesting sites for turtles.

1.3.Tourist potential

Becausethe Kimberley coast is largelyuninhabited and there is solittle access,its touristpotential is limited.Boats from Derby also sometimes venture beyond King Sound. Similarly, small boats from Wyndhamsometimes venture as far as the False Mouths of ihe Ordfor fishingexpeditions. Tourists with four-wheel-drivevehicles occasionally visit Port Warrender in AdmiraltyGulf, via Mitchell Plateau.There are small resorts at Cockatooand Koolan Islands in theBuccaneer Archipelago and at nearbyCape Leveque providing access to themarine environment at thewestern end ofthe sector.A remotefishing base-camp was established near the mouth of theDrysdale River, visitors being flown in byfloat plane and helicopter, but theventure proved to beuneconomical and has been discontinued.A similar proposal for a siteat CapeLondonderry has not yet been put into effect.

At presentthe main tourist operations are tours along the coastby charter vessel. There are several boatswhich take live-aboard passengers for tripslasting several days. The tours visit a selectionof the sceniclocations, especially the estuaries of thePrince Regent River and King George River and some ofthe coastalislands.

Theoffshore islands are so remote and bleak that they offer little potentialfor touristdevelopments.

1.4.Fisheries

In spiteof theirremoteness, the waters of theKimberley coast support an increasinglydiverse range of commercialand recreational fishing activities.

Thecoastal waters between Cape Leveque and the Northern Territory border are trawled for prawns. (CollierBay and Admiralty Gulf are closed to theprardn trawling fishery.) The main species targeted is thebanana prawn.

Pearloysters are cultivated on a largescale at severallocations including the mouthof KingSound, TalbotBay, Doubtful Bay and Kuri Bay.Live silverJip pearl shell (Pinctada maimd is collectedby diversin nearshorewaters and taken to thegrow-out areas in theoyster leases. The pearl industry is oneof theState's most valuable fisheries.

Trochusshell (Tlochus niloticus) is fishedcommercially by theAboriginal community at 0neArm Point.The shell is collectedon rockplatforms around the islands of theBuccaneer Archipelago duringperiods oflow tide.Most of it is exportedfor buttonand shell iewellerv manufacture.

PartII - 7 Demersalfinfish are commercially hawested using trap, line and trawling methods. At presentthe mainfishing grounds are north-west of Broomebut fishingoccurs right aroundthe coastand as far out asAshmore Reef. Target species include scarlet and saddle-tailed sea perch, snapper, emperors, slveetlips,cod and coral trout. Increasingattention is beingfocused on the sharkfishery resource off the Kimberleycoast. This fishery is mostlyoffshore, beyond the limit of the Stateterritorial waters, andis underCommonwealth control.

A shore-based,limited-entry, gillnet fishery targeting barnmundi and threadfin salmon operates in nearshorewaters. Trolling for mackerelis alsoan importantfishery in thearea.

Thecharter boat industry operates fishing trips alongthe Kimberleycoast, offering attractive recreationalfishing oppotunities for a varietyof sportand game species.

PartII - 8 2. EXISTINGMARINE RESERVES

Thereare no westernAustralian marine reserves in the Kimbelleyre$ion but AshmoreReef is a marineNational Nature Reserve designated under the CommonwealthNational Parks and Wldlife conservationAct. cartier Reefandcommonwealth waters near scott Reefare included on an AustralianNature Conservation Agency indicative list of marineareas being consideredfor proclamationas marine reserves under Commonwealth legislation.

PartII - 9 3. RECOMMENDATIONSFOR MARINE PROTECTED AREAS ON THE KIMBERLEYCOAST

In thelater Parts of thisreport, for thepurposes of selectinga representativereserve system, division oftheprincipal biogeographic sectors is basedfirst on recognitionof majordistinctive coastal gpes (seePart 1, Section 1.3). Considention is thengiven to eachof themost prominent ecosystems whichoccurwithin those coastal tlpes. This structured approach is not soreadily applied to the Kimberley.While the eastem section (Cambridge Gulf), the western section (King Sound), and the oceanicislands comprise major distinctive coastal types and have different climates, the majorityof theKimberley cbast is of a singlegeomorphological type, though locally very complex and diverse in respectof marinehabitats. Wthin thatzone, areas have been selected which provide the greatest rangeof thehabitats.

TheWorking Group has relied heavily on interpretationof aerialphotographs and remote sensing imageryto identifumarine habitats, supplemented by limitedfirst handknowledge of the coast,as a basisfor reserveselection. Consequently, recommendations that particular marine areas be consideredfor reservationare often tentative and further work will beneeded in manycases before firm proposalsmay be put forward.

Theoutstanding scenic values of somesections of theKimberley coast, and special nature consen"tionfeatures such as dugong feeding areas and turtle nesting sites, were also taken into consideration.

3.1. CambridgeGulf (Map ll-r)

Thearea under consideration includes the East Arm of CambridgeGulf and the mangalsystem knownas the False Mouths of ihe Ord.

Tmule Theland on thewest side of CambridgeGulf is Aboriginal Reserve and there is a majorAboriginal communityat Oombulgurri.Land to thesouth and east is naturereserve and pastoral lease.

Theland forming the Cape Domett headland at theeastern side of theGulfs entrance is Vacant CrownLand. So too are Adolphus Island and several smaller islands in the Gulfand the land forming thetongues of theFalse Mouths of theOrd.

Borderinga portionof theEast Arm and the False Mouths of theOrd there is a ClassC Nature Reserve(No. 31967).

Geomorphologg CambridgeGulf mark theboundary between the East Kimberley and North Kimberley biophysical districtsdescribed by McKenzie (1981). Rainfall is sexonal(summer) with an annualaverage of about800 mm at themouth of theestuary, decreasing to 680mm upstreamat theport ofWyndham. Tidalrange is about8 m andthe waters of theGulf and the adjacent shallows ol JosephBonaparte Gulfare turbid.

CambridgeGulf also marks a pointof abruptchange in coastalgpe. The eastern side of the Gulfis of low reliet dominatedby the wide delta ofthe Ordwhere an extensivemangal is developed.The westernside is relativelyhigh and has narrow fringing mangals in smallbays between rocky headlands.From Cape Dussejour, the headland at thewestern entrance ofthe Gulf,north-westwards to CapeLondonderry, the coast has high reliefwith rocky shores exposed to theprevailing easterly windsand there are only a fewsmall mangals in thebays.

TheGulf is theopen estuary ofthe Ord,King, Pentecost, Durack and Forrest Rivers. About 60 km to theeast on theother side ofthe WA/NT border is thesimilar estuary system of theFitzmaurice, Victoriaand Keep Rivers. At thehead of JosephBonaparte Gulf, the coast is of low reliel with a mangalfringe backed by very wide, bare, supra-tidal flats. These two estuarine systems, the swampy coastbetween and the shallow nearshore waters of theGulf, comprise a majordistinctive coastal type

PartII - ll "Top whichis peculiarto the End"ofAustralia. The Western Austnlian portion of thissystem containsa sectionof the mangalfringdsupra-tidal flats habitat east of CapeDomett and the CambridgeGulf estuary itself.

Perhapsthe most striking feature of the estuaryis an extensivemangal in the northeast corner. It hasan areaof morethan 500 km'z and comprises a complex, dendritic system of drainagechannels leadingto a seriesofwide tidal rivers known as the False Mouths of theord, protectedfrom the open seaby the Cape DomeH peninsula.

Theheadwaters of the estuaryare split into twotidal rivers known as the west and East Arms of the Ord.The Ord River itself flows into theEast Arm while the King, pentecost , Forrest and Durack Riversflow into thewest Arm. Both East and west Arms have extensive mangal development along muchof theirmargins and wide supra-tidal flats behind.

Flora andfauna Theestuarine flora and fauna of CambridgeGulf is virtually unstudied and unknown. Given the geomorphologicalcomplexity of theestuary and the structural and floristic diversity of the mangals, theaquatic biota is certainto bespecies-rich and abundant.

Thefloristics, community structure and associated vertebrate fauna of theextensive Cambridge Gulf mangalshave received some attention (Thom el d/.,1975; Semeniuk ef al.,l97B:McKenzie & Rolfe. 1986;Johnstone, 1990). They consist of closedforest up to 15m highand contain at least15 mangrovespecies, with distinctzonation and high structural complexity. The mangal at theFalse Mouthsof theOrd is oneof thelargest and biologically richest in theState. It is of thebay gpe. The mangalsof theEast Arm are representative of the riverine tlpe with differentstructure. Johnstone (1990)briefly described the mangal on theeastern side ofthe EastArm mouth opposite Adolphus Island.

NatureReserve 31967 bordering the East Arm was created following a studyof potentialbreeding habitatfor thesaltwater crocodile (crocodilus porosus). This and other parts of thecambridge Gulf estuaryare considered to beimportant breeding habitat for thisanimal.

Bothmangals are rich in terrestrialbirds which utilise mangal habitat. Johnstone (1990) listed from the cambridgeGulf mangals 21 of the22 birds regarded as specialist "mangrove species" which occur in theKimberley. The closed canopies of themangals are an ecologicalequivalent of rainforestand theycontain relict populations of severalterrestrial bird species. Burbi dle et al. (rgg1)reported that theCambridge Gulf mangals support the only known Western Australian population ofthe Black Butcherbirdand a populationofflycatchers that is morphologicallyintermediate between the Lemon-breastedFlycatcher and the Brown Flycatcher. The rare Mangrove Kingfisher, Chestnut Rail andother mangrove specialists are also present. In addition,the wide mud flats bordering the tidal creeksand rivers provide feeding habitat for a largevariety ofwaders. These mangals and the supra- tidalflats behind them form part ofan arealisted as a Wetlandof InternationalImportance for conservationofwaterbirds under the RAMSAR Convention.

Aswell as terrestrial birds, several arboreal mammals inhabit these mangals. These include the only knownEast Kimberley population of theMosaic-tailed Rat (Melomgs burtonil and 12 species of bat.

Onthe north side of CapeDomett, facing the open sea, there is a significantnesting site of the Flatbackturtle. Pelican Island offshore near the wA/NT border is animportant nesting site for the AustralianPelican.

In summary,the eastern side of CambridgeGulf, particularly the False Mouths of theOrd and the EastArm provide outstanding examples of mangalhabitat of twodifferent tlpes, together with a rich bird andmammal fauna and important habitat for thesaltwater crocodile. Together with thesimilar estuaryof theVictoria, Fitzmaurice and Keep Rivers in theNorthern Territory, the estuary is certainlyresponsible for muchof theprimary production which feeds the ecosystem and maintains thetrawl fisheries ofJoseph Bonaparte Gulf.

PartII - 12 Recrution CambridgeGulf is inaccessibleexcept at theport ofWyndhamlocated on theWest Arm of the Ord. Themuddy waters and extensive mangals do not lendthemselves to recreationaluse although there is somerecreational fishing {rom Wyndham. There is somepotential for scenicboat tours around the Gulf.

Pre o io u s recommenda ti ons Burbidgeet al. (1991)recommended that Reserve 31967 be upgraded to ClassA andthat the area fromlow water mark to 40 m abovehigh water mark adjacent to thereserve and at theFalse Mouths ofthe Ordbe added to thereserve. This recommendation has since been implemented.

Thatreport also recommended that the lower reaches of theOrd, the waters adjacent to theexistinpl reserve,and the waters adjacent to theFalse Mouths be declared a marine nature reserve.

WorkingCrcup recommendations Notingthe high biological diversity of theCambridge Gulf estuary, especially in theeastern mangals andnearby areas, the unique character of theestuary in termsof its geomorphicand biological communitystructure, and the importance of thesystem as a contributorto thebiological productivityofBonaparte Gulf, the Working Group believes that there is a goodcase for reserving thisarea for natureconservation.

Aftevsome consideration the Working Group decided not to recommendextending the reservation to theNT border because, although the fringing mangals and supra-tidal flats of thatshore are a significantlydifferent coastal type to thoseof CambridgeGulf, they are not likelyto supporta diverse floraand fauna and not likelyto needmanagement for publicrecreation purposes.

TheWorking Group recommends that:

"the easternside of CambridgeGult eastofa line betweenWhite StonePoint on IncrosseIsland and NichollsPoint on AdolphusIsland, and encompassingthe FalseMouths of the Ord,together with the wat€rs ofthe tidal portion of the Ea5tArm of the Ord,be consideredfor reservationfor the conservationof marine flora and faunaand protection of mangalhabitat. At the mouth of the Gulfthe reserveshould extend seawardto the limit of Statete/ritorial watersand eastwardsfrom CaoeDomett for a distanceof approximately15 km."

3.2. Londonderry(Map ll-2)

CapeLondonderry is themost northerly point of theWestern Australian mainland. Little is knownof themarine environment in theregion. The following brief description of thearea is basedlargely on interpretationofaerial photographs and some notes made by the Western Australian Museum Kimberleysurvey of 1991.

Tmure TheCape Londonderry Peninsula is VacantCrown Land. The mainland areas south and east of it are AboriginalReserve.

Camorphologg Capetondonderry is locatedat thetop of a widepeninsula forming the eastern side of Napier BroomeBay. The northern and eastern shores of thepeninsula are rugged with colourfullateritic and sandstonecliffs up to 50 m highand many small, irregular bays with smallsandy beaches between rockyheadlands.

A majorfeature evident on theaerial photographs is a widearea ofshallows on the northernside of thepeninsula between Cape Londonderry and Cape Talbot. These appear to befringed with reefand to supportextensive seagrass beds. There is a similarreefarea surrounding Lesueur Island.

Thereare two major estuaries, one at themouth of theKing George River and the other at the mouthofthe Drysdale River. Both have significant development of mangal. The narrow gorge of the

PartII - 13 upperKing George Estuary is navigablefor somedistance upstream. At twopositions there are waterfallsflowing over the sides ofperched valleys into theestuary.

Flom and fauno Themarine environment ofthe areahas been little studiedand information about its habitatsand floraand fauna is sparse.It is evidentfrom aerial photography that marine and estuarine habitats are verydiverse and a richbiota is certainto bepresent. The Western Australian Museum iurvey of August1991 visited the King George Estuary and Lcueur Islandand collections of marineanimals andplants were made at thoseIocations. Morgan (1992) described the marinehabitats surroundinpi "reefwith LesueurIsland as a livecoral and limestone; small drop-off to rubbleand bommies of live coral".Coral was the dominant biota on thereef.

Rereation Theextent to whichthis section of thecoast is usedby Aboriginal people is not knownto the WorkingGroup. People from Kalumburu fish and hunt dugong in NapierBroome Bay and it is likely thatthey sometimes travel as far northas the shallows between Cape Talbot and Cape Londonderry. A remotefishing base-camp was established at the mouth of theDrysdale River, accessed by float planeand helicopter, but theventure no longeroperates.

Commercialcharter vessels travel along this coastwithtourists. The falls in theKing George Estuary area particularlyimportant scenic location.

Prcuiou s rcc omm e nda t i ons TheEPA System 7 reportrecommended that the Vacant Crown Land of thewide peninsula be declareda Class A Reservefor nationalpark, including the islands of mangrovesin theestuary of the DrysdaleRiver, with theboundary extending to thelow watermark.

Bu(bidgeet al. (1991)endorsed the EPA recommendation and added that the waters contiguous with the nationalpark, including the sea€lrass bank, bedeclared a Class A marinenational park. [NB. Thereis no marinenational park category in presentWestern Australian legislation although such wasunder consideration when that report was being prepared.l

Wo*ing Crouprecommendations It is acknowledgedthat thefollowing recommendations are based almost solely on photo- interpretationand accounts ofthe scenicquality ofthe coast.Field studies will beneeded to confirm the highvalues of theseagrass, reefand mangal habitats before these recommendations proceed and boundariesare decided.

TheWorking Group endorses the earlier recommendations, though noting that there is no category for marinenational park in the currentlegislation. Given the high recreational and tourism potential of thearea the mostappropriate reserve category would be marine park.

Theeastern and western extent ofthe proposedmarine reserve is problematical.In thewest, because of theconfiguration of theDrysdale Estuary, it is notpossible to limit themarine reserve to the \,vaterscontiguous with theproposed national park. Itwill benecessary to extend the reserve westwardsalong the southern shores ofthe estuary$hich areAboriginal reserve land. The western boundaryof themarine reserve could be located along a linerunning northward from Red Bluff and throughWest Govemor Island so including the north eastern part of NapierBroome Bay.

Limitingthe marinepark to thewaters contiguous with the nationalpark in theeastwould exclude LesueurIsland, the estuaryof theKing George River and the spectacular King George Falls. As the fallsare an important feature in potentialrecreational use of thepark and Lesueur Island and its surroundingreefs have high conservation values, the Working Group believes that consideration shouldbe given to includingthese areas within the marine reserve.

Theeastem and westem sides of theproposed marine reserve abutAboriginal Reserve land and itwill benecessary for theboundaries to bediscussed with therelevant Aboriginal communities.

PartII - 14 TheWorking Group recommends that:

'WestemAustralian coastal waters west and north ofthe capeLondonderry Peninsul4 including the estuaries0f the Drysdaleand King GeorgeRivers and extendingeastwards as far asCape Rulhieres, should be reservedfor the purposesof publicrecreation and the conservationofflora andfauna-"

3.3. Vansittart Bay - Admiralty Gulf (Map lL3)

Thestretch of coastbetween the Sir GrahamMoore Islands and Cape Voltaire is extremelycomplex, withwide bays, narrow inlets and many islands and off-shore banks. Information on marinehabitats, floraand fauna is verylimited. The Western Australian Museum Kimberley survey ofAugust 1991 collectedspecimens at severallocations within the area. The Working group's attention was drawn to fournatunl featuresworthy of considentionfor resewation.

Tmure Mostof thecoast adjacent to thearea under consideration here is Aboriginal Reserve. The area betweenthe Lawley and Mitchell Rivers is leasedfor mining.The coast is uninhabitedexcept for an Aboriginalcommunity at Kalumburunear the head of NapierBroome Bay, and a miningcamp at MitchellRiver, inland from Port Warrender at thehead of Admiralty Gulf.

Cnmorphologg Rainfallin thisarea is healyand there are many small patches of rainforestbelow clifls along the shore.The landscape is extremely rough. Along the shore rocky headlands alternate with sandybays, someofwhich have fringing mangals. There are extensive tidal and subtidal sand and mud banks in thebays, some ofwhich are believed to carryseagrass beds. There are many rocky islands.

Thelong, fingerJike arms of theBougainville Peninsula, with long,narrow, shallow bays between them,are a specialfeature of theKimberley coast. Another significant feature is LongReef, a very large,offshore, rock platform reef.

Threemajor rivers enter the sea in thissector, the King Edward, Lawley and Mitchell, each with a smallestuary and mangal systems. The Lawley and Mitchell Estuaries are strikingly different. The formeris anopen estuary with wide, complex mangals at its upperreaches. The Mitchell is a narrow estuarythat follows a faultline entering Adminlty Gulf. Deeply dissected sandstones occur along bothits bank.

FIom and fauna In spiteofthe muddyconditions, corals are common and form small fringing reefs in many localities.Marsh (1992) observed that the highest diversity of coralsfound on the Kimberleycoast by theWestem Australian Museum suwey was in theInstitut Islands. Seventy one species were found in thatarea. The suwey found relatively poor coral growth on LongReef.

Themolluscan fauna associated with mangalsat WalshPoint, Port Warrender was described by Wells & Slack-Smith(1981). They found that the community was similar in compositionand structure to thosein comparableenvironments in theCentral Indo-West Pacific Region. Wells, F.E. (1981) also describedthe molluscan communities around the rocky islands of Admiralty Gulf.

Thefloristics and structure of mangalsin theLawley and Mitchell estuaries have been described in detailby Wells, AG. (1981)and Johnstone (1990).

Themangal of theLauley Estuary is floristicallyrich (Johnstone,1990). The dominant creek vegetationis mixed,low, closed forest (5-10 m) consistingof Auicennia" Sonneratia, Camptostemon" Xghcarpus,Rhizophora, Bruguiera, Aegiceras and Aegia&7b. The landward areas are vegetated with standsof Cenbpsand Excoecaria. Tall, pure stands of Bruguieraparuiflo,d occur on the upper reachesof Rail Creek,and whipsti ck lhicketsof Aegicerasoften grow in the seawardzone among the Rhizophora.Scattered shrubs of Os6omiaand Lumnitzeld occur along the landward edge.

PartII - 15 Johnstone(1990) also briefly described the mangal at PointWalsh, iust beyondthe mouth of the lawleyEstuary. It is lessfloristically rich than the Lawley mangal and is distinctlyzoned with a seawardzone of Auicenniaand sormeratia, a middlezone of low, closedforest of Rhizophoraand camptostemon,and a landwardzone of Bruguieraexaristata , ceriopsand,Auicutnla. There is a wide supratidalmudflat behind the mangal.

TheMitchell Estuary has only a scattered,narrow, fringing mangal, except in thesmaller tributaries (Wells,1981). The front mangrovesare an association of Sonneratiaalba and Auicentia marina, followedimmediately by a low closedlorest of Rhizophora sfylosa. On the landward side the forests includeassociations of Camptostemon,Auicennia, Rhhophora and Xglocarpus. The landward extensionof the mangalis limitedby rockyterrain along the banks.

Thusthe threemangals in theLawley Estuary Mitchell Estuary and at Walshpoint are quite differentin theirfloristic composition and structure.

Recreation Thereis verylittle accessto thisregion from the land. The only road access is a four-wheel-drive trackto walshPoint in Portwarrender. commercial charter boat tours along the Kimberley coxt callin at manyofthe baysin thearea. The sheltered bays of vansittartBay are popular localities in viewof theirscenic qualities.

Preuiousrecomm enda tions TheEPA System 7 reportrecommended that land in theMitchell and Lawley River areas be set aside asclass B NationalPark. Burbidge et al. (1991)remmmended that the reservebe class A andthat its boundariesbe extended, and also that the waters adjacent to theeastern portion (ie. at thehead of PortWarrender) be declared a marine national park.

B\rbrdgeet al. (1991)recommended that the Sir GrahamMoore Islands, the Osborne Islands and CassiniIsland be declared Class A reservesfor the conservationof flora and fauna. They also recommendedsurveys of otherislands in AdmiraltyGulfto determine their conservation value, and that futuremanagement plans for theCape Bougainville Peninsula consider reservation and managementof rainforests.

Wo*ing GmupRecomnendotions Althoughinformation on theflora and fauna of thisremote part ofthe Kimberleycoast is sparse,the WorkingGroup believes that four marine areas within the area warrant consideration as candidates for reservationand recommends as follows:

"1. VansittartBay Noting the accountsofthe high recreationalpotential, marine habitat variety and abundant marine faun4 that there be a biologicalsurvey ofwaters of Vansittfft Baywith a viewto selectingan areaor aras for reservationfor conservationofmarine flora and faunaand public recreation.The areasurveyed should includethe waterssouth of the EclipseIslands and Marv Island.

"2. PoytWarrender TheWorking Groupendorses the earlierrecommendation ofBurbidge et. al. (1991)that a marinereserv€ be declaredin the watersadjoining the proposednational park at the mouth of the lawley River.However, asthere is no categoryfor rnarinenational park, the reserveshould be marinepark or marinenature reserve,In view of the high nature cons€rvationvalue of the areaand the limited potentialfor public receation, the appropriatecategory would be marinenature reserve. "The areaconsidered for reservationshould be south of a line eastwardfrom WalshPoint upstreamin the tidal rivers of the LawleyEstuary as far asthe limit of tidal waters,thus includingboth the WalshPoint and Lawleymangals.

"3. Mitchell River Considerationshould be givento resewationofthe Mitchell RiverDstuary for the purposeof conservation of mayineflora and fauna,The area considered should include the watersof WalmeslvBav south of PickeringPoint and extendupstream to the limit of tidal waters.

PartII - 16 "4. Long Reef TheWorking Croup recommends that therebe geologicaland biologicalsurveys ofLong Reefand that reservationb€ consideredat a later date."

3.4. Prlnce Frededck Harbour / Salnt George Basln (Map !l-a)

Likethe previous area this section of thecoast is uninhabitedand with verylimited access. There are no roadsto thecoast except for a four-wheel-drivetrack to thePrince Regent River from Mount ElizabethStation.

Tmurc Thecentral part of thiscoastnl area is thePrince Regent River Nature Reserve, a Class A reserve whichis designatedas a BiosphereReserve under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Prognm. Northand south ofthe naturereserve the land is Aboriginal Reserve.

Geomorphology Thegeology and physical environment of thisarea have been briefly described by Miles et al. (1975\ andBurbidge & McKenzie(1978). This is a ria coastlineof extremecomplexity and with a high, ruggedhinterland. There are very many inshore and offshore islands. The shores are mostly rocky but thereare sandy beaches in manyofthe bays and some fringing mangals. Prince Frederick Harbour andSaint George Basin are two very large marine gulfs, the former with a widemouth and the latter with a narrowentrdnce. The Hunter and Roe Riveys enter Prince Frederick Harbour and the Prince RegentRiver enters Saint George Basin. Two very large mangals occur in SaintGeorge Basin.

Flort and fauna A biologicalsurvey in thePrince Regent River Nature Reserve (Miles & Burbidge,1975) provided ratherextensive information on theterrestrial flora and fauna of thereserve but thereis little informationon themarine fauna ofthe area.The Western Australian lviuseum Kimberley survey of August1991 (Morgan, 1992) made collecting stations at severalof theoffshore islands within this sectorand in the estuaryofthe PrinceRegent River.

Rockyhabitats dominate these shores but thereare extensive intertidal mud and sand banks, especiallyin PrinceFrederick Harbour and Saint George Basin. Both estuaries contain significant breedingpopulations of thesaltwater crocodile.

Thereare fringing mangals in manyof thebays and two large, complex mangals in SaintGeorge Basin.The floristics and structure of themangals at the mouthsof theRoe, Hunter and Pfince RegentRivers have been described by Wells (1981). The two large mangals on thenorth and south sidesof SaintGeorge Basin were described by Johnstone (1990). The latter are two of thelargest block of mangalin Australia,each comprising over 70 kmz of mangroveforest. They include tall standsup to 10 m ol pureBruguiera paruitlora for*L In somelocations the mangalsare backed by vineforest.

Rectution Becauseof its remotenessand lack of landaccess, this uninhabited section of thecoast is veryseldom visited.It alsohas extremely high scenic values, being surrounded by high rugged country and it is alreadya majordestination for commercialtourist charter boat operations. King Cascade in the PrinceRegent Estuary is a populardestination with thetour industry.

PreuIou s rccotnmend a t i ons TheEPA System 7 reportrecommended extensive additions to theteryestrial resewej in thisare4 includinga numberof thecoastal islands. Burbidge et al. (I99I\ endorsedand extended these recommendations.When all thepresent Vacant Crown Land is reservedas recommended, the entire coastand all thecoastal islands in thissector will beeither Aboriginal reserve or conservation reserve.

PartII - 17 The EPAS)6tem 7 reportalso recommended: "8.Aquatic Reserv€s be declared to include: (a)Prince Frederick Harbour seaward to CapeTorrens and the unnamed cape south ofthe Anderdon Islands,and (b)St Ceorg€Basin seaward to UwinsIsland and Cape Wellington, including Rothsay and Munster Waters; "9. theaquatic reserves extend from high water mark ; "10. t}leaquatic reserves be classified as ClaJs A reservesand vested in theWA Wildlife Authority."

Burbidgeet. al. (1991)endorsed the EPArecommendations but saidthey shouldbe Class A marine nationalpark.

Wor*in g Group rccommendotiotts The Working Grouphas not consideredthe marinehabitats surrounding the manynearshore and offshoreislands of this sectorbecause there is suchlittle informationabout them. Further studymay showthat the watersaround the outer islands,eg. Montalivet and Maret Islands, may warrant reservation.However, the WorkingGroup believes that thereare sufficient grounds for resewationof the two marinegulfs in the sectorand recommendsas follows: "The recommendationsof the EPA and Burbid4e et al. (1991)that the waters ofPrince Frederick Harbour andSaint George Basin should be reserved should be implemente4 exc€pt that there is no categoryof marinenational park. The appropriat€ designation to meetthe intentof thoser€commendations would be marinepark. "The WorkingCroup suggests tiat theseaward boundaries of thetwo marine reserves should be varied fromthose of the earlierrecommendations. In the caseofPrince Frederick Harbour the boundary should beacross York Sound between Cape Torens and Augereau Island. In thecase of SaintGeorge Basin the boundaryshould be across Brunswick Bay between High Bluff and Cape Wellington, incoruorating the watersofHanover Bay. These boundaries include portions of themore open ocean marine habitats and can beprecisely located for mana€lementpurposes.'r

3.5. MontgomeDr lslands (Map ll-5)

Terure TheMontgomery islands and the adjacentHigh Cliffy Islandsare part ofResewe23079 for the Use and BenefitofAborigines. It is usedby Aboriginesprimarily u a dugong(Dugong dugonl huntlng area.

Camorphologrg This low islandcomplex is built upon an extensiveintertidal andshallow subtidal rock platform, probablyconsisting of sandstone.The High Cliffy Islandsare constructedof sandstonewhile the MontgomeryIslands comprise Quaternary sediments. There are vast areas of mud andsand bank depositson the rock platform.

FIom and fauno Little is known of the flora and invertebrateand fish faunasof the Montgomeryreefs. There are sorne fringing reefsbut this is not a coral reefin any sense.From inspectionofaerial photographs of the reefsit appearsthat a wide rangeof habitatsare representedand a diversefauna and flora is likely. It is knownthatwell developedseagrass beds are present in the subtidalshallows. These provide the foodresource of the dugongpopulation.

Rectution This is a remotearea and the shoalwaters surrounding the islandsand reefs do not encourage boating.Recreational fishing is verylimited. Subsistencehunting andfishing by Aboriginalpeople will continueon a small scale.

Predo us ruo m m erdo ti o rrs The EPAmade no recommendationsin respectofthe MontgomeryIslands but Burbidgeef a/. (1991) recommendedthat the waterssurrounding the islandsbe declareda ClassA marinepark.

Part II - 18 Wo*ing Grouprccommenda tions Wth verylittle informationavailable the Working Croup is not in a positionto domore than endorse theearlier recommendations of Burbid ge et al., p'imarilyon thegrounds that a knownhabitat of the dugongis worthy ofprotection. However, the extensive intertidal and subtidal rock and sand flats constitutean unusual feature on theKimberley coast and it is probablethat they support a diverse floraand fauna. The hunting of dugongin thearea by Aborigines is not necessarilyincompatible with marinereserve status, provided that the dugong population is monitoredand the numbers of animals takenare at sustainablelevels.

Accordinglythe Working Group recommends that:

"Thewaters surrounding the Montgomeryand High Cliffy Islandsshould be consideredfor reservationfor th€ conservationofflora andfaun4 with provisionsmade for a sustainablelevel of dugonghunting by Aborigines.

"TheWorking Group suggests that the outer boundaryofthe marinereserve should be locatedat a suitable bathymetriccontour around the bank and reefs."

3.6. Walcott lnlet and SecureBay (Map ll-5)

WalcottInlet and Secure Bay are two estuarine gulfs ofvery different character near the southern marginofthe Kimberleyria coast.

Tenurc Mostof thenorthem shore and the south western shore of WalcottInlet are Vacant Crown Land. A portionof thenorth-eastern shore is Aboriginal Reserve. Much of thesouthern shore is pastorallease. Theland west and south of SecureBav is Defenceland.

Gamorphologg WalcottInlet is a broad,shallow, drowned river valley. The Calder, Charnley and Isdell Rivers enter its upstreamreaches. Secure Bay is aninundated ria valley.The surrounding land ofboth inlets is ruEi€iedand extremely scenic. Both inlets have a verynarrow entrance and a tidalrange of up to 11m sothat tidal rips through the entrances are pyonounced. The entrance to SecureBay, known as "The Funnel",has been proposed as a sitefor a tidalpower station.

Walcotthas wide mud flats, especially at theeastern end, and some fringing mangals. Secure Inlet hastwo remarkable, wide, dendritic mangals.

Judgingfrom aerial photognphs, there are many similarities between these two inlets and Doubtful Bayand George Water a fewkilometres further north.

FIom and fauna Theestuarine flon andfauna of WalcottInlet and Secure Bay have not beeninvestigated. Given their differentphysical characters it is probablethat the animal and plant communities present also differ. Walcottis a knownhabitat of thesaltwater crocodile. Its wide intertidal flats are feedinp areas lor largenumbers of waterbirds.

Recrution Accessto bothinlets is onlyby sea and that is difficultbecause of thestrong tidal rips at the entrances.At presentthere is virtuallyno recreationaluse of thisarea, although the scenic quality is exceptionaland, when the Walcott Inlet National Park is establishedand better access is Drovided, recreationaluse will increase.

Pruulousrecommendo tiotts TheEPA System 7 reportrecommended that all VacantCrown Land surrounding Walcott Inlet be declaredNational Park. The park would extend to thesouthern and eastern shores of DoubtfulBay. Thisrecommendation was endorsed by Burbidge et al. (1991)who also recommended that thewaters of WalcottInlet be declared Class A marinenational oark.

PartII - 19 Workin g Cmuprccommenda tiotts TheWorking Group endorses the recommendation of Burbidge et al, (1991)for thereservation of the watersof walcottInlet. As there is no categoryof marinenational park the appropriate category of reservein keepingwith therecreational use ofthe surroundingnational parkwould be marine park.

Theworking Group noted the extensiveand unusual mangal system and scenic values ofsecure Bay andbelieves that it shouldbe added to theproposed marine park. Marine park status wbuld not necessarilybe incompatible with futureuse of thisfeature for thegeneration oftidal power.

Theworking Group was also impressed by Georgewater and Doubtful Bay as likely crocodile and bird habitatand by the extensive mangal there, although there is little informationabout those areas. Furtherstudies should be undertaken to identi6,the most important areas of theseinlets for nature conservationpurposes and reservation of themshould be considered at a laterdate. Preference given hereto walcottInlet and secure Bay as a marinepark representing the enclosedinlet environment of this sectionofthe coastis basedon thefact that walcott is surroundedby proposed national park.

Accordinglythe Working Group recommends that: "1. The tidal pats of WalcottInlet and SecureBay should be consideredfor res€rvationfor the purposesof public recreationand the conservationof flora andfaun4 with the seawardboundaries being across the entrancesat YuleEntrance and TheFunnel respectively. '?. Therebe a surveyofthe habitats,flora andfauna of GeorgeWater and DoubtfulBay and assessment madeofthe natural valuesof theseareas and considerationgiven to reservationof them or partsofthem, for the conservationof flora and fauna""

3.7. Buc

TheBuccaneer Archipelago is a scatterof smallto mediumsized islands and banks at the mouthof KingSound.

Tenurc Severalof theislands in theArchipelago are nature reserves. The others are Vacant Crown Land.

Gamorphologg Thearea is extremelydiverse with rockyislands, coral reefs, algal reefflats and shallow sandy banks with extensiveseagrass beds. Tidal range is in theorder of 11m andtidal rips and currents are strong.Cygnet Bay is a broad,sheltered bay. The eastern shore is extremelycomplex with narrou peninsulas,almost landJocked bays and numerous islands. Consequently marine habitats are very diverse.The waters at themouth of KingSound are turbid but amongthe outer islands the water is semi-oceanicand relatively clear.

Floro and fauna Thereare no detailedpublished accounts ofthe marineflon andfauna of theBuccaneer Archipelago but the notesof theWestern Australian Museum Kimberley survey (Morgan, 1992) and verbal accountsfrom marine scientists who have visited there indicate that the biota is bothabundant and diverse.

Thearea is extensivelyused by turtles and dugong.

Recreotion TheArchipelago has tourist development potential. The One Arm Point Aboriginal community has culturalinterests there.

Fisheries TheOne Arm Point Aboriginal community maintains a commercialtrochus shell fishery on thereefs andbank amongthe Archipelago. In thesheltered bays on thewestern and eastern sides ofKing Sound,within the area under consideration here, there are several pearl oyster leases.

PartII - 20 Preaiousrecommenda tions TheEPA System 7 reportrecommended that biological surveys of theislands of thisArchipelago be undertakenwith a viewto recommendingthe creation of specificreserves. The surveys were subsequentlycompleted. On that basis the then Department ofFisheries and Wildlife proposed that a numberof ttreislands be declared reserves for conservationof floraand fauna. Since then negotiationswith therelevant Aboriginal communities have produced a proposalfor joint managementofthe islandsfor Aboriginaland consenration purposes. This included reservation of the watersof theArchipelago as marine park. Burbidge et. al. (1991)endorsed these proposals.

worhi ng Gmupttomm endations TheWorking Group endorses the proposals that the waters ofthe BuccaneerArchipelago be declared marinepark and zoned for multipleuse according to a managementplan developed in collaboration with theAboriginal community.

Afterconsidering the proposed boundaries, the Working Croup believes that the values of the marine parkwould be greatly enhanced by extending the boundaries to includeCygnet Bay in thewest and TalbotBay in theeast. The Working Group's preferred boundaries are indicated in Mapll-6.

Thepresence of pearlculture leases and operations within the area of theproposed marine park is noted.Providing that this industryis managedwith duecare foy the many sensitive natural values of the marineenvironment, the Working Group considers that this activity would be compatible with multiple-usemarine park status.

TheWorking Group recommends that:

"Thewaters ofth€ BuccaneerArchipelago, including Cygnet Bay in the SouthWest and TalbotBay in the east,should be consideredfor reservationas a multiple-usemarine park.

3.8. OceanicCoral Banksand lslands(Map ll-7)

Onthe mid and outer portions of theSahul Shelf there are several islands and banks of great scientificinterest and conservation importance. These include the shelf-edge atolls known as Seringapatamand Scott Reef, the shelf-edge islands and platform reefs of theAshmore-Cartier complex,and the mid-shelf islands and platform reefs known as Browse and Adele.

[Note:the Rowley Shoals are shelf-edge atolls further south and are dealt with in PartIII.]

BrowseIsland is Western Austnlian State territory, together with thewaters surrounding it for a distanceof 3 nauticalmiles. The waters within 3 nauticalmiles ofthe emergentsand cay at Scott Reefare State teffitory. Adele Island is freeholdland owned by the Commonwealth but thewaters aroundit belongto theState (see also Map ll- 6).

Ashmore,Cartier, Seringapatam and a portionof ScottReef are Commonwealth territory and althoughthey are significant elements in theshelf marine environment they are not within State jurisdiction.However, it shouldbe noted that the Commonwealth has already declared a marine naturereserve around Ashmore and has reservation of theother areas under consideration. From the pointof viewof reservesystem design the Commonwealth and State marine reserves of theoceanic regionneed to beconsidered together. The Working Group has taken this into accountalthough it hasno brief for recommendingCommonwealth reserves.

AdeleIsland is builton a corallineplatform reef held freehold by the CommonwealthGovernment. TheEPA System 7 reportrecommended that negotiationsbe undertaken for returnof it to the State andits subsequentdeclaration as a NatureReserve. Extensive coral reefs surround the Island. The structureis anunusual near-shore platform reef of greatscientific interest. It is consideredto berich in speciesand of exceptionalconservation value.

Part II - 21 Browse presently Islandis unvestedbut was recommended for declarationas Nature Reserve by the EPASystem 7 report.It is believedto bean importantturtle and bird nestingsite and is su.rouna.A byextensive coral reefs. It is anoff-shore platform reefof immense scientific interest. Geonorphologg Descriptionsof thegeomorphology and geology ofthe oceanicreefs and atolls, and additional references, mavbe found in Teichert6r Fairbridge (1948), Fairbridge (1950), iowell (lgze),iinz, et a/. (1978),Wlson (1985),Berry & Marsh(1986) and Berry (1993).

Ilarine flom aul fauno Descriptionsofthe marineinvertebrates and fishes of scottReet seringapatam Reefand Ashmore andcartier Islands may be found, with additionalreferences, in wilson (19g5), Berry & Marsh(19g6) andBerry (1993).

Pleoiousrccomm endo tions TheEPA system 7 reportrecommended that Adele Island be returned to theState bv the Commonwealthand declared a Class B reservefor theconservation of floraand fauna. Burbidge el c/. (1991) endorsedthat proposal, though recommending class A status,and proposed that the witers surroundingthe islandshould be declared Class A marinenature reserve.

TheEPA system 7 reportrecommended that Browse Island be declared a class B reservefor the conservationof floraand fauna. Burbidge et al. (1991)endorsed that proposal but suggested class A statusand proposed that thewaters around the island be declared a class A marinenilure reserve. l{o rkin g Group rccomm enila tio ns TheWorking Group endorses the earlier recommendations for declardtion of marinereserves around bothAdele and Browse Islands. It is notedthat, in thecase ofAdele, the surrounding reerextenoi beyondthe limit of Statejurisdiction. As it is an integralpart of thecoral platform reef and ecosystemit is importantthat the whole reef be reserved. The working Group suggests that the state authoritiesliaise with the Commonwealthwith a viewto securingreservation under Commonwealth legislationof thoseparts of thereef under commonwealth jurisdiction and subsequent joint managementof thewhole marine reserve.

TheWorking Group also believes that consideration should be given to thereservation of ScottReef. Althoughpart of thereef is underState jurisdiction and part under commonwealth jurisdiction, the workingGroup believes that the reef complex shourd be managed as one unit, with ippropriate collaborationbetween the State and Commonwealth management agencies.

TheWorking Group recommends that: "1. Considerationshould be givento reservationof the Statewaters surrounding Browse and Adele Islands and Scott Reef. "2. The relevantcommonwealth authorities should be approachedwith a suggestionthat thoseareaj of Scott Reefand the reefaroundAdele Island which are under its jurisdiction,should be reservedunder comrnonwealthlegislation so that the state and commonwealthareas can be managedas ecologically integral units."

Partll -22 A REPRESENTATIVEMARINE RESERVESYSTEM FOR WESTERN AUSTRAtIA

Report of the Marine Parks and ReservesSelection Worklng GrouP

PARTIII

MARINERESERVES ON THECANNING AND PILBARACOASTS AND THEROWTEY SHELF CONTENTS

PART lll: MARINE RESERVESON THE CANNING AND PILBARA COASTS AND THE ROWLEY SHELF

1. INTRODUCTION 1.1Coastal geomorphology...... 5 1.1.1The Rowley Shelf ......

1.2Marine floya and fauna...... 9 ...,...... ,..,....,.,...... 11 1.4Fisheries...... 11 1.5The hydrocarbon industry...... 12

EXISTINGMARINE RESER'I'ES 2.1Rowley Shoals Marine Park (Part II, MapU-7)...... 13

RECOMMENDATIONSFOR MARINE RESERVES ON THE PILBARAAND CANNINGCOASTS AND THE ROWLEYSHELF 3.1Westcoast ofDampierland (Map III-1) ...... 15 3.1.1Pender Bay ...... 16 3.I 2 LacepedeIs|ands...... 17

3.9Exmouth Gulf (Map III-9) .... I. INTRODUCTION

Thesection of the WA coastconsidered in Part III includesthe Canningcoast of the WestKimberley, the Pilbaracoast, and the southernpart of the North west Shelfoceanic Province sometimes known asthe RowleyShelf. The northernboundary of this sectionis at CapeLeveque and the southem boundaryat North WestCape. Between these limits the studyarea extends from the high tide mark of the mainlandand coastal islands to the limit of Stateterritorial waters(see Index to MapsIII). It includesthose sections of the RowleyShoals which areunder State jurisdiction. These boundaries conformwith thoseofthe biogeographiczones described in the Councilof NatureConservation Ministers'working paper (CONCOM, 1985).

The amountof informationavailable about the marinehabitats, flora and faunaof the Canningand Pilbaracoasts varies greatly along this coast.Some areas, such as the DampierArchipelago, are fairly well studiedbut otherareas have received scant attention. The Working Grouphas used its collective experienceand knowledge ofthe areato interpretaerial photographs and satellite imagery, and a classificationof coastalgeomorphology (see Part 1 and Section1.2 of this Part)to identifymajor distinctivecoastal types. The objectivehas been to selectareas representative of eachofthese types andthe habitats,biotic communities,and recreational resources they containfor considerationfor reservation.In additionthe WorkingGroup has sought to identifyareas of specialconservation (eg. turtle andseabird nesting sites) or recreationalvalue for considerationas specific purpose reserves.

The WorkingGroup is awarethat petroleumexploration permits and some petroleum production licencesapply to much ofthe coastaland offshore waters of this sectionofthe WA coast,including someof the areasidentified here as being worthy of r€servationfor conservationand recreation purposes.It is alsorecognised that commercialfishing occurs throughout the areaand that, under the powersofthe FisheriesAct, certainzones have been declared for particularfishery operations. Theseexisting and potential economic uses have been noted where they were known but they have not influencedthe reserveselection process. Legal or managementproblems likely to result from conflictbetween the activitiesof the petroleumor fishingindustries and constraintswhich couldbe imposedby reservedeclaration must be addressedbefore any reserveproposal is developedfurther.

Similarly,several Aboriginal communities are established at coastalsites along the Canning-Pilbara coastand Aboriginal people maintain traditional interests in manyof the marineareas considered in this reportto be worthy of reservationfor natureconsewation and recreational purposes. It will be necessaryto consultthe appropriateAboriginal people pyior to the declarationof thesereserves and to seektheir participationin management.

l.l Coastal geomorphology

Generalcharacteristics ofthe Canningand Pilbara coasts are describedin Section3.6 ofPart 1 ofthis report.Both arelocated in arid or semi-aridareas. The former haslittle or no fluvial run-ol{while the latter hasmany rivers and streams which aresubject to seasonalflow and flooding.Wave energy is moderateto low andthere is a largetidal range.

For the purposesof reseweselection it is convenientto considerIirst the geomorphologyof the coastalenvironment of the sector.Three primary divisionsmay be recognised:the continentalshelf with its seabedand waters, the mainlandcoastline, and the coastalislands. These may be further dividedinto distinctivecoastal types. In addition,several major habitattlpes (eg.coral reefs)occur in the region.The detailedcommunity structure and species composition of habitatsare greatly influencedby the natureof the localgeomorphology.

A reservesystem including representatives of eachof the mainlandcoastal types, and the nearshore andoffshore islands, bank and reefs,would be likely to repyesentthe habitats,communities and specieschancteristic of the regior..

Partlll - 5 1.1.1 The RowleyShelf The North WestShelf extends from the vicinity of MelvilleI. in the NT to North WestCape. It is sometimesdivided into a northem sectionknow asthe sahul shelfand a southemsection known as the RowleyShelf, with the dividingline beingoff capeLeveque. The sahul Shelfwasconsidered in Part II of this report.This sectiondeals with the southernRowley Shelfportion.

Thereare manyislands on the Rowleyshelf, particularly in the westernsector. These are discussed separdtelyin Section1.1.3 (including the reefsand caysof the RowleyShoals).

The Rowleyshelf is the widestsection of the wA continentalshelf extending to about354 km off CapeJaubert (shown on MapIII-2). As a resultoftectonic subsidence,the outershelf-edge break is alsodeeper than usual,being at an averagedepth of about560 m. The shelfmay be regardedas an extensionof the deepsedimentary basins of the north westpart of the State.It is the site of extensive oil andgas fields.

The RowleyShelt and indeedthe whole North WestShelf ofwhich it is a part, is a featureof very long standingin geologicalterms. As a sedimentarybasin it hasbeen receiving marine sediments sincethe earlyPalaeozoic.

The innerwatersofthe RowleyShelt subjectto run-offfrom the adjacentrivers and to disturbance by the strongtidal flow,are relativelyturbid. The outerwaters are generally clear. Thus, the marine environmentsof the shelfare broadly divisible into nearshoreand offshore components. The outer zonehas been termed the North WestShelf Oceanic Province.

The nearshorezone is characterisedby muddysubstrates and the intertidal zoneis dominatedby mud and sandflats or muddyrocky shores. The sedimentsare mostlyof terrigenousorigin. In the offshorezone the substntesofthe shallowsare more often sandy. The bottom sedimentsof the deeperparts of the outer RowleyShelf are fine sands,muds and oozes, mostly of biogenicorigin.

Therecan be no definiteboundary between the nearshoreand offshore environmental types although it approximatesto the 10 m bathymetriccontour. Because this contourhas particular environmental relevancein the island-richWest Pilbara, it is shownas defining the boundarybetween offshore and nearshoredistinctive coastal tlpes on MapsIII- 7,8 & 9.

1.1.2 Mainlandcoastal tyaes For the most part the mainlandcoast has low reliefand consistsof long sandybeaches or mangals backedby sanddunes, but there are manylagoons, bays and inlets andsome rocky headlands and low limestonecliffs. The relativelyhigh reliefand rockyshores of the inundatedDampier Archipelago are an exceptionwithin the region.

Thewestern part of the mainlandPilbara coast is characterisedby deltas,barrier islands and associatedlagoons with extensivedevelopment of mangals,backed by wide supra-tidalflats. The deltasmay be activeor inactive.The barrierislands are remnants of erodedshorelines. Thus, this sectorof the coastis undergoingconsiderable change, with both depositionaland erosionalprocesses presentlyoperating. The resultinggeomorphological variability creates a varietyof coastalhabitat types,each characterised by distinctivecommunity structure and species composition.

The Canningcoast and the easternpart of the Pilbaracoast are characterised by long stretchesof sandybeach alternating with large,deeply indented bays. The bays form complexgeomorphological and ecologicalunits in their own right, usuallywith barrierislands at their entrances,lagoons with mangalsbacked by inundatedflats aroundtheir shores,and extensivedevelopment of tidal sandand mud flats.

For the purposesof selectingareas of the coastcontaining representative habitats, using geomorphologicalcriteria, it is possibleto recognise11 distinctivecoastal tlpes alongthe mainland coastof the Canning-PilbaraRegion:

1. bay; 2. dundridgebarred bay;

PartIII - 6 3. activedelta; 4. inactivedelta; 5. inactivedelta with barrier; 6. barrier limestonecoas! 7. erodedbarrier with baYs; 8. beach/dunecoast; 9. ria/archipelagocoast; 10. cheniercoast: 11. sanddune hinterland coast.

Wthin eachof thesebroad-scale coastal types there is a recurringset of mediumto small-scale marinehabitats that supportdiverse mangrove folmations and intertidal flal beachand rocky shore communities.

The baysofthe canning andeastem Pilbara coasts are worthy of specialconsideration. The coast betweenCape Leveque and CapeBossut exhibits a recurringgeomorphic pattern of baysand dune/ridgebarred bays. The primary features are:

. large-scaleV-shaped bays, with smallerV-shaped headutaters; carbonate mud systems characterisingthe uppertidal partsand sandy substrates characterising the lowertidal parts; . a systemor seriesof Quaternarybarriers and spits, usually along the southernor south-western portion of the bays,resulting in the formationof a southernshore complex consisting of a seriesof smallerbarred embayments; . scallopedV-shaped interfaces between the high tidal zoneand the hinterland.

Baysand barred bays that showthese geomorphological features are Pender Bay, Beagle Bay, Carnot Bay,Cape Boileau, Wllie CYeek,Crab Creek, and the Lagrangecomplex.

Wthin andassociated with thesebays there are two typesof tidal flats - sanddominated flats that occuron the openshores, and mud dominatedflats that occurtypically in the moresheltered areas within the bays.Rocky shore habitats may occur along the barrier headlands.A varietyof mangal typesare developed in the embaymentsettings within the largerV-shaped bays, according to the localhabitat conditions.

From the point of viewof natureconservation and ecosystemmanagement, it would be desirableto reserveone (or more)of theseV-shaped bays in its entirety,containing a typicalsuite of habitat t),pes,as a self-containedecological unit.

Four distinctivehabitats which arecharacteristic of the Canning-Pilbaracoast are of particular interest.

(i) Mangals For the purposesof this report a classificationof mangalhabitais is givenin Section3.7.7 of Part I. Mangrovesand mangalhabitats aye extensive in the Canning-Pilbarasector, especially in the baysof the DampierPeninsula and in the westPilbam. There are few places in the world wheremangals occur in arid conditions.In this respectthe Pilbaramangals, though not rich in species,are of great scientific importance(Semeniuk, 1993b).

The floristicsand communitystructure of mangalsin the regionhave been studied by Semeniuk et al. (19781,Semeniuk & Wurm(1987) and Semeniuk (1993a, 1993b). Johnstone (1990) has also describeda seriesof mangalsalong the coastand the birdswhich inhabit them.

Ten t),pesof mangalassemblage are recognised. They form wide forestsin someparts of the mainlandshore, although species diversity is lessthan that found in the mangalsof the North Kimberleydue, in part, to the arid andsemi-arid climate. Small but complexmangals are a featureof the bayswhich chancteyisethe Canningand easteynPilbara coast. Minor mangalsare alsofound on shelteredshores of manyof the coastnlislands. As pyeviouslystated, within eachof the 11 distinctive coastalgpes of the Canningand Pilbaracoasts there is a recurringset of mediumto small scale habitattypes that supportdifferent mangal assemblages. Preservation of samplesof eachofthe broad

Part III - 7 scalecoastal types within a reservesystem would maximisethe probabilitythat the rangeof mangrovespecies and mangaltypes, associated physio-chemical processes, and associated flon and fauna,are represented.There is no doubtthat thesemangal systems contribute very significantly to the nutrient resourcesof the Pilbaracoastal waters. It is veryimportant that theybe carefully managedand protected.

TheWorking Groupnoted that in orderto maintainthe nutrient cyclesand productivity of the coastalzone and preserve the nurseryareas of manycoastal species including scale fish and crustaceanswhich are the targetofboth commercialand recreationalfisheries, it is necessaryto properlymanage and protect the whole mangrovesystem of the region.

(ii) Intertidal flats Intertidal mudflatsare a featureof the mainlandshores of this sectot usuallyassociated with fringing mangalsin baysand lagoons. Intertidal sandflats are also a significantfeature ofthis coast. Wth sucha largetidal range,especially on the Canningcoast, the mudflatsand sandflats of mainlandshores are oftenvery wide (sometimesa kilometreor more)crossed by deepdrainage channels.They support rich and diversefaunas ofburrowing invertebrates.Some ofthem are extremelyimportant feedingareas for migratorybirds.

Thereare extensiveintertidal sandflats also around some of the nearshoreand offshore islands. Thesehabitats and their infaunalcommunities are somewhat different to the coastalflats but they too supporta high diversityof invertebyates.

Manyof the regionallyendemic species occur in thesehabitats. Mudflat and sandflat communities of thesetypes are found no further south than ExmouthGulfbut they extendacross northern Australia into the Gulf of Carpentaria.Comparable habitats on the mainlandshores of easternQueensland (the SolanderianProvince) have many species in commonbut thereare also many differences.

(iii) Rock! shores Rockyshores are of two b,peson the Canningand Pilbara coasts. In the centralPilbar4 particularly in the DampierArchipelago, many shores are dominated by Pre-Cambrianigneous rocks with rock walls or boulderfields sloping into the sea.Elsewhere on the mainlandcoast and more frequently on the coastalislands, there maybe limestoneaeolianite, oolitic, or beach-rockshores.

The limestoneshores of the regionare frequently eroded into horizontalintertidal rock platforms with a doubleintertidal notch at the inner edgeformed by waveaction, chemical erosion and the activityof boring andburrouing organisms.The doublenotch of limestoneshores is a particular featureofthe outer Pilbaraislands. The zoneseparating the upperand lower notchesis dominatedby the growth of rock-o6ters (Saccostrea)and associated fauna. The horizontalplatforms form rock pavementhabitats, usually covered with algalgrowth, and support very diverseinvertebrate faunas. Typicallythe algaeare heavily grazed by herbivorousfishes at high tide to form a low "algalturf'. The front edgesofthe rock platformsmay bear coral growth. In manycases there is extensivecoral reef developmentin the sublittoralzone of the reeffront andreef-front slope.

Rockplatforms are particularly well developedon the seawardshores of someof the offshore,oceanic islands,most notablyBarrow, the MonteBellos, the Muironsand the outer islandsof the Dampier Archipelago.Because of their clearwater and moderatewave action, the floral and faunal compositionand communitystructure of rock platformsof theseouter islandsdiffer significantly to thoseof the inner islandsand mainlandshores.

(iv\ Coral reefs Coralreefs are well developedin this sector,as discussed in Section3.7.5 of Part I. Theyinclude the shelf-edgeatolls of the RowleyShoals, offshore coral banks and platform reefs of the WestPilbara, and extensivefringing reefssuch asthose of the Lacepedes,the DampierArchipelago, the Monte Bellos,the Muirons andother coastalislands. In mostcases the coralreefs are developedas a thin veneeron non-corallinelimestones around the reeffronts and slopes. The long-standingcoral reefs ofthe RowleyShoals are an exceptionto this generality.Species diversity of thesecoral reef systems is quite high (Veron& Marsh,1988) althoulh thereis little speciesendemicity.

PartIII - 8 1.1.3 Islands The islandsof the Ro\uleyShelf are o{ severaltypes:

Metasedimentaryand igneous islands of the DampierArchipelago (Semeniuk et a|.,1982; Trendall,1990). The coreof mostof theseislands consists ofArchaean metasedimentary and igneousrocks of the FortescueGroup. They are relics of the higherparts ofthe mainland floodedby the lastPleistocene tnnsgression. For the mostpart they lie within the nearshore zone-

(Someouter islandsof the Archipelagoare of differentorigin and composition,representing relicsofthe Pleistoceneshelly, ooid andaeolianite limestone shores. The shorehabitats they provideare more akin to the limestoneislands of other areas- see3.)

2. Offshoreislands ofthe Barrowcomplex comprise Tertiary limestones, which arerelics ofthe structurdltrend ftom the CapeRange anticline. They include Barrow Island itself and North andSouth Muiron Islands.

Offshoreand nearshore islands composed ofshelly or ooid PleistoceneIimestones. Many of theseare formed along Pleistocene shore-lines since transgressed by higher sealevels.The outer islandsol the DampierArchipelago, eg. Delambre, Legendre and Kendrew,are included in this category(Semenluk et a|.,7982).

Holocenesand islands formed on shallowbanks.

5. Shelf-edgeatolls of the RowleyShoals. These are built of corallinelimestone upon fault blocks of Tertiaryand Mesozoic limestones and emergefrom greatdepths at the shelfbreak (see Berry & Marsh(1986) for descriptionand references). They are actively growing coral reefsystems. Of the three atollsin the grouptwo, Clarkeand ImperieuseReefs, have emergent sand cays and aretherefore under WA Statejurisdiction. They are very like ScottReef and SeringapatamReef on the shelfbreakof the SahulShelf further north.

Eachofthese island types has its characteristictypes ofshore habitats,determined, in part, by substrateand degree of exposureto waveaction. For examplethe igneousrocky shore habitats of the DampierArchipelago islands are very different to the limestoneshores of BarrowIsland, the sand caysof the SerrurierIsland complex, and the coralreefs of the RowleyShoal atolls.

Also,the marinehabitats surrounding the nearshoreand offshore islands naturally exhibit the conditionsofthe turbid nearshoreand clearer water offshore zones ofthe RowleyShelf (seeSection 1.1.1).The habitatssurrounding the offshoreislands tend to approximateoceanic conditions.

1.2 Marine flora and fauna

Scientificstudy of the marineflora andfauna of the Canning-Pilbaracoast did not beginin earnest until quite recently.None of the scientificexpeditions of the last centurymade any collectionsof marinespecimens on this coastalthough some specimens collected by the pearlfishing industry during the latter half of that period,especially from the vicinity ofthe pearlingports ofBroome and Cossack,found their wayinto the handsof Europeanscientists. British marinenaturalist W. Saville Kent collecteda fewcorals from the LacepedeIslands and the in vicinity of Broomewhich were referredto in monographspublished by Brook(1893), Bernard (1896, 1897, 1903, 1905, 1906) and Matthai (1928).The first majorsampling of the marinefauna was by the MjobergExpedition of 1910- 13,which alsooperated mainly in the vicinity of Broome.The resultsof this productiveexpedition werepublished by a seriesof authorsover a periodof yearsunder the title Resultsof Dr E. Mjoberg's SwedishScientific Expeditions to Australia1901-13 (K. SuenskaVetenskapsakademiens Handl.). Montaguemade a small collectionof marinefauna at the MonteBello Islandsin 1912(Montague 1914).H.L.Clark collected echinoderms along the Canningcoast as far south asWallal in 1929,and againin 1932when he alsodid somedredging offshore. This materialwas included in his monographson the echinodermfauna ofAustralia (Clark 1938, 1946).

Partlll - 9 Since1960, staff of the WesternAustralian Museum have made extensive collections of marinefishes and invertebmtesat a numberof Pilbaralocalities including Barrow Island, Muiron Islands,Exmouth Gult the DampierArchipelago and the MonteBello Islands.Ajoint expeditionof the westein p. AustralianMuseum and the Bernice BishopMuseum of Honolulu,sponsored by Mrs Mariel King, carriedout a three-monthdredging and divingsurvey along the lvesternpilbara ioast in 1960, resultingin largecollections of marineinvertebrates, especially molluscs. Detailed surveys ofihe marine faunahave been carried out by the westernAustralian Museum and the Departmentof conservationand Enviyonment in the DampierAichipelago, Rowley shoals and the MonteBello (references Islands givenin the appropriateSections). An illustratedguide to the fishesof North- WesternAustralia was one outcomeof thosesurveys (Allen & Swainston1988). Another illustrated monographof the fishesof the region(Sainsbury el a/., l9g5) resultedfrom a surveyof the deep grounds trawling on the outer part of the North WestShelf conducted by CSIRODivision of Fis'heries Research.

Although,as noted in Part I section3.2, the marineflora and fauna of the North west Shelfhas predominantly Indo-westPacific affinities and the majorityof speciesare widespread in that vast biogeographicregion, there is a significantdegree of localendemicity. Most of the endemicsDecies are commonto the northernAustralian coast between North WestCape and the TorresStrait, leading marinebiogeographers to designateit asa biogeographicalprovince named the Damperianprovince. The Canning-Pilbarasector under discussionhere represents the westernportion of ihat orovince. Theendemicity is mostmarked in the nearshorezone.

The fish, invertebrateand marineplant communitiesof the nearshorereefs, banks and tidal flats havea rather differentcomposition from thoseof the shelf-edgeatolls and offshore islands (Wilson. 1985;wells 1986b).These differences between the innerand outer shelf biota are Iargely due to the verydifferent habitats provided by the turbid and morehighly nutrifiedwaters of the foimer and the clearoceanic conditions in the latter. Theouter part of the shelfis apparentlymuch influencedby the southerlyflowing currents originating with the Timor Currentwhichdraws pacific water throuph the Timor and Javaseas (wyrtki 1957,1923). The coralreefs around the islandsand atolls of the North west Shelfedge contain many widespread tropical species with Indonesianand pacific affinitiesthat are not representedin the nearshorecommunities (wlson, l9g5; authorsin Berry, 1986).Many of thosespecies spill aroundNorth west capeand populate the clear-waterreefs oi the NingalooMarine Park and areas further southby meansof the Leeuwincurrent which originateson the North WestShelf.

For theseecological physical and reasons,North west capeis a point of major biogeographicchange - on the wA coast,separating the marineflora andfauna ofthe North west shelffrom thoie of the Dirk Hartogand Rottnest Shelves to the south.It is thereforean appropriatebiogeographical boundaryand usefulin classificationof the coastfor marinereserve selection prrpoi...

Relativelylittle is knownof the marineflora of thepilbara and canning coasts or the islandsof the North west shelf. Therehas been no systematicstudy of eitherthe algalor seagrasscommunities in the region.

Seagrassmeadows occur in the shallowsin manyparts of the pilbara-canningcoast but they do not appearto be asextensive as those on the westand south coastsof the State.Intertidal rock flats carry a fair growth ofalgaeand some ofthe shallowoffshore banks seem to be algal-dominatedrather than coral-dominated,but thereare no denseseaweed-kelp beds like thoseof the southerntemperate coast.Nevertheless, seagrass and algal beds are obviouslyan importantelement ofthe region's ecosystemsand they supporta diversefauna of herbivorousfishes, turtles anddugong.

The Lacepedesand manyof the Pilbaraislands are important nesting sites for turtles andseabirds. Thesehave been identified and assessed in an unpublishedreport by officersof the Departmentof Conservationand LandManagement (pers. comm., Dr Keith Morris, 19gg).

PartIII - 10 1.3 Tourist potential

The coastand islands ofthe Pilbaraand Canningsectors presently have moderate use by localpeople seekingaquatic recreation, ie. boating,fishing and diving. Naturally these activities are concentrated in the vicinity of populationcentres, notably Broome, Port Hedland,Karratha-Wickham-Dampier, Onslowand Exmouth. Local recreational use of thesecoastal resources is an important aspectof life in the areaand undoubtedly itwill increase.Heavy fishing pressure is allegedat somelocalities whererecreational fishing is concentrated(see 1.4).

The coastand islands of the sectorhave only moderatepotential for the developmentof marine- orientedcommercial tourism. Most visitors will be interestedprimarily in the magnificentfishing or fascinatingnatural history of this remotecoast. The beaches of the Canningcoast are rightly a big attyactionfor tourists,mainly based in Broome.There are two island-basedfishing campsoff Onslow. Charterboats operating from all of the main ports offerfishing and diving trips to the offshorewaters andislands.

A recentTourism Development Plan for the PilbaraRegion (Barrington & Partners,1986) and subsequentImplementation Strategy 1991-95 (Pilbala Regional Development Advisory Committee 6r WA TourismCommission) noted the modestpotential for dayvisits to coastalareas and isJands, proposedthe developmentof additionalboat ramp facilities at severallocations, and recommended that a studybe undertakento investigatethe possibilityof developingadditional island holiday accommodationoff the Onslowcoast.

Scenicallythe islandsof the DampierArchipelago have many attractions and there is somepotential therefor developingadditional accommodation in the proposednational park. The colourful rock pilessloping into the sea,ftinged by mangrovesor sandybeaches, are scenically unique. However, other islandsin the regionare generally low in profile,sparsely vegetated, and rather bleakin prospect.The severe,arid to semi-aridclimate of the region,and the lack of potablewater makes theseislands attractive only to thosewilling to copewith hard environmentalconditions. There seemsto be little scopefor resortdevelopment.

Nevertheless,there is potentialfor developmentofthe charterboat industry, especially for fishing and divetours to the outer isiands(see Section 1.4). Perhaps there is alsopotential for development of naturalhistory tours to the islandsto observesuch features as the turtle nestingand seabird rookerieswhich, in season,provide such an impressivespectacle.

1.4 Fishcriet

Presentlythere is an economicallyimportant and diverse range of bothcommercial (including aquaculture)and recreationalfishing practised in watersoff the Pilbaracoast. These fishing operationsare centredat the ports ofBroome,Port Hedland,Port Samson,Onslow, Dampier and Exmouth.

Commercialfishing operations comprise seven established fisheries and a numberof developing fisheries.Pearling is the keyindustry of the region.Live pearlshell for subsequentuse in the pearl culture phaseis harvestedby diversfrom severalareas off the Pilbaracoast between Exmouth Gulf and King Sound.The principal harvest area is off EightyMile Beach.Pearl culture leaseswhere "seeded" pearloysters are held at low densityon long linesor in basketsare locatedat the Monte Bello Islands,Dampier Archipelago, offEighty Mile Beach,and in the BuccaneerArchipelago.

Prawntrawling activities are managedby threeseparate limited-entry fisheries, the Exmouth GuJf, Onslowand NickolBay fisheries, which arelocated between Exmouth Gulf and 120"Elongitude. The major taygetspecies are the tiger,western king, andbanana prawns, with substantialcatches of endeavourprawns also taken.

The majorityof the finfish catchis takenby two separatelimited entry fisheries,the Pilbaratrap (and line) fishery,and the PilbaraFish Trawl industry.Both thesefisheries extend from North WestCape

PartIll - 11 to 120"Elongitude. Thereis a shoreline closureto the 30 m isobathfor the trap fishery.The prime targetspecies are the nor-westsnappers, emperors and cods.

Access to shoreline beachnetting for fin-fish in ExmouthGurf is restrictedunder the management affangementsfor the ExmouthGulf Beachseine Fishery. The main targetspecies include selreral species perth) of mullet, whiting, breamand garfish. Bony (or herring aie alsosought seasonailflor the bait market. Nettingactivities between the northernboundary ofihis fi.t .,y ^"'o rgs iuiiirio.,- targetedmainly at threadfinsarmon and barramundi, are presently operated by ricensedwestern Australian"wet" fishermen.

specificmanagement programs arepresently being developedfor the tropicarrock robsterand mud crabfisheries. The lobsterfishery is centredprimarily in the DampierArchiperago where the animars aretaken by diving.A smal rocar-marketfishery for mud crabsoferates in iidal-creeksand ,n""giou" areasalong pilbara muchof the coastline.Some licensed commercial aquarium fistr ano speclmln shell collectorsalso operate throughout the region.

Therehas beena recentescalation of the levelof effort expendedon the captureof a rangeof shark species in the region.At presentshark fishing activities between North west capeand 12b"E longitude are managedby the State,whirst thoseto the eastof this are mostlymanaged by the commonwealth. Longliningactivities target mostly rarge sharks for the intemationa]fin markets. Gill nettersgenerally seeksmaller animals to supplyboih localand international markets with shark meat.

The commonwealth-managed North west DeepwaterTrawr Fishery, which primarirytakes deepwater crustaceans, operateson the continentalslope between 114 and 125.Elongitude. The Rowleys'hoals- -- - lie just insidethe easternboundary of this fishery.The commonwealthals-o manages a s,nuii designated trawl areafor westernking prawnsimmediately west of r22"E longitude(north westof Broome).

For years some the inshorewaters adjacent to the pilbara'sdeveloping popuration centres have experienced substantialand increasing levels of recreationalfishing pressure. Although boat anglers targetinga rangeof tropicalfood and game fish haveexerted most oi this pressure,siore-basei angling,netting in tidalcreeks and estuaries, and diving primariry for rockrobster have all contributed.

The charterindustry, operating from the majorports of the pirbara,caters for an increasingnumber recreational of linefishermen. Management arrangements for thisdeveloping industry are"presently beingfinalised.

Managementplans for all the commerciarfisheries, together with recentdeveropment of a long-term strategyfor recreationalfishing throughout the State,are aimed at providingthe basisfor sustiinable managementofthe fishand crustacean resources ofthe pilbaracoast-

1.5 The hydrocarbon industry

The North west Shelfis a productivearea for hydrocarbons,both petroleumand gas. The Barrow Islandfield has been producing since 1966. In the r980sproduction began from severar other fields off the Pilbaracoast, most using islandsas a basefor offshoreproduction facilities. Exploration is continuingin an areafrom North west capeto north of Karrathawith the expectationof further discoveries.

PartIII - 12 2 EXISTING MARINE RESERVES

2.1 Rowley Shoals Marine Park (see Part Il, Map ll-7) Clerkeand Imperieuse Reefs, the two atollsunder State jurisdiction in the RowleyShoals, have been declaredClass A marinepark underthe Conservationand tand ManagementAct. The parkwas gazettedon 25 April, 1990,the two sectionstotalling 23 250 ha. in area.The Commonwealth Governmenthas declared the third ofthe shelf-edgeatolls in the group,Mermaid Reef, a marinepark underthe CommonwealthNational Park andWldlife ConservationAct.

The geomorphologyand marinefauna of the RowleyShoals have been described by Fairbridge (1950),authors in Berry (1986)and Veron & Marsh(1988). Fairbridge considered them to be geomorphologicallythe mostperfect examples ofshelf atollsin Australianwaters. Recent biological studieshave shown that the marinefauna of thesereefs is exceptionallyrich and diverse, representingthe oceaniccoral reef community types characteristic of the centralIndo-West Pacific Regionand very differentto the communitiesof the nearershore coastal reefs. So far 52 generaand 184species ofscleractinian corals have been recorded from thesereefs (Veron in Berry, 1986), slightly lessthan the figuresfor the moreintensively studied Scott and Seringapatamatolls lurther north. The fish faunais equallyrich with, at last count (Allen& Russellin Berry, 1986),688 species of258genera.

In addition,the underwaterscenery is quitespectacular. The Rowley Shoals are now well known internationallyas one of the world'sgreat dive sites. The anchorages within the ClerkeReef and MermaidReeflagoons are already popular destinations for chartervessels operating dive and recreationalfishing tours in that vicinity.Development ofsuch operationswill certainlycontinue.

At the time of preparingthis reportthere is no managementplan for the Statemarine park. It is expectedthat the main managementobjectives will be protectionofthe very significantflora and faunaof the reefsand lagoons, and such recreation as may be consistentwith that first objective.

PartIII - 13 3. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MARINE RESERVESON THE PILBARA AND CANNING COASTS AND ROWLEY SHELF.

Previousrecommendations of the Conservation Through Reserves Committee (Systems 7,72,8, and 9) andDepartment of Consewationand Land Management report entitled Nature Conservation Reservesin the Kimberley, Western Australia (Burbidge et 4/. 1991)are incorporated within the followingrecommendations of the Working Group.

3.1 west Coastof Damplerland(Map lll-l)

TheDampierland Peninsula is generallyoflow reliefandsandy. Its northerntip, CapeLeveque, mark thesouthern limit of theKimberley's ria coastand the beginning of thevery different coastal typestypical of whatis heretermed the Canning coast. The eastern shore of thePeninsula forms the westernside of KingSound and was considered in PartII.

Thewestern shore of theDampier Peninsula is characterisedbysand dunes, long sandy beaches, a fewlow rockyheadlands, and a seriesof thedeep, V-shaped bays discussed in Section1.1.2. The climateis sub-humidand there are no riversor majorcreeks flowing to thesea. Nevertheless, becauseof thefine-grained nature of thecoastal rock andthe extremetidal range, the near-shore wateris turbid.

TheV-shaped bays are a featureof theCanning coast. They comprise a repeatedset of secondary geomorphologicaltlpes and marine habitats. They tend to havelow rockyheadlands with limestone or sandstonereefs and extensive sand flats on theseaward corners, well developed mud flats and mangalsat theirheads, and moderate supra-tidal flats between the high tide level and the terrestrial vegetationof thehinterland. In manyrespects each of theV-shaped bays can be regardedas a separateecosystem with a highdelree of internalintegrity, although there must also be significant connectednesswith theadjacent coastal waters.

Rockyshores at theheadlands tend to formrock platforms or boulderfields, often at severaldistinct levelswithin the intertidal zone and with extensivetidal pools. Although many scleractinian and soft coralsgrow in thelower pools, coral reef development is minor. There is usuallymoderate developmentof algalturfs and a rich invertebratefauna.

Extraordinarilywide intertidal sand flats are perhaps the most notable feature along the open ocean shoresof thissector. Some of theseare more than a kilometrewide at low springtide. They exhibit a nnge of sedimenttypes from fine silty sand in nearshoresituations to coarse,shelly rubble where thereis a strongtidal flow. They are often very strongly sculptured with ripplemarks and drained by complex,dendritic systems of tidalchannels. There is verylittle plantgrowth on theseflats, although sparseseagrasses grow in someshallow pools. Faunistically, on theother hand, these flats are remarkablyrich. They carry very dense and diverse populations of bivalvedmolluscs and other burrowinginfauna which are preyed upon by large numbers of fishesat hightide, and by wading birdsat lorutide. At theextreme outer edge (at low spring tide level) they bear dense growths of soft coraland sponges. The large biomass of theseflats is no doubtsupported by the high production of organicmaterial in thebays behind them.

Themangals in thebays are typically complex in theirzonation and floristic composition although theyare less species-rich than the mangals of thenorth Kimberley coast where rainfall is higher,and severalof themangal structural types are missing. Johnstone (1990) recorded 12 species of mangrove fromthe regionand noted the scaycity ol tallRhizophora and Sonneratia forest. He recorded 16 of the22 species of birdswhich typically inhabit the mangalsof theKimberley. Structurally, several differentmangal types can be recognised, each characteristic of particulargeomorphic settings. The patternsof mangaltypes are repeated in eachof theV-shaped bays from Pender Bay in the northto lagrangeBay south ofBroome.

Theonly ollshore islands on thissection ofthe coastare the Lacepedes. With that exceptionthere are no coralbanks or off-shorereefs and the continental shelfslopes more or lessregularly, though with

PartIII - 15 somedeep tidal scourchannels. The nearshorebottom sedimentsconsist mainly of terrigenous muds.

Prcoious recomme nda tiotts Thereare no previousrecommendations for marineprotected areas on the westerncoast of the DampierPeninsula. Houever, the CTRCreport and subsequent EpA recommendationsincluded a proposalfor the reservationof a sectionofvacant crown Landalong the coastbetween cape Borda and LombadinaPoint asa naturereserve. This proposalwas endorsed by Burbidgeet al- (1997\.

In this report two marineareas of the Dampierlandcoast are identified as worthv of reservation.

3.1.1. PenderBay Tenure The peninsulaof CapeBorda and the coastalland to the north of it is vacantCrown Land. The southernshore of PenderBay, including Perpendicular Head, is AboriginalReserve. The land at the headof the bayis pastorallease.

PetroleumExploration Permit EP 104R3covers the adjacenthinterland in the penderBay,lBeagle Bayarea and extendsinto the inshorewaters of PenderBav.

Ceomorphologtg PenderBay is a tlpical exampleof the Canningcoast V-shaped bays. It hasa broadmouth with rocky headlandsat either sideof CapeBorda in the north andPerpendicular Head in the south and moderatelydeep waters between. The southernshore between Perpendicular Head and Bell point is northward-facingand exposed,with sandybeaches and extensiveintertidal sand flats. The northern shoreis shorter,with a rockyheadland at CapeBorda, fronted by verywide sand flats, abrupfly changingto mangalhabitat to the east.The headofthe bay hasa major mangalbacked by supra-tidal flats.

Conseruotion ualues Althoughthere are no dataon seagnssbeds in this bay,the areais a major siteof dugonghunting by Aboriginesand the presenceofseagrass habitat may be inferred.

Therehave been no systematicsurveys of the marinefauna and flora of PenderBay although staff of the Departmentof Conservationand Land Management have carried out cursorystudies on the sand flat and mangalfaunas at CapeBorda. In that areaat least,the intertidal faunais extremelyrich and is tlpical of that of the Canningcoast.

Recreotion Scenicallyboth CapeBorda and PerpendicularHead are attractive. Their sandstonerock are colourful andtheir landformsvaried. However, most visitors go therefor the fishingor shell- collecting.

Accessto the southernshore of PenderBay is difficult andthe landis reservedfor Aboriginaluse. Thereis little prospectof extensiverecreational development there, except for the useof localpeople.

CapeBorda is part of an areaproposed to be reservedas a naturereserve and extensiverecreational developmentitheye are not likely.The headlandand adjacent beaches and the mangalare commonly visitedby Aboriginesand, to a lesserextent by non-Aboriginalpeople from Broome.Road access is difficult. Thereis a boatlaunching site in the bayon the northernshore just eastof CapeBorda.

The bestprospects lor recreationaldevelopments in this areaare for dayvisits to CapeBorda but supervisionwould be necessary.Recreational fishing and shell-collecting would be consistentwith marinepark status,subject to management.

PartIII - 16 3.1.2. LacepedeIslands Tenufe TheLacepede Islands are located about 18 km westof the mainlandcoast of the DampierPeninsula north ofBroome.The gyoup consists of WestIsland (106.6 ha) andMiddle Island (53.6 ha) which togethercomprise Class C NatureReserve No. 7279for the conservationofflora and fauna,East Island(32 ha) which is a Commonwealthlighthouse site, andSandy Island (8.2 ha) which is Vacant CrownLand.

Geomotphologg The four islandsare sparsely vegetated Holocene sand islands built on a limestonerock platform.No detailsare availableon the structureofthe reefssurrounding the islands.However, from aerial inspectionand verbal reports ofvisitors to the islandsit hasbeen determined that they are surroundedby a complexof shallowlagoons and interiidal and subtidalrock pavementsand sandand muddysand cays. The complexis about16 km long, separatedfrom the mainlandby the Lacepede Channel.The surroundingsea is generallyless than 20 m deepand is usuallyturbid.

Reteotional use Peoplefrom Broomeand the adjacentmainland occasionally visit the reefsaround the Lacepedesfor recreationalfishing. Some tourist charteroperators take their customersashore on the islandsto observethe seabirds,under permit from the Departmentof CALM.There is no potentialfor developmentof holidayaccommodation on theseislands because of their desolatenature and lack of freshwater.

Marine flom aml fauna A brief accountof the flora and faunaof the islandsis givenby Burbidgeel al (1991).The main biologicalimportance ofthe islandsis asnesting sites for marineturtles andseabirds. The islandsare major nestingsites for the BrownBooby (Sula leucogaster) and the LesserFrigate-bird (Fregata aiel). OLherbtrds nestingthere include the AustralianPelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus), the CommonNoddy (Anous stolidus) and the FairyTern (Stemanereis). The Lacepedecolonies of the BrownBooby are the largestin the world andthe LesserFrigate-bird colonies are the largestin the IndianOcean.

The islandsare also the site ol a major rookeryof the GreenTurtle (Cheloniamgdas). A current turtle taggingproject operated there by the Departmentof CALMin collaborationwith the local Aboriginalcommunity, seeks to determinemigntion patternsofthis species.Preliminary results indicatethat femalegreen turtles which feedas far awayas the Gulf of Carpentariaand Indonesia tnvel to this site for their egglayingin the earlysummer months.

The FlatbackTurtle Watordepressus), an endemicnorthern Australian species which is declared threatenedunder the WesternAustralian Wldlife ConservationAct, is alsorecorded nesting on these islands.

Thereis limited informationavailable on the marineflora and faunaof the reefplatforms and sand flats surroundingthe Lacepedes.The English marine naturalist Saville Kent visitedthe islandsin the early1890s and collectedand photographed corals (Saville-Kent 1897: pp 219-222).His small collectionof coralsis now in the British Museumof NaturalHistory. From that sourcecame the original specimensof lhe coralMontiggra kenti Ivlatthai,1928,but the specieshas not beencollected there (or elsewhere)since.

Marinebiologists from the WAMuseum and the AustralianInstitute of Marine Sciencebriefly visited the Lacepedesin July 1982and collected some invertebrates from the intertidal and sublittoralzones. Mud flats andwide sand flats with algaebut few coralswere noted on the southernside of West Island.On a secondvisit, in May1987, a landingwas made on MiddleIsland. On that occasion the group notedbarren, muddy flats on the southside and a barren,stepped, intertidal rock platformon the north sidecovered with a sparsealgal turf. The intertidal flats aresubjected to severetidal scouringand the apparentsparseness of their biotais perhapsnot surprising.

The limited collectingand study of the marinecommunities at the Lacepedes,together with aerial inspection,reveal that the outer edgesofthe reefplatformsand some of the shallowlagoons and

PartIII - 17 channelssupport extensive coral reefs and presence the ofsomeseagrass beds in the Iagoons.Given the closeproximity of the reefstothe.mainrand and ihe relativeryturbid water,it is likiiy ini.th.'^ sublittoralreef communities are rich in species. TheIimited invertebrate colectionrt# h;; ;;;" madeat the Lacepedesindicate that thereare fer,v species in commonwith th. .h.rf"d;;;; ;id_' shelfplatform reefs further offshoreand further noith.

Declarationof a marineconservation reserve aroundthe islandswourd assist protection ofthe very important turtle andseabird nesting sitesand the habitatsofthese animals u.ror. u^o uri.ili.Jing. The marinehabitats, flora and faunamay alsobe worthy ofspeciarprotectron measures in their own right. The habitatsrepresent the Horocene sandisrand ipe on a rimestoneplatrorm, wittr a viiiety lf-' fringing coralreef, intertidal sandflat, algaland seagrass-bed, rock platform,and channelh"tit";. Prcaious tecotnmendations Followin$the CTRCrecommendations, the EPArecommended that the reserveshould be extended- to the low water mark to protect turtles and up-gradedto classB. Theserecommendations were endorsedby Burbidge et ar. (r99r) who further recommendedthat SandyIstano snorto le aoaeato the reserve(Rec. 2.4).

Worki ng Croup Recommenda tions

l. Pmder Bag - CapeBorda:

"(i) thata survey becarried out of thesupratidal, intertidal and shallow sublittoral marine habitats floraand fauna pender and of theCape Borda Baysystem and the Sandy point Beagle Bay system; "(ii) that,as an outcomeof the survey,an area of thecoast be selected lor declarationas a marinereserve forpublic recreation and protection offro'u and fauna, to representthe v-shaped buy ryrt",n, "t urJ"rirfi" of theCanning coast."

2. LacepedeIslands:

"thatthere bea surveyof theintertidar and shatow sublittorar marine habitats and reefplatforms suffoundingthe Lacepede Islands,and an assessment made of theirsuitability as a rnarinereserve for the conservationofflora and fauna.,,

3.2. Roebuck Bay - Lagrange Bay (Map Ift_2)

The coastlinefrom point) Broome(Gantheaume to the northernend of the EightyMile Beach(cape Missiessy)represents ' a unit of considerabregeorogicar and geomorphorogicar ririety with a wide rangeof marine habitats.It encompassesthe port ofBroomeand the RoebuckBay RAMSAR ',wetland of InternationalImportance,' (see below).

Tmure A small areaof the shoreand near-shore point, "closed waterssouth of Gantheaume Broomeis decrared waters" underthe FisheriesAct for the protectionof invertebratefauna. shell-corecting is prohibitedthere.

A portion of the northern part of RoebuckBay is gazettedas the port of Broome.

The hinterlandincludes the town-siteofBroome, Aboriginal Reserve and pastorar rand. There is a small Nature Reservesouth ofBroomeoccupied under i-ease by the RoyalAustralasian Ornitholo;ists Union for useas the Broome Bird observatory.At the northernend of RoebuckBay a portion of tlhe adjacentRoebuck PlainsStation was recentry purchased by the Governmentfor additionto the proposedmarine park. Elsewherethere is a 40 m strip ofvacantcrown Landbetween High water Mark and the adjacentpastoral lease boundary.

In recognition of its importanceas habitat for migratdryshorebirds the shoresand hinterland of RoebuckBay are designatedas a Wetlandof IntemationalImportance. On that accountthe Statehas obligations provide to adequateprotection for the conservationvalues of that area.

Part IU - 18 PetroleumExploration Permit EP 114R2 covers the adjacent hinterland in RoebuckBay and extends into theadjacent State waters.

Gumorphologty Thissection ofthe coastlies at thesouthern end ofthe subhumidregion extending northward to KingSound. It is a relictof a majorpalaeodrainage system originating in thepresent Great Sandy Desertregion, but todayit is characterisedby the absence of anyriver transporting sediments. It includestwo major bays of distinctcoastal types (see Section 1.1.2). Roebuck Bay represents the coastalbay type (type 1) and Lagrange Bay represents the dune-ridge barred bay type (type 2), each havingits characteristicmangal and other habitats.

Offshorethe sea floor slopes gently to thewest-north west. A narrownorth-west-trending tidal channelof depthsto 100m (theRoebuck Deep) extends to 2 km offshore.Tidal range is up to 10m.

Thecoastline contains a varietyof landformsincluding rocky headlands, shores and intertidal platforms,extensive lravel, sand and mud-flats, sandplain cliffs, a varietyof mangaltypes and broad openbeaches. This variety is matchedby a highdiversity of floraand fauna, particularly in the intertidaland mangal habitats. The coast also contains a representationofthe coastaltypes which evolvedin thePleistocene and Holocene in thesouthern Kimberley and Canning regions.

Thesequence of coastallandforms and habitats is characterisedby rockycapes and headlands of Quaternaryage overlain by complexes of Pleistoceneand Holocene dune ridges. Extensive suites of relictPleistocene beach ridges are the principal characteristic ofwhat constitutes an exceptionally complexgeomorphological history of sedimentdeposition, weathering and erosion.

Forthe purposes of thisreport, three coastal sectors are recognised within this unit.

(i) RoebuckBag Sector Thisnorthernmost sector includes Cantheaume Point and the shores of RoebuckBay. It is of Pleistoceneorigin and includes three components with distinctivelandforms representingi coastal type1.

Thefirst ofthese components is the peninsula at Broomewhere sandstones, overlain by Pindan sands,form extensive cliffs and narrou beaches.

Thesecond landform type on thenorthern side of RoebuckBay is of Pleistoceneand Holocene origin. RelictPleistocene dune landforms and more recent Holocene coastal dunes are a majorfeature. The coastalplain of thissector is characterisedbyaeolian dunes parallel to theshoreline, beach ridges, andextensive supra-tidal mudflats. The shore is comprisedof low,red, semi-consolidated, sandstone cliffs,vegetated above with a low,open eucalypt woodland. Much of theshore is activelyprograding. Belowthe cliffs in theupper intertidal zone there is a zoneof grittybeach sand or brownbeach rock andbeyond that a verywide mudflat sloping gently out to theshallows of thebay. There are a few fringingmangroves in someplaces. Substantial mangals are developed only where there are tidal creekssuch as Crab Creek.

In thesouthern part ofRoebuck Bay from Crab Creek to Bushpoint there is a third landform consistingofa remarkablelinear mangal which is structurallyunique on thewestern Australian coast.This mangal is wide, strongly zoned, and drained by a seriesof transversetidal creeks, each dendriticand originating in widesupratidal samphire flats fronting the grassy Roebuck plain of the lowhinterland. It containsa varietyof mangalhabitats and assemblages. The seaward zone consists of low, opento closed lorestof Auicennia,Aegiceras, Camptostemon and Rhkophora with some Aegialitis{orming an underslorey.Auicennlb is themost common species forming dense stands in thelandward zone. Scattered trees and shrubs of Excoecaria occur on thelandward fringe.

In additionto themangal itself there is an equallyremarkable, very wide, intertidal mudflat seaward of themangroves. The mudflat is severalkilometres wide at thesouthern end of thebav where it formsa broadspit projecting northwards from Bush point.

PartIII - 19 Mangaland mudflatdevelopment also occurs south of BushPoint asfar asCape Villaret but there is not the linear form which typifiesthe coastfurther north andthere are several small bays.

(ii) Cape Villaret to CapeLatouche Treuille Sector This stretchof coastis dramaticallydifferent to the shoresof RoebuckBay. Low pindancliffs are frontedby narrowbeaches, interrupted only by a complexof earlycretaceous sandstones and mudstonesat CapeGourdon.

(iii) CapeLatouche Treuille to CapeMissiessg Sector From capeLatouche Treville southward to capeMissiessy where the northernend ofthe g0 Mile Beachterminates, there is a complexsequence ofthe baysystems referred to in section1.1.2 as dune/ridgebarred bay (coastaltlpe 2). The baysinclude port smith, LagrangeBay, Admiral Bay, GeoffroyBay and DesaultBay. They comprise rocky headlands, structurally complex mangals of a typedifferent from thoseof RoebuckBay, and extensive intertidal, subtidal and iupratidaimud, sand gravel and flats fronting deeptidal creeksdraining the mangals.The extensivemangals bordered by supratidal,halophytic mudflats and adjacent grasslands and woodlands are a dominint featureof this coast.

Rockyheadlands are the major controJlingfeature of the coastlineiogether with extensiveintertidal rockplatforms which are incised and weathered to forma highlycomplex and unusual landscape visibleat low tide.At Falsecape Bossut there is a wide intertidal rock platformwith extensive boulderfields and flat areas with tidepools standing at variousheights above low water level. The principalrock t),peis referredto asthe BossutFormation, which is a poorlycemented, partly cross- bedded,fine to coarsegrained calcareous and quartzitic sandstone of euaternaryorigin.

The largestof the dune-ridgebay systems in this areais at r,agrangeBay between cape Bossut and Falsecape Bossut. It containsa full suite of the sub-unitscharacteristic of this coastaltype, includingseveral discrete mangal systems, very extensive and well developed intertidal sand and mud flats and rockyplatforms.

Marine flora and fauna RoebuckBay and Lagrange Bay represent excellent examples of the coastalbay (type 1) and duneiridgebay (t),pe2) respectively,and contain exceptional examples of intertidal mud-ftatand mangalecosystems.

The mudflatsof RoebuckBay have particular conservation value as they area primaryfeeding site for a varietyof migntory birdswhich maketheir first landfalland their lastpoint of departurethere on theirannual migration from and to theirbreeding areas in Siberiaand other parts of the northern hemisphere.The birds arrive exhausted and they spend several days or weeksfeeding on the inverteblatesof theseflats, building up theirbody weight before continuing their journey to feeding areasin southernAustralia. conversely, on theirreturn journey the birds build up theirbody weight and reserveson theseflats before beginning their extraordinarilylong flight to their northein breedinggrounds. The RoebuckBay mudflats are one ofthe mostimportant arrival and departure sitesfor migratorybirds in northernAustralia. closeto the shoreabout 15 km southofBroome the RoyalAustralasian ornithologists union (RAou) hasestablished the BroomeBird obsenratoryon a small cArM reserve.The RAou operatesthis facilityas a centrefor a major internationalbird-banding program. It is proposedthat public interpretivefacilities be establishedthere as a meansto further public interestin the conservationof migratorybirds and asa contributionto the tourist resourcesofthe district.

The importanceof the RoebuckBay mudflats to migratorybirds andthe designation "Wetland of the Bayas a of InternationalImportance" under the RAMSARConvention was noted above under Tenure.

Little marineresearch has taken place along this stretchof coast.The Mjobergswedish Scientific Expeditions(1910-13) made extensive collections of invertebrates,mainly from the pearlinggrounds off LagrangeBay, and H.L. clark collectedechinoderms in the areaduring his visit to Broomein 1929.Taxonomic accounts of thesecollections were published in thespecialist journals of theperiod.

Part III - 20 TheWA FisheriesDepartment has also conducted fishery surveys of coastalwaters in the areain more recentyears. Nevertheless, there is no publishedinformation on marinehabitats or communities.

Inspectionof the mudflatsand muddy sandflats of both RoebuckBay and Lagrange Bay by representativesof the WorkingGroup indicated that their invertebratefaunas are especiallydiverse, comprisingspecies typical of the muddycoastal waters of the North WestShelf, including the suite of endemicsreferred to in Section1.2. A verylarge fauna of burrowingbivalved molluscs is a featureof the area.The rockyheadland and intertidal rock fieldsat FalseCape Bossut also provide habitat for an extremelydiverse rocky shore community. The intertidalfauna has a species-richnessgreater than that of coastalhabitats further north or south,reflecting the obvioushigh organicproductivity of thesebays and the greathabitat diversity.

The largemangals of this sectorare also of outstanding structuraldiversity. They include muddy flat, sandyflat, tidal creek,chenier, hinterland and rockyshore assemblage tlpes, as developedin shelteredbays (see Section 3.7.7 of Part 1).The linear mangalofthe southernpart ofRoebuckBay is unique.Species diversity of mangalflora is high and manyspecies are at the southernlimit of their tropicaldistribution in this vicinity.

TheWorking Group considers that the coastbetween Gantheaume Point andCape Missiessy has geologicaland biological features of high valuefor both conservationand recreation.These values includea broadrange ofhabitat bpes, someunique for the WesternAustralian coast, an extremely rich marinefauna, geomorphological features of greatscientific interest, and probably the most importantsite in Australiafor migratorywader bird habitat.These features require particularly carefulmanagement.

Integratedmanagement of the coastalwaters and hinterland will be a key factorin managementof this area.It is importantthat supratidalflats together with adjacentland within the complexweb of mangalsand their catchments be incorporatedinto a singlemanagement unit. Thelines of distinctionbetween land units areintricate and comDlexand not alwavsclearlv definable.

Recteational and commercial uses TheWorking Group noted that thereis a modestdegree of recreationalfishing by localpeople in the creeksentering Roebuck Bay and the severalbays in the southernpart ofthis sector.In addition thereis somecommercial fishing, notably for mud crabs.

Thereis a largecontemporary Aboriginal presence in the areaand manyculturally and historically importantsites exist along the coast.The Aboriginal community ofBroome makesfairly extensive useof the mudflatand mangalenvironments of RoebuckBay for recreationaland subsistencefishing andthe gatheringof molluscsand other invertebratesat low tide. Similarly,the Aboriginalpeople from Lagrangeuse the mudflatsand creeksof the baysin that area.

Burbidgeet al. (1991)noted the potentialfor developingfacilities and inteDretive activitiesfor observingthe migratorybirds in the RoebuckBay area as an importantinternational tourist attraction.In collaborationwith the BroomeShire, the MOU's BroomeBird Observatoryis already havingsome success in that directionas well asoperating a bird-bandingprogram.

Pteuious recommenda tions The CTRCand EPA reports did not considerthis arca.Burbidgeet al. (1991)recommended that a ClassA MarinePark be declaredin the RoebuckBay area. That recommendationincluded only the intertidal mud flatsand landalong the shorebetween Fall Point and SandyPoint. Neitherthe EPA nor the CALMKimberley report considered other partsof this sector.

Wo* i ng Group Recommendatiotts : As a designatedRAMSAR wetland, Roebuck Bay is an obviouscandidate for reservation.As well asits statusas bird habitatit includesa largemangal of veryunusual structure and exceptionallywell- developedmudflats. The Working Croup endorses the earlierrecommendation of Burbidgeet al. (1991)that a marinepark be declaredin RoebuckBay but believesthat further work is neededto definethe mostappropriate boundaries. From an ecologiicaland managementpoint of view,limiting

PartIII - 21 the park to the intertidal flats is not appropriate.It wouldbe preferableto resewethe wholewaters of the bayand such parts of the adjacenthinterland which directlycontribute to its ecosystem functions,ie. the tidal creeksand supra-tidalflats.

Also,the WorkingGroup considers that boundariesshould be setnorth andsouth of those recommendedin the 1991report. The rockyshore of GantheaumePoint hasparticular conservation valuesin terms of its invertebrdtemarine fauna and the presenceof dinosaurfootprints. Inclusion of that areawithin the marinereserve would help resolvethe managementproblems that prevailthere and increasethe habitatdiversity of the reserve.The southernboundary recommended by Burbidge el a/. at SandyPoint would be undesirableas the RoebuckBay coastal geomorphic continues southwardsto CapeVillaret.

For thesereasons the Working Groupsuggests that the MarinePark should include a largerarea than that recommendedby Burbidgeel a/. (1991),while noting that the Portof Broomewould need to be excluded.

The proposedRoebuck Bay Marine Park should be managedspecifically for the protectionof habitat for migratorybirds and the ecosystemsupon which they depend.Nevertheless, the WorkingiGroup believesthat the current levelof commercial,recreational and subsistence fishing in RoebuckBay is compatiblewith that managementobjective.

The Working Groupwas also impressed by the featuresof LagrangeBay which is perhapsthe best exampleon the coastofthe dune-ridgebay coastal b,pe. It hasan exceptionallywide range of habitatsand biotic assemblagesand an extremelyrich marinefauna including many of the North WestShelf endemic species.

Accordinglythe Working Grouprecommends as follows:

1. RoebuckBay Marine Park:

"(a)That the waters of RoebuckBay be reserved as Marine Park for publicrecreation and protection of flora andfauna.

"Themarine park should exclude an area (whose precise limits will needto bedefined) encompassing BroomeHarbour.

"TheWorking Group suggests that the boundaries could be from the north side of CantheaumePoint to CapeVillaret and from High Water Mark to the limit ofthe Territorial Sea but furtherstudy and discussion will beneeded on this aspect.

"(b)That foreshore areas not alreadyreserved behind High Water Level adjacent to thecentral and southern partsofthe park,should be added to themarine park by reservation under the Land Act. This action is pivotalfor successfulintegrated management. The shoreward boundaries of thisproposed reserve have not beenfully determined but theyshould encompass those coastal areas of pastoralleases which are an integralpart ofthe drainageand geomorphological systems ofthe coast."

2. Logmnge Rag

"Thatthere be further study of theflora, fauna and habitats of the coastal waters, tidal creeks and supra tidalflats between Cape Latouche Treville and Cape Bossut including Lagrange Bay, and an assessment madeof thepresent commercial and recreational uses of theseareas, with a viewto theselection of the mostsuitable sections for reservationfor thepurposes of publicrecreation and protection of floraand fauna""

Paftlll - 22 3.3. Eighty Mile Beach(Map lll-3)

EightyMile Beach is the220 km stretchof coastbetween Cape Missiessy and Cape Keraudren.

Tenure Thebeach, the intertidal flats between low and high tide levels, and a 40 metrestrip ofland above hightide level have the status of vacantCrown Land. For the most part, the hinterland is pastoral lease(Anna Plains, Mandora, Wallal Downs) but thereis a smallreserve for publicrecreation at Wallal.

In recognitionof its importanceas habitnt for migratoryshorebirds the beach from cape Missiessy to CapeKenudren, including the 40 metrestrip above high tide level, is partof an areadesignated underthe RAMSAR Convention as a Wetlandof IntemationalImportance. On that account the State hasobligations to provideadequate protection for its conservationvalues.

Anarea of coastalwaters offshore in thesouthem portion is coveredby petroleum Exploration PermitWA-233-P.

Cmmorphologg EightyMile Beach is analmost continuous, gently curving beach representing a current phase of marinetrdnsgression over the low-lfng and flat plains of theCanning Basin.

Thebeach is, on average,about 100 m wide,with a moderateslope to muddytidal sand flats. It consistsofwhite siliceous sand. Although nearly continuous, there are a fewsmall muddy bays with sparsemangroves (mainly Auicennia). The tidal flats are very wide, extending seaward up to several kilometresin places.They are largely unvegetated except at theouter edge exposed at extremelow tidewhere there is moderdtegrowth of algae,sponges and soft corals.

Behindthe beach there are lor,rr sand dunes vegetated with Crotolariaand Spinifex.

Marineflom orulfauna Thebeach itself is anunusual and spectacular geomorphic feature and worthy ofprotection for that reason.

Therehave been no systematicstudies ofthe intertidalflora and fauna along the shores of theEighty MileBeach. Cursory examination of beachdrift andinformation obtained from local peopte and streit collectorssuggest that the tidal flats and shallows beyond support a rich communityof invertebrates.

Themost significant conservation value of thisarea is its importanceas habitat for migratory "\Metland shorebirds.Its statusas a RAMSAR of InternationalImportance" has been noied above.

Studiesover the past decade by the Royal Australasian ornithologists union (RAou) have shown that EightyMile Beach is oneofthe three outstanding shorebird sites in Australia.(The others being RoebuckBay and a sectionof theGulfof carpentaria in Queensland.)on arrivalfrom their norihern hemispherebreeding grounds, the migratory birds spread out to feedover the exposedsand and mud flatsat lowtide but concentratein immenseflocks on thenarrow beach slopes and cays at hightide. Somespecies also use the mangals themselves and the supratidal samphire flats behind. ,,national Underthe RAMSAR Convention, sites are defined as having importance,,forthe cons€rvationof a birdspecies if they hold more than 1% of theAustralian population of thatspecies. Onthis definition Eighty Mile Beach has national importance for 19shoretiid species. Aerial iurveys of EightyMile Beach have recorded up to 332500 birds present at onetime. Distribution ofbirds alongthe Eighty Mile Beach is notuniform. Approximately g0% of thebirds concentrate in the north€rnsection between cape Missiessy and wallal. Ground counh have found concentrations of up to 140000 birds in the 15km sectionsouth ofAnna plains. There is a sharpdecline in thenumber of birdssouth of a smallarea of mangalnear Wallal.

PartIII - 23 Reffeotion For the mostpart the shorealong this sectionof the coastis inaccessiblealthough there are station tracls to the beachin severalplaces and a public roadinto a caravanpark at Wallal.Public use of the beachis very limited. Thewide tidal flatsfronting it andthe low sanddunes behind do not makeit an attractiveplace for fishing,swimming, diving or other traditionalbeach activities. Shell collecting andbeachcombing are perhaps the mostcommon activities, apart from simplyenjoying the spectacle of the long beach.Most visitors come for short dayor overnightvisits - usuallyas a stop-overduring journeysnorth or southalong the highway.

Preoious recommenda tions Most of the informationon the significanceof this areafor shorebirdconservation has become availableonly recently.Neither the EPAin its 1975report on System12, nor the reportby Burbidge et al. (1997\made any recommendationsin respectofEighty Mile Beach.

Working Croup recommendations

"1,While noting that the whole of Eighty Mile Beach receives environmental recognition as a RAMSAR Wetlandof InternationalImportance, the Working Group recommends that a sectionbe reserved for the protectionof marineflora and fauna and the habitat of migratoryshorebirds. The area reserved should includethe tidal flats and the 40 metrestrip of landabove high tide level, ie. it shouldextend at leastfrom lowtide level to theboundary of theadjacent pastoral leases.

"2.The Working Croup recommends that consideration should also be given to thereservation of anarea of coastalwaters seaward of lowtide level, preferably to thelimit of Statewaters, as a bufferto thebeach reserve.

"3.Noting that the RAOU study ofEighty Mile Beach is notyet complete, the Working Croup recommends thata decisionon which section should be reserved should be deferred until it is possibleto accurat€ly identifythe areasof mostimportance to migratoryshorebirds, although preliminary indications are that it shouldbe a sectionin thevicinity ofAnna Plains."

3.4. Keraudren (Map III-a)

The easternPilbara coast, from CapeKeraudren westwards to Port Hedland,sees an abruptchange of coastalgeomorphology and marinehabitats. There are two smalloffshore islands. North Turtle Island liesabout 20 km off the coastnorth-west of LarreyPoint. Bedout Island is a small mid-shelfisland about40 km north of PoissonnierPoint.

Tmure The hinterlandof this sectionof coastis pastorallease, with a 40 metrestrip of vacantCrown Land betweenthe boundaryof the leasesand the high tide level.North Turtle Islandand Bedout Island ane CIassA NatureReserves.

Gmmorphologg At the westernend of the EightyMile Beach,a littie eastof CapeKeraudren, there is an abrupt changeof coastaltlpe. The shoresbecome rocky with smallbeaches and several major bays.

Immediatelywest of the Capethere is a dune/ridgebarred bay complex, classified as coastal type 2, characterisedby a dune/ridgebar. This is the mostwesterly example of this coastaltype. It containsa well developedmangal behind the duneridge. To the westof the baythere is a stretchof low coast with rockyheadlands and narrowsandy beaches, interrupted in severalplaces by smalltidal creeks (eg.Pardoo Creek) each with mangaldevelopment.

Nearthe westernend of the sectoris the mouth of the De GreyRivey with its delta.The De Grey entersthe seaat BreakerInlet betweenPoissonnier Point andLarrey Point. In this vicinity thereare very extensivemud andsand bank associatedwith the ver delta.

Thewaters adjacent to this sectorare turbid andgently shelving. Bedout and North Turtle Islandsare both small rockyislands surrounded by shallowreefs.

Part UI - 24 Itarine llom ond fauno Themangal behind the dune ridge west of capeKeraudren has a closedforestof Rhizophora, olten with an understoreyof Aegialitis,along the seawardz one.Auicennia and scattered, Bruguiera and Cefiopsgr('$t alongthe sides of the drainagecreek. Thickets of Ceriopsand Rhizophora border the innei marginsof themangals where wide supntidal mudflats and samphire flats begin. Wthin BreakerInlet and along the bank of themouth of theDe Grey River there are mangroves, almost exclusivelyAuicutnLa, which are low and sparse, and frequently inteYrupted by bare mud flats. A few stJJntedRhimphora occur at the Yivermouth.

Therehas been no surveyof themarine flora or faunaof thisshore. It is possibleonly to speculate ihatthe biota is likelyto betypical ofthe coastalflora and fauna ofthe region,differing only in communitystructure according to thesomewhat different coastal geomorphology.

TheSaltwater Crocodile appears to havebeen establishing itselfin the estuariesofthis coastin recentyears.

NorthTurtle Island is animportant nesting site for theAustralian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatusl, PiedCormorant (P[ alacrocorax uaius) and White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster). There is no availableinformation on themarine flora and fauna and habitats of thewaters surrounding the island.

BedoutIsland is a veryimportant sea bird nestingsite for theBrown Booby (Sula leucogaster\, CommonNoddy (Anous stolidus), Crested Tern (Stema bergii),Lesser Crested Tern (Sle,'na batgalensis),LesserFrigate-bird (Fregata ariel),Masked Booby (Sula dactglactra), Roseate Tern (stemadougalii), Silver Gull (larusn ouaehollandiae) and Sooty Tern (stema fuscata). There is no availableinformation on themarine flora and fauna and habitats of thesurrounding waters.

Preuious rccommendations Thereare no previousrecommendations for marine resewes in thisarea.

TheEPA 1975 System 8 repodrecommended that Bedout Island and North Turtle Island be declared ClassA reserves{or the consewation offlora and fauna.

TheEPA report also recommended that biological and sedimentological surveys be carried out on tidaland supratidal flats in thecoastal waters of thePilbara coast as far eastas cape Keraudren, and thatany further development which might cause destruction of manSirovesbesubject to approvalby andunder the supervision of theEPA. The latter recommendation would include the mangals and intertidalflats of thissector.

WorkingGmup Recommendations

"1. That therebe a surveyof the marinehabitats and flora and faunaof the mainlandcoast between Cape Keraudrenand Spit Point,with specialattention given to the mangalsand sand/mud flats, and that an a5sessmentbe madeof their regionalsignificance with a viewto selectingthe most diverseand representativearea for considerationas a marinereserve.

"2. TheWorking Croup endorses the EPArecommendations for the declarationof North Tuftle Islandas a ClassA reservefor the conservationof flora andfauna and recommendsthat the waterssuffounding the island,from the Low TideMark to the limit of Statewaters, be alsoreserved fot protectionof seabirds, turtles and their habitats,and marineflora and faunagenerally.

"3. TheWorking Group endorses the EPArecommendations for the declarationofBedout Islandas a ClassA reservefor the conservationof flora andfauna and recommendsthat the waterssurrounding the island, from Low Tide Mark to the limit of Statewaters, be alsoreserved for the protectionof seabirdsand marine flora and faunagenerally."

PartIII - 25 3.5. Depuch (Map lll-5)

The coastbetween cape Thouin and capeLambert is complex,consisting mainly of mangalbutwith severallow rocky headlandsand beach sections. There are many small nearshoreislands and, near the centreofthe sector,the largerocky island known as Depuch.

Gumorphologg ond flom ond fauno This is a sectionofthe Pilbaracoastwhich needs to be surveyedbefore considention is givento selectionof representativeareas as candidatesfor reservation.

It is clearfrom inspectionofaerial photographs that the mangalsof this coastare very extensive and diverse,and that they differ structurallyin manyrespects from thoseto the eastand west. Several of the riversthat enterthe seaalong this coasthave active deltas, classified in Section1.1.2. as coastal type3. The extensivemangal system at the mouth of the YuleRiver is a goodexample. However, the Working Groupwas not ableto obtaindetailed information about the habitatsor community compositionof the mangalsin this sectorand was not ableto makeany comparisonof them for the purposeof selectingrepresentntive areas for reservation.Nor wasany informationavailable on the nearshorebenthic flora and fauna

Nevertheless,one smallbeach area near the north-easternend ofthe sector,known as cowrie Beach, is an important turtle-nestingsite andconsideration was given to its potentialas a reservefor conservationofflora and fauna.

3.5.1. CowrieBeach CowrieBeach, south west of CapeThouin andabout 140 km eastof Karratha,is a popularsite for recreationaluse and one of the fewWA nestingsites of the threatenedFlatback Turtle (Nalo," depressus).Throtgh cooperationbetween the Port HedlandShire and the Departmentof Conservationand LandManagement, special management provisions have been made to protectthe turtles andtheir nestinghabitat during the nestingseason. However, a moreformal arrangiement is neededto ensurethat the site is adequatelyprotected in perpetuity.

Tenure The hinterlandis part of Mundabullanganapastoral lease which hasits seawardboundary at 40 m aboveHigh WaterMark. The 40 m strip betweenthe boundaryand High WaterMark is VacantCrown Land.There is a small (20.25ha.) Commonwealthlease on the flatsadjacent to CowrieBeach which is the site of a TransportDECCA station with two aerialsand associated buildings. A much-usedtrig point (ThouinR 131)is situatedbehind West Cowrie Beach.

Gmmorphologg CowrieBeach extends from the mouth of the creekto a limestoneshore ridge some 3.3 km to the west.Beyond the limestoneridge thereis a separate400 m stretchofbeach known as West Cowrie Beachterminated by a mangrove-coveredrocky point separatingthe CowrieBeach complex from MundaBeach.

The beachdeposits are ofHoloceneorigin, frontedby an oolitic limestonepavement and backed by Holocenedunes, the oldestat a height of over 10 m. Theprimary dunesare vegetate d by Spinifex longifolius.

CowrieCreek is a discretemangal unit with a deeptidal creekreceiving flood waters from the Yule River.At the sea\rardedge of the creeks,on mudbank and muddyislands, are matureclosed forests of Rhizophora andAaicennia with an und,erstoreyof Aegiaft|r. The smaller creek are vegetatedwith Auicenniaforest of thick-trunkedtrees to a height of 5 m, backedby whipstick Auicennia.There are someCeflops on the landwardside.

Marine floro and fauna The FlatbackTurtle is a threatenedspecies under the StateWldlife ConservationAct andis endemic to northernAustralia. The speciesnests on beachesat a numberof localitiesfrom Yeppoon, Queenslandto the North WestShelf. In WesternAustralia known major nestingsites ofthe species are at HelpmanIsland, the LacepedeIslands and CapeDomett in the Kimberley,and Rosemary,

Part III - 26 Hauy,Varanus and Barrow Islands and Cowrie Beach in thePilbara. There is alsolow density nesting on mainlandbeaches ofthe Pilbaraat EightyMile Beach, Cemetery Beach, Cape Thouin, Cleaverville andWckham.

TheCowrie Beach rookery is oneof thelargest for thisspecies in thisState. Data collected by CALM officersdurinE the 1988/89,1989/90 and 1990/91 seasons indicate that several hundred females lay theireEEis at thissite annually.

TheWorking Group notes that Cowrie Creek itself has high conservation value in thatit representsa tlpe of mangalsystem characteristic of the Pilbara coast. There would be meritin includingiit within theproposed reserve for thisreason.

Recteationaluse Recreationaluse of CowrieBeach is heary,the site being only t hour'sdrive from Port Hedland and accessibleby 2WDvehicles. Recreation includes camping, boating (there is a serviceableboat ramp at CowrieCreek), fishing, off-road driving, and turtle-watching. As many as 80 peoplehave been observed on CowrieBeach at onetime. Visitors camp on thelimestone ridge, at CowrieCreek and on thebeach itself.

Thisis theonly major turtle rookery on themainland Pilbara coast and it offersopportunities for educationalviewing including commercial tourism. Such use is alreadyoccurring. Special managementwill beneeded to ensurethat viewing does not adversely affect the breeding success of theseanimals.

Monogementissues ClearlyCowrie Beach is animportant area deserving protection and special management. There are sevenlmana€iement issues. Off-yoad vehicles usin! thebeach itself and the primary dunes have damagedvegetation and may be having a significantimpact on eggclutch and hatchling survival. Noiseand light from camps and poor public viewing procedures have been observed to have detrimentaleffects on adultturtle and hatchling behaviour. There is predationby foxes, varanid lizards,birds and crabs. The capacity ofthe turtle population to sustainpredation is not known.

PreuiousR ecomm enla t ions Thereare no previous recommendations for marine r€serves in thissector.

Asmentioned in Section3.4, the EPA 1975 System 8 reportrecommended that biological and sedimentologicalsurveys be carried out on tidaland supratidal flats in thecoastal waters of the Pilbaracoast as far eastas Cape Keraudren, and that any further development which might cause destructionof mangrovesbe subject to approvalby and under the supervision ofthe EpA.These yecommendationswould include the mangals and intertidal flats of thissector.

Worki n g GroupRecommenda tiotts In viewofthe lackof informationabout the marineflora and fauna of themangals and nearshore watersofthe coastin theDepuch sector, the Working Group has not been able to recommendany particularareas for reservationwhich would represent coastal tlpe 3 andthese habitat types within theregion. Further photo-interpretation work and field surveys are needed before this is possible.

CowrieBeach is a specialcase. The Working Group considers that reservationof thebeach and hinterlandis urgentlyneeded to supportprotection of thevery important Flatback rurfle rookery. Notmuch would be gain€d by including the waters in frontof thebeach within the reserve. However, thereis goodreason for includingthe tidal waters of cowriecreek which is a smallbut significant, self-containedmangal unit.

Declarationof thecoastal lands as a CALMAct marine nature yeserve or LandAct nature reserve wouldhave the disadvantage that recreationalfishing and camping could not be permitted. There wouldbe procedunl advantages, however, in declaringthe intertidal zone and the 40 m stripas marinepark under the CALM Act or theLand Act, thus allowing recreational fishing to continue, subjectto carefulmanagement to avoid interference with theturtle breeding activiiies.

Partlll - 27 Accordingly the Working Group recommends that:

"1. That a surveyshould be caffiedout of the mangaland nearshore marine habitats of the coastbetween CapeThouin and CapeLambert so that one or more partsof it mayselected for reservationto represent coastaltype 3 and protectnearshore marine and mangalhabitats and their flora and fauna- "2. That the stretchof shoreof CowrieBeach and West Cowrie Beach, extending from the boundaryof the adjacentpastoral lease to the Low TideMark, but includingthe tidal watersof CowrieCreek, be reservedfor the purposeof public recreationand protectionof flora and fauna.

"3. That the br€edingsuccess of the FlatbackTurtles at this site be monitoredand anynecessary steps be takento ensurethat predationof the adultsand youngand other formsof disturbanceare keptto a minimum."

3.6. Dampier Archipelago (Map lll-6)

The DampierArchipelago is oneofthe major featuresof the Pilbaracoast. It is closeto several imporLantports andthe regionalcentre of Karratha.Its environment,flora andfauna, both marine andterrestrial, have considerable regional significance and are subject to increasinghuman impact.

Tmure Mostof the islandsof theDampier Archipelago are reserves vested in theNPNCA, and are under the managementof the Departmentof Conservationand Land Management. Exceptions are the IntercourseIslands and Legendre Island. At thetime ofpreparation of thisreport, most of the island reservesare naturereserves while someare recreationreserves. A recentManagement Plan (Dampier ArchipelagoNature Reserv€s Management Plan 1990-2000,Department of Conservationand Land Management,approved 6 June,1990) contains a recommendationthat all the islandreserves should be declarednational park. A separatemanagement plan is beingprepared for the Burrup Peninsula.

Ceomorphologg The DampierArchipelago is an inundatedlandmass now comprisingislands, rocky reefs, coral reefs andshoals rising from a sublittonlplain of 5-20m depth(Semeniuk et a\.,1982)r.The Archipelago representscoastal t),pe 9, that is ria/archipelagocoast (Section 1.1.2). Pfior to inundationabout 6 000-8 000years ago, the coastlineran aroundthe peripheryof the areathat is now the archipelago. The positionof the previousshore is representedtoday by a steepslope to the 30m contouraround the archipelagoclose to the outer shoresof the outer islands.These outer islandsare the remnantsof consolidatedlimestone ridges formed along the previous coastline.

Theclimate of thisregion is semi-aridr/vith an average annual rainfall of 315mm, and is subjectto periodiccyclonic storms. There are no majorrivers entering the sea in the immediatevicinity. Mean springtidal rangeis 5.6 m andthere are strong tidal currentsamong the islands.The near-shore watersare usuallyturbid while in the outerArchipelago the watermay be moderatelyclear. There is often a very distinct boundarybetween the turbid inner andclear outer water.

Themajority of the islandsin theArchipelago consist ofArchaean metasedimentary and igneous rock of the FortescueGroup, often with Holoceneshelly sand plains (Kreiwaldt, 1964). In landform theyresemble the adjacent mainland with low,rounded hills formed by rockpiles and rugged cliffs. Someof themhave moderate elevation. Outer islands, including Delambre, Hauy, Legendre, Brigadierand Kendrew (Wlson & Marsh,1974) are low Iimestoneislands of Pleistoceneor Holocene origin,usually with low,undercut sea cliffs and superficial sand dunes and beaches.

llarine flom and faunt Therehas been a modenteamount of researchon the marinefauna and habitats of the Dampier Archipelago.The WA Museum carried out a surveyof Crown-of-thornsStarfish on the coralree{s off KendrewIsland during the years1972 to 7974(Wlson, 1972;Wlson & Marsh,1974). This study includedpreparation offaunal lists ofthe fishes,corals and other marine animals ofthe Archipelago, wasextended by additionalsurvey work in 1978,and culminated in an unpublishedreport on the marinefauna and flora of the DampierArchipelago. Further work on the Crown-of-thornsr,vas done in subsequentyears by the Departmentof Conservation& Environment(Simpson & Grey,1989), the

Part III - 28 Departmentof Conservation& LandManagement (Wlson & Stoddart,1988). and the Australian Instituteof MarineScience (Johnson & Stoddart,1988). This coralpredator appears to be presentin largenumbers on coralreefs in the Archipelago,at leastepisodically, and at such times does considerabledamage to the coralcommunities.

During the period1981 to 1986,the Departmentof Consewation& Environmentconducted and supportedextensive surveys of the marinefauna and habitats in the Archipelago,especially with respectto indnstrialdevelopments thele andthe potentialfor pollution.A numberofpublications resultedfrom this work which form a usefulbasis for marineenvironmental management and planning.Chittleborough (1983) published a progressreport detailingthe objectivesof the study. Semeniukel a/. (1982)described the marineenvironments of the Archipelagoincluding a detailed descriptionofthe main biotic assemblages.Paling (1986) classified a numberofreefsites into broad groupsusing numerical techniques. Simpson (1988) published a comprehensivereport on the ecologyof scleractiniancorals in the Archipelago.Blaber af ai. (1985)described the community structureand zoogeographic affinities of coastalfishes of the Dampierregion. Mills & Pitt (1985)and Nlillset al. (1986)publisheddata on tidal dynamicsand currents.

Marinehabitats in the Archipelagoare extremely varied, as might be expectedwith suchvaried land andseascapes. The seabedwithin the Archipelagois mainlyof mud andfine sand.This substrate supportsan extremelyrich anddiverse benthos. Many shallow bays have wide muddysand flats uhich alsosupport rich burrowingfaunas. Seagrass beds are not well developed.

AII of the islandsare sparsely vegetated but someof them supportrelict populationsof plantsand animalsrepresentative ofthe mainlandbiota, and accordingly have very high conservationvalues . Thereare also very important rock art siteson severalof the rock pile islandsand on the Burrup Peninsula.Several of the beachesare important turtle nestingsites and some of the small,outer islandsand rocks support large seabird colonies.

On the easternside of the Archipelago,Nickol Bay represents a verydifferent type of habitat.The westernshore of the Bay,that is the easternside of the Burrup Peninsula,is rockywith small bays andbeaches and a fewfringing mangals,comparable to the shoresofthe westernside of the Peninsulaand some of the inner islandsof the Archipelago.In contrast,the southernand south- easternshores are characterised by widemudflats and extensivegrowth of mangroves.The Bayitself is shallowand has a muddybottom.

The mainlandcoast west of the Archipelago,that is westof WestIntercourse Island, is classifiedas tlpe 1l in Section1.1.2. It is dominatedby mangalhabitat, mainly of the tidalcreek, spiVchenier, andalluvial fan xsemblages(see Part I, Section3.7.7.). Particularly notable is the mangalon the deltaof the MaitlandRiver. The mangalsare fronted by mud flats.and the shallow,muddy waters of RegnardBay. A largeportion ofthe mangalbetween Dampier and West Intercourse Island has been destroyedfor the establishmentof saltponds.

Thereare also small mangals fringing sheltered bays ofsome ofthe innerislands, most notably in Flying FoamPassage and the southernbays of EnderbyIsland. These mangals are of the muddytidal flat, sandytidal flat, beachand rocky shore assemblages of the fia-archipelagocoastal type (see Section1.7.7 of Part 1).They contain the mangrovespecies Auicennia marina, Rhizophora stglosa, Ceriopstagal, Aegialitis annulata, Bruguiera escarktataand Aegiceras corniculata.

Corals and Coral Reefs TheArchipelago has a diversecoral fauna with 216species of 57 hermatypiccoral genera being recorded(Veron & Marsh,1988). Many ofthese species range from inshoreto offshorehabitats within the Archipelago,but a smallsuite of speciesis confinedto the turbid inshorewaters and othersare found only on the outer reefs(Marsh, 1978; Paling, 1986).

In the inshorewaters of the Archipelagocorals grow prolificallyon the sublittoral rock slopes.Some of the highestcoral species diversity has been recorded in this habitattype, for exampleon the slopes aroundConzinc I. However,these conls do not form coralreefs in the strict sense.The bestcoral reefdevelopment occurs on the seawardslopes of the outerArchipelago, such as those u,est and east of DelambreL, at HamersleyShoal south west of LegendreI., on SailfishReef north westof

PartIII - 29 RosemaryI-, on the seawardside of KendrewI., andon the north-westside of EnderbyI. Thesecoral reefsexhibit typical fringing reefform with a coral-rich,reef-front slope dissected by deepspurs and grooves,a reefedge zone with a reefflat behindand, in places,a shallowback-reef and lagoon.

Thesecoral reefsof the DampierArchipelago are a significantfeature of the Pilbaracoastal marine environment.They support communities of fishesand invertebratesthat arecomparable in diversity to thoseof other partsof the Indo-Pacificcoral province and share many species in commonwith them. However,because of the peculiaritiesof the Archipelago'sgeomorphology and biogeognphical history,community structure and faunalcomposition ofthese reefs is unique.

Soft Substrates Anotherfeature of the Archipelago'smarine environment is the rich soft-substratebenthic invertebnte fauna.This is especiallyevident on the intertidalflats which occur throughoutthe Archipelago.These range from muddyflats associatedwith the mainlandmangals to the clean, coarse-grainedsand flats andcays more commonin the outer areas.Although there has been no publishedaccount of this elementof the marinefauna it is well knownthat it is exceotionallvrich in specles.

Ofparticular interestamong the molluscs,for example,are 5 regionallyendemic species ofthe volutid gastropodgenus Amoria. Thesebeautiful animals are greatly sought after by the specimen shelltrade. They were once moderately common on the intertidalsand flats in the Archipelagobut havebeen heavily over-collected throughout the region.They are vulnerable to localextinction becauseof their lack of a pelagiclarval stage.

Recrution Thereis extensiverecreational use of the watersofthe Archipelagoby localpeople from the nearby townsof Dampier,Karratha, Wckham andRoebourne. Recreational fishing, diving and shell- collectingare populayactivities. Most householdsin the district own a smallboat capable of travellingamong the islands.Of all the islandsof the Pilbaracoast these have the greateitpotential for tourism.

Preoious rccommenda tio ns The DampierArchipelago Islands Management Plan approved in 1990contains a recommendation that watersof the Archipelagoshould be declaredmarine park but boundarieswere not suggested.

Wo*ing Group recommendations The Working Grouphad no difficultyin agreeingthat the watersof the DampierArchipelago warrant reservationbut the determinationofboundaries for sucha reservewas problematical. There is potentialfor pollution of the watersin the vicinity of the industrialand harbour facilities of Dampier andthe westernside of the Burrup Peninsulaand in the shippinglane which bisectsthe Archipelago through MermaidSound, and potential for conflictbetween management objectives ofthe port- industrialdevelopments and conservation.

For theJereasons the WorkingGroup concluded that a DampierArchipelago marine reserve should excludethe inner portion of MermaidSound and the functionalarea of the Port of Dampier.The park would then comprisetwo primary sectors,connected on the northernside. The western part would encompassRosemary, Malus, Enderby, Eaglehawk, West Lewis and the westernand northernshores of EastLewis Islands. The easternpart would includethe northerntip of the Burrup Peninsula, Conzinc,Dolphin, Angel and Gidleylslands, the islandcomplex and waters north of GidleyL, HamersleyShoal, and Legendre, Hauy and Delambre Islands. The Working Croup considers that the watersof Nickol Bayare not an integralpart of the Archipelagoecosystem and doesnot proposethat they shouldbe includedin the resewe,except for the areaacross the top betweenDolphin, Hauy and DelambreIslands.

TheWorking Groupconsiders that the areaproposed to be includedin the reserve,while avoidingthe principalshipping lanes and industrialareas, adequately represents the coralreef, mangal and sand and mudflathabitats of particularimportance in the Archipelago,and that it providesgood buffers for the turtle andseabird nesting sites on the islands.It alsocontains the mostimportant recreationalareas worthy of managementand long term preservation.

Part III - 30 Thesuggested boundaries are straight lines between easily identifiable points in theseascape whereverpossible. In thecase of theeastern sector, a suitablewestern boundary for management purposescould be the easternlimit of theprohibited anchorage are4 between Conzinc Island and the westerntip of HamersleyShoal, where the gas pipeline is laid.This would include the important coralcommunities on therock slopes of Conzincand other small islands.

Accordinglythe Working Group recommends that:

",..thewaters of the DampierArchip€lago, excluding the Port of Dampier,be reservedfor the purposesof publicrecr€ation and protection of flora and faun4 and that the seawardboundary should be the limit of the StateTerritorial Sea."

3.7. Cape Preston (Map lll-7)

This part of the reportfocuses on a short stretchof coastbetween Gnoorea Point and the deltaof the FortescueRiver and an areaof adjacentnearshore waters.

Tenure The hinterlandof this sectorcomprises the Mardie,Balmoral and Karrathapastoral leases ofwhich the seawardboundary is 40m from HigihWater Mark. The strip betweenHigh Waterand the lease boundariesis currentlyVacant Crown Land. A fishingshack lease of about100 ha. (DeWitt Location 184)is present on PrestonIsland. A PublicPurpose Reserve (of 258.9 ha.) number 380, for a landing androck well, is presentat the mouth of the FortescueRiver.

Offshore,North Regnard,South West Regnard and CareyIslands are part of a ClassA NatureReserve bearingthe number33831.

Gmmorphologry Excellentexamples oftwo ofthe distinctivecoastal types listed in Section1.1.2 ofthis Part are representedin the are4 ie. a cheniercoast (coastal type 10) eastof CapePreston and an inactivedelta (coastaltlpe 4) at the mouth of the FortescueRiver, each with its characteristiccomplex of mangal typesand assemblages. The Fortescueinactive delta is oneof two deltasof this typeon the Pilbara coast(the other beingthe deltaof the RobeRiver). There are also supra-tidal salt flats,sand islands, yockpavements, bar systems,and extensive sandflat habitats.

CapePreston is a low, rockyheadland at the northerntip ofPrestonIsland. The islandis separated from the mainlandonly by tidal creeks.It is flankedon iti westernand easternsides by extensive intertidal muddysandflats. Preston Spit is a flat rock platformat just aboveextreme low tide level, extendingmore than a kilometrewestward from PrestonIsland.

Offshore,Fortescue Road crosses the north-westcorner of the areaunder considerationand rangesin depthfrom 8 to 15 m. In RegnardBay and south-west of the PrestonSpit the sea-bedis sballow, mainlyless than 2 m, andthere are manyemergent rocks and banks constituting foul ground.Wind generatedwaves of short fetchprevail, from the SE/NEin winter and SWNW in summer.Tidal range is from 3.8 m (M[IWS)to 0.2 m (MLWS),the water is turbid and the substratemuddy.

Intertidal mudflatsdominate the shorein mostareas. There are sandy beaches on the easternand westernsides of PrestonIsland which alsohas a wind drivenlinear dunesystem on its westside. Rock,mud andsand flats connectPreston Island, Carey Island and others to the mainlandat low tide. Point barsand shoals form part of the tidal creeksystem.

Intertidaland sublittoral rock pavements(of both igneousand sedimentaryorigin) flank Preston Islandand GnooreaPoint and extendfrom CapePreston to North EastRegnard Island (the Regnard Pavement).In someareas the subtidalpavements support macroalgal and coralcommunities. Extensivesand sheets cover much of the RegnardPavement, including that part westof Capepreston wherethey covermuch of the rock platformcomprising the prestonSpit.

PartIII - 31 Marine flora and fauna Oneof the low coastalislands, North EastRegnard, is a significantrookery of the Wedge-tailed Shearwater.

The muddyrock pavements,sand and mud flats of the shorein this regionsupport a rangeof communitytlDes and a very rich flora and faunawhich is chancteristicof the coastalwaters of the Pilbara,including the suite of regionallyendemic species referred to in Section1.2. In spiteof the muddinessof the water,there is an abundantand diverse fauna of coralsin the sublittoralzone. The coralsdo not form coralreefs in the strict sensebut grow,together with sponges,soft coralsand greenalgae, wherever there are rocky substrates. The fringe ofthis diversecommunity is exposed alongthe flanksof the PrestonSpit (andprobably elsewhere in the region)at extremelow tide.

Extensivemangals are developed on the Fortescuedelta, in an embaymenteast of Jamespoint where YagabiddyCreek enters, in an embaymentimmediately south of Capepreston, and east of Cape Preston.These mangals represent a varietyof the assemblagescharacteristic of the chenierand inactivedelta coastal types. They occupy an areaof approximately5 800ha. In addition,isolated and small groupsof mangrovetrees, mainly Auicennia marina, colonisethe upperintertidal zone of the mudflatsalong most of the shore.Extensive supratidal cheniers are developedon the seawardside of the mangaleast of CapePreston. Behind all of the major mangalsthere are wide supratidal flats, much of them coveredby algalmats. Over 50 sandislands, ranging in sizefrom l0,s ofsquaremetres to 10'sof hectares,occur on the supratidalflats. Wth suchgeomorphological variety it is not surprisingthat manydifferent types of mangalassemblage are present and both floral andfaunal communitiesare species-rich.

In summary,the shoresof the areaunder consideration contain a wide rangeof the habitats representativeof the WestPilbara coast, including the bestexamples of the chenierand inactive delta coastaltypes, and thereis a correspondingspecies-rich flora andfauna.

Rec:reationaland commercial use Thereis recreationaluse of someparts of the areabut much of it remainspristine. There is a boat ramp at the mouth of the FortescueRiver used by recreationalfishers to gain accessto manyof the mangrovecreeks in that vicinity. Campingoccurs at CnooreaPoint. Access to the centralarea in the vicinity of PrestonIsland is by meansof disusedstation tracks and that areais rarelyvisited.

A semi-permanentcamp established on PrestonIsland is usedfor operationofa radiopositioning stationrelating to offshorepetroleum exploration. A fishingcamp on PrestonIsland is no longer used.

Thewaters of the areaare within Zone1 of the PilbaraFish TrawlFishery, the PilbaraTrap Fishery, and Zone3 of the OnslowPrawn Fishery. The Working Group considers that it would be appropriate to usethe inner (shoreward)boundary of thesedesignated fishery areas as the seawardboundary of anyreserve so that the reservewould not includeany commercial operations.

Prc uiou s recomme nda tiotts The EPA(1975, System 8, rec.8.7) recommendeda biologicaland sedimentological survey of this areain the contextof its contributionto the supplyof nutrientsto the adjacentmarine ecosystem. The surveyhas not beencarried out althoughsince 1975 some further informationhas become available.

Working Croup recommendations The mangals,muddy intertidal flats and extensiveshallows east and west of CapePreston are species- rich and undoubtedlycontribute significantly to the energybudget of the coastalwaters in the region.The varied marine habitats are diverse and representthe mainlandcoast of the centnl Pilbara,especially coastal type 10,so that the areais an excellentcandidate for settingaside as a marine conservationreserve.

The areaconsidered here is closeto the easternpart of RegnardBay which is suggestedfor inclusion within the proposedDampier Archipelago marine park (Section3.6 - seeMap III-6). A casecan be madefor a singlemarine reserye extending from the Archipelagoto CapePreston and encompassing

Part III - 32 all the watersofRegnard Bay, combining within the one reservemajor examplesof coastaltypes 9 and 10.For this reasonthe recommendationsof this Sectionshould be considered together with thosefor Section3.6.

After someconsideration the WorkingGroup decided not to proposeinclusion of the Fortescue inactivedelta in the proposedmarine reserve. This coastaltype is repeatedfurther south in the Robe Riverdelta (Section 3.8). However, if the boundariesof the marinepark proposed within that sector do not includethe Robedelta, inclusion,of the Fortescuedelta within the proposedmarine reserve at CapePreston should be reconsidered.

Accordinglythe WorkingGroup recommends: "1. Thatthe section of coastalwaters between Gnoorea Point and tam€s Point, encompassing South West RegnardIsland, Preston Island, Preston Spit and Carey Island, be considered for reservationfor the puruosesof protectionof mangal habitat, prawn and fish nursery areai, tu le nestingand feeding ar€as, andmarine flora and fauna generally. 'Altenativ€ly, considerationcould be given to extensionof the proposed Dampier Archipelago Marine Park (Section3.6) westwards to encompassall thewatersofRegnard Bay and North Regnard, South West Regnard,Preston and Carey Islands. "Extension w€stwardsto includethe inactive delta of the Fortescue River should be considered if the inactivedelta of th€Robe River is not includedin thereserve of theRobe-Cane sector. "2. Thatthe 40m strip of vacant Crown Land between High Water Mark and the boundary of th€adjacent pa:toralleases be added to theMarine Park by reservation under the Land Act.,,

3.8. Robe (Map lll-8)

Thissector covers the coastbetween the mouthsof the Fortescueand Ashburton Rivers and includes the coastaltown of Onslow.

Tenure The hinterlandis pastorallease with the boundary40 m aboveHigh TideMark. The positionof the boundaryis difticult to determine.

The islandsare incorponted into a singleClass A NatureReserve which bearsthe number33831.

The northerninshore part ofthe sectoris coveredby PetroleumExploration permit Ep13ZR2 and the offshorepart by PetroleumExploration Permit EP341. The southern inshore part of the sectoris coveredby PetroleumExploration Permit EP110 R3 andthe offshorepart by permitsEp36Z and EP357.

Gumorphologg This sectionof the coastand coastalwaters contain quite differentnearshore and onshoreunits. The outer portion,ie. the nearshoresublittoral shelf, is shallowwith muddysubstrates and numerous small,low limestoneislands. This nearshoreshelf-island unit continuesnorth andsouth bevondthe limits of the sector.The onshore unit comprisesthe coastline.

The coastlinecontains representatives of4 of the distinctivecoastal types listed in Section1.1.2, that is inactivedelta (coastal type 4), inactivedelta with barrierislands (coastal type 5), barrier limestone coasts(coastal tlpe 6) and erodedbarrierwith bays(coastal ttpe Z).

As notedin section3.7, there are two examplesof inactivedelta on the pilbaracoast, the deltasof the Robeand Fortescue Rivers, the formerbeing \,vithin this sector.

AJeatureofthe geomorphologyofthe mainlandshore ofthis sectoris the developmentoflow barrier islandsseaward ofthe mangals(coastal types 5, 6 and Z). TheseshoreJine gpes ire not well developedelsewhere in the Pilbara.The limestone pavements along the seawardside of the barrier

PartIII - 33 islandsare of specialinterest geomorphologically and create the conditionsfor the developmentof the particularmangal tlpes which characterisethis sectionofthe coast.

In additionto its variedcoastal geomorphology, this sectorcontains perhaps the mostdiverse mangalson the Pilbaracoast. One stretch of over75 km of the shore,on eitherside of the deltaof the RobeRiver, is dominatedby mangalhabitat. It is structurallydiverse and isolated from the mangalsof the FortescueDelta to the north andthe ExmouthGulf complexto the south.

In addition,this sectorincludes an importantsegment ofthe nearshoreshelf-island sptem gpical of the innerRowley Shelfwest of Dampier.There are many small, low islandsclose to themainland shorewhich frequentlyhave fringing mangalsof the muddytidal flat typeand intertidal mud flats aroundthem. Intertidal mudflatsand rock pavementsare particularly well developedaround the MaryAnne Groupof islands.

Marine floro ond fauno Therehave been no systematicsurveys of the marinehabitats, flora or faunaof this sectoralthough V. Semeniukand D. Walker(pers. comm. July, 1992)have examined the mangaland coastal geomorphologyand seagrass communities in somedetail.

The main significanceof the marineenvironment of this sectoris the diversityof coastal geomorphologyand tlpe of mangaldevelopment, and the importanceof the mangalsas a sourceof nutrientsfor the adjacentmarine ecosystem and as a nurseryarea for fisheries.

Johnstone(1990) recorded brief noteson the mangalat the mouth of the CaneRiver. Near the mouth of the river on its north sidethere is a Rhizopftoraforest to a height of 8 m, backedby tall, matureAuicennia forest and woodland. Further upstreamon the northernbankthe Rhizophoratrees are not so tall andoften mixed.wilhAuicennia. Some Caiops and\ow Auicatnia growon the fandwardside. Thickets of closedCarlop s andAegiceras grow on the sandyislands between the river channels.

The extensivemudflats and sandflats frontingithe limestone barrier islands are the habitatofvery rich epibenthicand buffowing invertebratefaunas. The flatsare also much usedby migratorywaders asfeeding areas.

In the shallowsublittoral zone there are extensive seagrass and algal beds on rock pavements.Turtle and dugongfeed on theseareas and turtles neston the beaches.

Thewaters are turbid but nonethelessthere are manv corals wherever there are firm substratesin the sublittoralzone.

Reffeation Thereis moderaterecreational use of the coastin the south-westernpart of this sector,especially in the vicinity of Onslow.However, the north-easternmangal is inhospitableand inaccessible from the land andso is little used.The adjacentislands and waters are also visited infrequently by recreational fishers.The islandshave very little potentialfor tourism.

Preoious rucommenda tions The EPA(1975, System 8, rec.8.7) recognisedthe importanceof thesemangals as a sourceof nutrientsfor the adjacentmarine ecosystem and a nurseryarea for fisheriesand recommended that biologicaland sedimentologicalsurveys be carriedout to assesstheir significancein theserespects. Detailedsurveys have not beendone but further informationis available.

TheEPA (1975, System 8, rec.8.4) recommendedthat all the islandsfrom the MaryAnne Group to SouthWest Regnard Island be declaredClass B naturereserves. The EPA(1975, System 9, rec.9.7) alsorecommended that WeldIsland should be declareda ClassA naturereserve and ottrer islands westofthis be consideredfor declarationas Class B naturereserves.

PartIII - 34 Working Grouptecommenda tions Althoughavailable information and inspection of aerialphotographs clearly indicate that thissector containsmany significant geomorphological and biological features, the Working Group was not able to recommendany particular section of it for reservationbecause of thelack of adequate information.Field survey work is neededto establishwhich areas most adequately represent the varietyof geomorphology,habitats, flora and fauna that are present.

However,the Working Group noted that the nearshore islands of thenorthern part ofthe sector,that is betweenSholl and Yammadery Islands, have recently been collectively designated as the Great SandyIsland Nature Reserve (see Map III-8). Should the results of fieldsurveys indicate that the northernpart of thissector contains geomorphology, habitats, flora and fauna suitably representative ofthe sector,there would be merit in selectingthe waters surrounding those islands for designation asa marinereserve,

Thereforethe Working Group recommends:

"1. That there shouldbe a surveyof the marinehabitats, flora and faunaof the Robemangal and adjacent nearshorewaters to identifyarea-s of particularconservation value in terms of mangalhabitat, prawn and fish nurseryareas, dugong and turtle feedingareas, and marineflora and faunagenerally.

"2. That, unlessthe resultsof the surveyindicate that the most desirableareas for marine conseryationare elsewherewithin the sector,consideration should be givento the declarationof the waterssurounding the islandsdesignated as the CreatSandy Island Nature Reserve and encompassingthe Robemangal south to the CaneRiver, including the inactivedelta of the RobeRiver.

"3.That th€ strip of landbetween the High WaterMark of the areaselected for designationas marine reserueand the boundaryof the adjacentpastoral lease, should be addedto the reserve."

3.9. Exmouth Culf (Map lll-9)

Exmouth Gulf is one of the largest embaymentson the Western Australian coast. Its eastern and southernshores are dominated by mangaland mudflathabitats of greatimportance for nature conservationand for sustaininglocal fisheries.

Tenurc The hinterlandof this sectionof the coastis occupiedby pastoralleases. The strip of land between the High WaterMark andthe seawardboundaries of the pastoralleases is vacantCrown Land. On the easternside ofthe Gulf this boundaryis difficult to locatebecause ofthe low natureofthe terrain. Inshoreislands along the sectoraye vacant Crown Land.

Almostthe entirearea is coveredby petroleumexploration permits. Permit EP325R1 coversmost of the areawhile EP342 intrudes into the northernpart andEP166 R2 intrudesinto the southernpart. Smallareas of the Gulfare also included within Permits EP41 R4 and EP359.

Cnmorphologg ExmouthGulf sits astridea significantboundary between the geomorphologicallydistinct Pilbara and Gascoynecoastal sectors (see Section 3.6 of Part I) with the dividingline being Sandaiwood Peninsula.The eastern shore ofthe Gulf,which is mangaldominated, belongs to theformer sector, while the westernshore, including the mangalsystem of GalesBay in the south-west,belongs with the CapeRange Peninsula to the Gascoyne.

The climateis arid andthe streamswhich flow into it aresmall andflow only after cyclonicrains. However,at the north-easternentrance to the gulf the AshburtonRiver discharges very large volumesof waterwhen flooding and some of this probablytemponrily affectsthe gulf.

Thewaters of the gulf aregenerally turbid. Although sheltered from strongprevailing winds the gulf is occasionallyaffected by cyclonicstorms. Tidal rangeis about3 m but storm surge,especially at the southernend ofthe gulf, maycarry sea water well beyondthe normal High TideMark.

PartIII - 35 The shelf-islandsystem which characterisesthe west pilbaranear-shore marine environment (see Section1.1.1) extends down the easternshore to the headofthe gulf. Thereare characteristic low Iimestoneislands along the easternside uith muddybeaches and rock pavementshores. In some areasthe intertidal rock pavementsbear extensive macroalgal beds and cordland rockyshore communities.

Alongthe easternshore from just south of LockerPoint to GiraliaBay there is a mangalof distinctive character.Three ofthe major coastaltlpes describedin section1.1.2 are representedin this system. In the northern sectionthe Ashburtondelta is an excellentexample of the activedeltn (coastal tlpe 3). Further downthe easternside of ExmouthGulf the shorerepresents the beacfudunecoast (coastal type8) and the sanddune hinterland coast (coastal type 11).Each of thesecontains its chancteristic assemblagesof mangaland other coastalhabitats.

Landwardof the mangalsthere are very wide supratidal flats which in manyplaces are inter-fingered or mergeimperceptibly with the low-lying,vegetated hinterland. The western boundaries of the adjacentpastoral leases are definedonly by referenceto the High water mark,although its position is difficult to locate.Protection of theseadjacent land areas is critical to the ultimateprotection of the mangalecosystem and considerationshould be givento incorporationofa coastalstrip above HigihWater mark into the proposedreserve, with clearlydefinable boundaries.

On the westernshore of the gulf, ie. from North WestCape south to the BayofRest, the shore comprisesnarrow beaches backed by dunesand fronted by sandand rock flats.The Bay of Restand GalesBay containsmall but complexmangal systems distinct from that of the gulfs easternshore.

Marine flora and fauna The easternside of ExmouthGulf south of rubridgi Point is the site of oneof the largestmangals in the state. It is crossedby tvansversetidal creeks,backed by widesupratidal salt flats,and frontedby intertidal mudflats.There is no doubtthat thesemangals and flats are the sourceof much of the nutrient which supportsthe valuableprawn fishery in the gul{ andfunctions as a nurseryarea for juvenileprawns and other harvestedspecies as well asunharvested species.

Therehas been fairly extensivesurvey of the prawnnursery areas and other fisheriesof the gulf by the FisheriesDepartment but relativelylittle studyon other aspectsof the marineflora, faunaand habitats.WA Museum staff have gathered information on the invertebratefaunas of the mangals, especiallymolluscs (Wells, 1983) and decapodcrustaceans.

Six speciesof mangroveare present in the mangalsof Exmouthculf. Thetwo baysat the headof the gulf havemangals of rather differentstructure (Johnstone, 1990). In GiraliaBay there is a seaward zoneof Auicennia,mainly thick-trunkedtrees growing to 4 m. This givesway to a zoneof low, closed forest (to 2 m) of immature.4uicennia and,scattered immalure Rhizophora. Thelandwanl side of this mangalconsists of openAuicennia woodland and stunted thickets. In contrast,the mangalat Gales Bayhas a seawardzone of matureRhizophora (to 4-5m) succeededby a centralzone of mature Auicenniaforesl andwoodland and, in someareas, mixed Rhizophora and. Auicennia. The landward sidegrades into thicketsof Auicenniawith occasionalCenbrs.

In additionto the rangeof mangalassemblages, this areacontains significant mudflats and sand flats, with their associatedepibenthic and burrowing faunas. These communities represent the most westerlyof their type.Similar communitiesoccur elsewhereon the pilbaracoast but do not extend beyondNorth WestCape. They contain a numberofspecies endemic to the Kimberley-pilbararegion which are hereclose to the westernlimit oftheir geographicrange.

In the shallowwaters of the gulf fronting the mangalsthere are extensive seagrass beds (with at Ieast 4 species)providing feeding habitat for turtles andone of the State'smore important dugong populations.The dugongpopulation in the easternpart of the gulf hasbeen estimated to number about1 000animals (R. Prince pers. comm.).

Severallow limestoneislands fronting the mangalsare nestingsites for seabirdsincluding Osprey, AustralianPelican, Pied O'ster Catcher,Crested Tern andFairy Tern. The mud andsand flats are significantfeeding areas for a varietyof migratorywading birds.

Part III - 36 Theshores and near-shore habitats of thewestern side of thegulf are quite different to thoseof the east.There are sand flats, often with rockyoutcrops, sloping into the sublittoral zone. The invertebrdtefauna along this stretch of coastis diverseand abundant. ln thesouthern sector Uust northof theBay of Rest)the sea floor is stonywith a shallowsand cover and supports extensive beds of softcorals and sponges.

Reueationalond commercialuses Thebeaches south of Exmouthare extensively used by localpeople for swimmingand fishing. There is little swelland, except in easterlyweather, this is a leeshore.

Theeastern side ofExmouth Gulf is remotefrom the highway and major roads and has little access. It islittle usedfor recreationalfishing. There is moreaccess to thesouthern end of thegulf and consequentlya greater degree of recreationalfishing there. The southem part of thegulf area is also popularwith amateurnet fishers.

Thegulf itself is thesite ofthe Exmouth GulfPrawn Limited Entry Fishery (see Government Gazette No.28, 17 March, 1989). In recognitionof theimportance of themangal and adjacent shallows as a nurseryarea for prawnsand other important species, the eastern side and southern end of Exmouth Gulfhave been designated under Fisheries legislation as a prohibitedarea for thetrawling industry. Commercialbeach seine netting for mulletand whiting operates in thesouthern portion of thegulf.

Thewarm, sheltered and highly productive waters ofthe easternshores of ExmouthGulf lend themselvesto maricultureand there are several existing and proposed sites for suchdevelopments.

Preuiousrccommendo tions TheEPA (1975, System 9) notedthat the mangals of thisshore provide a supplyof nutrientsto the adjacentmarine ecosystem aswell as being a nurseryarea for fisheriesand recommended : "that biologicaland sedimentological surveys be carriedout in the coastalsegment from Exmouth Culf to MaryAnne Islands (rec. 9.8); that Simpson,Tent, Round and Whalebone Islands be declaredClass A nature reserves(rec. 9.7.1); that considentionbe givento declarationof other islandsin the vicinity as ClassB natureresen es (rec. s.7.2).'

Therecommended surveys have not been carried out but somefurther information is nowavailable.

WorkingGroup rccommendo tions Thedistinctive eastern mangal and adjacent coastal waters of thegulf already receive a measureof protectionunder the Fisheries Act. Marine reserve status would enhance that protection. Reservation ofthesupra-tidal flats between the mangal and the hinterland would be essential to ensureadequate managementof the mangal and coastal habitats of themarine reserve. Although they represent a differentmangal type, the mangals of GalesBay and the Bay of Restshould be included in the reserve.By extendingthe reserve north along the south-westeyn shore to a pointin thevicinity of L€armontha sectionof thevery different habitats of thewestern shore would be included. Resewationofa smallsection ofthe coastlinenear Exmouth would then adequately represent the westemshore habitats.

Accordinglythe Working Croup recommends: "1' That the nearshorewaters on the easternand south-westemsides of ExmouthCulf be consideredfor reservationfor the protectionof mangalhabitat, prawn and fish nurseryareas, turtle and dugongfeeding areas,and coaJtalmarine fauna and flora generally,and for recreationalfishing and such commercial fishingand maricultule as may be consistentwith the former DurDoses.

"2. Boundaries: (a)that the north-eastenlimit ofthe proposedmarine reserve should be locatedat LockerPoint and the south-westernlimit in the vicinity ofLearmonth; 'i(b) that the marinearea reserved should extend from the High water Mark seawardto aboutthe 10 m bathymetriccontour, or somesuitable skaight linesapproximating that contour;

Partlll - 37 "(c) that the 40 m strip of vacantcrown Landbetween the adjacentpastonl leasesand High water Mark shouldbe addedto the marinereserve by reseruationunder the LandAct, togetherwith sJchportions oi the adjacentpaitoral leasesas will producesimple, clearly definable boundaries.

'3. That the EPA1975 recommendations for declarationof islandsin the areaas nature reserves should be implementedas soon as possible. The working croup is of the viewthat all the islandnature reserves shouldbe designatedas ClassA,',

3.10. West Pilbara Offshore Islands (Maps ltt-8, 9)

offshore along the coast west of the Dampier Archipelago and within the outer or oceaniczone of the Rowley shelf there is a seriesof islands,mostly comprising Holocene sand cays and pleistocene or Tertiarylimestones. The waters around the outermostofthese islands are relativelv clear. approximatingoceanic conditions, and so are quite different from those surrounding the islands nearer the mainlandcoait wheremuddy conditions prevail. The largest of theseoffshore islands are Barrowand the MonteBello Islandscomplex, the SerrurierIslands group, Thevenard Island, and the North andsouth Muiron Islands,all ofwhich arereserved for conservationof flora andfauna.

Barrowand the MonteBello Islandsare emergent structures on a distinctsublittoral platform and aredealtwith separately in Section3.11.

ThevenardIsland has marine habitats most like the turbid conditions around the inner islands which are representedin the proposedmarine protected areas along the coast.The surroundingwaters are alsosubject to disturbanceby the operationsof the petroleumindustry. For thesereasoris this area wasnot consideredto be a strongcandidate for reservation.

The serrurier andthe Muiron groups,on the other hand,have rather distinctive marine habitats surroundingthem and they are considered in thissection.

3.10.1 SemrrierIslands The serrurier Islandcomplex is a groupof offshoreislands and emergentrocks at the westernend of the RowleyShelf. There are three medium-sizedislands in the group,serrurier, Flat andBessieres.

Tenure TheSerrurier Islands comprise a ClassC NatureReserve lor theprotection ofseabirds and turtles and their nestingsites. They fall within petroleumExploration permit Tp/6 R1.

Cmmorphologg This islandlroup representsthe coastaltype described in Section1.1.3 as island type 3, composedof shellyor ooidPleistocene limestones and Holocene sands. They are similar to someof the pilbara coastalislands but lie within the offshorezone described in Section1.1.1 which is characterisedby clearerwater (seeMap III-8). Aswell asthe threemedium-sized islands, there are several small Pleistocenelimestone and Holocene sand islands and.emergent rocks, namely Round and rable Islands,Hood Reet BlackLedge and Bowers Ledge. These emergent structures stand on a shallow bankof 5-8 m depth.Because of the distancefrom the mudrlymainland, the littoral andshallow sublittoralsoft substrateson the seabedsurrounding the islandsare fine to coarse-grainedcalcareous sandrather than muddysand.

Marine flora and fauna wedge-tniledshearwaters, Silver Gulls, ospreys, white-breasted Sea Eagles, caspian Terns and crestedrerns neston theseislands. The SerrurierIsland wedge-tailed Shearwater rookery is the largestfor the speciesin the Pilbararegion.

SerrurierIsland is alsoan importantnesting site for GreenTurtles and possibly other turtle species.

Therehas been no systematicsurvey or collectingof the marineflora or faunaof this area.InsDection of aerialphotographs indicates that thereis a varietyof habitattlpes presentincluding sublittoral and intertidal rock pavements,sand flats, algal beds and well developedseagrass beds in the shallows.

Part III - 38 Thereare extensivecoral reefs around the front edgesand reef-front slopes of the rock platforms. - Thesehave been inspected in the field by CAIM sta{f.Coral growth is luxuriant possiblythe bestin the pilbarafrom a scenicpoint of view.coral reeffishes and other associatedfauna appeal to be correspondinglydiverse.

From the photo-interpretationof habitats,field inspectionsby CALMstaff, anecdotal reports by shell- collectorsand recreational fishermen, and the clearwater conditions,the Working Groupconcludes that fish andinvertebrate species diversity is likely to be high. Althoughthe marinecommunities aroundthe Serruriergroup undoubtedly share many species with the sand,mud and rock flats of the mainlandand inner islandshores, there is likely to be a largerproportion of coralreef species and somewhatdifferent community structure.

The other offshoreisland and reef complex of this naturein the vicinity is Thevenard.Although there are no detaileddata on the faunasand floras ofthese two groupsto allowa propercomparison, the Working Groupbelieves that the moreremote location and clearerwater conditionsof the Serrurier complexmake it a much bettercandidate for designationas a marineprotected area.

In somerespects the serrurier coralreef complex is a matchfor the Lacepedereefs much further north. Both aremid-shelf fringing reefsystems growing on Pleistocenerock platforms.When survey dataare available, the coralreef launas of thesetwo areaswill makean interestingcomparison. Together\,vith the coralreefs of the RowleyShoals Marine Park, the proposedDampier and Monte BelloMarine Park, andthe proposedBiggada (Barrow Island) Marine Nature Reserve, they would adequatelyrepresent the variedcoral reef systems of the RowleyShelf.

SerrurierIsland and its surroundshave many attractions for recreationalfishers and divers.There are fewsuch attractive islands in the westernPilbara. There are several safe anchorages and landingsites for smallboats on Serrurierand the distancefrom the mainlandis only moderateso that it is accessibleto recreationalfishers and campers.Camping is allowedon the islandonly by permit but that rule is difficult to enforce.

3.10.2. Muiron Islands The two elongate,medium sized, sparsely vegetated Muiron Islands,North and South,lie at the westernend of the RowleyShelf, not verydistant from the shelfedge. Sunday Island is a small limestoneand sand island south-east of the two main islandsin the group,near the mouth of ExmouthGulf.

Tenure North andSouth Muiron Islandscomprise Class C NatureReserve (No. C31775), for the conservation of flora andfauna, jointly vestedin the NationalParks and Nature Conservation Authority and the ShireofExmouth. They lie within an areacovered by PetroleumExploration Permits EP 342 and TP/9.

Ceonorphologg North and SouthMuiron Islandslie within the ExmouthSub-basin of the CarnarvonSedimentary Basinand are structurally a continuationofthe CapeRange Peninsula. In Section1.1.3 they are classifiedas offshore island type 2. Theyare low, dome-shaped,limestone islands separated by a deep, navigablechannel. Their western shores face the prevailingsdells and are characterisedby low limestonecliffs fronted by wave-sw€ptsandy beaches and intertidal rock platformscovered by algal turfand thin sheetsofsand. Their easternshores comprise sand beaches backed by low dunes.To the south-east,Sunday Island is an exampleof the offshoreislands composed of Pleistoceneooid limestonesand Holocene sands, classified in Section1.1.3 as island type 3.

To the westof the islandsthe seafloor slopesaway to the shelfedge some 30 km seaward.The reef- front slopebeyond the edgeof the intertidal rock platformsis deeplydissected by a prominentspur andgroove system, usually with prolific coralgrowth, at leaston the spurs.Beyond the reefslope the seafloor is roughwith irregularlimestone rock andcoarse sand patches. Soft andhard coralsgrow on the exposedareas of hard rock.Structurally the reef-frontzone of thesewindward reefs is similar to the equivalentzone of the NingalooReef along the westernside of the CapeRange peninsula.

PanIII - 39 The easternshores are lessexposed to the prevailingwind andswell and are characterisedby gently slopingsand with numeyouspatch reefsand coralbommies. To the eastand south the seafloor levels out, with moderatelylevel, muddy, soft substrateswhich form part of the trawlinggrounds of the ExmouthGulf prawntrawl fishery.

Marine llora and fauna The islandsare important seabirdnesting rookeries, most notably of the Wedge-tailedShearwater. Greenturtles neston the beaches.

The inshorereef fishes around South Muiron Islandwere sampled by Mr J.B.Hutchins of the WA Museumin June1977. He recordedover 330 species of fishfrom a limitedperiod of collecting.His field report (WAMuseumunpublished file note)observes that in terms ofabundanceand diversity, the inshorefish faunais very similar to that of the NingalooReef. Fairly comprehensivecollections of fisheshave also been made from the nearbytrawl grounds.

Therehave been no systematicsurveys ofthe marinehabitats, flora or invertebratefauna of the shoresand surrounding waters ofthe Muiron Islands.One ofthe WorkingGroup members (BRW) has madecursory inspections and collections of invertebratesat severalintertidal and sublittoral sites aroundSouth Muiron Island.The sublittoralcoral reef fauna and habitats of the westside seem to be much the sameas those ofthe reef-frontzone ofNingaloo Reef. The patchreefand sandy sea-bed habitatsof the more shelteredeastern side are comparable to thoseof the deeperparts of the back- reefand lagoonof NingalooReef.

Of particulari nterestare the intertidal rock platformsalong the westernshores of the islands.They aresimilar in structureto the rock platformsat North WestCape in the NingalooMarine Park, and are similarlywave-swept and coveredwith an algalturf. This habitattype is a featureo{ the Western Australianwest coast south of CapeCuvier (a differentbiogeographic zone) but is uncommonin the tropics.The only other comparablerock platformson the Pilbaracoast are on the westside of Barrow Islandand the northsides of Kendrewand Legendre Islands in theDampier Archipelago (see 3.11.2 (i) and3.6).

Recrcation The islandsare bleak, waterless, sparsely vegetated and severely wind swept.There have been several proposalsin the pastfor establishmentof accommodationand facilities for recreationalfishermen on the islands.Access from the nearbyport of Exmouthis eaiyand accommodation and support facilitiesare readilyavailable there.

Nevertheless,as the tourism industryof Exmouthdeveiops, increasing day-use of the islandsand their surroundingmarine resources is inevitable,especially for recreationalfishing and SCUBA diving.There are already anecdotal accounts of deteriorationof the fish stocksin the area,reputedly dueto over-fishing.Local people have put the argumentto membersofthe WorkingGroup that tighter controlson recreationalfishing in the NingalooMarine Park have Ied to an increasein fishing pressureat the Muirons.Some form of increasedmanagement of recreationalfishing maybe necessaryat the Muironsto ensurecontinuity ofthis sociallyand economicallyimportant activity.

Thereis potentialfor developmentof commercialnature and divetours to theseislands from the tourist town of Exmouth.Seabird and turtle nestingprovide a particularlyinteresting spectacle, in season,although visits by groupsofpeople must be carefullycontrolled to avoiddisturbing the animals.

Prcuious rccommenda t i ot s Therehave been no previousrecommendations for declarationof marineprotected areas at the SerrurierIslands.

An IUCNreport (Hatcher,1988) recommended that "dueto the similaritybetween the marinefaunas of the islandsand the Ningalooarea" the Muiron Islandsshould be addedto the NingalooMarine Park.

PartIII - 40 Working Gmup recomnendations Thewaters around the islandsand reefs of the Serruriergroup are representative of the offshore marinehabitats of the westernRowley Sheli Theyalso have potential as a resourcefor recreation andtourism.

Due to increasinguse of the marineresources o{ the watersaround the Muiron Islandsthere is a needfor increasingmanagement, that is, facilitatingaccess while protectingthe environmentand its living resources.Reservation of the areaas marine park is onemeans of providinga basisfor

Accordinglythe WorkingGroup recommends:

"1.Serurier Island croup "a) Thatan area ofwaters encompassing Flat, Serrurier, Bessieres, Round and Table Islands and Hood Reef, BlackLedge and Bowers Ledge be considered for reservationfor thepurposes of publicrecreation and prot€ctionof marineflora and fauna. "b) Thatan integrated Management Plan be developed for boththe island Nature Reserve and the suffoundingmarine reserve, with provisionsfor recreationalfishing and for campingalhore during those seasonswhen seabirds and tudles are not nestinp.

"2,Muiron Islands Thatan area of the waters encompassing the Muiron and Sunday Island group be considered for resel.r'ation for thepurposes of publicrecreation and protection of marine flora and fauna, subject to: "a) a surv€yof themarine flora and fauna and habitats surrounding the Muiron Islands and comparisonwith thoseof theNingaloo Marine Park. "b) a studyon theimpact of curent andanticipated future recreational fishing on fish stocks around theislands and a repoltproduced on optionsfor managemen!including the option of reservingthe areaas marine park."

3.11. Barrow-Monte Bello Complex (Map Il-8)

The Barrow,Lowendal and Monte Bello Islands, lie approximately120 km west-north-westof Dampier.They lie within the BarrowSub-basin, an offshoretrough ofthe carnarvonsedimentary Basinseparated from the inner part ofthe North west shelfby the FlindersFault. Barrow Island itself consistsof rertiary andQuaternary limestones while the MonteBello andLowendal groups comprisePleistocene limestones. Tog€ther they stand on an elevatedsublittoral limestone platform, with the MonteBellos separated from the othersby a transversechannel of moderatedepth.

The islandsof thesegroups are reserved either as Nature Reserve or conservaiionpark although BarrowIsland and the l,owendalIslands are leased to petroleumcompanies under the powersof the PetroleumAct, 1937,for the developmentofoilfields. There are petroleum exploration tenements overmuch ofthe area.

To the north andwest of the Barrow-Lowendal-MonteBello system lie deeperwaters of the continentalshelf edge. To the south andeast are the shallowerwaters of the shelf.The areais subjectedto occasionalextreme cyclonic weather and strong current flows. spring tidal rangeis between3 and3.5 m.

Theisland complex lies within the offshore zone discussed in section1.1.1. The marine habitats of this groupare moreoceanic than thoseof the coastalwaters closer to the coast,with lessturbid water.The islands, together with the sublittordlridge on which they stand,comprise a geomorphological andecological unit which is uniqueon the coastand maybe regardedas a major distinctivecoastal type. There is at leastone gastropod endemic to the sandsubstrate habitat of the Barrow-Lowendal-MonteBello group, the direct-developingvolutidAmoria macandreui.such endemicitymay indicate that the sublittoralridge has been isolated from other marineecosystems for sometime.

Part III - 41 wthin this geomorphological unit a varietyof marineecosystem tlpes arerepresented (see part 1. 3.7).Over much of itssurface the sublittoral ridge is dominatea byitgat led;;"; .il ffi;# ;; theIimestone pavement. -sorted Thesands are we andmoderatery coarse-grained where there is watermovement due to waveaction or currents,but fineand muddy in theshallows ofshelteied areassuch asoff theeastern shore of BarrowIsrand. wde intertidalmuddy sand flats, r,vitti in abundantand diverse infauna, are a significantfeature of theeastern sioe or aarro*. ,q, particuturty good exampleof thistlpe of habitatoccurs in BandicootBay at thesouthern end of theisland. coralgroMh is extensivein theless muddy areas and there are well developed corar reefs along the westernfront group, of the mostnotabry west and south of theMonte Belloi and at BiggadaReleion thewest ponles sideof Barrow.There are large bommiesand other massive coral colonies in the channels andalong the ridge between Trimouille Island and the Lowendal Islands. These reefs have notbeen surveyedand their species composition is unknown(see notes on coralsat theMonte Bellos in Section3.11.1).

There aresandy beaches and rock platforms on thewestern side of Barrowand smal mangalsin sheltered baysat severarrocations in thegroup. The shalow, structuralry compte* tagoonioitt e MonteBellos are a uniquefeature of thegroup. TheBarrow Sub-basinis thesite ofan establishedoilfield, with bothisland and off-shore production - wells,storage tank andpipe-rines. The intertidal sand flat, rock platform, corar reef, rungur unJ lagoonal habitatsof thearea are particularly vulnerable to oil spiilsand the Worting croJp believes thatthere is a needfor a marinemanagement plan covering the whore ar.u, ui,n.o It proi..iing th. significantmarine habitats and flora and fauna. Threemarine protected areasare recommended, one covering the northern end of thesystem, ie. the waters surroundingthe Monte Bellos and the others consisting of smallareas on thewestern side and southernend of BarrowIsland.

3.ll.l. MonteBello Islands ThewA. Museum carried out a suweyof themarine habitats and biota of theMonte Belros in 1993 for theDepartment of conservationand tand Managementbut thecompreted resurts of thatproject were not availablein timefor incorporationin thisreport. Nevertheless some observations of the surveyteam are noted.

Eistory TheEnglish ship Trgal waswrecked on what are now known as the Tryal Rock just northof the MonteBello Islands in 1622and the crew spent seven days on theislands before sairing to theEast Indies.The islands were named by the French Baudin Expedition which passed by in 1g0r.British hydrographic surveyswere made in 1818(King, 1827) and 1840 (Stokes, 1846). The report by Stokes includesnotes on theislands' natural history. The first detailed biological survey was d'one by r. o. Montaguein 1912(Montague, 1914). sheard (1950) published a note on a visit to the islands.

In 1952and 1956 the Monte Bello Islands were used as a nuclearweapons testing site by the British Government.For this purpose the isrands and surrounding waters were declared a prohibited area underthe control ofthe Australian Department ofDefence (Special Undertakings Ac! 1952).They remained undercommonwearth contror untir 1992 when control was returned to thestate. Seveial reportson theterrestrial and marine flora and fauna were published following surveys associated with theweapons-testing program (see Burbidge 1g71 and Deegan 1992 for referencis).

In 1966west Australian Petroleum pty. Ltd. drilled an exploratoryoil wellon TrimouilleIsland. NaturalistW. H. Butlervisited the Monte Bellos at aboutthat time.

Tlvovisits were made to theMonte Bellos by officers of theFisheries and wldlife Departmentin 1970and 1971, resulting in a reporton theislands' flora and fauna and recommendations for future (Burbidge, management 1971).one of thoserecommendations was for actionto eliminateferal cats fromthe islands.

Partlll - 42 Between1903 and 1913a pearlinglease was held overwaters in the MonteBellos by a Mr Thomas "water Haynes.campbell Island wx reservedat that time for the PearlingIndustry" and remnantsof Haynes'buildings and other structuresmay still be seenthere. Haynes also collected mollusc specimenswhich werethe substanceof a publishedreport (lredale,1914)' A contemporarypearling leaseexists over waters between Hermite and CampbellIslands.

In the contextof the negotiationsbetween the Stateand CommonwealthGovernments prior to the return ofthe MonteBello Islandsto Statejurisdiction, the Departmentof Conservationand Land Managementprepared an unpublisheddraft Management Plan for the islands(pers. comm. Dr Keith Morris).A summaryof marineresources and bibliography was prepared for the Departmentby Deegan(1992).

Tmure While underthe control of the Commonwealththe MonteBello Islandshad the statusofvacant CrownLand. The agreement between State and Commonwealthauthorities relating to the return of the areato the Stateincluded arrangements for reservationand managementof both landsand watersof the archipelagoas conservation reserve under State legislation.

The islandsof the MonteBellos were reserved on 7 July, 1992as Conservation Park (ReservesNos. 42196and 42197) extending to low waterlevel and vested in the NationalParks and Nature ConservationAuthority (GovernmentGazette, pp 3083-3084).At the sametime an existingLand Act "Water Reserve(No. 13517) for the purposesof PearlingIndustry" over Campbell Island was cancelled (GovernmentGazette: p. 3084).

PetroleumExplontion PermitEP 358overlays the islandsand waters of the MonteBellos. The Harriet oilfield (productionlicence TLl1) overlaps the south easternfringe of the area.

T\,vosmall portions of North WestIsland and Trimouille Islandare excisedfrom the Conservation Parkand are leased to the Commonwealthfor the operationof a lighthouse.

Gmmorphologg TheMonte Bellos are the mostseaward and remoteof all the RowleyShelf islands except for the RowleyShoals themselves. Their physiographyhas been described by Deegan(1992).

TheMonte Bello Islands represent the islandtype 3 referredto in Section1.1.3. They are low lying and include95 islandslarger than 50 metresin length and 170smaller islets and stacks. The largest islandis Hermite (970ha.), followed by Trimouille (450ha.), North West(120 ha.), Alpha (115ha.) and Blue Bell (64ha.). They are composed of Pleistocenelimestones and calcareousand ferruginous, cross-beddedsandstones, capped in placeswith consolidatedor activesand dunes with elevationsup to 40m.Most islands are bare rocky terrain without anybeaches.

Exceptfor North-Westand Trimouille, the mediumto large-sizedislands in the group havesinuous, convolutedcoastlines. Many are long andvery narrowand all exhibitthe effectsof erosiveforces of styongcuyrents. The centnl chainof islandsfrom Ah Chongnorthwards is a relict ofwhat was,in Pleistocenetimes, a continuouslandform which hasbeen subsequently eroded to a multitude of islandsof varyingsize. The extremelyconvoluted coastline of the modernislands provides not only attractivescenery but alsovaried habitats for intertidaland nearshorefauna and flora. In contrast, North-Westand Trimouille Islandsare composed of accumulatedsands derived from beachgrowth andfrom aeolian-formedparabolic dunes.

Mostofthe shorelinesare rockybut thereare some sandy beaches.

Coral Reefs The main (barrier)reef, which is about12 km long, formsthe seawardborder of the archipelagoon the westernor windwardside, with a widediscontinuity in the southwhere several patch reefsoccur. The reef-frontslope is not steepand has no distinct"spur and groove"development. There is a wide reefflat but it hasno distinct crestalarea and is composedlargely of consolidatedcoral rock slabs, interspersedwith sandand some accumulations of looseboulders. There are severallarge breaks in

PartIII - 43 the reefforming deepchannels. Tabular Acropora corals grow profusely along the edgesof the channels. Thereis a structurallycomplex back reef system with manypatch reefs among and around the islands,separated by the mazeofchannels, banks, sublittoral pavements, and lagoons.The complex back-reefcomplex appears to havedeveloped on a previouskarst landscapeand is similar in structure to someareas in the Abrolhos.On the easternside of the archipelagothere are manypatch reefsbut no reefflat or rampartcomparable to that of the westernside.

At the southernend ofthe archipelago,south of HermiteIsland, there is a differentcoral reef structure.Here manysmall patchreefs have developed over a broad,shallow, sublittoral, limestone rock pavementwhich extendssouth to the Lowendaland Barrow Island groups. The rock pavementis cut by severaldeep channels. Except for the patchreefs the pavementis coveredfor the mostpart by algalturfand shallowdeposits ofsand. The back-reefis influencedby the strongwest-flowing currentsand is structurallycontrolled by previouskarst landformssimilar to thoseof the northern area.

The extensivedevelopment ofbarrier reef,back-reef, patch reef, pavement patch reefand lagoonal habitatsin such closeproximity is a featureof the MonteBello group without parallelin Western Australia.

Wthin the MonteBello complexthere are manyshallow lagoons and bays and a mazeof narrow channels.There are two main lagoons,one betueen the centralisland chain and the westernbarrier reef,and the other betweenthe islandchain and Trimouille Island.The waters ofthe la6loonsare turbid and haveextensive areas ofsand substratum. The channelsmostly run betweenthe islandsof the centralchain. They also have turbid waterbut, becauseof strongcurrents that flow through them, they havemostly coarse sand and rubblesubstrates and extensiveexposures of limestone pavementwhere scouring occurs.

Within the baysprotected from severewave action and tidal scouring,there are extensiveintertidal flats composedof fine sandwith low organiccontent. Some of the bayshave simple mangals.

FIom antl fauno The MonteBello Islandsand surrounding uaters haveseveral distinctive features which together makethe areaunique and valuable for conservation.P.L. Montaguevisited the islandsin 1912, collectedboth teryestrialand marinespecimens, and subsequently published a report (Montague, 1914).Some of his specimenswere later describedand namedby otherworkers so that the Monte Bellosare the typelocality of severalspecies. Since the earlyvisit by Montagueseveral surveys ofthe terrestrialflora andfauna of the MonteBello Islandshave been carried out (seeBurbidge, 1971 for summaryand references).

Accordingto Burbidge(1971) and Morris et a/. (1988)the nucleartests have had no appreciable effectson the terrestrialflora and fauna ofthe islands.Regular radiological monitoring since 1962 hasdemonstrated that thereis no significantresidual radioactivity likely to be of concernto visitors in mostparts of the islandsalthough certain localities should remain as prohibited areas for prolongedvisits.

Terratrial fauna and flora TWospecies of marsupial(Spectacled Hare Wallaby and GoldenBandicoot) inhabited the MonteBello Islandsuntil earlythis centurywhen they becameextinct, probably as a result offeral catpredation or drought.There is considerablepotential for re-establishingthese threatened species on the islands if catsand rats can be eradicated.

Marine flora and fauna The islandsare particularly important as habitat for marinespecies. At least2 speciesof marine turtle (Greenand Hawksbill) nest on the beaches.T[enty six speciesof seabirdand waders have been recordedfrom the islands(Serventy & Marshall,1964; Burbidge, 1921). Seabirds which neston the islandsinclude the CrestedTern, CaspianTern, Pied Oyster Catcher, Sooty Oyster Catcher, Osprey, White BreastedSea Eagle, Beach Curlew and Wedge-tailed Shearwater.

PartUI - 44 Themaze of shallowchannels, lagoons, and both sandy and silty bays provide an extraordinaryrange of substnte,depth, turbidity, current, and wave exposure conditions. Some habitats are heavily influencedby the dominant westerly currents surging through gaps and passages in the islands and reefs,while others are relatively sheltered from the currents. The structural variety of thesystem createsexceptional habitat diversity.

Hill (1955)recorded 28 speciesof fishfrom the Monte Bellos in a reporton thenatural history of the islandsbased on studiesduring preparations for the 1952nuclearweapons tests. The recent WA Museumsurvey recorded 457 species offishes, a numbergreater than that known from the Dampier Archipelagoand almost as large as the number remrded from Ningaloo Reef (G. R. Allen, pers. comm.).

Untilrecently, study of themarine invertebrdtes had been cursory (lredale, 1914, Preston, 1914 and Robson,1914 on molluscs;Rathburn, 1914 on crustaceans).Even though the recent WA Museum surveywas brief, it hasprovided the first extensiveinformation on theinvertebrate fauna of the archipelago.The survey recorded 141 species ofscleractinian corals, making a totalof 150species nowknown from the area. It wasobserved that the coral community at theMonte Bellos is characteristicof moderatelyclear conditions and is similarto that knownfrom the Dampier Archipelago(LJvl. Marsh, pers. comm.). The molluscan fauna is particularlynoteworthy, judging fromthe results of theMuseum survey which collected 595 species, making a totalof 633species nowrecorded from the Monte Bellos (F. Wells, S. Slack-Smith & C.WBryce, pers. comm.). This high diversityis interpretedas a resultof theextremely varied habitats. In particular,the lar5le expanse of semi-lagoonsand intertidal sand flats with theirvariety ofsand habitats were found to supporta high diversityof burrowing,filter-feeding bivalves.

Associatedwith thesand and mudflats in thebays there are numerous areas of mangalnnging in sizefrom isolated mangrove trees to morethan 15 hectares. These are scattered throughout the islandsin shelteredembayments and are particularly prevalent on HermiteIsland. At leastfour speciesare present (Avicennia marino" Rhizophora stglosa, Ceriops tagal, Bruguiera exaristata). AlgalFlats Extensivealgal beds occur on thesublittoral pavements, especially in thesouthern part of theMonte Bellocomplex. There is no informationon thespecies composition of thesecommunities but a hiqh diversityis certain.

Recteation Althoughthe Monte Bellos are distant from the mainland, there are many excellent anchorages in thearchipelago for evenquite large vessels. Several charter boats operate fishing, diving and shell- collectingtours there. Small private vessels frequently visit the islands and commercial fishinq boats oftenanchoy there for restand recreation periods.

Thereis little scopefor developmentof holiday accommodation on theselow, sparsely vegetated islands,which are quite lacking in surfacewater. More bleak "desert islands" would be haid to imagine.Yet there is no doubtthat the extraordinary landscape, human history, natural history, and underwaterscenery are extremely interesting and attnctive. It seemslikely that the archipelago will becomeincreasingly popular as a destinationfor sea-bornevisitors seeking a maritimeexferience in remoteand environmentally severe circumstances.

Prel iousr ecomm e nd a t i ons Burbidge(197I) recommended that Hermite Islanrl, the largest in thegroup, should be declared a classA naturereserve and that the other islands in thegroup be declared class A reserveslor consenrdtionand tourism. Burbidge was the first to recommendthat surrounding waters be made a marinepark. In 1975the EPA (system 8, rec.8.2) made similar recommendationi for theislands, exceptthat it proposedthat (withthe exception "Recreation of Hermite)they be reserved for thepurpose of andConservation of Flora and Fauna,,. The EpA did not mentionmarine park.

AnIUCN report ( Hatcher,1988) recommended a marine ecological survey ofthe area.

PartIII - 45 3.11.2. BarrowIsland Tmure BarrowIsland is a ClassA NatureReserve extending to the low water mark,and is vestedin the NationalParks and Natureconservation Authority (ReserveNo. 11648).Middle Island and Boodie Islandimmediately south of Barrowtogether form a classc NatureReserve vested in the National Parksand NatureConservation Authority.

Initial developmentof the BarrowIsland oilfield by westernAustralian petroleum pty. Ltd. (wApET) wasauthorised by a specialAct of StateParliament (Act No. 85 of 1966).Subsequently, under the provisionsof the PetroleumAct, 1937(replaced by the PetroleumAct, 1967-82)WAPET was granted a leaseover Middle Island and most of BarrowIsland for thedevelopment of an oilfield.The lease was renewedfor a further 21 yearsin 1988.Boodie Island is not includedin the lease.WAPET Production LicensesTLl3 andL10 covermost of the islandand surrounding waters; Boodie Island and the south westcorner of Barrow,plus the watersto the south-westand south, are coveredby oil Exploration Permit TP/2.

Underthe termsof its leasethe companymaintains a workforceon the islandand controlsaccess. An environmentalprotection and natureconservation program is in placeand strict measuresare taken to ensurecompliance. The company supports research on the floraand fauna of theisland and adjacentwaters.

Cmmorphologty Thegeomorphology of BarrowIsland is summarisedin an EnvironmentalReview submitted to the EnvironmentalProtection Authority by WAPETin 1989.

The eastcoast ofBarrow haslow cliffsofPleistocene coastal limestone fronting stonyand muddy intertidal flatswhich arehundreds of metreswide in someplaces. wave action is slight on the east coast.The westcoast is rugged,deeply dissected, with high, Miocenelimestone cliffs. It is subjected to relativelystrong wave action. Wide rock platformsare cut into the shorein manysectors, alternatingwith longsandy beaches. At the southemend of the islandthere is a maiorembavment knownas Bandicoot Bay.

Flora and fauno BarrowIsland is one ofAustralia'smost important conservation reserves. It is a refugeof several threatenednative mammal species. Through co-operation between the StateGovernment and WAPETappropriate environmental management of the islandhabitats, flora and fauna is assured.

In practicalterms, through controlof access,the significantconservation values of the island's shore-lineenvironment are also protected. Nevertheless, the WorkingGroup believes that there would be advantagein reservingtwo areasofwater adjacentto the islandfor conservationpurposes.

(i) Westcoast Ai TurtleBay near the mouthof BiggadaCreek on thewest side ofBarrow Island, there is a smallbut significantfringing coralreef. It extendsin an arc for about1 km northwardsfrom the cliff baseat the southernend of the bay,enclosing a shallowlagoon. The coralgrows on a limestonebase. It is emergentat its southernend uhere it joins the shorebut submergedat its northernend. Its outer edgehas a densecover of living coraland there are groups of coralheads in the lagoon.There has beenno systematiccollecting of the coralor other marinefauna, although Hatcher (1988) gives a list of coralgenera collected there.

North of Turtle Bay,along a stretchofshore knownby WAPETas ',John Wayne Country',, there is a sectionof cliffs frontedby beachand wave-swept, limestone rock platform.The platform is covered with a thick algalturf. Therehas been no samplingof its flora or fauna.Nevertheless, this habitat typeis verypoorly representedin the proposedmarine reserve system of the Pilbaraand the Working Groupis confidentthat theyeare adequate grounds for reservinga sectionof it. Similar rock platformsoccur commonlyalong the mid-westcoast of WesternAustralia south of CapeCuvier but they arein a differentbiogeographic zone. In the tropicalzone ofthe North WestShelfthe equivalentstructures found on inner shelfisland and mainlandshores are subject to lesswave action andgreater turbidity. Wave-sweptrock platformsin semi-oceanicconditions occur only on the west

Part IU - 46 sideof Barrowand the Muiron Islands, and perhaps the north side of Kendrewand Legendre Islands in theDampieY AYchipelago.

Thewide sandy beach ofTurtle Bay is a majornesting site of theGreen Turtle (Chelonia mydas).

(ii) South-easternsheltered sand flats At thesouthern end of BarrowIsland there is awide embayment known as Bandicoot Bay in which thereis an excellentexample of theoceanic intertidal sand flat habitat.The bay is protectedfrom the prevailingwesterly ocean swell by the South End Peninsula and by Middle and Boodie Islands, althoughpassages between the islands and the peninsula permit circulation of oceanicwater into the bay.Consequently there is a rangein sedimenttype with coarsersands in thewest grading to muddy sandsin theeastern portion, similar to themuddy flats typical of theeastern shore of Barrow.

In 1966a fieldparty from the WA Museum and Smithsonian Institution (Washington) intensively studiedthe intertidal and shallow sublittoral invertebrate fauna of thisarea. The very large collectionsobtained are now lodged with thetwo museums. Several new species have been described fromthis material.The burrowing fauna is bothabundant and diverse. Because of the rangeof substratetype and water circulation conditions there is a varietyof micro-habitatsand community tlDes.

TheWorking Group noted that WAPET presently prohibits staff from shelling and fishing in thisarea exceptat threesmall points (two on SouthEnd and one at StokesPoint). However, access to these watersby people from the mainland or elsewherecannot be controlled in thisway. If thearea was declareda nature reserve such activities would be prohibited automatically. If it wasdeclared a marinepark, recreational fishing would be permissible, subject to regulation.

TheWorking Group also noted that the WAPET oilfield extends over Bandicoot Bay and that there are severalproduction wells within the proposed marine reserve. As the Company's rights to developthe oilfieldare already established under the authority of thePetroleum Act, declaration of the resewe wouldnot impedesuch operations in thearea. The effect of reservationwould be to providea legal basisfor prohibitionof fishingand sbell-collecting, and for controlof accessto thesewaters by the marinepark management authoyity.

Recreation Publicaccess to BarrowIsland is prohibitedunder the terms of theWAPET lease. Company workmen arepermitted to recreate(fishing and swimming) on theshore, subject to strictlyenforced conditions.As the WAPET lease will remainin forcefor theforeseeable future there are no DrosDects for publicrecreation or tourismon thisisland.

Pteaioustecomm enda tio ns Previousrecommendations bythe Fisheries and Wldlife Department (Burbidge, 1971) and the Departmentof Conservationand Environment (Conservation Reserves for WA,1971) for reservation of theMonte Bello Islands for conservationand recreation have been put into effectby declarationof theMonte Bello Conservation Park (Covernment Cazette, 7 July,1992).

TheFisheries and Wildlife Department recommendations (Burbidge, 1971) also included the following:"That some ofthe waters surrounding the islands be declared a marine reserve - a possible areamight be all thewaters within half a mileof Hermiteand Campbell Islands." The Department of Conservationand Environment (1971) made no referenceto marinereserves at theMonte Bellos.

TheIUCN report on coralreefs of theworld (Hatcher, 1988) described and noted the significance of theMonte Bello coral reefs and recommended a "full marineecological survey", and that "some degreeof protectionbe afforded" to thearea. The same report (pp. 8-9) briefly described the Biggada coralreef on thewestern side of BarrowIsland and recommended a detailed study to determineits siEnificance.

PartIII - 47 Workin g Gnup recommmdations while notingthat the Barrow-Monte Bello-Lowendall island complex comprises a distinct coastal tWewith verysignificant conservation values, the Working Croup considers that appropriate protectionand management can be achieved by reservationof partsofthe area,combined with designationof theremainder as an environmentallysensitive area needing special management. Accordinglythe Working Group recommends:

"1. MonteBello MarinePark "a,that the waters encompassingthe MonteBello Islands,southwards to the channelseparating the -group from the Barrow-Lowendalgroups, be declareda classA marinereserve for publicrecreation and protectionof flora and faun4 ideallywith boundarieslocated at the limit of Stateteritorial watersalonq the westernand northern sidesand followingthe edgeof the sublittoralridge on th€ easternside; "b. that the presentpearl oyster Iease within the marinereserve continue but that the issueof any further leases,or approvalfor the expansionof the existinglease, be subjectto carefulreview taking accountof possibleenvironmental impactj.

"2. Baffow Island "a' - BiggadaReef that a stretchof the westen coastof BarrowIsland between cape Malouet and cape Poivre,encompassing Turtle Bay,the Biggadacoral reet anda sectionof rocky shore,be considered-for reservationfor protectionof marineflora andfauna. The preciseseaward, northern and southern boundariesshould be determinedin consultationwith WA?ETafter further studyof the coastalflora and faunaand marinehabitats of the area;

"b - BandicootBay that an areaeast of SouthEnd, Middle Island and BoodieIsland to a line southwardftom StokesPoint and encompassingBandicoot Bay, be consideredfor reservationfor protectionof marineflorc and fauna.The precise boundaries should be determinedin consultationwith WAPETafter further study of the flora and faunaand marinehabitats ofthe area."

PartIII - 48 A REPRESENTATIVEMARINE RESERVESYSTEM FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Report of the Marine Parks and ReservesSelection Working Group

PARTIV MARINERESERVES ON THEWEST COAST CONTENTS

PART lV: MARINE RESERVESON THE WEST COAST

1.INTRODUCTION 1.1Coastal geomorphology...... ,...... ,...... 5 1. INTRODUCTION

In accordancewith commonusage by contemporary biogeographers the term "West Coast" refers to thenorth-south section ofthe Western Australian coast between North West Cape and Cape Leeuwin. (Hatcher,1991 used the term "Leeuwin Province" for thiszone.) It spansa distanceof almosttwo thousandkilometres and 12 degrees of latitude,covering the latitudinal transition from the tropical to thewarm temperate climatic zones. The Tropic of Capricorncrosses the coast just southof North WestCape. The West Coast sector conformii with oneofthe biogeogrdphic zones described in the Councilof NatureConservation Ministers working paper on marineprotected areas (CONCOM, 1985).

TheWest Coast is the mostpopulous section ofthe Western Australian coast, with metropolitanPerth and tworegional cities, Geraldton and Bunbury, located on its shores.Coastal waters and their living resources in theproximity ofthose centyes are subject to intensiverecreational use. The West Coast is alsothe site of importantfisheries and offshore petroleum potential.

Severalareas of theWest Coast have very high conservation values. Shark Bay is a WorldHeritage Area. NingalooReef is oneofAustralia's most extensive coral reef systems. The species-rich coral reefs of the HoutmanAbrolhos are the most southerly in theIndian Ocean, being situated well south of theso-called "coralprovince" of thetropic zone, and are of extremescientific interest.

A numberof marineparks and a marinenature reserve have already been declared in thissector - Ningaloo MarinePark, Shark Bay Marine Park, Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve, and Marmion, Shoalwater Islandsand Swan Estuary Marine Parks in themetropolitan area. Nevertheless, the existing West Coast marinereserve system does not adequately represent its floraand fauna and recreational resources and the WorkingGroup considered additional areas which may be worthy of reservationfor conservationand recreationalpurposes.

TheWest Coast comprises a natural unit for thepurposes of thisstudy. North West Cape and Cape Leeuwin areregarded as boundaries between major biogeographic provinces. The marine flora and fauna and coastal geomorphologyof the West Coast are moderately well studied and the Working Group was able to distinguisha seriesof majordistinctive coastal types which formed the basis for divisionof the coastline into naturalsectors. The habitats, biotic communities and recreational resources of eachof thesesectors wereconsidered, leading to recommendationsofareas worthy of considerationfor reservation, supplementingthe existing marine reserues.

TheWorking Group is awarethat petroleum exploration permits exist over some of thecoastal waters of the WestCoast including some of theareas identified here as being worthy of reservationfor conservationand recreationpurposes. These have been noted where they occur but theyhave not influencedthis reserve selectionprocess which is basedon biologicaland geomorphological criteria and considerations of public recreationvalues. The needs of thepetroleum industry and constraints which may be imposed by reservationwould be addressed before any reserve proposal was taken further and when management plans wereformulated. l.l. Coastalgeomorphology

TheWest Coast features a widerange of coastallandforms. Taken together with theclimatic transition from tropicalto temperateand the effects of oceancurrents, coastal geomorphology has a profoundinfluence on habitatsof floraand fauna, and on humanactivities as well. The rich marineresources of theWest Coast, includingthe western rock lobster and recreational fisheries, are dependent on thecomplexity of the nearshoremarine habitats, especially those formed by the complex reef and island topography of theinner continentalshelf.

Thecontinental shelf ofthe West Coast is relativelynarrow. At the northernend of thissector, just southof NorthWest Cape, the shelf is merely40 km wide.The seabed consists primarily of carbonatesands. Two distinctshelf areas are recognised, the Dirk HartogShelf in thenorth and the Rottnest Shelf in thesouth. Collins(1988) has described the sediments and history of theRottnest Shelf. The two shelves represent seawardextensions of thetwo major Phanerozoic sedimentary basins fringing the western margin of the

PartlV - 5 continent,that is theCarnarvon Basin and the Perth Basin, lying along the western margin of theyilgarn Cratonand separated from it byancient faults.

Bothbasins have great depths of sediment,mainly marine, and the process of depositionis on-going, formingcoastal plains along the western margin ofthe continent.During the Pleistocene there was a series of marinetransgressions and regressions across the surface ofthe coastalplains relating to theglobal cycle of interglacialand glacial conditions and changing sea levels. The succession of marineand wind blown sedimentsresulting from these events left remnantsalong the coastal lands ofboth basins and on theseabed alongthe inner part of thecontinental shelf.

In thelast interglacial period ofthe Pleistocene, when sea level was close to it5present position, an extensivedune system was formed along the coast which was subsequently consolidated to produce an aeolianiteknown as the Tamala Limestone. Today this limestoneand its associatedquartz sands form ridges of coastallimestone and chains of elongateridges on theseabed offshore. Interfingered with theTamala Limestoneat manylocations along the centnl part of theWest Coast, is a coralreef and shell limestone knownas the Rottnest Limestone, also deposited in theLate Pleistocene. Superimposed upon these Pleistocenelimestones there is usuallya thin veneerof Holocenesands (safety Bay and Becher sands) whichmay or maynot be stabilised by vegetation.

Thus,the shores along much ofthe West Coast, particularly its southernsection, essentially comprise a narrowribbon of mediumto fine,calcareous sandy deposits ofHolocene age abutting or overllng Pleistocenelimestones. Regional and local heterogeneity of coastal landform has been produced by variationsof physicalforces acting on theaccumulation of thesesediments. Searle et al. (1988)and Semeniukel a/. (1989)have identified several discrete geomorphic units of thecoast according to the chancterof theirsediments.

Thereare four important exceptions to thisgeneralised account ofthe West Coast: i) At the northernend ofthe sectormarine Miocene limestones dominate the coastal geology. Pleistoceneand Holocene limestones and sands form a surficialcover along most of theshore but the Miocenelimestones outcrop along the shore at sevenllocations as far south as Red Bluff (Map IV-2). ii) At SharkBay there is a widesurficial sheet of Pleistoceneand Holocene dune deposits accumulated on lowanticlinal ridges ofTertiary limestone on thewestern part ofthe CarnarvonBasin (Playford, 1990).The western dune ridges have consolidated to form the Tamala Limestone as elsewhere along theWest Coast but this is a highenergy shore and the limestones have eroded and formed continuous highcliffs. The sea has invaded behind the western barrier dune ridges and flooded the lowJying land behindproducing the vast, sheltered shallows of SharkBay and Hamelin pool. iii) At Kalbarrinear the boundary between the Carnarvon and Perth Basins, the Tumblagooda Sandstone of Silurianage outcrops at thecoast forming high cliffs. iv) At thesouthern end ofthe PerthBasin, an outlier ofthe YilgarnCraton known as the Leeuwin Block, consistingmainly ofProterozoic gneissic rocks, forms the extreme south western margin ofthe continentseparated from the Perth sedimentary basin by the Dunsborough Fault.

Wth thisgeological background, the Working Group has recognised 12 major distinctive coastal tlpes along theseaward shores, as the first step in theselection of a representativemarine reserve system on theWest Coast,according to the methodologydescribed in PartI. Fromnorth to souththese are as follows (see Index io MapsIV).

7. NingalooReef. The coast from North West Cape to GnarralooBay is formedmostly ofPleistocene limestonesand Holocene sands superimposed on themargin ofan anticline ofMiocene limestone. Thereis a protectivebarrier-fringing coral reef of greatcomplexity and with a species-richcoral reef community.This is oneofAustralia's major coral reefststems. The reefis almost continuous and off- shorein thenorthem part but becomes an inteffupted fringing reef in thesouthern part. There are no riversin thissector although a numberofseasonal storm creeks dnin intothe lagoon from the arid hinterland.

PartIV - 6 r 2. Rd Bluff to Point Quo66a. Thisis a high energy,rocky shore with low to high Pleistoceneor Miocenelimestone cliffs exposedto the westerlywinds and swells. There are two semi-shelteredbays I behind(east o0 RedBluff andCape Cuvier respectively. Narrow intertidal rock platformsare dominatedby algalgrowth. There is a small coralreef in a small impoundedlagoon behind a I protectivelimestone reefat Point Quobba. Westernshores ofthe ShorhBag outer islaruls aml Eilel Lanl Peninsula (Zuyttlorp Cliffs). These arehigh energy,rocky shores with high Pleistocenelimestone cliffs exposed to westerlywinds and t swells.Narrow intertidal rock platformsare dominated by algalgrowth. There are some coral colonies in tidal poolsbut no coralreefs except at the sidesof the channelsbetween the islandswhere there is I lesswave action. i Eostetnshores of SharkRay-Hamelin Paol. The easternside of SharkBay is a low energyshore of low reliefwith a mono-speciesmangal, wide tidal andsupratidal flats, and a very largeoffshore I carbonatebank. The extremesouthern portion borderingHamelin Pool is hypersalineand has extensivegrowth of stromatolites.IVo major seasonalrivers (Gascoyne and Wooramel) enter the sea I on this coastand have {ormed large deltas. Innn inlets anil pminsulas of SharkBag-Hamelin Pool. Thesheltered shores within SharkBay consistof narrowbeaches and low Pleistocenelimestone or sandycliffs. Seagrass meadows and I carbonatesand banks dominate the sublittoralzone. There are no coralreefs. Some inlets are hypersaline.

I Kalbati . Thisis a short stretchof coastof moderatelyhigh energywith high Silurian sandstonecliffs which arestrongly bedded and terraced. The intertidalrock platformsare dominatedby algalgrowth I andthere are no coralreefs. The Murchison River enters the seahere and has a small estuary. 7. Abmlhos.This is an off-shore,shelf-edge unit comprisinga seriesof corallimestone platforms and islandswith prolific contempolarycoral reef development. Seaward margins of the platformsare algal I dominatedwith extensivegrowth of kelp in ihe sublittoralzone. Coral reef developmentoccurs on the leewardmargins and in the channels.There are intertidal rock platformsand some seagrass meadows. This coralreef complex is an outlier of the Indo-WestPacific coral reef province. It is one of I Australia'smost significant coral reef systems and is verydifferent in structureand species compositionto the NingalooReef.

I 8. Kalbart b Port Darrr'son.The shore is of moderateenergy and is relativelystraight with sandy beachesand occasionalPleistocene limestone headlands and offshore reefs. Small parabolic dunes abutand in someplaces overlie the coastallimestones. Kelp dominates the sublittoralzone on the I limestonereefs. Seagrass meadows are moderately developed in shelteredlagoons and banks. Small andspecies-poor coral reefs occur at severallocalities. The coastfeatures Late Pleistocene fossil coral I reefsand a numberof small estuaries(Chapman, Irwin andGreenough Rivers). 9. Port Denison to Whitfords-The shoreis similarto that north of Port Denisonbut thereis extensive developmentol offshorelimestone reefs protecting elongate lagoons and morefrequent small I limestoneislands. There are large erosional scallops into the coastallimestones as well asdiscrete, accretionarycuspate forelands. Wide intertidal rock platformsare developed below the larger limestoneheadlands and around some ofthe islands.Kelp dominates the sublittoral zone on the I limestoneridges. Seagrass meadows dominate the lagoonsand bank behindthe protectiveoffshore reefs.There are no coralreefs although coral communities are commonin shelteredlagoons. There aretwo small estuaries(Hill andMoore Rivers). Semeniuk el a/. (1989)distinguished two coastal I typeswithin this sector,based on dunestructure and sedimentation details, with the boundary betweenthem locatedat WedgeIsland. t 10. Whitfonls to Bunbury.This sectorhas a rangeof coastaltypes and complex near-shore bathymetry with prominentsublitioral limestone ridges parallel to the coast,two major embaymentswith deep I basins(Cockburn and Warnbro Sounds), many small, offshore emergent rocks and three large limestoneislands (Rottnest, Carnac and Garden) , andthree large estuaries (Swan, Peel-Harvey and Leschenault).The openocean shores have moderate exposure to waveaction and consistof long sandy I beachesand some cliffed limestone headlands with wide.algal dominated, intertidal rock platforms. t PartIV - 7 I Kelpdominates the sublittoralzone on the limestoneridges. Seagrass meadows dominate the sublittoralzone in the offshoreinter-ridge lagoons. There are no coralreefs although coral communitiesare commonand thereis extensivegrwfth ol Pocilloporadamicornis in sheltered I situationsat RottnestIsland and the reefsoffWhitfords. Semeniuk e/ a/. (1989)distinguished two coastnlt).pes along this coast,based on dunestructuye and sedimentation details, with the boundary locatedat CapeBouvard. I

11. Cngraphe Bay- The coastfrom Bunburyto Dunsboroughis a wide,arcuate, north-facing embayment.It is a low to moderateenergy shore consisting mainly ofbeachfronted by gentlysloping I shallowsand backed by a Holocenedune system. Long-term Holocene sediment accretion has resulted in outwardgrowth of the shoreface and developmentof successivebeach ridges which haveblocked naturaldrainage from the hinterland,forming freshto brackishlagoons behind the ridges.The seabed I is dominatedby very extensiveseagrass meadows and rock substntes.

\2. TheLeeuwin Block. Thesouth west corner of WesternAustralia is formedby a north-southaligned, I elevatedblock of igneousrocls representingan outlier of the ProterozoicYilgarn Craton, projecting north andsouth asCape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin respectively. Its easternboundary is the DunsboroughFault markingabrupt changes of geologyand coastaltype at Dunsboroughand Flinders I Bay.The western face of the Ridgeis a high energyshore with arcuatesandy beaches between high gneissicrock headlands.The lowerintertidal and sublittoral zones are dominatedby kelp.The gneissesdo not erodeto form rock platformsbut thereare boulder shores and large tide poolsin I shelteredplaces. In someareas Pleistocene dune limestone overlies the gneissesand may be erodedto form steepcliffs with flat intertidal rock platformsat sealevel, comparable to thoseof the centralwest coast.On the leeward(eastern) sides of CapeNaturaliste and Cape Leeuwin there is lessexposure to I oceanswells and more sheltered conditions orevail.

Eshnries I In additionto the abovemajor distinctivecoastal types along the seawardshores of ihe WestCoast, there is a numberof estuaries. I Thetwo largeseasonal rivers entering the easternside of SharkBay form largedellas but not estuaries.

Themost northerlyestuary on th€ WestCoast is that of the Murchison.From theresouthwards to the Moore I Riverthere is a seriesof small estuaries.Most of the rivershave the bulk of their catchmentsin the semi- aridhinterland or arevery short with smallcatchments. The Murchison Estuary is of the riverinetype (that is the tidalwaters flood the lowerreaches of the riverchannel and there is nowide basin develooment) and I it is permanentlyopen to thesea although there is an entrancebar. The Hutt, Bowes,Buller, Chapman, Irwin andHill Estuariesare also of the riverinetype but they areseasonally closed. Estuaries of the Greenoughand MooreRivers are of the lagoonaltype and are seasonally closed. Very little is recordedof the I floraand faunaof thesecentral West Coast estuaries but, giventhe small sizeand seasonally closed conditionof mostof them,it is unlikelythat they possess diverse communities. The possible exception is the Murchisonwhich warrantsstudy. I

0n the lowerWest Coast there are three large estuaries, the Swan,Peel-Harvey, and Leschenault, all of whichare permanently open to thesea. The Swan and the Peel portion of the Peel-Haweyhave wide basins. I TheHarvey portion of the Peel-HarveyEstuary and the LeschenaultEstuary are large, elongate basins formedin interbarrierdepressions (ie. between Pleistocene limestone ridges). The rivers which serve thes€ estuarieshave rather large catchments within a moderatelyhigh rainfallzone. Their annual salinity cycles I areextreme in thatthey flood with seawat€r (at l€ast in theirlower reaches) during the drysummer monthsand are scoured with freshwater during the winter rainyseason. For this reasonthey aresomewhat inhospitablehabitats for aquaticorganisms and their flora andfauna are depauperate. Nevertheless, in I summerthey aresignificant nursery areas for a numberof marinefishes and crustaceaand support important commercialand recreationalfisheries. They are also very importantfeeding areas for migratory wadingbirds. All threeof theselarge estuaries currently suffer from eutrophicationof varyingseverity. t I I

PartIV - 8 I I 1.2. Ma?inc flora and fauna

I Scientificstudy of themarine environment of WesternAustralia's West Coast began before European settlement.The Baudin Expedition of 1801-03,sponsored by the French Academy of Science,made I extensivecollections of marinefauna along this coast, most notably in SharkBay. Following establishment ofthe SwanRiver Colony by the British nearly thirty years latet additionalmaterial was supplied to Europeanscientists . The German Gazelle expedition in 1874-76visited Shark Bay and collected marine specimensincluding some corals (Studer, 18?8) and in 1894fisheries biologist W. Saville-Kent collected I andstudied corals at SharkBay and the Houtman Abrolhos (Saville-Kent, 1897).

In the20th Century, marine research intensified on theWest Coxt, following establishment of research and I tertiaryeducation institutions at themetropolitan centre of Perth.The State Fisheries Department and the CSIRODivisions ofFisheries and Oceanography established marine research laboratories in Perth.A considerablebody ofinformation has now accumulated on physicaland biological features ofthe WestCoast t marineenvironment.

NorthWest Cape and Cape Leeuwin are points where significant changes in coastalmarine flora and fauna I takeplace. The changes are a consequenceof several interacting factors including climate, geomorphology andphysical aspects of habitat,ocean currents, and geological history. Between these capes the West Coast is a zoneof overlapbetween two biogeographic provinces, the tropical Northern Australian Region and the I temperateSouthern Australian Region (Wlson & Cillett,1971; Wlson & Allen,1987).

Onthe North West Shelf north-east of NorthWest Cape the marine flora and fauna are wholly tropical (see I PartsI andIII). Biogeographicallythat area belongs to theNorthern Australian Region which is a sub-unit of thevast tropical Indo-West Pacific Region. In starkcontrast, the southern coast east of CapeLeeuwin belongsto thetemperate Southern Australian Region and has a verydifferent flon andfauna (see Parts I I andV). The differences are due not only to contemporaryenvironmental conditions but alsoto thedifferent geologicalhistories of thetwo regions (Wlson & Allen,1987). The northern (tropical) and southern I (temperate)floras and faunas have had different evolutionary origins. Alongthe West Coast the tropical marine flora and fauna give way to temperatespecies and many species reachtheir limits of range.Coral reefs and mangals, the two ecosystems which most characterise coastal I zonesof thetropics, flourish on thePilbara coast but dwindleaway down the West Coast. In thevicinity of Fremantleon thecentral West Coast the composition of themarine fauna is almostbalanced between I tropicaland temperate species, with temperatespecies slightly more numerous. Theextent to whichtropical species and tropical ecosystems penetrate to higherlatitudes on theWest Coast is apparentlyvery sensitive to climaticand oceanographic changes. The central section of theWest Coast I hasbeen subject, through the Pleistocene Period, to oscillationsin climateand, consequently, in the balanceof tempenteand tropical flora and fauna. During warmer Pleistocene interglacial periods, the tropicalzone (and the Northern Australian Faunal Region) extended much further south than it doestoday I (Kendricket al. , 1991).For example, although the Abrolhos is thepresent limit of coralreef development, thereare Late Pleistocene fossil conl reefsas far south as Rottnest Island.

I Thereis alsoevidence that in contemponrytimes the West Coast is highlydynamic in respectof marine speciesdistributions. For example, some tropical species offish, echinoderm and mollusc, having planktoniclarvae capable ofwide dispersal by ocean currents, are known to occasionallyestablish I populationsat southernlocations within the tempente zone, far beyond the "normal" limit oftheir ranges. Thewarm, southerly-flowing Leeuwin Current carries the larvae of tropicalanimals from the northwhich mayestablish populations at placessuch as the West Dnd of RottnestIsland and Cape Naturaliste (Hutchins, t 1991).Dispersal ofsome tropical animals even extends around Cape Leeuwin and into theGreat Australian Bightin yearswhen the Leeuwin Current flows strongly (Maxwell & Cresswell,1981). Some of these outlying,southern populations appear to be"permanenf' and capable of reproductivelysustaining I themselves(eg. the cowryCgpraea caputserpentis at Rottnest). Others appear to betransient and incapable of reproductionin thesecooler southern conditions, depending on constantreplenishment from the north. But theLeeuwin Current is erraticfrom year to yearso that southern populations of tropicalspecies with t shortlife-cycles are highly unstable and subject to periodiclocal extinction. I

I PartIV - 9 I Althoughcommunities of marineplants and animals on the WestCoast mostly comprise a mixtureof northern(tropical) and southern (temperate) species, there is an endemicelement as well. Examplesare the I Westernrocklobster (Panulintscggnus) and the Dhufish(Glaucosoma hebrarcum). Some of these endemicsare strictly confinedto the WestCoast. Others extend onto the South Coastbeyond Cape Leeuwin. Theorigins of theseendemics are varied. Many of them appearto be Pleistocenederivatives lrom Indo-West I Pacificgenera, perhaps arising from populationsisolated by oscillationof climate.Others are relictsof the ancientfaunas of the Tertiary.In the latter categoryis the gastropodCampanile sgmbolicum , the sole living survivorof the family Campanilidaewhich flourishedin the tropicalSea of Tethysduring the Tertiary. I This"living fossil"is a conspicuousspecies in the intertidaland shallow sublittoral communities of the south-westcoast. I Thissituation of progressivechange from onemajor biogeographic province to anotheralong a two thousandkilometre stretch of coastis relevantto the reseweselection process in that seeminglysimilar habitatslocated a few degreesof latitudeapart are likely to supportcommunities of quite differentspecies "representativeness" I composition.For a reservesystem to approximate it is necessaryfor it to includea seriesof reservesalong the length ofthe coastthat, together,represent the transitionfrom the tropicalto temperatebiota. I It mustbe emphasised that resewation of an areaclose to thegeographical limit of a tropicalspecies or communitydoes not guaranteeits long-termprotection if it dependson recruitmentby meansof dispersal I from populationsin unprotected"upstream" areas. This relatesto the inter-connectednessof marine ecosystemsdiscussed in PartI. In thissituation marine reserves are not, by themselves, enough and must be complementedby strong environmentalprotection measures for the whole coast. I An accountof certainmarine community types of specialsignificance on the WestCoast follows. I Corals and Coral Reefs Thetransition from tropicalto temperatebiota along the WestCoast is no betterillustrated than by the distributionof coralsand coral reefs. Hatcher (1991) has discussed the importanceof theLeeuwin Current I in establishingand maintainingthe coralreefs of the WestCoast. At the extremenorthern endof the WestCoast, just north of the Tropicof Capricorn,is NingalooReei one I ofAustralia'smost significant coral reef systems. It is about260 kilometres long and is partbarrier reef and part fringing reef,with a widerange of coralreef habitats and a high diversityof coralsand associated species.From this reef 217 species of hermatypiccorals in 54 generaare recorded (Veron & Marsh,1988). t Coralgrowth is luxuriantin manylocalities. The reefs are built on a Pleistocenelimestone structure along the westernside of the CapeRange anticline. Their existencerelates to the proximityof the continental shelfedge in that areaand the clearoceanic water with minimal terrestrialrun-off. It is likely that the reef I communityis constantlyreplenished by recruitsdelivered by the LeeuwinCurrent from outer reefs and shelf-edgeatolls of the North WestShelf. I Thereare no coralreefs in SharkBay but coralcommunities are found in the channelsbetween Bernier and DorreIslands and in SouthPassage. Wthin SharkBay itself coral communities are poorly developed. I After Ningaloothe only major coralreefs on the WestCoast are at the Abrolhos.These reefs comprise four groupsof islandsand coral banks near the shelf-edge about 60 km offshorebetween latitudes 28" 16' and ".. 29".Stokes (1846), who surveyedthese waters, noted that theAbrolhos, with the exceptionof Bermuda,is I the placefarthest removed from the equatorwhere coral formation is found."While later studieshave found thatto benot quiteaccurate, it is certainlytrue that the Abrolhos coral reefs lie in exceptionallyhigh latitudesmaking them of greatscientific interest. I Living coralsflourish on the leewardslopes of the Abrolhosreef platforms with a diversecoral fauna. A total of 184species of coralbelonging to 42 generaare so far recorded (Veron & Marsh,1988). The modern coral I reefsof theAbrolhos grow as a veneeron a foundationof LatePleistocene coralline limestone. They are less extensivethan their Late Pleistocene antecedents. During that time there was coral reef development along the seawardedges of the platformsbut todaythose areas are dominated by the kelpEcklonia (Wlson & I Marsh,1979) and reef development is confinedto the leewardslopes and the sides of the channelsand "blue holes".The oceanographic and climatjcfactors which sustainthese unusual reefs are discussed by Collins et al. (7997\and Hatcher(1991). I

Part lV - 10 t I Sometropical coral species which are tolerant of coolerconditions maintain populations as far south as CapeNaturaliste (a few even beyond that) but theyoccur as isolated colonies and do not form"coral reefs,'. I Tabularcorals of the ge tsAcropora, usually dominant among the reef-building species in thetropics, are particularlyabundant at theAbrolhos and occur as isolated colonies as far south as Jurien Bay, mostly in lagoonsbetween offshore limestone reefs. A bnnchingcorz,l, Pocillopora dambomis, isvery eommon in I densecolonies at manylocalities on theWest Coast as far south as Rottnest Island. Massive conls of the generaFaoites, Goniastrea and, Turbinaria are afeatrre of shelteredbays at leastas far southas Cape Naturaliste.In GeographeBay, on theleeward side of CapeNaturaliste, fourteen species of coralsbelonging I to sevengenera are recorded living on therocky sea floor among seagrasses and small macroalgae. Mongroues I Mangalhabitat is well developedin thenorthern half of theWest Coast sector although the number of speciesof mangrovetree is greatlyreduced in comparisonwith thePilbard coast. In theextreme north of thesector in the NingalooMarine Park three species of mangrove,Auicennia marina, Rhizophora stglnsa I andBruguiera exaristata, forn smallbut importantmangals. Further south in SharkBay there are extensivemangals but theyare solely luicennia. Small, remnanlAaicannia mangals also occur at the Abrolhosand in LeschenaultInlet. The decline ofthe mangalecosystem from north to southin theWest I Coasttransition zone matches closely that of coralreefs. Seagrasses I A generaldescription of WestemAustralian seagrasses and seagnss meadows is givenin PartI, Section 3.7.4.In thesouthern part ofthe Stateseagrasses form conspicuous ecosystems. Seagrass meadows compriseone of themost importnnt marine ecosystems in the region. They usually have a verylar6le I biomassand may stretch without interruption for manykilometres along the coast. Seagrassmeadows provide habitat for a largenumber of otherorganisms and play an important part in the I foodwebs and cycling of nutrientsof coastalwaters (see Part I, Section3.7.4). In thesouthern portion of the WestCoast they have great commercial significance because oftheir importanceto thewestern rock lobster fishery.Following their planktonic development, rock lobsters at thepueyulus developmental stage settle on I reefsnear seagrass meadows. Adult rock lobsters forage in nearbyseagrass meadows, feeding on detritus, plantmaterial and associated fauna (Joll & Phillips,1984). I Withinthe boundaries of theWest Coast sector there are 22 species in nineseagrass genera (Kirkman & Walker,1989). Six of thespecies are regarded as tropical while the others are temperate to cooltemperate species.The dominant genera of thesouthern West Coast seagnss meadows are Posidonia and, Amphibolis- I Thedominant species is Posidoniasinuosa. SouthernWestern Australia could be said to bethe centre of distributionof thegenus Po.ridonia with eight I speciesin the region,reducing to oneeast ofSt VincentGulf in SouthAustralia and one north of SharkBay. Amphibolisis rcpresentedby two spe cies - A.griflithii,which nnges from Kalbarri to SouthAustralia and A. I antarcticawhichranges ftom Exmouth southwayds and east to BassStrait. Generally,the seagrass meadows of theWest Coast south of SharkBay grow in lagoonswithin a sheltering coastalreefsystem, mostly at depthsfyom low tide level to 20 m. Mostspecies and the densest meadows I growon soft,sandy substrata on shallowbank betweenreefs. Species of twogenera grow on rocksand one of these,Thalassodatdron pachgrhrizum, is onlyfound on rockysubstrata. Both this species and I Amphibolisantarclr'ca grow down to depthsof30 m wherethere is suitablesubstrate. Uniikeother parts ofAustralia, estuarine seagrasses are rare in southernWestern Australia because most of theestuaries are small and subjected to wideseasonal changes in salinity.There are usually bars across their I entranceswhich restrict exchange ofwater with thesea. The main exception to thisis theSwan Estuary whichhas quite extensive seagrass meadows consisting of Zostera mucronata and Halophila sp. in its lower I reaches. Seagrassmeadows may be hundreds of yearsold. They are occasionally disturbed by high intensity storms which"blow out" the seagrass. The original seagrass vegetation of theblowout areas, usually predominantly I Posidoniasinuosa, may be subsequentlyrevegetated by otherspecies, such as Ilaterozostera tasmanica, Halophilaor Ampfubolrs,but theseare less able to withstandstorms and the blowoutsbecome areas of I considerablechange. The original Posidonia sinuoso association may take tens of yearsto r€turn,if it does I PartIV - 11 I at all (Kirkmanand Kuo, 1990). The decline of seagrassbeds in CockburnSound has been described by Cambridge& McComb(f984). I Algaeanil Algal Beds A generaldescription ofWestern Australian algae and algal beds has been given in PartI, Section3.7.3. The algalflora of thewarm temperate coast south of theAbrolhos is verydiverse, although this element of the I WesternAustralian flora has been little studied.There is evenless information about the marinealgae of the northemshores of theWest Coast but it seemsthat the tropical zone is not richin taxa.The most comprehensivestudies of WestCoast algae have been done at RottnestIsland (Huisman & Walker,1990) I andShark Bay (Kehdrick el a/.,1990). Seaweedsare most conspicuous on thefringing rock platforms and inshore rocky reefs along the southern I WestCoast. The small kelp Ecklonia radlalc is thedominant species, at leastin thesouthern part of the WestCoast south of Kalbarriand the Abrolhos. Sargassum species are also important in termsof biomass duringthe warmer months ofthe year(Kirkman, 1984). Beds ofthese algae may dominate rocky habitats in I theshallou sublittoral zone along the West Coast but thereis no developmentof massive algal beds on the scaleofthose seen in thecool temperate areas ofsouth-eastern Australia. I Manyspecies ofgreen and red algae make up a highdiversity in algalbed ecosystems on rockyshores. Many alsogrow as epiphytes on seagrasses(Kendrick et al., 1988)and these may make up a highproportion of the biomassin seagrassmeadows, particularly when the dominant seagrass is,4mpftl6olzs. The epiphytes on I Amphiboliscan make up morethan three times the biomass of thisseagrass. Thedistribution of mostof theseaweeds found between North West Cape and Cape Leeuwin is not known. I Northof Ceraldtonthere appears to bea transitionfrom the southern temperate flora to a tropicalone, comparableto distributionpatterns described above for marinefauna. The effects of seatemperature and oceancurrents on thedistribution ofalgae on theWest Coast have been described by Walker (1991). I In thetemperate waters ofthe southern West Coast there are not manyherbivores which feed directly on algae.The most notable are two species of thefish genusKwhosus (Buffalo Bream), one ofwhich feeds on I brownalgae while the other feeds on a varietyof redalgae. Probably the mostimportant role played by algae in coastalecosystems is the production of detritalmaterial for nutrientrecycling. Organic detrital material fromalgal beds is a majorelement in thefood of rocklobster along the West Coast (Joll & phillips,19g4). I RochyShorc Communities Rockyshore habitats have been described in generalterms in PartI, Section3.7.2. T\,vo quite distinct types I occuron thewest coast and there are significant differences in the invertebrate community b'pes inhabitingthem and the zonation patterns which they establish on theshore. I Northof CapeNaturaliste rocky headlands between beaches and sandy bays are composed of limestones(or sandstonesin the case of theIftlbarri sector) which are commonly eroded into near-horizontalrock platformsin theintertidal zone. Limestone rock platforms are a significantfeature of theWest Coast. I Platformseroded into the Late Pleistocene Tamala Limestone, the most common type, tend to bedeeply notchedalong their inner margins between high and low \,vater levels, and have a distinctivevertical zonationofbenthic invertebrates and algae. The strongly bedded Silurian Tumblagooda Sandstone at I Kalbarritends to beterraced below the sea cliffs and zonation patterns are different.

Zonationof floraand fauna on intertidalrock platforms eroded into Tamala Limestone has been describeo I in detailat RottnestIsland by Hodgkin et at. (t9s9l andatcarnacIsland by Marsh & Hodgkin(1962). Similarspecies communities and patterns of intertidaldistribution occur on limestoneroik platformsat leastas far northas Geraldton. Little is knownof theequivalent rocky shore faunas further north but it may I beassumed that temperate species are replaced by tropical ones.

In thesouth along the Naturaliste-Leeuwin coast, rocky shores are predominantly constructed of I Proterozoicgneissic rocks with roundedboulders and relatively smooth rock sloies, although there are areaswhere limestone rock platforms overlay the igneous-metamorphic base. The gneissic Jhores lack developmentof rock platforms. In shelteredareas, particularly on thenorthern sides of rockyheadlands, t boulderfields and large pools provide rich habitats for a diverseflora and fauna. There has been no detailed studyon theirflora and fauna or on thezonation Datterns ofthose shores. I PartIV - 12 I I MarineMommols TheAustralian Sea Lion (Neophocacinerec) is sparselydistributed from the Abrolhos to SouthAustralia t with a totalpopulation ofprobably less than 5 000.It is declaredto bea speciallyprotected species under theWestem Australian Wildlife Conservation Act. The West Coast population numbers about 1 000animals. Mostof thelimestone islands with leeside beaches, from the Abrolhos to ShoalwaterBay, are used as haul- I out sitesby the sea-lions. Breeding mlonies occur on theAbrolhos, the Beagile Islands, North Fisherman Islandand Buller Island. The largest breeding colony is on theBeagle Islands. On the West Coast the sea- lion hasa 17-18month breeding cycle that is notsynchronous among the breeding colonies (Gales et al-, I 1992).The long-term security of thisanimal on theWest Coast is questionable.Most of thehaul-out sites andthe breeding colonies are subject to increasinghuman interference and there is somequestion about I increasingcompetition between humans and the sealions for foodresources. Thereis a significantpopulation ofthe Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncalus) along the West Coast althoughthe population size is unknown.These animals frequently interact with humansand do so I regularlyat threeWest Coast localities, Monkey Mia in SharkBay, Shoalwater Bay and Bunbury. 'I\^,o speciesofwhale, the Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis)and the Humpback (Megaptera I nouaeangliae)also frequent the shores of theWest Coast. Since the cessation of commercialwhaling both speciesappear to berecovering from their earlier perilously low numbers. The Right Whales breed in shelteredbays ofthe southwest coast. The Humpbacks pass by twice a yearon theirmigrations between I theirsummer Southern Ocean feeding grounds and their winter North West Shelfbreeding areas. The migratingpods of Humpbackhave already attracted attention from the tourist industry as they make an I attractivespectacle when they pass close enough to shoreto beapproachable. I 1.3. Tourist potential Marine-basedtourism is well established on theWest Coast. There are a numberof citiesand large provincialtowns on this coast,often near significant coastal and estuarine attractions. There are five marine I parksalready declared within the region. Ningaloo Marine Park is recognisedas a majorrecreation and tourismresource in thenorth west ofthe State.Commercial tourism activities associated uith thepark forma significantpart of thelocal economy. Shark Bay Marine Park is partof a WorldHeritage Area. I Marmionand Shoalwater Islands Marine Parks service the urban population of thePerth metropolitan area. In addition,management authorities have been established for thePeel-Harvey and Leschenault Inlets whichare extensively used for recreation.All of theseareas are destined to becomeincreasingly important t touristand recreational destinations.

I 1.4. Fisheries Thesection of coastalwaters between North West Cape and Cape Leeuwin supports the majority of Western I Australia'scommercial and recreational fishing activities. Thewestern rock-lobster (Panulirus cygnus) fishery is thelaygest and most important of theregion's 14 I marineand three estuarine commercial fisheries. The annual average catch of 10500 tonnes is worth in excessof $240million. The majority of thefishing takes place between Kalbarri and Mandurah and out to a I depthof 160m. Themost important prawn and scallop trawl fisheries are concentrated in Shark Bay, primarily in thearea eastof Bernierand Dorre Islands. Further south, the Abrolhos Islands and Mid-west Trawl Fishery and the I South-WestInshore Trawl Fishery also take western king prawns and saucer scallops. Oneofthe moreimportnnt West Coast finfisheries is theShark Bay Snapper Fishery. This extends from t SharkBay to thesouthern boundary of theNingaloo Marine Park. The fishery takes an average annual catch of 520tonnes. Another important fishery is theWest Coast Purse Seine Fishery which targets mainly pilchardand scaly mackerel. Sharks and demersal finfish are also widely targeted by gillnet and longline I operatorsoff theWest Coast. In moreprotected, inshore waters, such as the southern parts of ShaYkBay and off thePerth metropolitan area, beach-seining and mesh-netting for a varietyof finfishsupport a numberof I vessels. I PartIV - 13 I

Roe,sabalone constitutes an importantfishery along the lowerWest Coast. Other invertebrate fisheries includemussel culture in GeographeBay and Warnbro and Cockburn Sounds, blue mannacrab fishing in I WarnbroSound, deep water crabfishing on the outer shelf,and octopus fishing

TheSwan-Canning, Peel-Hawey and Leschenault estuaries each support long-standing, limited entry I fisheries,with 11,27, and 11 operatorsrespectively. They took a total catchof 458 tonnesin 1991.The key targetspecies include sea and yelloweye mullet, cobbler,whiting, blue mannacrabs and prawns. I Recreationalfishing is a popularactivity on the WestCoast. Key target species include western king and schoolprawns, blue mannacrabs, abalone, rock lobsterand avariety offinfish, notablyAustralian herring, Australiansalmon, tailor, whiting, snapper,and WA jewfish. A major reviewof WesternAustralia's "The I recreationalfisheries was conducted in the late 1980sresulting in the publicationof the document Futurefor RecreationalFisheries - IssuesfoY Community Discussion" (Fisheries Department, 1990). I I I I I I I I I t t I I I I I PartIV - 14 I t 2. EXISTINGMARINE RESERVES

I Onthe West Coast five Marine Park andone Marine Nature Resewe have already been declared under the CALMAct, and one marine resewe has been declared under special legislation. The Commonwealth National Parksand Wldlife Conservation Act has been used to extendthe boundaries of oneof theState Marine Parks I (Ningaloo)seaward to includeCommonwealth waters.

I 2.1. Ningaloo Marine Park (Map lV-f ) Area224 000ha.

I NingalooReef extending 260 km alongthe westem side of theCape Range Peninsula is oneofAustralia's majorconl reefsystems.

I In its report,Consenation Resen)es in WesternAustralia, (1975, System 9), the EPArecommended that the NingalooReef Tract should be declared an aquatic reserve, vested in theNational Parks Board. The EPA recommendedthat the reserve should extend from North West Cape to PointAnderson and from 40 m above I highwater mark to the 100m isobath.The 100 m isobathis about5 nauticalmiles offshore near North West Capebut offPointAnderson the continental shelf is muchwider and the 100m isobathis nearly30 nautical I milesoffshore. TheState Covernment formed a WorkingGroup in 1978which produced a draft management plan (May, Lenanton& Berry,1983). The plan included recommendations that the reserve be a marinepark, that the I southernboundary be located at Amherst Point rather than Point Anderson, and that the park should extend aroundNorth West Cape to includeBundegi Reef at the mouthof ExmouthGulf. It alsorecommended that theseaward boundary be set at approximately10 nautical miles from shore rather than at the 100m isobath I whichwas considered to beinappropriate. A 10 nautical mile seaward boundary encompasses Commonwealthwaters. The revised boundaries were proposed so that "the ecological integrity of theliving resourcescould be securedrr. The report added that "the area of seaand land within these boundaries I incorporatesall majorhabitat types, would maintain the integrity of theproposed Marine Park as a viable ecologicalunit andis necessaryfor holisticand integrated management." These recommendations were I adoptedin principleby the StateGovernment. Followingpassage of theConservation and Land Management Act 1984 with its provisionfor declarationof marinepark, andafter further public consultation, the inner portion of NingalooMarine Park was gazetted I underState legislation in 1987.The outer portion was declared under the Commonwealth National Park andWldlife Conservation Act 1975later in thesame year. I Integratedmanagement plans for theState and Commonwealth parts of themarine park were produced and adoptedin 1989and are now in force.

I Togetherwith theadjacent Cape Range National Park, Ningaloo Marine Park has already become an importantrecreational resource and a primaryattraction for thetourism industry. Dive and Whale Shark toursand fishing charters operdte from the towns of Exmouthand Coral Bay. An interpretive centre has I beenestablished within the national park. Wth its rich andeasily accessible coral reef and unique coastal scenery,this reservecomplex will certainlybecome one of thebest known and most valuable conservation I reservesin Australia.

2.2. Shark Bay Marine Park (Map IV-2) I Area748 735 ha

ln its report,Conseruation Reserues in WesternAustralia (1975, System 9) the EPArecommended that the I watersof SharkBay be reserved for a rangeof purposes.Subsequently the State Government appointed a consultativecommittee and an inter-departmental task force to carryout a regionalplanning study for SharkBay. The matter of marinereserves was one of theissues considered in thatstudy. The final report, I theShark Bay Region PIan was adopted by the Government in June1988. It recommendeddeclaration ofa multiple-usemarine park over much of SharkBay, and a mayinenature reserve at HamelinPool. The Shark I BayMarine Park was gazetted in 1990. I PartIV - 15 I SharkBay is a verylarge, shallow embayment, open to the north, with narrowinlets separatedby long, slenderpeninsulas. It is the only major embaymenton the WestCoast between Exmouth Gulf and Cockburn Sound.Bernier, Dorre and Dirk Hartoglslands form the westernboundary ofthe bay.A summaryof the I Bay'sgeomorphology is givenby Playford(1990) and the hydrologyby Logan& Cebulski(1970).

Theseabed is typicallycomposed of calcareoussands with vastareas of denseseagrass meadows. For the I mostpart the shoresof the inlets aresand beaches although there are some rocky shores. The easternshore ofthe Bay,south of Carnarvon,has a verylow profilebacked by widesupratidal samphire flats, a fringe of mangroves,and an enormousnear-shore calcareous sand bank. Tidal sand flats and extensivesubtidal sand I bank are a featurqof the bay.The sheltered, low energyshores of SharkBay are recognisedas major distinctivecoastal types in SectionIV - 1.1 (westernand central shores type 5; easternshore type 4). I Theseagrdss meadows and the calcareoussand bank of SharkBay are among the world'smost extensive. Theseboth providehabitats for rich communitiesof macrophlticalgae, fishes and invertebrates. I Qtherfeatures of the marineenvironment with high conservationvalue include the mostsoutherly resident populationsofdugong and green turtle, the internationallyfamous Bottlenose Dolphins ofMonkey Mia, and important nurseryareas for severalvaluable recreational and commercialfisheries. I

SharkBay also has great historical significance, including for the history ofAustralianmarine science. The French"Baudin Expedition" of 1801-03was a majorscientific event of that periodand SharkBay was one of I its mostimportant study areas. Shark Bay was also a principalsite of the Cerman"Hamburg Expedition" of 1905.In recentyears there has been renewed research activity in SharkBay. A recentreport of the France- AustraleBicentenary Committee contains a collectionof recentworks and referencesto previous I publications(ed. BeT ry et a1.,1990).

Togetherwith equallysignificant terrestrial values, the featuresof the SharkBay marineenvironment are I consideredto be of suchimportance that the wholearea is now a World HeritageArea.

Managementplans are being prepared for the marineand terrestrial resewes of SharkBay by the I Departmenl.of Conservationand Land Management. I 2.3. Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve(Map lv-z) Area 132 000 ha. I This marinereserve was declared at the sametime asthe SharkBay Marine Park, and as a result of the same planningand public participation processes. It is alsoincluded within the SharkBay World Herjtage Area. I HamelinPool is the innermostof the SharkBay inlets. Its watersare almost isolated from the rest of the bay by a sill of sandacross its mouth, that is the FaureSill. As a resultof isolationand the high evaporative mtes,the water ofthe inletis hypersaline.The inlet has an impoverishedbut highlyspecialised flora and t fauna.

The uniquecharacter of the HamelinPool marine environment has produced two featuresof immense I scientificinterest. These features - growth ofstyomatolitesand the developmentofHolocene coquina deposits- havebeen extensively described and discussedin the scientificliterature (referencesin Logan& Cebulski,1970; Playford, 1980; Play'ford, 1990). I

Thereis little recreationalactivity and no commercialfishing in HamelinPool. However, the stromatolites and coquinadeposits are an attrdctionfor visitorsand inspection sites are provided. t A managementplan is beingprepared by the Departmentof Conservationand Land Management. I t I PartIV - 16 I I 2.4. Marmlon Marlne Park (Map lV-7) I Area9 350 ha. Thispark was gazetted in 1987.It isa heavilyused marine reserve along the northern shores of thePerth metropolitanarea. It wasoriginally recommended bythe EPA in its System6 report(1983, recommendation I M10).However, following an intensive public participation progrdm culminating in publicationof the proceedingsofa publicseminar (Ottaway & Humphries,1986), a largerreserve was declared than was I originallyproposed. TheMarmion Marine Park is representativeofthe Whitfords to Bunburysector, that is majordistinctive coastaltlpe 10.It featuressandy beaches and Tamala Limestone rock platforms along the shore, backed by I QuindalupDunes, and with a successionof near-shore limestone reefs. Marmion Reef is thelargest of the reefs,protecting a shallowarea known as the Marmion Lagoon with extensiveseagrass meadows and a series of emergentrocks and submerged rock platforms. The reefs are deeply undercut and cavernous and there is I a richwall faunaof invertebrateswhich provide a colourfulunderwater spectacle. Most marine plants and animalsin thepark are of temperateorigin but theyeare some tropical stragglers, including a dozenor so I corals.Useful references may be found in Ottaway& Humphries(1986) and Moore (1987). MarmionMarine Park is extensivelyused by recreationalfishers. The sheltered waters, accessibility and spectacularunderwater scenery ensure that scuba diving is alsoa popularactivity. Several commercial dive I andwhale watching tours operate from the Hillarys Boat Harbour. The beaches between Trigg and Mullaloo arepopular swimming and suffing locations. I A managementplan was approved in January1992 (Pobar et al-,1992)and remains in force.It zonesthe majorityof thepark for GeneralUse. Three small areas are zoned as Sanctuary areas and one as a Recreation I area. 2.5. Swan EstuaryMarine Park (Map lV-7) I Area340 ha. Theentire Swan Estuary is a ManagementArea declared under the powers of theSwan River Trust Act 1988. t Themarine park reserved and vested in theNational Parks and Nature Conservation Authority, consists of threeseparate, small areas of theEstuary. The reserve was gazetted in 1990.At thetime ofwriting this reportthe Department of Conservationand Land Management had begun preparation of a management I plan,in collaborationwith theTrust. Thethree parts ofthe marinepark are located at Milyuon theSouth Perth foreshore (95 ha.), Alfred Cove I (190ha.), and Pelican Point (40 ha.). They were the subjects of theEPA System 6 recommendationsM60, M61and M62 respectively. They are all intertidaland shallow sublittoral flats and were reserved primarily as I habitatfor migratorywaterbirds. 2.6. Shoalwater|rlands Marine Park (Map Iv-7) I Area6 545 ha. TheShoalwater Islands Marine Park was declared in 1990over the waters between Cape Peron and Becher I Point,encompassing Shoalwater Bay and Warnbro Sound. At thetime ofwriting this report the Department of Conservationand Land Management had begun preparation of a managementplan. I TheEPA System 6 report(1983) considered this area, noting the proximity of theeducational and recreationalfacilities at CapePeron and its "highvalue in theteaching of ecologicalprinciples". Recommendation101.4 proposed that "a study of thearea be commissioned bythe Environmental I ProtectionAuthority with theaim of establishinga Marine Reserve to bemanaged for thepurpose of conservation."The survey was duly carried out and the results published (Gordon, 1986). I Theoriginal area proposed for reservationincluded mainly the reef habitats off Cape Peron and surounding thelimestone islands and rocks extendinA southwards to TheSisters off Becher Point. After further I I PartIV - 17 I consideration,the marinepark was declared over a largerarea so asto includethe extensiveseagrass meadowsand the deepbasin ofWarnbYo Sound. I The reefareasare t),pical ofthe WestCoast near-shore systems ofthe Whitfordsto Bunburysector identified in Section1.1 as distinctive coastal type 10.They are rich in macroalgaeand benthic inveftebrates and providehabitat and refuge for a widevariety of reeffishes. The reefsare deeply undercut and cavernousand I thereis a colourfulwall faunaof suspension-feedinginvertebrdtes. In theserespects the reefhabitats of this parkare similar to thoseof the MarmionMarine Park. However, the widesandbanks with denseseagrass meadows(especially near Point Merseyand Becher Point) andthe deepcentral basin of WarnbroSound are I distinctivefeatures.

TheWarnbro Sound basin is similar in origin andcharacter to that of CockburnSound, with a mud bottom I at 15-20m depthand steep sides. The CockburnSound basin has a distinctivebenthic fauna (Wilson et al., 1978)but that ayeais novrpolluted by heavyindustry. Although it hasnot beensuweyed in detailthere is evidencethat the Warnbro Sound basin has similar benthic communities (Wilson, unpublished I information).It remainsthe only pristinehabitat ofthis tlpe on the WestCoast.

The islandsand rocks in the park areimportant seabird nesting sites. Of particularsignificance is the Little I Penguinrookery on PenguinIsland. Australian Sea-lions also use some of the islandsas haul-out and resting areas.Both theseanimals feed within the marinepark andth€re is somequestion whether they are competingwith recreationaland commercialfishing for the sameresource. I

Recreationalfishing is a popularactivity within the marinepark. The shelteredwaters and cleansand beachesare also popular swimming, sailing and diving areas. Commercial boat tours operate among the I islands.The hinterland of thisarea is quicklybecoming urbanised and the intensityof recreationaluse of the park is rapidlyincreasing. t 2.7. Rottnest lsland Reserve(Map lV-7) I This reserveincludes the waterssurrounding Rottnest Island for a distanceof 800 m offshore.The aquatic reservewai declaredas part of the RottnestIsland Reserve under the powersof the RottnestIsland Authority Act 1987,and includes the waters,seabed and subsoil. The purpose of the reserveincludes public recreation I andprotection of floraand fauna and the naturalenvironment. It is managedby the RottnestIsland Authority in collaborationwith the FisheriesDepartment. I Althoughthe marinepart ofthe RottnestIsland reserve is neithera MarinePark nor a MarineNature Reserve,it servesthe samepurposes and must be consideredto be part of the Statemarine reservesystem. Howeverit is unclearwhether it is subjectto Governmentpolicies on marineparks and reserves in respect I of mining, petroleumexploration and other activities.

Reservationof the watersaround Rottnest followed a recommendation(C45) of the EPA'sSystenr 6 report of I 1983.The recommendationsactually proposed:

"C45.2That the EPA commission a study of the waters off Rottnest Island, especially those from (and I including)Eagle Bay to FishHook Bay and from Salmon Point to Phillip Rock, with the aim of establishing MarineReserves to be managed for thepuruose of scientificresearch and education." "C45.3 I That,subject to theimplementation ofC45.2, management plans be prepared for theMarine Reserves."

Theintent ofthe EPArecommendation was that the two marineareas identified as being ofparticular I interestshould be managedfor the purposesof scientificresearch and education.The appropriatereserve categoryto matchthose purposes would be MarineNatuye Reserve. However, the samemanagement control I couldbe achievedby zoningareas for scientificand educationpurposes under the proposedmanagement plan.Although the RottnestIsland Authority Act hasno provisionsfor zoningcontrols the Authority has sufficientpowers to declareareas for specificpurposes and to regulateaccordingly. I t PartIV - 18 I I Bradshaw(1990) published a lengthybibliography ofRottnest Island. Geomorphologically, theIsland is I representativeof the majordistinctive coastal b,pe identified between Whitfords and Bunbury (tlpe 10).The marineenvironment is characterisedbylimestone shores, with cliffsand intertidal rock platforms, and sandybeaches in thebays between the headlands. The near-shore areas have complex limestone reef systems I whichare deeply undercut and cavernous. The rock platforms support a richinvertebrate fauna (Hodgkin el a/.,1959) which has been the subject of researchand teaching programs by the University of Western Australiaand other educational institutions for manyyears. Features ofparticular interest include the I presenceof a numberof tropicalspecies on therock platforms at WestEnd and a "reef'of thecoral Pocilloporadamiconzs at ParkerPoint. There is a richflora of marinealgae which has a closeaffinity with themarine flora of southemAustrdlia but includesa tropicalelement (Huisman & Walker,1990). The reefs t ofRottnestare the type locality of manyspecies of algae.At theeastern end of theisland there are extensive seagrassmeadows. It is for thesereasons that the EPA identified these areas as having particular interest I makingthem worthy of reservationfor researchand education. RottnestIsland is anextremely valuable recreation and tourist resource. As well as general recreational activitiesit hasgreat value as a sitefor environmentaleducation, as noted by the EPA. This applies to both I theterrestrial and the marine environment. Balancing the need for publicaccess to the naturalresources of theisland and its waters \,vith the need to ensureadequate environmental protection is no easytask. The livingmarine plants and animals and their habitats at WestEnd and the south eastern end of theisland I identifiedby the EPA as having particular importance are particularly vulnerable to humaninterference. TheWorking Group considers that providing special protection through zoning for thoseareas is both I necessaryand urgent. I I I I I I t I I I r t

I PartIV - 19 I 3. RECOMMENDATIONSFOR MARINE RESERVESON THE WEST I coAsT. Aswith other Partsof this report,the first divisionofthe WestCoast for the purposesofreserve selection wasbased on recognitionof major distinctivecoastal tlpes usinggeomorphological criteria. A total of I twelvet),pes was recognised (see IV.1.1). Marine and estuarinehabitats chancteristic of eachcoastal t pe werethen considered,as far asthey were known. The objective was to selectareas as candidates for reservationwhich containthe greatestvariety and best examples of the characteristichabitats of each I coastaltype. Superimposed upon this wasconsideration ofthe transitionfrom tropicalto temperateflora and faunafrom north to southalong the coast.Also taken into accountwere conservation and recreation featuresofspecific value such as Sea Lion breedingsites and outstanding underwater scenic areas for useby I recreationaldivers and commercialdive tour operators.The existingmarine reserves were considered as well asthe newareas proposed in this sectionas worthy of considerationfor reservationso that the reserve I systemas a wholewill be representativeofthe WestCoast marine environment. Previous,unimplemented recommendations of the EPA(Conservation Reserves for WesternAustralia, Systems9, 5, 6, and 1), the SharkBay Region PIan (1988), and the AbrolhosIslands planning Stntegy I (1989),are incorporatedwithin the followingrecommendations of the WorkingGroup.

I 3.f. Ningaloo Reef - Southern Extension (Map tv-l) The coastsouth of North WestCape to GnarralooBay is a major distinctivecoastal t],pe chancterised by the I developmentofa barrier-fringingcoral reef. Most ofthis coasthas already been reserved as the Ningaloo MarinePark (seeSection 2). Thispart of the reportconsiders the remainingpart of NingalooReef, that is I the coastfrom AmherstPoint to GnarralooBay. Tenurc The adjacentland is pastorallease. offshore, Petroleum Exploration Permit WA-229-P abuts most of the I Stateterritorial seaboundary of the proposedextension. Cmmorphologg I This southernpart of NingalooReef is a continuationof the reeftype found between Coral Bay and Amherst Point.The shoreconsists mainly of long sandybeaches with occasionallow limestonecliffs andheadlands, I and a discontinuousfringing coralreef. FIoru aml fauna Thereis little informationon the floraand fauna although inspection of aerialphotographs and limited I anecdotalinformation suggest that coralgrowth is prolific, at leastin the backreef habitats in the small lagoonsat severallocations.

I It is assumedthat the communitiesofplants and animals are generally like thosefound within the park further north. However,there is a progressivechange in the speciescomposition of the reefcommunities alongthe length of NingalooReef. Many tropical species common in the northem part ofthe park do not I extendinto the southernparts. Conversely, some southern temperate and West Coast endemic species presentin the southernparts do not extendto the northernend of the park.For example,the westernrock lobster(Panulirus cggnas) which is the basisol the WestCoast rock lobsterfishery as far north asShark I Bay,occurs in small numbersat the southernend of NingalooReef but is rarenorth of CoralBay. The endemicWest Coast turbinid gastropodTurbo (Marmarostoma) pulcher is abundantas far north asabout I Gnarra)ooBay but is replacedby its congener7. (M.)arggtostomus further north on the NingalooReel Preaious recomme nda tions I None. I I I PartIV - 21 I WorkingCroup recomm emla tion :

"Considentionshould be givento a southernextension of the Stateportion of the NingalooMarine Park encompaisingthe StateTerritorial Sea a5 far asGnarraloo Bay so asto includethe full length of the I NingalooReef.

"TheCommonwealth Covemment authorities should be consultedso that considerationmay also be given I to the seawardextension of the park beyondthe limits of the StateTerritorial Seaadjacent t0 this proposed southernaddition, as is the casewith the existingpark." I 3.2, Red Bluff to Point Quobba (Map IV-2) I Betrdeenthe coral coast of Ningaloo Reefand the mangal coast of Carnarvon and the eastern shores of Shark Bay, the coastline is mainly rocky and exposedto open ocean swells. This coastaltype is not found to the "high north andthe WorkingGroup considers that it representsa major distinciivecoastal t pe. The energy" I rockyshores along the westernsides of Bernier,Dorre and Dirk HartogIslands and on the mainlandcoast of the EdelLand Peninsula have many features in common(see Section IV.1.1). I Tenure The hinterlandfrom 40 m abovehigh water mark is pastorallease. At Point Quobbaa small areaof reefand lagoonhas been declared closed as waters under the FisheriesAct. I

Ceomorpholo gg ond cI i mate The climateis arid andthere are no streamsentering the sea.The coastcomprises low to high limestone I cliffs.In the northernportion of this sector,between Red Bluff and CapeCuvier, the limestoneis of Miocene age(Cape Range Group). Both theseheadlands have higlh sea cliffs, providing some protection to shallow bayson their easternsides. South of CapeCuvier to Point Quobbathe cliffs are lowerand comprisedof the I LatePleistocene Tamala Limestone. The two limestonesweather slightly differentlyalong the shorewith rockplatforms best developed in the TamalaLimestone. I At the baseof the cliffsthere are rock platformsat variousheights above low water level.For the mostpart the rock platformsare narrow (justa fewmetres wide) but southof CapeCuvier there are some more than 50 m widewith shallowtide pools. The higher piatforms have perched splash pools above high water level. I Waveaction is high andthe shoremay be saidto be a "high energy" coast.

In the semi-protectedbay to the eastof CapeCuvier a shipJoadingfacility has been constructed servicing I the nearbysalt works. There is a bouldershore on the leeward(eastern) side of the headlandand the bayhas moderatelyshallow water. I Extendingsouth from Point Quobba there is a shortrock platform and reef enclosing a shalJowJagoon with a small coralreef. I FIom ond fauna Within the Quobbalagoon the coralreef has a moderatelyspecies-rich marine fauna. I North ofPoint Quobbathe narrowlimestone rock platforms constitute a habitattype which is uncommonin the northern half of the WestCoast. Similar shores occur further south on the westernsides of the Shark Bayislands. There is no informationon the flora andfauna which inhabit theserocky shores. From I inspectionof aerialphotographs the reefflats appear to bearan algalturf. Civenthe locationit maybe expectedthat the speciesare primarily tropicalwhich would makethem of considerableinterest. I Further studyis neededto determinewhether the rockplatforms have sufficiently distinctive flora and faunato warrantreservation or extensionof the closedwaters of the FisheriesAct, or whetherthis habitat t pe and its biotaare a repetitionof thosefound along the westernsides of the outer islanclsof SharkBay. I

Rerution Accessis relativelyeasy to the southernpart of the areaunder consideration, that is, in the vicinity of Point I Quobba,and it is extensivelyused for public recreation.The lagoonis a safeand attractivesite for swimmers I PartlV - 22 I I anddivers. The blowholes on thepoint are also a popularattraction. Fishing from the shore is themain activity.Further north toward Cape Cuvier and between that headland and Red Bluffthere are few access I tracksand public access is verylimited. Preoioustecommenda tions I Thereare no previous recommendations for declaration of marinereserves on thissection ofthe coast. I Working Crouprccomm endo tions 'The areaat Point Quobbapresently gaz etted as closedwaters under the FisheriesAct shouldbe reserved for the protectionof marineflora andfauna, specifically for the small coralreef community in the lagoon.

I "Therocky shores between Point Quobbaand Red Bluffshould be consideredfor reservationa-s a marine reserve,subject to a surveyof th€ habitats,flora andfauna of the shore.The survey should be donein conjunctionwith the recommendedsurvey of the similar habitatsalong the high energyshores on the I westernsides ofBernier, Dorre and Dirk HartogIslands."

I 3.3. Shark Bay Marine Park - Bernier,Dorre and Dirk Hartog lstandsExtensions (Map lv-2)

I Theexisting Shark Bay Marine Park and contiguous Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve together comprise thelargest marine protected area in WesternAustralia. Their features are described briefly in Section2. This Sectionconsiders proposed extensions to encompassthe shores of Bernierand Dorre Islands and the I westernshores of DirkHartog Island.

Tmurc I Bernierand Dorre Islands are Class'4" Nature Reserves vested in theNational Parks and Nature ConservationAuthority. Dirk HartogIsland is a pastorallease with severalsmall areas of freehold.The SharkBay Region Plan (adopted by the State Government in June1988) recommended that there should be I consultationuith thelessees of theDirk Hartog pastoral lease with theobjective of eventuallyreserving Dirk HartogIsland as National Park.

I Thewaters along the eastern shores of DirkHartog Island are included within the existing Shark Bay Marine Park.

I Thethree islands and adjacent waters are included within the Shark Bay World Heritage Area.

Geomorp hology a nd cI imate I Theclimate of theShark Bay region is arid.There is no surfacewater on theislands and no streamsenter thewestern side of SharkBay.

I Bernier,Dorre and Dirk Hartog Islands comprise a series of elongateislands forming the seaward boundary of SharkBay, over a distanceof almost80 kilometres. There is a narrowchannel known as South Passage separatingDirk Hartogi from the mainland, awide pass known as Naturaliste Channel between Dirk Hartog I andDorre Islands, and a narrowpass between Dorre and Bernier Islands.

Thethree islands belong to thelandform known as the Edel Province, a continuation of themainland I landformof EdelLand south of SteepPoint. They consist of Pleistoceneaeolianite limestones (Tamala Limestone)overlain by Holocene sand dunes. The dunes ofBernier and Dorre are low but thereare much I higherdunes on DirkHartog, some of themmobile. I\trovery different coastal habitats are represented on theshores of theouter Shark Bay islands. The leeward easternshores are relatively sheltered with moderateexposure to waveaction. The windward western shores I arevery exposed with highwave action.

All threeislands lie entirely\.vithin the "oceanic water mass" of SharkBay (Logan & Cebulski,1970). That is, I theirsurrounding water has normal oceanic salinity levels, unlike the metahaline and hypersaline waters of innerparts of theBay. I I PartIV - 23 (i) Leewardshores I Thewaters alon! eastern the shores of DirkHartog Island are within the existing Marine Park.

Theeastern sides of Bemierand Dorre Islands are exposed to onlymoderate wave action. Along these I easternshores there are shallou bays with curvedbeaches between headlands of lowlimestone cliffs which arerarely more than 2-3 m high.The cliffs are usually undercut by erosion between high and low tides. Thereare occasional narrow rock Dlatforms in theintertidal zone. Offshore east of BernierIsland there rs a I sublittoralsand sillwith a steepseaward slope beginning at aboutthe 6 m contour.There is a similar narrowsand sill on thenorth-eastern side of DorreIsland but at thesouth-eastem end of thatisland there is a widebank extending several kilometres seaward. I

(ii) Windwardshora Thewestern sides of all threeislands are exposed to strongwave action. They are characterised by highcliffs I to 270m. Thetops ofthe cliffsare travertinised and often have abrupt, undercut edges. The hard travertine capis coveredby perched dunes in someplaces. Commonly there are steep scree slopes oflimestone bouldersand rubble below the cliff edges.Narrow rock platforms are cut into thebases of thecliffs along I mostof theseshores. The platforms are of variousheights, frequently above high water level. They have manysplash pools. There are a fewnarrow, steep beaches of coarsesand and limestone rubble perched betweenthe bottom of thescree slopes and the rock platforms. I

Thesehigh energy, rocky shores with theirTamala Limestone cliffs and narrow rock platforms are a feature of thewestern face of theEdel Province and are regarded by the Working Group as a majordistinctive t coastaltlpe. Onthe mainland south of SteepPoint (ie. the Edel Land Peninsula) the cliffs are quite high and areknown as the Zuytdorp Cliffs after the Dutch ship wrecked there in 1712.Similar though less I spectacularcliffs occur on themainland north of Carnarvonbetween Point Quobba and Red Bluff

FIon and fauna Themarine biological communities of Bernier,Dorre and Dirk Hartog Islands are profoundly influenced by I the coastalgeomorphology and exposure to theopen ocean. Two major, very different community types may bedistinguished, the leeward seagrass and sand bank communities ofthe easternshores, and the windward rockplatform communities ofthe western shores, with intermediateconditions in thechannels between the I islands.

Frenchnaturalists of the"Baudin Expedition" (1801-03) landed on Bernierand Dorre Islands and collected I marineanimals around their shores. These specimens are preserved in the nationalnatural history museum in Parisand some of themare the original types of speciesdescribed by Lamarck and other Fyench scientists in the early19th century. The German "Hamburg Expedition" collected extensively in SharkBay in 1905. I

Duringthe 1980sofficers of theWestern Australian Museum collected invertebrate specimens at a number of localitiesaround Bernier, Dorre and Dirk Hartog Islands, but notfrom the high energy rock platforms of I thewindward shores (Marsh, 1990; Slack-Smith, 1990). An account of SharkBay bivalved molluscs (Slack- Smith.1990) includes a list of speciesfrom the "oceanic water mass", many of thoserecords being based on I specimenscollected by thatauthor from island localities and now Dreserved in the collectionsof the WesternAustral ian Museum.

SharkBay has a depauperatecoral fauna (Marsh, 1990). The major sites of coralgrowth occur in the I interm€diatezones between the windward and leeward shores, that is on thesides of the channelsbetween theislands and between Dirk Hatog Islandand the mainland, where there is someshelter from wave action but closeproximity to theopen sea. The main coral sites are at thesouthern end ofBernier Island, the I northernend of DorreIsland, and on thenorthern side of SouthPassage at thesouthern end of Dirk Hartog Island(the latter being within the existing Shark Bay Marine Park). Elsewhere corals occuy as scattered I colonies,the diversifi of Acropora species tending to decreaseand the diversity of Turbinariatending to increaseat the moresheltered, inner (eastern) ends ofthe channelentrances. There are very few corals in themetahaline waters, and none in thehypersaline waters further within the Bay. Although the high energy r windwardshores along the western sides of theislands have not beeninvestigated there is evidencethat theydo not supportany significant coral reefs or coralcommunities (Marsh, lg90). t Marsh(I990) recorded 55 species belonging to 23genera of hermatlliccorals from Bernier and Dorre Islands.0n thewestern side of CapeCouture at thesouthern end of BernierIsland there is a coral-covered I PartIV - 24 I I platform,at depthsof 1-2m, with "gardens"of staghornand tabular.4cropord. On theeastern side ofCape Couturethere is a smallcoral reefwith 20-30% cover of livingcoral, principally Montipora spp., tabular I Acrooora. and faviids. At CapeBoullanger on thenorthern end of DorreIsland there is a reefextending northwards into the I channelwhich supports a diversecoral fauna. East of this,near the entrance to thebay in DisasterCove, thereis a coralcommunity on a rocksubstrate with a 10-20%coral cover, principally ?zrbinaria spp., I Montiporaspp., and faviids. Althoughthese coral reefs and coral communities are small and only moderately species-rich, they lie in the pathof theLeeuwin Current and they may be a significantsource of lawaecontributing recruits to populate I thereefs of theAbrolhos further south. SharkBay contains the largest known seagrass meadows in theworld and seagrass may be regarded as the I dominantorganism in theBay (Walker, 1990). 'l\uelve species are present, the most abundant being Amphibolisantarctl'ca. Several are temperate species at thenorthem limit oftheirgeographic range, eg.A. antarcticaand, Posidonia australrs. Others are tropical species ( eg-Cgmodocea angustatal atthe I southernend oftheir range. Thesand sills and bank eastof Bernierand Dorre Island support significant seagrass meadows. These I meadowsoccur within the "oceanic water mass" of theBay, unlike the salinocline, metahaline and hypersalineconditions prevailing at mostother Shark Bay locations where seagrass meadows dominate (Logan& Cebulski,1970). The Bernier and Dorre banks and seagrass meadows are significant winter feeding I areasfor theShark Bay dugong population (Paul Anderson, pers. comm.). Thereis no informationon themarine flora and fauna of theislands' windward shore rock rlatforms or I sublittoralzone. Inspection of aerialphotographs indicates that the rock platforms are covered with analgal turf andthat brown algae dominate the sublittoral zone. There is likelyto bea faunaof molluscsand other invertebrateson theplatforms and in theperched splash pools. Whether these communities are dominated I bytropical species or havea proportionof southerntemperate species is unknown. Giventhe biogeographically intermediate position of thissection of thecoast it hasconsiderable scientific I interest.A surveyof theflora and fauna of therock platform habitats on thehigh energy coasts of the mainlandbetween Red Bluff and Point Quobba, the outer Shark Bay islands, and the Edel Land Peninsula wouldprovide critical biogeographic information which is currentlylacking and assist selection of themost I suitablesection for reservation. Fisheries I Theimportant prawn and scallop trdwl fisheries of SharkBay operate to theeast of Bernierand Dorre Islandsbut beyondthe 6 m isobathand impinge little on theseagrass meadows. There are significant commercialand recreational scale-fish fisheries close to shorealong both the eastern and western sides of I Bernier,Dorre and Dirk HartogIslands. Commercial and recreational fishing for snapperby handline occursin theshallows around the islands, most notably in NaturalisteChannel and around Kok Islandjust northof Bernier.Other reef and pelagic fish are also taken in thoseareas. The recreational fishery includes I charterboat operations sailing from Carnarvon and Denham. Commercial rock lobster fishing by potting occursalong the westem shore of DirkHartog Island, and to a lesserdegree along the western shores of I Bernierand Dorre Islands. Rec'reation and tourism Themain recreational activity in thevicinity of theislands is fishingwhich is discussedabove. Bernier and I DorreIslands are too far offshore for accessby most people seeking other aquatic recreational pursuits. Becauseof theirextremely high conservation values and the vulnerability of theseveral endangered mammalssurviving there to fireand introduced plants and animals, access to thesetwo islands is restricted. I DorreIsland is a prohibitedarea. Landing on Dirk Hatog Islandrequires the permission of thelessees. If thatisland becomes a national park public access for recreationwill beencouraged, but in thatevent recreationalactivities would be likely to concentrateon theeastern shores which are already within the I SharkBay Marine Park and are not the subject of thisreport. t I PartIV - 25 I Pr et ious recommenda tions The SharkBay Region Plan proposed (p. 79,5.5.3 (2)) the establishmentof a multiple usemarine park at "the SharkBay specifing certainspecial areas which shouldbe included.Among these were waterseast of I " Bernierand Dorre Islands below the high water mark to the 6 m isobath".The purposewas to protectthe shallowwater marineenvironment adjacent to the islands,particularly the seagrassbanks which are importantdugong habitats". Although other areasrecommended for reservationhave now beendeclarec I marinepark (seeSection 2) this portion of the RegionPlan's recommendations has not yet been implemented. I "the The SharkBay Region Plan also proposed (p. 80,5.5.3 (4)) that high energymarine environments west of Bernierand Dorre and Dirk HartogIslands should be investigatedfor possibleMarine Park status in consultationwith the FishingIndustry". This recommendationhas not yet beenimplemented. I Worki ng Croup recomm enda tions I "1.The Working Croup endorses Shark Bay Region PIan recommendation 5.5.3 (2) (p. 79) that the waters eastof Bemier and Doffe Islands should be added to theShark Bay Maline Park. I "TheWorking Croup notes that the 6 m isobathrecommended asthe seaward (eastern) boundary in the SharkBay Region Plan may be difficult to implementand suggests that a seriesofstraight lines approximatingthat isobath and incorporating the seagrass banks would be more practical. I "TheShark Bay Region Plan did not proposenorthern and southern boundaries for thisaddition to the marinepark. As an interim measure, pending further consideration ofalso adding the "high energy" shores alongthe western sides of the isiands (see rec, 2), the Working Croup suggests that the northern boundary I shouldbe located at the northem tip of Bernier Island and the southern boundary at thesouthern tip 0f Doffe Island. I "2. TheWorking Croup endorses the SharkBay Region Plan recommendation 5.5.3 (4) that the high energy marineenvironments west of Bernier,Dorre and Dirk HartogIslands should be surveyedand an assessment madeof their valueas an additionto the SharkBay Marine Park. The survey should be donein conjunction I with one of the exposedrocky shores of the sectionof mainlandbetween Red Bluff and Point Quobba.

"ln the eventthat the resultsof the surveyof the westernhigh energyenvironments indicate that the westernshores of the islandsshould be addedto the SharkBay Marine Park, the Working Croupsuggests I that therewould be practicaladvantage in extendingthese additional areas atound the northern and southernends ofBernier andDorre IslandsresDectivelv." I 3.4. Kalbarri (Map lV-3) I This sectionlies within the major distinctivecoastal type betweenKalbarri and Port Denison(see Section 1.1).

Tenure I The KalbarriTownsite occupies the hinterlandin the northernportion ol this sector.South of this to Bluff Point,a distanceof about12 kilometres,the l{albarriNational Park extends to the shore. I Ceomorphologyand climate. Southof the Zuj,tdorpCliffs of EdelLand there is an abruptchange of geoiogyand coastaltype. The Mesozoicsandstone cliffs adjacent to the KalbarriNational Park also comprise rocky shore habitats but they I takedifferent form andare here regarded as a separatemajor distinctivecoastal t),pe.

The climateis semi-arid.One of WesternAustralia's longest rivers, the Murchison,enters the seaat Kalbarri I but its flow is seasonal.

Floro ond fauna r Thereis very little informationabout the flora andfauna of the rockyshores of this area.It is a high energy shoreand access to the rock platformsis difficult exceptat low tide in unusuallylight weatherconditions. However,it is knownthat the platformsare coveredwith an algalturf and that manysouthern temperate I speciesof marineplant and animal occur here at the northernend of theirgeogyaphic range. Small coral coloniesoccur in the outer reefplatform pools. I PartIV - 26 t I Similarly,there is no informationon theflora and fauna of theMurchison Estuary. It is possiblethat the estuaryis depauperatebut whatever is therewill beof interestas this is themost northerly of thetemperate I estuariesin theState.

Fisheries I Kalbarriis an importantcentre {or the rock lobster fishery. A numberof boatsoperate from the mouth of theestuary and fish the waters north and south, including close inshore along the Kalbarri Cliffs.

I Recreation Thescenic and wildlife attractions of theadjacent country, the quality of thebeaches at themouth of the estuary,and the protected waters of theestuary itself make this coasta popularrecreational destination. t Fishingfyom the rock andbeaches and in theestuary are popular recreational activities.

Prca iou s rccommenda tio ns I None.

Workin g Crouprecommmda tion t Althoughthere is solittle informationabout the flora and fauna ofthis sector, the geographic location al the centreof theWest Coast, the distinctiveness of the coastal geomorphology and rocky shore habitats, and thefact that the Murchison Estuary is themost northerly of thetemperate estuaries in WesternAustralia led I theWorking Group to recommendas follows.

"Considerationshould be givento reservationof the marineareas adjacent to the KalbarriNational Park I and the Kalbarritownship, seawards for a distanceof 1 nauticalmile, and encompassingthe tidal watersin the mouth of the MurchisonRiver, for the purposesof public recreationand the protectionof flora and I fauna." t 3.5. Port Gregory to Port Denison (Maps lV-3,5) Althoughthe sectorof the centralWest Coast between Port Gregoryand Port Denisonis includedwithin major distinctivecoastal b,pe 8, the WorkingGroup was not ableto identifyany one portion of it asworthy I of reservationby reasonof its representativeness.However, two small areaswarrant special attention for specificreasons. 0ne of theseis a smallarea at Port Gregory,significant because it containsWestern Australia'smost southerly coral reef on the mainlandcoast. The other is a small areasouth of Greenough I whereresearch on the westernrock lobsterhas been carried out overmany years.

3.5.1 Port Gregory(Map IV-3) I Tenure The land adjacentto the areaunder consideration is a gazettedtownsite. t Gnmorphologg For the mostpart the coastlinenorth andsouth ofPort Gregoryconsists ofsand beaches backed by Pleistocenedunes. At Port Gregorythere is a low headlandof Pleistoceneaeolianite. A widewav€-cut rock I platformhas formed, connected to the shoreat the southernend but with a shallowlagoon behind it in the northernpart.

I Floro and fauna The intertidal rock platformhas a coverof algalturf andmacro-algae, and a rich invertebratefauna. There areseagnss meadows in the lagoonand in the deeperoffshore areas. In the lagoonimmediately behind the I rock platform,where there is constantwater flow but protectionfrom the main forceof the swells,there ts a small coral community.Veron & Marsh(1988) record 37 coralspecies of 13 generaat this locality.The I genLtsAcropora is representedby eightspecies. Rec:reotionand commercial fishing The lagoonis popularfor swimmingand a launchingsite for recreationalfishers. It is alsoan anchoragefor I commercialfishing vessels. I

I PartIY - 27 I 3.5.2. SevenMile Beach(MaP IV-S) This is a verysmall area about 1 km long and extendingto 400 m offshore,located about 10 km north of port Denison,which receivesspecial attention here because of its long-termimportance as a researcharea. I

Tenure The takingof rock lobsterby any meansin the smallresearch area is prohibitedpursuant to Sections9 and I 11 of the FisheriesAct (GovernmentGazette No. 88, 9 September,1988). This was done to protectthe area asa rock lobsterresearch site. I Geomorphologyantl phgsical features The beachis backedby Holocenedunes. There is an outer fringing reefof Pleistocenelimestone and patchy limestonereels within 400 m ofthe shore,some ofwhich are exposedat extremelow tide. The patchy I distributionof the reefsallows considerable wave energy to reachthe shore,particularly at high tide.

Flora and fauna I Most of the patch reefsare coveredby the seagrasses.Amphibolis antarctica andA. griflithii. Those reefs exposedat extremelow tide arecolonised by a mixtureof the seagrassesHalodule unineruis, Heterozostera tasmanica,Halophila oualis and a varietyof turf algae.Between the reefsthere are small sandblowouts and I seagrassmeadows dominatedby Halophila oualis,Heterozostera tasmanica, and Sgringodium isoetifolium and the algaCaulerpa cactoides. Off-shore, beyond 400 m, the large brown algaeEcklonia radiata, Scgtothalliadorgcarpa and Sargassum sp. dominate the sublittoralzone. The seagrassThalassodsndron I pachyrhizumis alsoprolific there,in shallowerwater than is usualfor this species.The mostsoutherly knownlocality of ,F1clodule uninenis is at Port Denisonjust a fewkilometres south of this location. I The areais of specialnote as a nurserysite for the westernrock lobster.Its inshorepatch reefs are probably the bestrepresentatives of this habitatt),!e alongthe WestCoast. The juveniles settle among the seagrasses and largenumbers live underthe patchreef ledges. For this reasonthe areawas selected as a researchsite I by the WesternAustralian Fisheries Department and CSIRO Division ofFisheries and hasbeen used for that purposesince the 1960s.Beach and bottom profiles have been drawn and the reefshave been accurately mappedin detail.Permanent transects through the seagnssmeadows have been established. Research on I the feeding,settling and migrationof the westernrock lobsteris ongoingat this site.lvlany research findingsbasic to understandingthe biology of thisimportant commercial species have been published. I Preuious recommenda tions None. I Working Croup recommendations "1.Consideration should be given to thereservation of thereef and lagoon at PortCregory for protectionof marineflora and fauna, particularly the coral reef, Further study is neededto determineappropriate I north€rnand southern boundaries. "2. Considerationshould be given to thereseruation of thereefs and lagoons at SevenMile Beach for I protectionof marineflora and fauna and scientific study. The reserved area should cover at leastthe area closedto rocklobster fishing under the powers ofthe Fisheries Act." I 3.6, Houtman Abrolhos (Map lV-4) I TheHoutman Abrolhos is a complexof islands,reefs and lagoons ling nearthe shelf-edgeoff the mid-west coastbetween latitudes 28 and29" S. TheWorking Group believes that, of all the marineareas of the WesternAustralian coast, the Abrolhosis perhapsthe mostsignificant for its natural resource,nature I conservation,historical and recreationalvalues, and the mostworthy of reservation.

On the criteriaused by the WorkingGroup in the reserveselection process, the Abrolhosscores very highly I on everycount. It qualifiesas a major distinctivecoastal type because it is unigue- thereare no other coral reefsof this typeanywhere in the world. In biologicalterms it is representativein the sensethat it representsitself - thereare no other communitiesof marineanimals which equateto thoseof the Abrolhos. I It scoresvery highly in termsof habitatdiversity and species richness, with a uniqueblend of tropicaland temperatespecies. It is oneofAustralia's most important seabird breeding areas. It containssome of I Part IV - 28 I r Australia'smost signilicant historic sites. It hasmagnificent undeMater scenery and considerable potential t for the developmentof nature-basedtourism, especially dive tours. It is alsothe site of anextremely importantrock lobster fishery and has been the subject of intensivemarine research. I Becauseof theinter-connectedness of the various ecosystem units at theAbrolhos it is essentialthat the entirereef complex and surrounding waters be reserved and managed as an integratedecosystem. I Recognisingthe potential conflict between theie different interests, in 1988the Western Australian Governmentappointed the Abrolhos Task Force to undertakea planning study, and the Abrolhos Islands ConsultativeCouncil (AICC) to ensurelocal input to recommendationsand their implementation. The I planningstudy culminated in publicationof theAbrolhos Islands Planning Stntegy in 1989.The AICC has sinceinitiated a reviewof thePlanning Strategy recommendations relating to selectionand management of I marinereserves within the Abrolhos. It is importantthat marinereserves declared there be seen in thebroader context of theStatewide marine reservesystem proposed in thisreport. For this reason, while acknowledging the responsibility ofthe AICC I andtaking account of thefact that Working Group members have considerable experience and knowledge of theAbrolhos, it is appropriatethat the Working Gyoup expresses its viewson marinereserves in thearea as I partofthis report. Thefollowing, much abbreviated descriptive notes are drawn from the Abrolhos Islands Planning Strategy, I othertechnical publications, and the personal research experience ofWorking Group members. Tenure Theislands of theAbrolhos are at Dresenta Class A resewe(20253) vested in theMinister for Fisheriesfor I thepurposes of consewationof floraand fauna, tourism and purposes associated with thefishing industry. Thereserve extends to lowwater mark.

Theislands are surrounded by StateTerritorial Waters for a distanceof 3 nauticalmiles from established I 'A') baselines.These waters are declared a special fishing area for rocklobsters (Zone underthe Fisheries Act.Two areas, one at MorningReef in theWallabi Croup and one at HalfMoon Reef in theSouthern I Group,are declared historic shipwreck sites under the Maritime Archaeology Act. Thereare no currentoil explorationtenements over the area of StateTerritorial Waters and the islands of I theAbrolhos. Gumorphologg I TheAbrolhos comprises a seyies ofshelf-edge carbonate platforms situated at thenorthern end of the RottnestShelf. They have very great scientific interest in termsof interpretationof Quaternaryclimatic and geologicalhistory and development of coral reefs. The evolution, form and geological structure of the I Abrolhosislands and reefs have been described by several authors in variouscontexts (Teicherl 1947; Fairbridge,1948; Wlson, 1977; France, 1985; Hatcher Research Associates, 1988; Collins el a/.,1991; Collinset a|..1993).Eisenhauer el at, 1993)determined Holocene sealevels from dating of coralcores I takenin theEaster Group. Thereare three major platforms, North Island and the Wallabi Group comprising the most northerly, Easter I Groupin the centre,and Pelsaert (or Southern) Group the most southerly. They are separated by Middle and ZeewijkChannels of about40 m depth.Each of theplatforms consists ofa centvalarea composed ofLast Interglacial(Pleistocene) coral reefs about which leeward Holocene coral reefs have developed (Collins ef I al., 1993). TheEaster Group and Pelsaert Group platforms have a moreor lesstriangular form, reminiscent ofatolls, I with prominentseaward reefs, central lagoonal areas, and leeward back-reef complexes. The North Island- WallabiGroup platform "lack thegeomorphological organisation of theother island groups" (Collins et al', 1991)and is dominatedby large islands. Well developed lagoonal sand sheets are prominent in theEaster andPelsaert groups- In theeastern parts of thesetwo groups a conspicuousfeature is thedevelopment of I "blue deep,roughly circular pits of varyingdiameter in thereef platforms, known as holes".Determining the originof thesestructures has been problematical. At onetime they were thouglht to beremnants of a karst I topography(collapsed caves and solution pipes) formed when the limestone platforms were elevated above

I PartIV - 29 I sealevel during the Pleistocene glacial periods. Recent drilling has shown that they are developed in deep (over26 m in theEaster Group) deposits ofHolocene sediment and that they are depositional, not erosional, structures(Collins el c/., 1993). I

Thegreatest area of theplatforms now lies below high water mark but thereare emergent islands and cays of diversemake-up and structure. The central portions of manyof thereef platforms have emergent, flat- I topped,so-called "high rock islands" (France, 1985) consisting of corallinelimestone remnants of earlier reefplatformswhich stood at a slightlyhigher level (34 m) thanthe contemporary reef flats. They are usuallydeeply notched in theintertidal zone around their periphery and may have superficial ridges of coral I sandand rubble. In theWallabi Group the two large islands have a baseof LatePleistocene (Last Interglacial)reefal limestone overlain by bedded grainstones and aeolianites, sometimes with a mantleof Holocenedunes. These are the highest islands in theAbrolhos with thedunes rising to ashigh as 50 m. The I eastern(leeward) margins ofthe platforms have composite islands which also have a Pleistocenereef limestonebase overlain by Holocene coral shingle and sand. I Duringthe last Pleistocene interglacial period there was extensive coral reef development at theAbrolhos, includingalong the seaward margins of theplatforms. After interruption of coralgrowth during the Last Glacial,coral reef formation began again about 10 000 years ago (Collins el a/. , 1993).Today coral reef I growthis confinedto theleeward shores and the sides ofthe channels.Nevertheless, modern coral growth is prolific. I Flora andFauna Boththe terrestrial and marine flora and fauna of theAbyolhos are remarkable in severalrespects. During thelast Pleistocene glacial period these reef platforms were limestone highlands along the coast.At that I timethey were populated by the plants and animals inhabiting the mainland coast.

Aftersea level rose some 7 000years ago the highest points ofthe platforms became islands and the wide, t lowerportions became submerged reefs. Some residual mainland plants and animals survive on the highest islands(West and East Wallabi) including the Tammar wallaby, a numberof reptiles,and the threatenec plantEucalyptus oraria, as reliclpopulations. Newly emergent composite islands and cays, formed during I theHolocene from sand and shingle thrown up by storms, have been colonised by plants and animals capableof crossingthe water barriers from the high islands and the mainland. I Wth thewarmer climate the Leeuwin Current redeveloped bringing warm water and the larvae of tropical marineanimals from the north and re-establishing coral reefs and associated communities on the submergedreefplatforms. Thus, the living and fossil floras and faunas ofthe Abrolhos provide a recordof I the momentousevents of thelate Pleistocene and early Holocene periods which have shaped our contemporaryenvironment. It is partlyfor thisreason that the islands and surrounding reefs of theAbrolhos havesuch great scientific importance. I

CoralReek TheAbrolhos coral reefs are the most southerly in theIndian Ocean, lying far south ofthe tropical,so-called I "coral zone".They are by farthe richest in termsof habitatand coral species diversity of anyhigh iatitude reefsin theworld. At present184 species of coralbelonging to 42 genemare recorded from the Abrolhos (Veron& Marsh,1988). It appearsthat the corals at theAbrolhos are relatively slor,rr-growing (Crossland, I 1981)as might be expected at sucha highlatitude. The reef communities are also unusual in thatthey includea significantnumber oftemperate species aswell as tropical species and in someareas seaweeds dominaterather than corals (wlson & Marsh,1979; Hatcher, 1985). The competitive intenctions of the t seaweedsand corals on theAbrolhos reefs are of greatinterest to marineecologists (crossland, 1981; Iohanneseta1.,1983; Hatcher & Rimmer.1985). I Reefhabitats are diverse at theAbrolhos. In a reportcommissioned bythe Abrolhos Task Force for the AbrolhosIslands Planning Strategy, Hatcher Research Associates (1988) recognised 16 community tlpes in 6 primarygroups. Corals are not dominantin all ofthese.The most diverse and prolific growth of corals I occursin thelow energy, leeward, back-reef habitats, along the sides of thechannels and around the blue holes.unlike reefs of similarstructure in thetropics, there is onlypoor development ofcoral reef communitiesalong the seaward reef-fronts at theAbrolhos. t I

PartIV - 30 t r Plantcommunities and filter feeding animal communities (sponges and ascidians etc.) are also important elementsin theAbrolhos reef complex. The high energy seaward reefs are dominated by algae,most notably I by the kelpEcklonla and a fucoidof the genusSargassum. Theve is evidencethat organicdetritus originatingin thesekelp beds and swept over the seaward reefs into the lagoonal and back-reef communities is a majorfactor in thehigh biological production of theAbrolhos reefs. Another plant community of great I importanceat theAbrolhos is seagrassmeadow. These are best developed in theshallows on thenorthern sidesof Westand East Wallabi Islands. Rich filter-feeding communities are best developed on theseabed in thechannels and lagoons.

I Hatcher(1991) has discussed the importance ofthe LeeuwinCurrent in establishingand maintaining the coralreefs and associated communities at theAbrolhos. It deliversnutrients, warm water, and the larvae of tropicalorganisms from source areas further north. By the same proces the Abrolhos reefs are a sourceof t marinelarvae carried even further south. The occurrence of tropicalanimals, including many corals, along theWest Coast as far southas Rottnest and Cape Naturaliste is undoubtedlya consequence ofthis process. It I followsthat protection ofthe Abrolhos reef communities is importantnot only for theirown sake but also for maintenanceofthe tropicalelement in themarine fauna along the Western Australian coast further south.

I Mangak Thereis onlyone species of mangrovepresent at theAbrolhos,Auicennia manna. It formssmall mangals on I shelteredshores throughout the islands. Apart from the remnant mangal, composed ofthe same species, in LeschenaultInlet, these are the most southerly mangals in WesternAustralia. There have been no studies on I theirassociated fauna and ecology. TheAbrolhos mangals have special significance as habitat of theLesser Noddy Tern and their preservation is I essentialfor the continuedbreedin! of thisthreatened bird. Seabirds TheAbrolhos are considered to beamong the most significant seabird breeding areas in theworld (Fuller I et a1..7981\. Theeastern Indian Ocean subspecies ofthe Lesser Noddy Tern (Anous tenuirostris melanopsl isknwn to I nestonly at theAbrolhos (Morley, Wooded and Pelsaert Islands) where 39 000 breeding pairs have been counted(pers. comm. Andrew Burbidge and P. Fuller, May, 1993). A noddyrecently reported breeding in smallnumbers at Ashmore Island may be this species (Stokes & Hinchey,1991). The Red-tailed Tropic Bird I (Phaethonrubricauda) formerly naled on PelsaertIsland. One bird was recorded incubating there in 1989 (R.Goodale & K. Coate,pers. comm.). Both these birds are threatened species under the Western Australian I WldlifeConservation Act. Thefollowing seabirds breed at theAbrolhos (the Abrolhos support the largest Westem Austnlian breeding I coloniesof thefirst ninespecies): . Wedge-tailedShearwater (ft.rrfinus paciftcus) - more than 1 millionbreeding pairs (pers. comm. A. Burbidge& P.Fuller, May, 1993); I . Little Shearwater(Puffinus assimilis); . White-facedStorm Petrel (Pelagodroma marina); . White-belliedSea Eagle (I-Ialiaeetus leucogaster)', I o CommonNoddy (,Anous stolidus); . CaspianTern (Hgdroprognecaspia)i . CrestedTern (Stema bergii): I o RoseateTern (Sternadougallii); . FairyTern (Stemanereis)i . EasternReef EgJet (Egretta sacra)i I o BridledTern (Stema anaethetusli . PiedCormorant (Phalactocorax uaius); . PacificGull Qnruspacificus); I o SootyOyster Catcher (Haematopus fuliginosus); . Osprey(Pandion haliaetus). I I PartIV - 31 I Wth thisimpressive list ofbreedingseabirds it is clearthat the islands ofthe Abrolhos deserve special protectionand management for natureconservation. Reservation ofthe surroundingwaters and introductionof managementobjectives including protection of seabirdfeeding areas and the maintenance I ofbufferareas around the rookeries are also warnnted.

MarineMammals ond Reptila I TheAustralian Sea Lion Q,leophocacinerea), an animal declared to bein needof specialprotection under theWldlife Conservation Act, is presentin smallnumbers in theAbrolhos. This is closeto thespecies' northernlimit of range.There is evidencethat the Sea Lion was once more abundant at theAbrolhos than it I is today(O'Loughlin, 1969). In recentsuweys in theEaster Croup up to 43 animalswere counted, mostly singlebulls and small groups of cowsand juveniles (Gales et a|.,1992).Breeding occurs on theislands with puppingtaking place during July in 1989. I TheGreen Turtle (Chelonia mgdas) has been recorded on NorthIsland and may breed there. I Fisheries Themost important industry at theAbrolhos is therock lobster fishery. It is a limitedentry fishery and the Abrolhosis classedas a sepayatefishing area (Zone'Ar) for thepurposes of administration.Just over 200 t boatsare licensed to fishthere, employing about 490 fishers. The fishing season runs from March 15 to June 30and during this period many of thefishers live on certainof theislands. The rock lobsters are caught in potsset on thesea floor. Current estimates place the egg production from the Abrolhos rock lobster I populationat approximately50% of thetotal egg production of theWestern Australian population. An importantscallop fishery operates in theAbrolhos area, mostly on thesandy seabed east of thereefs. This I toois a limitedentry fishery. It engagesabout 30 trawlers, employing about 100 people. Wetlining is alsoa significantactivity, engaging about 30 boats and employing over 50 fishers. Snapper, Jewfish, Baldchin Groperand other reef dwellers are the main target species. I Becauseof its distanceoffshore, the Abrolhos at presentsupports only a smallrecreational fishery. The extentofthe amateurcatch is notknown. I Recreation Accessto theAbrolhos for tourismand recreational purposes is at presentlimited to guestsoffishers I holdingpermits to liveon theislands, passengers on chartervessels or aircraft,and visitors on private launchesand yachts. There are no accommodationor other facilities for touristsat theAbrolhos. Camping on theislands is prohibited.For these reasons, and the distance offshore, recreational and tourist use of the I Abrolhosis at presentvery limited.

Nevertheless,there is considenblescope for developmentof nature-based tourism at theAbrolhos, both I marineand terrestrial. The seabird rookeries, rich intertidal reef flats, magnificent coral reef dive sites, excellentfishing, and the historical sites on someof theislands hold many attractions for environment- conscioustourists. I TheAbrolhos Islands Planning Strdtegy proposed that the islands should not be developed for tourist accommodationat this time and that the main form oftourism and recreation at theAbrolhos should I continueto beboat based, augmented by aerial lours. An exceptionto thiswould be development ofa field studyfacility on oneof theislands, probably Beacon Island in theWallabi Group, for useby educational environmentand nature tour groups.Otherwise emphasis should be placed on developingday use sites in t carefullyselected areas, allowing visitors access to historicsites, bird observationpoints and other places of naturaland cultural interest. This would include moorings in safeanchonges for overnightstays by charter vesselsand at populardive sites to avoiddamage to coralgrowths. t Prea iou s rccomm e ndo ti ons Therehave been several reviews and reports on managementofthe Abrolhos prior to theabove-mentioned I PlanningStrategy, notably a reportby the WA Museum on theflora and fauna of theWallabi and Easter Groups(Wlson, 1977), a reportpublished by the Geraldton Mid-West Regional Development Committee (1982),and the proceedings of a workhopheld by theAustralian Marine Sciences Association (Hatcher d. I Walker.1984). I PartIV - 32 I I Thefinal report ofthe Abrolhos Islands Planning Strategy was received by the Government in 1989and referredback to theAICC for furtheradvice on implementation.Since then the AICC has prepared proposals for anAbrolhos Islands Aquatic Reserve covering the State waters surrounding the islands. The report was I endorsedby the Governmentin November1993.

The1989 Planning Strategy recommended that those islands which are used as a basefor thefishing I industryshould remain vested in theMinister for Fisheriesand continue to beused for thatpurpose but that the remainingislands should be declared national park vested in theNational Park andNature ConservationAuthority for consewationofflora and fauna and recreation. This would allow appropriate I managementof theseabird rookeries and other conservation values ofthe islands and the development of dayuse sites for nature-basedtourism.

I ThePlanning Strategy also recommended that the State Territorial Waters surrounding the Abrolhos should bedeclared an aquaticreserve under Section 30 ofthe FisheriesAct, butwith threeenclaves declared marinepark under the Conservation and Land Management Act. The three proposed enclaves are a portion t of MorningReef in theWallabi Group, the eastern reef complex of theEaster Group, and the north-eastern portionofthe lagoonand back reef of thePelsaert Group.

I Thisstrategy, in effect,proposes reservation of thewhole area as a multiple-usereserve. However, the areas designatedprincipally as fishing zones, and the areas designated principally as conservation-recreation zoneswould be reserved separately under different legislation and managed by different agencies, that isthe I FisheriesDepartment and the Department of Conservationand Land Management respectively. Integrated managementof thewhole ecosystem would be achieved with theadvice of theAICC and collaboration t betweenthe two management agencies. ThePlanning Strategy selection of thethree enclaves for marinepark reservation was based, in parl on a habitatmap produced by consultants to theAbrolhos Task Force (Hatcher Research Associates, 1988). The I criteriaused included a varietyof environmental,economic and social factors and gave high values to:

. areasofhiShest diversity and richest growth of corals; I . areasofhiShest sensitivity to disturbance; . areaswhich incorporate a range of habitats.

I In accordancewith thefirst two of theseselection criteria, the three areas proposed for reservationas marinepark all featurerich coral groMh and are located in lowenergy, leeward reefpositions which are mostsensitive to disturbance.They include some of therichest coral growth and the best dive sites in the I Abrolhos,eg. the area known as "The Maze" in theEaster Group. However, the Working Croup has studied theTask Force habitat map and believes that, in respectof thethird ofthe criterialisted above, these three areasare not adequate. They do not representthe range of marinehabitats of theAbrolhos. Most notably I theydo not includeareas ofthe seawardreefs which are dominated by algalgrowth, or areasdominated by seagrassmeadows. The Working Group also considers that the three proposed marine park enclaves do not I provideadequately for recreationalactivities in theAbrolhos. Todate none of thePlanning Strategy and AICC recommendations for an aquatic reserve and marine parks I in theAbrolhos have been implemented. WorkingGroup tecommendations TheWorking Group had difficulty in reachinga satisfactorydegree of consensusin respect of its I recommendationsfor the Abrolhos. The view that these islands, reefs and waters have the highest possible scientificand conservation value and that they should be managed as an ecological entity was unanimous. Therewas also unanimity that the three enclaves proposed in theAbrolhos Islands Planning Strategy to be I managedprimarily for conservationand recreation purposes do not adequately represent the habitats of the Abrolhos,or fairlyprovide for recreationalusers. A strongview was expressed that the whole area of State TerritorialWaters at theAbrolhos should be reserved as marine park, noting that present legislation would I notpreclude commercial fishing within the park. However, after long debate the following recommendationswere agreed.

I "In keepingwith the high scientific,historic, recreational and conservationvalues of the Abrolhosislands andreef complexes,and the high valueofthe rock lobsterfishery and other fisheries,the entirearea to the I I PartIV - 33 I limit of StateT€rritorial Waters should be reservedand managedas a multiple-usealea. This shouldbe doneai a high priority. I I "Managementof fisheries,tourism, educationand scientific r€search should be integratedwith meaiurest0 protectthe area'snatural and cultural valuesso that an appropriatebalance between these activities is maintained. I "Ideally,given the inter-connectednessof the island reefand openwater ecosystems,the entireAbrolhos areashould be managedas a singleecosystem unit. t 'the WorkingCroup proposes that ar€asselected specifically for protectionof ma ne flora and faunaand public recreationcould be mademore representativeofthe Abrolhosmarine habitats and flora and faun4 andwith betterprovision for publicrecreation, by the followingamendments to the PlanningStrategy I recommendations: i) additionof an areaencompassing the s€awardrock platformand seagrass meadows on the westand I north of WestWallabi and EastWallabi Islands; ii) extensionof th€ proposedmarine park aroundBeacon Island to includethe whole of MorningReef; iii) €xtensionof the proposedPelsaert Group marine park to includea sectionof the seawardreef- front habitatof Half MoonReef and the lagoonwest of PelsaertIsland." I

3.7. Beagle lslands (Map lV-5) I

Thissection of the centrdlWest Coast represents the northernportion of major distinctivecoastal tlpe 9 (seeSection 1.1). It containsmost of the typicalhabitat types and shares many features with the areaof the I coastcentring on JurienBay. However the BeagleIslands sector possesses some unique geomorphological featuresand has special conservation values. I Tenure TheBeagle Islands are a Class"A" Nature Reserve. They are roughly 5 nauticalmiles offshore. The waters within a radiusof 3 nauticalmiles around the islandsare State Territorial Sea. The inner part of that circle I interceptsthe north-southline representingthe limit of the StateTerritorial Sea described 3 nauticalmiles from the mainlandshore. Thus, most of the reefareas considered in this sectionfall within the coastalarea underState jurisdiction but someof the areasnorth andsouth of the BeagleIslands are outsideState limits I andwithin Commonwealthwaters.

Thereare at presentno petroleumexplontion tenementsover the areaof the continentalshelf under I discussionin this section.

Cumorphology t The shoreof this sectorhas a generallynorth-south alignment and consists of arcuatebeaches backed by cuspatedunes. There are several small rockyheadlands composed of TamalaLimestone. t The offshorebathymetry is moderatelycomplex with north-southaligned limestone reefs, some ofwhich breakin moderateseas. The most conspicuousoffshore feature is the BeagleIsland complex, consisting of three limestoneislands surrounded by reefshallows. A shallowsand bank (3-4m depth)runs from the island I complexto the mainland.

A featureunique to the sectoris the presenceofseveral scour or drainagechannels running from the I mainlandacross the seafloor on the inner part of the continentalshelf. These are not evidenton available bathymetriccharts but arereadily apparent on satelliteimagery. Their origin is unknown. t Thereare no riversentering the sear.rithin this sector.

Marine flora and fauna I Thereis verylittle informationon the marineflora andfauna ofthis sectionof the WestCoast. There have beenno surveysand no comprehensivecollecting has been done there. However, from aerialphotography andsatellite imagery it is evidentthat thereare very extensiveseagrass meadows in the inter-reeflagoons t andon the largesand bank inshore of the BeagleIslands. t PartIV - 34 I I Thereare anecdotal reports of extensivecoral growth around the Beagle Islands, including tabulat Acropora, I but thesehave not been confirmeo. TheBeagle Islands are nesting ayeas for seabirds,notably the Bridled Tern, Roseate Tem, Pied Cormorant andWedge-tailed Shearwater. The Osprey, White-bellied Sea Eagle, White-faced Storm Petrel, Caspian Tern I andSilver Gull also nest there in smallnumbers.

TheBeagle Islands are the site ofthe West Coast's largest breeding colony of theAustralian Sea Lion (Gales I et al., 7992\.tJpto 200animals have been counted there at anyone time. In the 1989breeding period 79 pupswere counted on theseislands. These figures suggest that protection of thisbreeding colony is of the utmostimportance as the species is in limitednumbers on theWest Coast and is declaredto bein needof I specialpYotection.

Fisheries I Thereefs of thissector are important areas for therock lobster fishery. There are seveYal small fishing settlementsalong this stretch of coastand the town of Leemanis locatedjust to thesouth. Recreational I fishingis limited. Recreation Thereis pooraccess to mostof thiscoast, except at thesmall fishing settlements. The Beagle Islands are I remoteand difricult to landon andthey are rarely visited.

Preaious recomm endo tions I None

WorhingGroup rccommendotions I atthoug:hlimiied information is availableon themarine habitats and flora and fauna of thispart of the centralWest Coast, the Working Group concluded that it hasmany of thecharacteristics ofthe regionand someparticularly important features, most notably the very extensive seagrass meadows and the Beagle I Island!Sea Lion breeding colony. The scour channels across the seagrasses in the northem part of the sectorare worthy offuYther investigation.

I In orderto provideadequate protection to thesea Lion colony, the working Group considers that the waterssurrounding the Beagle Islands should be made a bufferzone by reservationfor theprotection of marineflora and fauna. Given the impotance of theseagrass meadows along the adjacent coast, the t WorkingGroup also believes that consideration should be given to thedeclaration of a multiple-usereserve alongthat coastand suggests that this should extend about 30 kilometres from Knobby Head to a pointjust northof Leeman.When taken together with theproposed marine reserve in theJurien sector this would I reserveabout 16% of thePort Denison to Whitfordscoastal tlpe andadequately represent the marine habitatsand biota of theWest Coast.

I Accordinglythe Working Croup recommends asfollows:

"Considerationshould be givento the reservationof StateTerritorial waters surrounding the Beaglelslands I and alongthe adjacentmainland between Knobby Head (29" 39') anda pointjust north ofLeeman(29" 55'), for the purposeof protectionof marineflora and fauna,with accommodationmade fol the continuanceof I th€ rock lobsterfishery." I 3.8. lurien (Map lV-6) Thissection of thecentral west coast is regardedby the working Gloup as tlpical of theregion (major distinctivecoastal type 9 - seeSection 1.1) and contains excellent examples of all its characteristichabitat t types.It sharesmany features with theBeagle Islands sector. Tenure I TheState coastal baseline in thisarea is drawnbetween the majorheadlands and islands so that the 3 nauticalmile limit of theState Teyritorial Sea lies well offshore and all thereef structures described below I arewithin the area under State jurisdiction. I PartIV - 35 I EssexRock and Sandland,Favorite, Boullanger, Whitlock and Escape Islands are Class "A" NatureReserves. The mainlandshore adjacent to the areaunder consideration has a varietyofpurposes and vesting including townsite(Jurien), private, foreshore reserve for public recreationor public utilities, and naturereserve. I The coastalareas under consideration are abutted by offshorePetroleum Exploration Permit WA-228-P. I Gumoryhology The shoreofthis sectorhas a generallynorth-south alignment and consists ofarcuate beaches backed by cuspatedunes with severalprominent sandy tombolas or dune-coveredpromontories and severalrocky I headlandscomposed of TamalaLimestone.

The near-shorebathymetry is complex.Inside the 20 m isobaththere is a seriesof prominent,elongate, t offshorelimestone reefs, more or lessparallel to the shore,protecting inshore lagoons. Many of the reefs breakin modenteweather, some are exposed at low tide andsome bear emergent rocks and islands. There is a seriesof mediumsized limestone islands (Sandland, Favorite, Boullanger, Whitlock, Escape, Cervantes) I which havewell developedintertidal rock platforms,at leaston their seawardsides.

The mostconspicuous ofthe headlandsis North Headwhich hasmoderate cliffs, wide rock platformsat sea I levelwith deeplyundercut intertidal notches,and smallpocket beaches. Green Head, further north, is very similar.Below low tide levelthe reefsare frequently deeply undercut and extensiveunderwater cave systems arecommon. T

JurienBay is the major embaymentwithin distinctivecoastal tlpe g of the WestCoast. It hasdeveloped as an erosionalscallop into the interbarrierzone behind prominent offshore limestone reefs (see Semeniuk el I al., 7989,fr*. 11).It is wide,arcuate and westward-facing. Ronsard Bay further south is of similar but less pronouncedcharacter. I The two principalsand promontories, Island Point andThirsty Point, are developed behind protective near- shoreislands. Constructed by the samesedimentary processes, there are shallow sand banks connecting near-shoreislands and reefsto the mainland,most notably behind Favorite IsJand, Boullanger Island, T BookerRock, Emu Rocksand North RonsardRocks. These are normal to the shorean{ tend to breakup the inshorelaSioon system. However, moderately deep basins (lz-14 m) remainbetween the sandbanks rn severallocations. Tlvo of the inshorebasins are completelyenclosed by the bankswith restrictedbottor. I circulationto the opensea. One of theseis in JurienBay behind Favorite Island opposite the marina.The other is south of IslandPoint, behind the EssexRocks and Three Breaks Reef complex. t TheHill Riverreaches the coastwithin this sector.It hasa small estuaryof the riverinetype with a permanentlyclosed entrance. t Flom and fauna Therehas been no thoroughsurvey of the marineflora and fauna of this sectoralthough there is some informationgiving the impressionthat th€ biotais both rich and diverse. I

The dominantorganisms are the seagrasseswhich form densemeadows on the shallowbanks and at the bottomsof the lagoons.Both speciesof Amphibolis,unidentified specie s ol Posidonia,Halophita oualls, I Sgringodiumsp. and, Heterozostera tasmanica are recorded. It is likely that. whenstudied, the seagrass florawill proveto be species-rich.There is no detailedinformation on the zoophytesand epiphytesliving on andassociated with the seagrassesalthough some species characteristic of this habitat (eg.the molluscs' I Phasianotrochusirkodontes, Cantharidus lepidus, Ctenabetla andWallucina ictezca) aie known to be abundantand it canbe assumed that the seagrass community is diverse.Kelps dominate the sublittoralzone wherethere are rock substrata.Rock platforms bear thick coveringsof algaliurf. I

Sandsubstrata between the seagrassmeadows on the sandbanks support a rich infaunaofbivalves and otherinvertebrates. These include four species of irregularechinoids (sand dollars and heart urchins) r includingAmmotrophus arachnoides which is otherwisenot knownnorth of Fremantle.The deepbasins betweenthe sandbanks are likely to havea differentbenthic fauna but they havenot beeninvestigated. t North Headwithin this sectorand Green I{ead a fewkilometres further north arevery similar habitats. Thereis no informationon the relativerichness of the respectiveplant andanimal communities of these I Part IV - 36 I tworocky headlands and it is assumedthat North Head adequately represents this type of habitatfor the WestCoast. There has been some scientific collecting on the rockplatforms and sublittonl rock habitats aroundWhitlock Island which are especially rich in invertebratespecies. A number of endemicSouth West molluscsare at or closeto their northemend of rangein this arca,eg. Catnpanile sgmbolicum, Twbo jourdani, Haliotisscalazs. This is the typelocality of the rareendemic cowry Cypraea (Zoila) uenusta . It is thecentre of theWest Coast and most of theWest Coast endemic species are present on andamong these reefs.Assessment of the species composition of themolluscan fauna indicates that temperate species dominatealthough there is a significantproportion oftropical species (Wlson, unpublished data). Limited scientificcollecting has revealed 18 species of echinodermfrom the reefs in thisregion and more could be expected(L.M. Marsh, pers. comm., May, 1993).

Thewell developedsubli$oral rock and cave walls of thissector have an especially rich fauna of attachec, suspensoryfeeding animals such as ascidians, sponges and gorgonian and hydrozoan corals. These communitiesare extremely colourful and provide a magnificentspectacle for recreationaldivers. They.are a featureofthe West Coast yet remain virtually unstudied.

Thereare no coralreefs in thissector but individualcoral colonies of 14species belonging to 1l generahave beenrecorded, some of themcommon, in theshallows of shelteredareas behind the offshore reefs (Veron & Marsh,1988). This includes 2 speciesof Actopora (A. hyacinthus and A. millepora).l['th theexception ofa fewcolonies of.4. yongei recorded at Rottnestthese are the most southerly Western Australian records of living Acropola.

Seabirdsand Mammals Likemost ofthose along the central West Coast, the small islands and rock of thissector are breeding areas for a varietyof seabirds.

SandlandIsland is an importantnesting area for theCrested Tern and Pied Cormorant. Other birds recorded breedingthere are the Little Pied Cormorant, Wedge-tailed Shearwater, White-faced Storm Petrel, Eastern ReefEgret, Osprey, Silver Gull, and Caspian Tern.

Theother particularly important seabird islands in thissector are the three small islets comprising the EssexRock. Largenumbers ofBridled Tern, Little Shearwater and Pied Cormorant nest there. Also recordedare Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Eastern Reef Egret, Pied Oystercatcher, Silver Gull, Pacific Gull, CaspianTern, Crested Tern, White-faced Storm Petrel and Osprey.

FavoriteIsland is an importantnesting area for theLittle Shearwater. Other seabirds recorded nesting there arethe Wedge-tailed Shearwater, White-faced Storm Petrel, Pied Cormoranl Osprey, Pied Oystercatcher, SilverGull, Pacific Gull and Caspian Tern.

Boullangerand Whitlock Islands are important nesting sites for theFairy Tern. Numbers ofPied Cormorant neston Boullangerand numbers ofBridled terns on Whitlock. Also nesting in thisisland group are the Wedge-tailedShearwater, Little Shearwater, White-faced Storm Petrel, Osprey, Pied oystercatcher, Silver Gull,Pacific Gull and Caspian Tern.

In spiteoftheir smallsize, Boullanger and Whitlock Islands support populations of theDibbler (Panntechinusqrbalr3), a nativemarsupial once common in theSouth West but nowthreatened with extinction.

Sandybeaches on mostof theislands in thissector are used to someextent by Australian Sea Lions. Of particularimportance is SandlandIsland, near North Head, where numbers ofjuveniles are often present (G.Pobar pers. comm., May, 1993). None ofthe islandsin thissector are known breeding sites.

Fisheries JurienBay is a majorcentre for therock lobster fishery. A numberof boatsoperate from Jurien. The relativelyprotected bay is an importantanchorage for thefleet and a servicedmarina has been constructed. Southof IslandPoint there is a commercialmussel farm. PvoDosals are current for thelocation offish cage farmsin the areaas well.

PartIV - 37 Rectwtion Jurientown has a populationofover 800 vesidents and is becoming a centrefor touristaccess to the hinterlandas well as for maritimerecreation. There is somepotential for developingdive tour andmarine orientednature-based tourism activities. A whale-watchingtour operatedfrom Jurien during the 1992 Humpbackmigration season. However, public acces to theislands disturbs the seabirds and Sea Lions whichnest and rest there and such activities must be carefully managed. The populations of theDibbler on Boullangerand Whitlock Islands are especially wlnerable to disturbance.

Preaiousreommenila tions None.

Working Gmupremm m enda tions Havingconsidered the limited available information on themarine habitats and flora and fauna of the centralWest Coast, the Working Group concluded that a sectionabout 26 km longencompassing Jurien Bay hasexcellent potential as a multiple-usemarine reserve representing the regional environment, when taken togetherwith theBeagle Islands sector. As indicated previously, the two areas repyesent about 16% of the Port Denisonto Whitfordscoastal tlEe.

TheJurien sector has complex bathymetry with well developed reef systems, emergent rock andislands, extensivesand bank with denseseagrass meadows, rocky shores with widerock platforms, several deep semi-enclosedbasins, and abundant and diverse marine flora and fauna. Consideration was given to a stretchof coastfurther south, adjacent to theNambung National Park, but thatarea has less complex geomorphologyand less diverse marine habitats.

TheWorking Group is awarethat the rock lobster fishery makes extensive use of thisarea but believesthat is compatiblewith reservationfor multiple-usepurposes under existing legislation (see Part I).

Accordinglythe Working Group recommends asfollows:

"Considerationshould be given to reservationof the StateTerritorial waters between latitudes 30" 12' and 30" 26', encompassingSandland Island, North Head,Jurien Bay, Island Point, Boullanger,Whitlock and EscapeIslands and Booker Rocks, for the purposesof protectionof marineflora and faunaand public recreation.The Juden Boat Harbour should be excluded."

3.9. Shoalwater lslands Marine Park - Garden lsland and Carnac lslands Extensions (Map lv-7)

Thewaters of ShoaiwaterBay and Warnbro Sound, were declared Class "A" Marine Park in May,1990 (see SectionIV, 3.2). This section deals with a proposedextension of themarine park seawards to thelimit of the StateTerritorial Sea and northwards to encomDassthe waters around Carnac Island and the western shorc of GardenIsland.

A bibliographyof environmentalstudies in thesouthern metropolitan waters was published by Cary& Ryall (r992).

Tenure Theboundaries of theexisting marine park are shown on Map IV-7.

CarnacIsland is a Class"A" Nature Reserve (No.26646). Garden Island is Commonwealthterritory managed bythe Department of Defence.Point Peron is a recreationreserve vested in theMinister for Sportand Recreationfor recreationand education. The islands of ShoalwaterBay and Warnbro Sound within the existingmarine park are Class "A" natuye reserves except Penguin which is a Class"A" reserve for recreation andcamping.

Thewaters on thewestern side of GardenIsland are under the controlofthe Departmentof Defence.A sectionof thecoastal waters between Collins and Callista Points has been gaz etted under the Fisheries Act asa researchayea for use by CSIRO.

PartIV - 38 Gamorphologg Thecoast of thisarea is representativeof major distinctive coastal type 10 (see Section 1.1). The geomorphologyofthe existingShoalwater Islands Marine Park has been briefly described in Section2.6. The areasproposed below for additionto the marinepark have the following features.

Thewestern shore of GardenIsland is exposedto moderatewave-action and comprises long sandy beaches betweenlimestone headlands, although there are several semi-protected bays at thenorthern end. Wde, intertidalrock platforms are cut into thefronts,of the headlands and there are numerous shallow reefs and somerock islets close to shore.Carnac Island is almostsurrounded by low limestone cliffs and intertidal rockplatforms, but thereis a beachon theeastem side. A shallowsand sill, known as Parmelia Bank, connectsCarnac Island to themainland and forms the northern side of theCockburn Sound basin.

Offshore,west of Gardenand Carnac Islands, there is a seriesof limestoneridges on theseabed, generally trendingparallel to thecoast. These are the remains of consolidatedPleistocene dune systems formed duringperiods of lowsea level. The ridges are deeply undercut and cavernous. Between them there are sandygutters. The largest of theridges is FiveFathom Bank, approximately five kilometres offshore. This bankis oneof the majorstructural features ofthe centralWest Coast.

FIom and fauna Theintertidal flora and fauna of theCarnac Island rock platforms have been described in detailby Marsh & Hodgkin(1962). These communities are species-rich but lackthe high proportion of tropicalspecies present in the comparableintertidal rocky shore communities of RottnestIsland. The Carnac and Garden Island rockplatform communities may be considered as representative of this habitat Bpe on thecentral West Coast.

Theseagrass meadows of ParmeliaBank are exceptionally dense and prolific. They represent one ofthe best enmplesof thiscommunity type on theWest Coast.

Therehas been no surveyofthe floraand fauna of theoffshore submerged limestone ridges. Nevertheless, severalof theWorking Group members have dived there and report that reefsurfacesexposed to sunlight bearvery dense growths of macroalgaeand seagrass and that the shaded ledges and cave walls bear prolific growthsof suspensory-feedinginvertebrates. There are large areas ofseagrass meadow in thesandy gutters betweenthe ridges.

Fisheries Theoffshore limestone ridges are the habitat of rocklobster and this area is animpodant fishing ground of the rocklobster fishery, the vessels operating from Fremantle and Rockingham. Recreational fishers also makeextensive use of thisarea.

Preo iou s recomm e nda tions SeeSection 2.6 for detailsof theexisting Shoalwater Islands Marine Park and its boundaries.

In theSystem 6 report(1983) the EPA remmmended that "a study be commissioned bythe Environmental ProtectionAuthority with theaim of establishinga Marine Reserve to bemanaged for thepurposes of conservationand education" around Carnac Island, showing boundaries (Fig. 35) encompassing Shag, West, SouthWest and Flat Rock. This recommendation has not been implemented.

WorkingGroup rccommenda tions TheWorking Croup notes the increasin! recreational use of thewaters off Carnacand Garden Islands and theimportance of theseareas for researchand environmental education. Although no studyofthe Carnac Islandarea has been carried out asrecommended bythe EPA, the Working Group believes that sufficient is knownofthe marinecommunities and recreational activities in thearea to justiforeservation. However, therewould be merit in extendingthe marine reserve southward to link with theexisting Shoalwater Islands MarinePark and providing added pyotection to thewestern shores of GardenIsland. The Working Group alsobelieves that the representativenessof the reserve would be greatly increased ifits seawardboundary waslocated at thelimit of theState Territorial Sea, thus incorporating a section of thesubmerged limestone ridgeknown as Five Fathom Bank.

PartIV - 39 Accordinglythe Working Group recommends as{ollows.

,'Considerationshould be givento the extensionof the ShoalwaterIslands Marine Park seaward to the limit ofthe StateTerritorial Se4 northwardalong the westemshores of CardenIsland and CamacIsland, and for 1 nauticalmile eastof CamacIsland, retuming to BeaconHead on the north-eastemcorner of Carden Island."

3.10.Peel-Harvey lnlet (MapIv-8)

ThePeel-Harvey Inlet is oneof thethree large estuarine systems on theWest Coast. There are two distinct partsof the complexwhich have rather different structure, known as Peel Inlet and Harvey Estuary. (Note thelocal convention of callingone an inlet and the other an estuary.They are both estuarine and equall; definableas inlets.)

ThePeel-Harvey system is at presentsubject to severeeutrophication resulting mainly from input of nutrientsfrom farming lands in thecatchments. It is alsoone of WesternAustralia's most important recreationalareas, the site of significantrecreational and commercial fisheries, and an internationally importantwaterb ird andwetland habitat.

Becauseof thesesocial, economic and environmenhl values the Government has invested heavily in an attemptto correctthe pollution problem. This effort includes construction of a second,artificial channel to thesea which will increasethe tidal flushing ofthe estuaryand many detailed studies of thephysical and biologicalfeatures of thearea leading to proposalsfor management(Hodgkin e, a/.,1980; Peel-Harvey StudyGroup, 1985 (a) and 1985 (b); Hodgkin et. al., 1985; EPA Bulletin 363, 1988; Waterways Commission ReporiNo.27, 1992). There have also been several symposia on thesubject (D.C.E. Bulletins No. 136, 1983; No.l60,1984; No. 195, 1985).

Thisaccount will notattempt to summarisethe wealth of informationto befound in theabove publications. Thefollowing brief notes relate specifically to thepossible reservation of estuarineareas.

Tenurc Pursuantto theprovisions of theWaterways Conservation Act 1976 (see Part I) theGovernment established thePeel Inlet Management Authority in 1977and declared the Peel Inlet and Harvey Estuary a Management Area.The Authoyity has overall responsibility for protectionand management of the inlet, in collaboration with otherState and Local Government authorities with statutoryresponsibilities in the area.

Publicland around the periphery ofthe inlethas a varietyofvestings. Near the entranceto PeelInlet there areextensive supratidal samphire flats and two low islands, Creery and Channel, which uere recently declarednature reserves. In thedelta of theSerpentine and Murray Rivers there are many islands with a varietyof vestings.One of these,Ballee Island, is reservedas "national park" vested in theShire ofMurray. Onthe eastern and southern shores ofPeel Inlet itselfthere is a naturereserve (No.4990). On thatside ol theinlet there are extensive mud and sand flats that are exposed at lowtide. A laygepart ofAustin Bay is intertidaland is a naturereserve (No. 28087) declared under the Land Act. Most of theland bordering the easternside ofthe southernend of HarveyEstuary is naturereserve (Nos 2375 6.2738,24739).

Thewhole of thePeel-Harvey Estuary, and the surrounding nature reserves (ie. excluding private lands) is includedwithin the Peel-Yalgorup Wetland of InternationalImportance on accountof its veryhigh value as habitatfor waterbirds. Listing ofthe wetland was proposed by the Western Australian Government in February1990 and it is nowincluded in theList of Wetlandsof InternationalImportance under the RAMSARConvention to whichAustralia is a signatory.Listing imposes on theState an obligation to ensure thatthe environment is adequatelyprotected against changes that may be detrimental to its functionas wetlandhabitat.

PartIV - 40 Geomotphologg Accountsofthe physicalfeatures ofthe estuaryare given in Hodgkinet al. (1980)and Hodgkin et al. (7985).

PeelInlet is a widesaucer-shaped basin with a narrowchannel to thesea. It hasa centralportion about 2 m deepsurrounded by shallow and intertidal flats which are very wide on theeastern and southem sides and grddeinto supratidalsamphire flats and marshes. The Murray and Serpentine Rivers flow into the north- eastemcorner and have formed a largedelta.

HarveyEstuary is an elongatebarrier estuary formed behind Pleistocene dune ridges, discharging to thesea throughPeel Inlet. It hasa centralchannel, also about 2 m deep,bordered by shallowsand flats, principally alongthe eastern side where they grade into supratidalsamphire flats and marshes. The Harvey River flows into thesouthern end of theestuary forming a prominentdelta.

Theeastem side of PeelInlet and the southern end of HarveyEstuary have wide intertidal mudflats and slopegently upwards to widesamphire flats and marshes.

TheMandurah Channel through which the estuary discharges to thesea was partly barred at the mouthand partlyoccluded at its innerend by delta flats and samphire islands. These barriers and the narrowness of the channelrestricted tidal flow. The channel has recently been deepened by dredging to removethese barrievs aspart of theestuary management program. A second,artificial channel (the Dawesville Cut) has been constructedthrough the barrier dunes at Dawesville,near the point where the Harvey Estuary joins Peel Inlet.This is intendedto increasetidal flushing and assist in remo\rdlof excessnutrients by tidal flow.

Priorto thesechannel works tidal amplitude seldom exceeded 0.1 m. Water level within the estuarymay varyover a greaterrange than this as a resultofweather conditions. Salinity in theestuary rdnges from nearlyfresh in winterto hlpersalinein summer(up to 50ppt). The lowest summer salinities occur at the southernend of HarveyEstuary. Even though it is soshallow, stratification of theestuary occurs when the riversflood. The Dawesville Channel is expectedto increasetidal amplitude within the estuaryand reduce theannual range in salinityso tha! on average,conditions will bemore like that of seawater(Hodgkin ef a/..1985).

Flora and fauna Theaquatic flora and fauna of theestuary is depauperate,largely as a resultof thesevere salinity regime.

Thereare no extensiveseagrass meadows in Peel-Harveyinlel a/though three seagrass species are present. Zosteramucronata grows in a smallarea near the present channel entrance. Ruppia megacalpa is common in theshallows and Halophila oualis is commonin thedeeper areas (Hillman, 1985). It is believedthat Ruppiaand Halopfu'la were once the dominant plants in theestuary, uith theformer most abundant in HarveyEstuary (H odgkin et a1.,1985).Since about 1960, with thedevelopment of the eutrophication problem,macroalgae and planktonic algae have displaced them.

Theprincipat macroalgae in theestuary are benthic species of ClndophorgUlua and Chaetomorpha and the epiphyticEnt uo morph a.

Supratidalflats, especially well developed along the eastern and southern shores ofPeel Inlet and the southemshores of HarveyEstuary are vegetated with Sorcomia,Juncus kraasli and other marshplants.

Wells& Threlfall(1981) recorded only 13 species of molluscsin theestuary, ofwhich five true estuarine speciesare dominant. Nevertheless, in terms ofbiomass some of theseare of utmostimportance (Wells et a/., 1980).I\uo tiny estuarinemolluscs, the bivalve,4rtftitica semenand Ihe gastropodHgdrococcw brazieri andsevenl ofthe estuarinepolychaetes are extremely abundant on thetidal flats and provide the bulk of the footlfor wadingbirds. Marine invertebrates and estuarine species with marineafiinities are restricted mainly to thevicinity of theentrance channel and the deeper parts of theestuary which are less subject to freshwaterinundation (lVells el a/.,1980).

Thefish fauna of Peel-HaweyEstuary has been described by Lenanton (1974a) and Chalmer & Scott(1984). Thelatter authors list a totalof33 speciesof fishfrom the two portions of theestuary.

PartIV - 41 ThePeel-tlawey Estuary is themost imporhnt area in southernWestern Australia in termsofthe total numbersofwaterbirds which feed there (Jaensch, 1993). Over 110 000 birds were recorded there in 1977.A totalof 67species ofwaterbird have been recorded in theestuary. For some of thesespecies the largest populationsrecorded in the south-westare from this estuary,eg the Little Egret(Wretta garzetfa,) and the RoyalSpoonbill (Platalea regia). Nlore than 60,000Banded SfilIs (Cladorhgnchusleucocephahs) were countedthere in 1977.It waslargely for thesereasons that the Peel-Harvey Estuary was listed as a Wetland of InternationalImportance under the MMSAR Convention in 1990.

Etrectsof the DawesuilleChannel and other managementprograns At variousstalies in thedevelopment of eutrophication, macroalgae and planktonic algae have bloomed and createdsevere fouling ptoblems in theestuary. Since 1980, spring and early summer blooms of the planktonicnitrogen-fixing algae.fr'odalaia have crcated, even greater fouling problems. Although these algaenormally play a necessaryrole in thenutrient cycling and food chains of the estuarytheir blooms havebecome such a problemthat the estuarine ecosystem is now in dangerof completecollapse. Mass mortalitiesoffish, crabs and other invertebrates in the estuary have become a commonevent as a resultof deoxygenationof the deeperwaters during Nodularia blooms.

Thepresent catchment management progyam, dredging the Mandurah Channel and construction of the new DawesvilleChannel, are intended to reducenutrient enrichment and eutrophication and restore the estuary to a healthycondition. However, these actions will domore than that. By makingthe estuarymore marine theymay entirely change the nature of theecosystem (Hodgkin et al., 1985).The possible effects of these changeson theestuarine biota have been discussed by severdl authors in DCEBulletin 195 (1985). Nodulariqwhich cannot tolerate high salinity, may no longerbe subject to periodicblooms. Species diversityis likelyto increaseas more marine species invade the estuary. Fluctuations in abundanceare likelyto decreaseas the range ofsalinity is reducedand the periods of freshwaterinundation become shorter.Periodic mass mortality offish and invertebrates will beless frequent. Seagrasses may become more abundant(although in theshort term there may be a retumto Cladophorablooms).These changes are likelyto haveoverall positive effects. 0n thepossible down side, it is likelythat the biomass ofbenthic estuarineinvertebrates on thetidal flats will bereduced (Chalmer & Hillman,1985). This may have an adverseeffect on thewaterbird population (J. Lane pers. comm.). A concemhas also been raised that the increasedtidal range may have adverse effects on vegetationand bird nestingsites around the periphery of thewetland.

Fisheries ThePeel-Harvey Estuary supports the largest commercial and recreational estuarine fishery in Western Austnlia.

Recteationand tourism ThePeel-Hawey Estuary is oneof WesternAustralia's most important recreation areas servicing the metropolitanPerth community as well as people living in thedistrict. It is themajor tourist attraction of thedistrict (Waterways Commission Report No. 27, 1992). Details of recreationalactivities and commercial tourismin thearea are described in theMandurah Tourism Development Plan. Most of theseactivities concentratein thenorthern parts ofPeel Inlet and the westem shores ofthe Peeland the Harvey Estuary.

Prcdous rccommendotions TheEPA System 6 Report(1983) recommended that three areas within the Peel-Harvev svstem should be declaredaquatic reserves:

"That C 50-3 the areaofwater surounding ReserveC8185 lCreery Islands] at the entranceto PeelInl€t be declaredan AquaticReserve and vested in the WA.Wildlife Auihoriiy.,, "That C 50.5 the areaofwater to the u,estof Reserve84990 be declaredan AquaticReserue and vested in the WA.Wildlife Authority."

"That "Ford,,be C 51.3 the areaofHarvey Estuary south of the declaredan AquaticReserve and that the Reservebe vested in the WA.Wildlife Authoritv.',

PartN - 42 Morerecently (1993, EPA Bulletin 695) the EPA considered the potential environmental impacts ofa proposalto developa canaleJtate on landadjacent to theproposed aquatic reserve but didnot referto its earlierrecommendation (C50.3).

It shouldbe noted that, in respectof recommendationC 50.5, the recommended area abuts the northern sideofthe formerAustin Bay Nature Reserve No. 28087 (nou, part of theextended Reserve 4990) which coveredthe intertidal flats of thesouth-eastern side of AustinBay. In effectC 50.5 would extend that reserve northwardsto encompassall theshallours on theeastern side ofPeel Inlet. Aquatic reserve status was recommendedbecause it includesan area ofsubtidal waters which cannot at presentbe reserved under the LandAct.

All threeareas were recommended asaquatic reserves because at thattime there was no provisionfor declarationof marinenature reserves. The Conservation and Land Management Act 1984provides that an aquaticresewe under Section 30 of theFisheries Act may not be declared for anypurpose which could be metby declarationof thearea as a marinepark or marinenature reserve under the Conservation and Land ManagementAct.In keeping with theintent of theSystem 6 recommendationsthe appropriatereserve categoryfor thethree proposed areas under present legislation is marinenature reserve, with vestingin the NationalParks and Nature Conservation Authority, the successor o{the WAWildlife Authority.

In its PeelInlet Management Program 1992, the Peel Inlet Management Authority (lVaterways Commission ReportNo 27, 1992) recommended asfollows (page 40, recommendation 20): "Support the implementation ofthe System6 RecommendationsC 50 and C 51and provide technical advice concerning these areas if appropriate."

Howevetthis recommendationis not entirely consistent with arearecommendation A 91 of that ManagementProgram (page 87) which refers to thesame area as System 6 areaC 51 but reads:

"Createa ConservationReserve south of a line betweenIsland Point and HerronPoint. Incorporateall of the HarveyEstuary south of this line into the reserve.Vest reserve in the WWC[Waterways Commissionl until Peel-HarveyRegional Park is established,CALM to preparea managementprogram."

Thislast recommendation cannot be implemented under present legislation. Reserves vested in the WaterwaysCommission must be declared under the Land Act but subtidallands cannot be declared under thatAct. Vesting ofthe subtidalareas in questionin theWaterways Commission would require special legislationor anamendment to theLand Act.

Workin g Gmuprecommentlo tions Notwithstandingthe present polluted condition of thePeel-Harvey estuary, the Working Group believes that partsof thisestuary have very high value as habitat for waterbirds, including migratory waders whose protectionis subjectto internationaltreaties, and warnnt reservationas an added protection measure. Changesto theestuarine ecosystem following the opening of theDawesville Channel are likely to be,on the whole,beneficial although the effects on waterbird feeding, roosting and nesting habitats will needto be carefullymonitored.

Therecreational and fishing activities in thePeel-Harvey Estuary are at presentadequately controlled under theauthority of thePeel Inlet Management Authority and the Fisheries Department. Accordingly the WorkingGroup:

"1. Endorsesth€ r€commendationsin the DPASystem 6 reportfor the reservationof three areaswithin Peel-HarveyInlet, namely:

. the waterssuffounding the CreeryIslands at the entranceto PeelInlet (C 50. 3); . th€ watersand intertidallands in the easternpart of PeelInlet andsouth of the Yunderup,adjacent to NatureReserve No 4990delta (C 50.5); . th€ watersof HarveyEstuary south of a line betweenHerron Point and IslandPoint (51.3)

for the purposeof protectionof flora and fauna,specifically for the protectionofwaterbirds and their habitatr.

PartIV - 43 "2, Suggeststhat the lowerreaches ofthe HarveyRiver as far upstreamas the southernboundary of Nature reserveNo.23756 should be includedwithin the teservedarea "3. Notesthal underpresent legislation subtidal waters reserved for this purposemust necessarilybe declaredmarine nature reserve and vested in the NationalParks and Nature Conseruation Authority. "4. Notesthat the Peel-HarveyEstuary is a declaredmanagement area under the control ofthe PeelInlet ManagementAuthority and recommendsthat a yeviewof legislationbe undertakento find the most effectivemanagement structuYe to ensurecollaboration between the severalCovemment a€lencies and StatutoryAuthorities which wouldhave responsibility for managementof areasof the inlet declaredmarine naturereserve under the CALMAcL"

3.1l. LeschenaultInlet and Estuary (MaDIV-g)

TheLeschenault estuarine system is themost southerly ofthe threelarge West Coast estuaries. Its southern endis thesite of rapidurban and industrial development associated with theregional centre and port of Bunbury.Its shores,and to someextent its waters,have been modified by thatdevelopment. Nevertheless, theLeschenault Estuary and Inlet comprise an important estuarine system for publicrecreation, tourism andconsenation, and x a nurseryarea for marinefishes and crustaceans.

Thisunit, novrcomprising two parts, was previously a single estuary known as the Leschenault Inlet. The originaloutlet to KoombanaBay was closed in 1951and a newone, known as The Cut, constructed through theLeschenault Peninsula opposite the Collie River. The mouth of thePreston River was realigned in 1968- 69.Substantial land reclamation at thesouth western end of theestuary relating to thedevelopment of the InnerBunbury Harbour in 1971resulted in theisolation of thewaters ofthat areafrom the rest of the system,with its ownartificial outlet to KoombanaBay. That small lagoon is nowknown as Leschenault Inletand the larger area as Leschenault Estuary.

Tenure Thewaters of theLeschenault Inlet and Estuary and the lower reaches of the Collieand Preston Rivers and theirtributaries comprise a declaredManagement Area under the wateruays conservation Act with managementauthority devolved from the Waterways Commission to theLeschenault Inlet Management Authority.

Theland surrounding the estuary and inlet has a \rdrietyof vestings,summarised in theLeschenault WaterwaysManagement Program, 1992 (Waterways Commission Report No. 26). The majority of thenatural andreclaimed land around Leschenault Inlet is reservedfor publicuse or leasedfor usesassociated with the Portof Bunbury.The southern foreshore ofLeschenault Estuary is mostlysubject to thezoning scheme relatingto theport, while its easternand northern shores are mostly reserved for publicuses. ihe western shore,that is theinner shore of theLeschenault Peninsula, is ConservationPark vested in theNational Park andNature conservation Authority for protectionof floraand fauna and oublic recreation. Camorphologganil hytlmlogy LeschenaultInlet is somodified that it is notappropriate to classifyit asany natural type. It shouldbe regardedas an artificial lagoon but with remnantsof its naturalfeatures and retaining important conservationvalues. water depth is generallyabout 3 m but thereare emergent muddy sand banks along thenorthern and eastern shores. A portionofAnglesea Island (a mud island with mangroves)remains aithe easternend of theInlet.

LeschenauitEstuary is a barrierestuary (type 2a of Hesp,19g4) very like the Harvey Estuary except that it hasits own(now artificial) outlet to thesea. Klemmet al, (79g71havecompared the physical features of Leschenaultwith thoseofthe Peel-Harvey Estuary. The geomorphology ofLeschenault iras been described bySemeniuk & Meagher(1981) and Leprovost e/ a/. (lgg3).It is a long,narrow lagoon between dune limestoneridges, separated from the sea by the Leschenault Peninsula, now with anartificial channel near its southernend. water depth varies from 0,3 m on theperipheral muddy sand flats up to 3 m in thecentral channel.In someareas the peripheral intertidal flats grade up to supratidalsamphire and sedge flats. (both Tidalrange astronomicand barometric) is about0.3 m, sufficientto achievethorough flushing of the estuary.

PartIV - 44 1$o majorrivers, the Collie and the Preston, enter the south-eastern side of theestuary. The Collie has a well developeddelta but theentrance of thePreston has been realigned and greatly modified. Although the upperpart of the estuaryhas no riversit receivessignificant freshwater discharge from dninage and seepage.

Asa resultof the efficientartificial channel and the upstream damming of theCollie River, the waters of the estuaryare now less brackish than they were (Hodgkin & Smith,1971; Semeniuk & Meagher,1981). Like theother highly seasonal southern Westem Australian estuaries which are permanently open to thesea, Leschenaultoscillates between marine conditions in summer.to brackishconditions in winter.In summer evaporationproduces local areas of hypersalinity.Being relatively remote from the outlet channel, the upperpart ofthe estuarytends to besubject to a greaterseasonal range in salinitybut lessdaily variation thanthe southem parts.

Flora ad fauna Themost southerly occurrence in WestemAustralia of mangrovesoccurs on Anglesea Island in Leschenault Inlet.At thislocation there is a smallmangal consisting of onespecies, Aaicennia marina. The fact that thesetrees have persisted through such drastic modification oftheir habitat is remarkable.However, whetherthey are reproductive has not been studied and the long-term survival prospect of thiscommunity is in question.Another small mangal ofthe same species occurs on thewestern side of theLeschenault Estuary.

Theseagrass Halophila oualis covers much of thefloor ofthe estuaryin waterless than 2 m deep(Hodgkin & Smith, 1971;Meaghet, 797I\. Ruppia megacarpa and Heterozostera tasmanica are common on the sandy flatsalong the easternside and Zostera muctonata is presentnear the entrancechannel.

Thebrown alga.F/ormophgsa triquetra is a significantmacrophyte, especially along the easternand northernshallows where it maydominate over Halophila. The dominant green algais Chaetomorpha /murzwhich is mostcommon on thenorthern flats. The red alga Gracilaria sp. is widely distributed throughoutthe estuary.

Springand early summer blooms of macrophyticand planktonic algae do notappear to bea problemin this estuaryat thistime.

Muchofthe foreshorevegetation ofthe LeschenaultEstuary has been heavily modified since European settlement.The shore itself commonly has a fringeof"/rzncus. Extensive samphire flats occur along the southernshores, merginginto Melaleuca and, Casuarina woodlands. Similar vegetation once dominated the northemshores but muchof thishas been cleared.

Thefish and aquatic invertebrate fauna of theestuary have been studied by Meagher (1971), Wells & Threlfall(1981), LePrcvost et al. (1983),Chalmer & Scott(1984) and Van de Wele (1987).

Thenumber of benthicspecies of invertebrateis greatest close to thechannel where the salinity varies least fromthat of seawatetthat is in thesouthern part ofthe estuary.Fewer species occur in thenorthern part of the estuarywhere freshwater persists for longerperiods. The suite of commonmollusc, polychaete worm andsmall crustacean species in LeschenaultEstuary is thesame as that in thePeel-Harvey and Swan Estuaries(Wells & Threlfall,1981; LeProvost el a/.,1983). For example, the bivalved molluscs Arthritica semen,Spisula trigonella, Tellina deltoidalis and Anticorbula amara, the gastropodsflydlococcus brazieri, the polychaetesCeratonereis ergthraeensis, Haploscolopus kerguelensis and hionosprb sp., and the amphipodParacorophium are exlremely abundant on the peripheralsand flats and at timesform a dense biomass,especially in thenorthern part ofthe estuaryffan deWiele, 1987). Figures published by LeProvost el a/. (1983,Table 7) indicatethat the densities of benthicspecies in LeschenaultEstuary are of thesame orderof magnitudeas those in comparablehabitats in thePeel-Harvey and Swan Estuaries.

Theestuary is anespecially important nursery area for theblue manna crab Portunus pelagicus (Meagher, 1971).

PartIV - 45 Thefish fauna of LeschenaultEstuary includes over 40 species, listed by LePtovost et al' (1983).The distributionoffish species in theestuary shows similar patterns to theinvertebrates, the largest number of speciesbeing present near the channel (Chalmer & Scott,1984). Although few of thefishes in theestuary breedthere, the high production ofseagrass, algal and invertebnte biomass during spring and summer providesfood to supportnursery areas for a numberof fishesincluding whiting, bream, mullet, tailer, flathead,cobbler and flounder.

Accordingto a reportby Ninox Wldlife Consuliing (1989), the Leschenault Estuary is lessimportant for waterbirdsthan other West Coast coastnl estuaries and lagoons in termsofthe totalnumbers ofbirds counted.Nevedheless, it is animportant summer refuge and feeding area for somespecies during the summermonths when many wetlands els€where dry out. In theNinox report 62 waterbird species are recorded.It is a crucialfeeding area for theGreat Egrets which breed at nearbyMorangeral Swamp. Other birdswhich occur in largenumbers include the Little Egret, Grey Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Great Knot and BlackSwan. large numbersofAustralian Pelican feed in thisestuary.

Themost important part ofthe estuaryfor waterbirds is the northernarea, both the intertidal flats and the supratidalsamphire flats. The high biomass of invertebratesand the seagrass 114lop hila oualisin the shallowsof thatarea provide the birds with abundantfood at a criticaltime of theyear. The equivalent habitatson thesouth eastem side in thevicinity of thePreston River mouth are also of importancefor the samereasons.

Recreotion LeschenaultEstuary is a popularsite for boatingand fishing during the summer months. There are several boatlaunching nmps within the estuary although the shallow waters limit theuse of powerboats. Water skiingis prohibited.Crabbing by wading across the shallows and using hand nets is a traditionalactivity in the estuary.

Pteuiousrecommendo tions In its System6 Report(1983) the EPA made several recommendations foymanagement and pollution controlof LeschenaultEstuary (Recommendation C66) but didnot recommendreservation of anyof the intertidalor subtidalareas.

RecommendationC68 of theDPA's System 6 Reportdeals with Anglesea Island and the land and waters alongthe northern side of theLeschenault Inlet. The recommendation was that the remainsof theisland anda portionof theadjacent land on thenorth shore should be reserved for conservationof floraand fauna andvested in theWAWldlife Authority, and that "thearea ofwater, as shown in Figure47, be added to ... the reserve.lt is difficultto interpretthe illustration given because ofthe subsequentreclamation in that area.The southern foreihore with its smallpiers was not included.

TheLeschenault Inlet Management Authority in its 1992Management Program (Waterways Commission ReportNo. 26, pp. 33-34)) discussed the matter of vestingsubtidal areas for the conservationof floraand faunawhich, at present,can only be done under the CALM Act with vestingin theNational Park and NatureConservation Authority. It concludedthat 'rit will benecessary to amend the l,and Act to enableLand Actreserves to becreated below low water mark" and recommended that this be done.

TheManagement Progrdm went on to recommendthat three aquatic areas be reserved for rrconservationof floraand fauna and protection ofthe environmenf'.These were:

. Thenorthern estuary above Waterloo Head; . VittoriaBay (Turkey Point to PelicanPoint, including the Preston River mouth); o TheLeschenault Inlet affected by System6 RecommendationC68.

It alsorecommended that, after amendment ofthe Land Act as above, "the appropriate agencies for vesting" shouldbe identified. No reasons were given why the three areas should not be reserved under the existing CALMlegislation with vesting in theNational Park andNature Conservation Authority.

PartIV - 46 WorkingCtoup rccommeulations AlthoughLeschenault Inlet and Leschenault Estuary have been considerably disturbed and modified by urbanand industrial development, the WorkingGroup believes that theyretain important \alues for both publicrecreation and consewation.

Thepresent arrangement whereby these waterways are managed by the Leschenault Inlet Management Authorityunder the authorityof the WaterwaysConservation Act is entirelysatisfactory as a meansto protectand manage those values and there would be nothing to begained by reservation of thewhole estuaryand inlet as marine park.

Nevertheless,asan addedprotection there would be merit in reservingthe most important areas for conservationof flora andfaun4 notablythe importantwaterbird aYeas and the mangroveareas, specifically for that purpose.These are correctly identi{ied in the 1992Leschenault Waterways Management Program.

Accordinglythe Working Group recommends asfollows:

,,Thefollowing areaj shouldbe reservedfor the protectionof aquaticflora andfauna and waterbird habitat: (i) L€schenaultInlet; (ii) two areasof LeschenaultEstuary: a) the northem estuary aboveWaterloo Hea4 and b) Vittoria Bay(Turkey Point to PelicanPoint, includingthe PrestonRivev mouth).

"Themost appropriatereserve category is marinenature reserue.Management should be carriedout in collaborationwith the LeschenaultInlet ManagementAuthority."

3.12. GeographeBay - CapeLeeuwin (Map IV'fO)

Thearea considered here encompasses two major distinctive coastal types, the low profile, low energy, sandy shoresof GeographeBay and the high profile, high energy, rocky shores of theNaturdliste-Leeuwin Ridge (seeSection 1.1). They are considered together because they are contiguous and could form a single managementunit. At thesouthem end ofthe sectorthe estuary ofHardy Inlet forms another contiguous but distinctivecoasial type which could also be managed as part of thesame unit but it fallswithin the SouthCoast Sector and is bestconsidered with otherSouth Coast estuaries. Hardy Inletwill be dealtwith in PartV.

TheState Planning Commission initiated a planningstudy of theLeeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge. Stage 1 of that projectculminated in theLeeuwin-Naturaliste Planning Study released for publiccomment in Augusl1987. Thereport noted the significance of themarine environment and marine flora and fauna but didnot consideror recommenddeclaration of marinereserves.

Tenurc Theforeshore of GeographeBay is largelyprivate land with a narrowfringe ofbeach front reserved for publicpurposes and veited in therespective local authorities. The townsite of Busseltonoccurs at thecentre of thesector.

Thestatus of theforeshore along the Naturaliste-Leeuwin coast is vayied.Much of it is nationalpark vested in theNationat Parks and Nature Conservation Authority. There are townsites at Dunsborough,Cowaramup Bay,Prevelly and Flinders Bay.

SugarloafRock at CapeNaturaliste, Hamelin Island in HamelinBay and St. Alouarn Island off CapeLeetruin areClass "A" Nature Reserves. A number of otherrccks and islets along the coast are Vacant Crown Land'

Geomotphologgand physical featurcs TheLeeuwin Bjock ij a nised horst,separated from the sunklandof the PerthBasin by the Dunsborough Fault.It hasan elevationof up to 200m andis alsoreferred to asthe Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge. The LeeuuinComplex consists of intenselydeformed plutonic igneous rock, mainlygranite and gneiss (Peers, 1975;Myers, 1990). To thewest of it liesthe Yallingup Shelf, an area of shallowbasement extending to the continentalslooe.

PartIV - 47 At Dunsboroughthe Proterozoic granites and gneisses give way to theeuaternary calcareous sand beaches of GeographeBay. The Bay is gentlyarcuate with lowforedunes (Quindalup Dunes) forming a barrier betweenthe sea and a seriesof interdunallaloons and marshes. A number of smallrivers enter the lagoons but arebarred from the sea by dunes. The Vasse-Wonnerup lagoons have lock at theiroutlets and arJ managedas artificial freshwater wetlands although previously (prior to the 1930s)they were barred estuaries.(Although these lagoons have high conservafion value as waterbird habitat they are not regarded asestuarine and parts are already declared as nature reserve under the Land Act.)

At thewestern end of GeognpheBay, between Dunsborough and Busselton the shore is relativelysheltered but eastofBusselton, as the bay curves northward, the shore becomes progressively more expose6 to the prevailingwesterly winds and swells. The seabed is gentlyshelving and consists of Holoceneiediments over Pleistocenelimestones and cla)6. The sediments have been described by Searle & logan (1928).A recordof olderPleistocene shorelines is preservedas limestone ridges parallel to thepresent beach, both onshore and offshore.

A conspicuousfeature is theDunn Bay sandbar a fewhundred metres offshore between Dunsborough and Quindalup.This structure is activelygrowing. It is nowpartly emergent at hightide and cuts off a Jhallow lagoonbetween it andthe beach. Further eas! by contrast,the beach is erodingand artificial groynes have beenconstructed to controlregression of theshore.

Thegranites and gneisses of theLeeuwin complex are eroded by the sea to formsloping rock faces on exposedheadlands and rounded boulder fields in moresheltered situations. There are coarse sand beaches betweenthe headlands. At severallocations along the western side ofthe LeeuwinBlock (eg. yallingup, ' ' HamelinBay), Quaternary aeolianite limestones have been deposited over the granites andlneisses] sometimes$'ith considerable thicknesses. These tend to formlimestone cliffs along the shoie, fronied with intertidallimestone rock platforms. Thus the shore ofthis sector is quitecomplex with a ranle ofvery differenthabitats.

Thereis onesmall estuary on theLeeuwin-Naturaliste coast at themouth of theMargaret River. It is of the barredriverine type (Hesp, 1984). Flsewhere there are many freshwater springs alon!'the shore, especially wherethe aeolianite-granite junction occurs near shore level. Caves are also .orrnon in thut.iiuuiion.

In summerthe cool West Australian Current flows northward along this shore and sweeps around into GeographeBay. But in latesummer and winter the Leeuwin Current flows southwards offthe West Coast. In years "turns some it reachesas far south as Cape Leeuwin, thecorner" and flows across the face ofthe South Coast'This current has a majorimpact on themarine environment ofthe Leeuwin-Naturalistecoast. Autumnand winter sea temperdtures at Cape Naturaliste are usually 2-3 degrees higher than in Geographe Bay.

FIom and fauna GeogtrapheBa! The floraand fauna of GeographeBay are of temperateaffinity although there is a significantendemic West coastelement and some tropical species. Much of theseabed in theBay is a sandplain. The benthic communityof theinner part of theBay is dominatedby monospecificstands of the seagrassposidoniq srnaosawith smallerareas of otherseagrasses, most com monly Amphibotk griffithii a;d A. antarctica (walker et a1.,1987).The Geographe Bay seagrdss meadows are the mostextensive on thewest coast, exceptperhaps for thosein SharkBay. Seagras meadows are known to occurto depthsof at least45 m and havebeen observed by remotely controlled video camera and from LANDSATT" imigery pers. comm.). lxirt

ridgesparalleling -Lim€stone theshore are a commonfeature of theseabed, especially in thewestern part of thebay.-They (rarely arelow morethan 1 m high)and often undercut with ledgesand cavities. These rioges providehard substratesfor macroalgaeand suspensory-feeding invertebrates srich as sponges and ascidians. I\uo.species of seagrass,Thalassodendron pachgrhbum and Alnphibolis antarctica growa:ttzched to these hardsubstrates. At thewestern end of thebay, ie. west of theDunsborough Fautt nJween Cipe ll.triirlrt, andDunsborough, thereare seabed outcropJ of graniteand gneiss providing a differenttype ;f ha;; substratefor benthicmacroalgae and invertebrates.

PartIV - 48 Thereis a rich epiphyticflora of algaeand fauna ofinvertebrates associated with theseagrass meadows. This communitytlDe is verydistinctive and chancteristic ofsouthern Western Austnlia. Small trochid gastropodsare a dominantfeature. Several invertebntes are specifically adapted to thishabitat, eg. two smallchitons ofthe southernAustralian endemic genus Stenochiton which are elonpiate and live attached to theblade-like fron ds of Posidonia. The seagnss meadows also serve as important nursery areas for commerciallyvaluable fishes and crustaceans.

Coralsare common as individual colonies growing on rocksubstrata, especially at thewestern end of GeographeBay ( presumablybecause of theinfluence of theLeeuwin Current). Veron & Marsh(1988) list 14 speciesof sevengenera from the area. These include four speciesof Turbinariqone ofwhich forms very large,foliose coralla up to 4 m in diameter.In EagleBay, quite close to shore,there are several dome- shapedconlla of ?ur6lnaz'asp. which are 34 m highmaking a realspectacle for scubadivers. Two endemicW€st Coast species, Coscmaraea marshae and Sgmphyllia wilsoni , arelocally very abundant on rockyridges at 15-20m.

Leeuwin-Naturalkte Therehas been no published description of themarine flora and fauna ofthe Leeuwin-Naturaliste coast althoughscientific collections have been made in thearea. The biota is essentiallyof temperateaffinity but thereare significant West Coast endemic and tropical elements.

Therock slopes and limestone rock platforms are usually covered with analgal turf. Kelpand lesser macroalgaedominate the sublittoral zone. Small areas of seagrass,notably Amphibolis antarcticq grw in tidepools. This vegetation supports a rich epiphyticinvertebrate fauna. Grazing gastropods and chitons generallykeep the algaecropped low in the intertidal zone.Theabalone Haliotis roei, the limpetsPatella laticostataand Patelloida alticostata, and the turbinid Tarro torquatusare conspicuous examples. These animalsmay be in vastnumbers at their respectivelevels in theintertidal zone. But it is thecryptic invertebratefauna which exhibits the greatest species diversity on theserocky shores. The rock fissures and undersidesof stonesare habitats for a wealthof smallspecies.

Althoughthe communitiesof plantsand animals on theserocky shores are predominantly of temperate affinities,a notablefeature is thepresence ofa numberoftropical species. Whether these populations of tropicalspecies are reproductive and self-sustaininpl or rely on recruitmentfrom the north via the Leeuuin Currentis unknown.The matter is uell illustratedby the cowry genus Cypraea, which has both temperate andtropical species represented in the fauna" There are three endemic southern species present in therock pools,C. (Notocgrpraea)piperita decliuis, C. (N.)pulicaia andC. (Austrocgpraea)reeuei. These subgenera areendemic to theSouthem Australian Region. There is oneendemic West Coast species, C. (Cribrarula) fallax,whichbelongs to anIndo-West Pacific subgenus. In additionthere are several tropical Indo-West Pacificspecies, the mostcommon being C. caputserpentis, wilh C.uitellus, C. cemica and C. heluola of moreuncommon occurrence. This mixture of temperateand tropical species is typicalofthe faunaof this sectionofthe coast,reflecting the geographic location at themargins of theSouthem Australian and Indo- WestPacific Regions and the influence of theLeeuwin Current.

Fisheries Thereare small trawl and purse-seine fisheries in GeographeBay. Commercial offshore hand lining for bottomlivingfish such as dhufish and snapper, suppots sevenl operators from the ports ofBunbury, Busseltonand Augusta. Rock lobster boats also operate from these ports although this is nearthe southern limit ofthewestern rock lobster fishery. Beach netting for Australian Salmon is animportant fishery at severallocations along the Leeuwin-Naturaliste coast.

Recreationalfishing is oneof themajor attractions in thissector, contributing significantly to boththe local lifestyleand the regional tourism industry. The fishing may be from small boats in near-shorewaters or fromthe rock andbeaches.

Re$eationand burism Thisis oneof WesternAustralia's most npidly developingrecreational and tourism regions. The coastal sceneryis outstanding.The importance of recreationalfishing has already been noted. The large swells and excellentbreak at manylocalities along the LeerMin-Naturaliste coas! eg. at Yallingup and Margaret River, providesome of theworld's best surfing and national and international surf mmpetitions are regularly held there.Geogrdphe Bay and the leeward sides of CapeLeeuwin (Flinders Bay) and Cape Naturaliste (Bunker

PartIV - 49 Bay,Eagle Bay, Meelup and Dunsborough), on theother hand, are sheltered shores with highquality beachesand very clear water providing safe family swimming and water sports.

Thereis considerablepotential for developmentof recreational diving and commercial dive tours, especially in theclear and sheltered waters of GeognpheBay. The coral bommies at EagleBay and colourful invertebrategrowth on theBusselton jetty pilings are already popular dive sites.

Thehinterland ofthe Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge also has many attnctions such as wineries, caves and forests.

Wth thiswide range of attrdctionsthe Leeuwin-Natunliste National Park has become one ofthe State's mostintensively used park andmuch of theuse focuses on thecoast and maritime recreational activities.

Pte aiousrccommendo tions In its considerationofthe Leeuwin-NaturalisteRidge (recommendation 1.4) in theConservation Reserves in WestemAustrdlia - System I report(1976), the EPA made no recommendationsrelating to marinereserves.

Followinga substantialpublic participation program relating to managementof the Leeuwin-Naturaliste NationalPark, the Department of Consewationand Land Management produced a Managementplan (1989, number13)which included considention ofthe marineenvironment and recommended asfollows: "Action 15.1:Marine areas adjacent to the Leeuwin-NaturalisteRidge should be investigatedto ascertain their suitabilityfor declarationa.s a MarinePark. 'Action 15.2:Any MarineParks in this areashould be zonedfor multiple use. 'Action 15.3:The declarationofthe NationalPark to the Low WaterMark will giveNational Park Rangers jurisdictionover the intertidalzone, Suitable regulatory anangements should be madeto ensuteth€ prot€ctionof theseareas from over-exploitation."

"areas The CAIM Management Plan noted that of high conservation value include.yallingup Reef, Cape Naturaliste, Cosy Corner, Hamelin Bay, the Indicators and CapeLeeuwin.,'

Wo*i ng Groupncomm enda tions Althoughthere has been no investigationofthe Leetrvin-Naturaliste coast, the Working Group believes that thereis alreadysufficient information to supporta recommendationfor declarationofa marinereserve. Theseare shores of twovery distinctive coastal tlpes with outstandingpublic recreational potential, a wide rangeof habitatsand very high conservation values.

TheWorking Croup agrees that the areas identified in theLeeuwin-Naturaliste Management Plan have high conservationvalue but considersthat itwould be unwise to selectonly these for reservation.Other areas are knownto beof similarimportance, for examplethe sheltered rocky shores of FlindersBay and the leeward sideof CapeNaturaliste, and the near-shore sublittoral area between Bunker Bay and Dunsborough where thereis spectacularunderwater scenery and prolific growth of tropicalcorals. Given the high public recreationaluse of theLeeuwin-Naturaliste National Park and its coast,as well ai its high conservation value,there would be merit in declaringthe whole s€ctor a multiple-usemarine park. Commercial fishing is alsoimportant and would be provided for by managementprograms under the control ol theFisheries Department.

Themajor distinctive coastal tlpe representedbythe sandy beaches, sheltered waters and vast seagrass meadowsof GeographeBay is alsoworthy of representationin the State's marine reserve system. The densestseagrass meadows, most prolific coral growth, best underwater scenery and most used areas for recreationare located at thewestern end ofthe bayin thelee of CapeNaturaliste. As this area is contiguous with the distinctiverocky coast of theLeeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge there would be meritin extendingttre proposedmarine park eastwards, perhaps as far as vasse, to encompassa portion of theGeographe Bay distinctivecoastal type.

PartIV - 50 TheWorking Group believes that a multiple-usemarine park encompassing the shores of theLeetrwin- NaturalisteRidge and the western end of CeographeBay would become one ofAustralia's most significant recreationand conservation marine reserves. Accordingly the Working Group recommends as follows:

"1.Consideration should be given to thereservation ofthe State Territorial waters adjacent to theLeeuwin- NaturalisteNational Park as a multiple-usereserve for protectionof marineflora and faunaand public recr€ation,with provisionmade for the continuanceof commercialfishing.

"2. That in the north the reserveshould extend around into GeogyapheBay as far asVasse so encompassing the Dunn Bay sand bar, the best of the Bayrssea€lvass meadows, and the areaswith most proliftc coral gro*th.

"3. That in the south the reserveshould extend around Cape Leeuwin to encompassFlinders Bay and the S€aland SeaLion colonieson the offshorerocks. (The reserve should also include the Hardy Inlet estuary- seePart V.)." I r I I I I I A REPRESENTATIVEMARINE I RESERVESYSTEM FOR WESTERN AUSTRATIA I I Report of the Marine Parks and ReservesSelection I Working Group I t I t I I r

I PART V

I MARTNERESERvES oN THEsourH coAsr I I I I I I t I I I t I I I I I I I I I I I I r I I 1. INTRODUCTION Thissection deals with thatarea of WestemAustnlia generally known as the South Coast, extending fromCape Leeuwin to theSouth Australian border. Broadly speaking the South Coast has an east-west I orientation,facing the Southern Ocean, covering a distanceof about1 500km andspanning 14 degreesof longitude.It liesentirely within the temperate climatic zone and corresponds to one of the biogeographiczones described in theCouncil of NatureConservation Ministers working paper on I marineprotected areas (CONCOM, 1985).

TheSouth Coast is sparselypopulated. There are several coastal tourns, including the regional centre of t Albany.Most ofthe coastalland is nationalpark, nature reserve or recreationreserve. The scenery of muchof thiscoast is outstanding,both above and below the water. Although present levels of maritime recreationalactivities are moderate and localised, there is potentialfor significantdevelopment of the t recreationaland commercial tourism resources ofthese coastal waters and a casecan be made for the reservationof severalmarine areas for thatpublic purpose. t A bibliographyfor thenatural environment of theAlbany region (extending from Denmark to the FitzgeraldRiver National Park) has been prepared for theHeritage Council of WesternAustralia I (Livesey,1993). Themarine flon andfauna of theSouth Coast are poorly known. The biota is similarto that of South Australiaand Victoria and reference must be made to thetaxonomic literature of thoseStates in order I to identiffmany of thespecies. In recentyears there has been some collecting of the marinefauna of thearea by Westem Australian Museum staff and helpful reference collections exist in that institution. However,with theexception of theestuarine biota, there have been very few ecological studies on the I SouthCoast. For this reasonthe Working Group was obliged to baseits assessmentofareas worthy of reservationfor conservationpurposes mainly on geomorphologicalfeatures and the assumption that t areasrepresentative ofshore geomorphology are likely to bealso representative of the biota. t l.l. Coastalgeomorphology Thecontinental shelf along this section of thecoast is relativelynarrow, the shelf edge being as close as35 km fromshore. It is a highenergy coast with healyswells generated by the Roaring Forties wind I beltin theSouthern Ocean. Along the open ocean shores, south-facing headlands and beaches are exposedto strongwave action for muchof thetime. Sheltered conditions prevail in inletsand estuaries I but mostof thebays are wide and open to theprevailing winds and swells. Etposedopen oceon shores Thetypes of openocean shore evident on theSouth Coast relate to thegeology and geological history I alongthe southern margins of theYilgarn Craton and the sedimentary basins to thesouth, east and westofit. For ourpurpose they can be considered in fourcategories. t (tl PerthBasin - Capelceuuin to PointD'Entrecasteaux At thewestern end ofthe SouthCoast sector, between Cape Leeuwin and Black Head justwest ofPoint D'Entrecasteaux,the coastis formedby the southeyn boundary of theScott Coastal Plain, the I southernmostportion of thePerth Basin (Cockbain, 1990). It is separatedfrom the Leeuwin Block in thewest by theDunsborough and Busselton-Alexandev Bridge Faults and from the Yilgarn Craton and Albany-FrazerOregon in theeast by the Darling Fault. The Darling Fault crosses the coastat Black I Head. I Thehinterland is relativelylowJying with Quaternarysands overlying Cretaceous sediments. The shore itselfconsists ofa wide,curving beach, more than 80 km long,and trending NW-SE. It is backedby a Holocenedune field. The beach is almostcontinuous, inteyrupted only at BlackPoint where there is an I outcroppingof theBunbury Basalt. The basalt here forms unusual rocky shores, including columnar cliffsand boulder fields (see Cockbain, 1990, p. 516, fig.4-158). I r PartV-5 I

(ii) Shora of theAlbany-Frazer Oregon - PointD'Entrecasteau.x to Israelite Bag I Thesouthern margin of theYilgarn Craton is fringedby theAlbany-Frazer Oregon, a zoneof intense Proterozoictectonic activity, and is chancterisedby granites and high-grade gneisses with some doleriticintrusions and very uneven landforms (Myers, 1990). High points of theProterozoic land I surfaceform hills inland, high headlands at thecoast, and islands offshore. Inland, depressions in the ancientland surface are filled by flat-lying Eocene sediments ofthe BremerBasin but at the coastthere arefringes ofPleistocene aeolianites and Holocene dunes between the granitic or gneissicheadlands. I Theresult ofthese geological structures is a ruggedlyscenic coastline characterised bya repeated patternof long,arcuate sandy beach backed by dunes (some ofwhich are mobile) located between I high,cliffed granitic, doleritic or metasedimentaryheadlands. The coast shares some features with that of theLeeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge. The headlands, many of whichare over 300 m high,are often multiplewith smalllunate bays and beaches between the projecting units. The most exposed parts of theheadlands, facing south and south-west, are either cliffed or frontedby steep slopes which are swept I byswell surge. The south-eastern sides of theheadlands, adjacent to thenext wide bay and beach, are exposedto lesserwave action and tend to havegranitic or gneissicboulder fields along the shore. I In theeastem part ofthis sector,between Esperance and Israelite Bay, much ofthe Proterozoicland surfaceof the Oregonlies below present sea level so that its highpoints form the Recherche I Archipelagoof graniticand gneissic islands. Similar but smallerand fewer islands also occur along the wholeof thisshore. I Aswell asactive dune fields backing the long arcuate beaches, there are frequently perched dunes on theProterozoic headlands. In manyplaces older perched dunes have consolidated and formed aeolianitelimestones as a fringeor rim abovethe Proterozoic rocks. In a fewcases the aeolianites have considerablethickness and extend down to sealevelwhere they are eroded to formlimestone rock t platforms betweenhigh and low tide levels. I Limestonealso forms as beach rock below the surface along many of thelong beacheJ. Frequently, the beachrock surfaces are exposed by erosion and form intertidal rock platforms, especially at theeastern endsof thebeaches. Limestone shores, presumably of thisorigin, are a notablefeature of the coast I betweenHopetoun and Esperance. In thatarea there are series of narrowlimestone reefs paralleling theshore, apparently representing different positions of theshore at periodsof differentsea level duringthe Pleistocene and Holocene. A dramaticexample occurs on thewestern side ofShoal Cape I wherethere are three limestone ridges, one forming the shore and two forming offshore reefs, with deepgutters between them. I Thus,the open ocean rocky shores of thissection of theSouth Coast provide a varietyof habitatsfor marineplants and animals, including the wave-swept granitic and gneissic slopes of theheadlands, the boulderfields and pools ofthe lessexposed sides ofthe headlands,and the limestone rock platforms I andreefs. Commonly, the headland shores are "steep to", dropping offsteeply into relativelydeep water,meeting the sandy sea floor at depthsof20-30 m. Vertical sublittoral rock walls are common. Offshoregranitic and gneissic reefs are very common and these too usually have steep or evenvertical I walls.Along jointing crack anddolerite intrusions, erosion often forms precipitous underwater canj,ons. I Thebeaches of theopen ocean in thissection are exposed to heawsurf and are generally of coarse- grainedsand. They provide suitable habitat for onlya fewspecialised plants and animals. Intertidal sandflats occur only in protectedcorners and are never very extensive. The wide bays tend to slope I gentlyfrom the surfzone into thesublittoral and there is usuallyextensive development of seagrass bedsbeyond the action ofthe surf.

(ilil BremerBasin I Thelarger part of thissedimentary basin lies offshore on thecontinental shelf but onshoreelements of it infill depressionson theProterozoic land surface between Point D'Entrecasteaux and Israelite Bay I (Hocking,1990). The infill sedimentsare marine deposits of Eoceneage. They meet the coast at several places eastofAlbany (Hassell Beach, Cheyne Bay and Doubtful Island Bay) but areusually covered I

PartV-6 I I

thereby Quaternary dunes and the shores are long sandy beaches. The only outcrop of theEocene I rock on theshore is at CheyneBay where a sectionof thePallinup Siltstone forms low cliffs. These rocksare easily eroded and the shore there features a boulderfield below the cliffs.

I (iv\ EuclaBasin - IsraeliteBag to Eucla Thisis a largesedimentary basin extending into SouthAustralia and forming the shores ofthe Great AustralianBight. The onshore surface deposits consist of Tertiarylimestones overlain along much of I thecoast with a veneerofQuaternary limestones, calcareous soils and dunes (Hocking, 1990). The edge ofthe Tertiarylimestones forms a conspicuousescarpment and the Quaternary deposits have built up t belowthis to formthe Roe Plain. These features give rise to twodistinctive coastal tlpes. Theescarpment forms the shore ofthe Bight east of Euclain SouthAustralia and for a shortsection betweenT\^,ilight Cove and west ofPoint Dover on theWestern Australian side ofthe border.There the I Tertiarylimestones form precipitous cliffs, with eithera narrowrock platform or boulderfield at sea level.Where there are irregularities in theshoreJine, there may be narrow fringes ofbeach. Elsewhere the Quatemarydeposits form a shorecomprising long sandy beaches backed by high dunes.In both I shoretypes the sea bed shelves gndually seaward with little relief.

Onthe basis of thesegeomorphological features, primary and secondary divisions of the SouthCoast t openocean shores into majordistinctive coastal t pes is possible(see Index to MapsV). These are:

1. southerncoast ofthe PerthBasin (Cape Leeuwin to BlackHead) - wide,arcuate beach with a I shelvingshore and heavy surf; 2. shoresofthe Albany-Frazer Oregon (Point D'Entrecasteaux to Cape Arid) - widebays with arcuatebeaches and high gnnitic or gneissicheadlands. Wthin eachsegment there is a repeated I sequenceof coastaltype: (a) long,wide bay and beach, with shallowshelving shore, often with percheddunes or limestonecliffs and exposed limestone rock plat{orms at sealevel (usually at the eastern I endof thebay); (b) highgranitic or gneissicheadland exposed to theopen ocean swells with wave-suept slopes,steep-to shores, cliffs and sometimes small lunate bays between the projecting r elementsof theheadland; (c) eastward-facing,semi-exposed shore with graniteor gneissicboulders and tide pools; 3. GreatAustralian Bight - shoresof thesedimentary Eucla Basin which are either: I (a) long,curved beach with dunes;or (b) highlimestone cliffs.

I A distinctivecoastal type of limitedextent occurs at BlackPoint where there is an outcropof Bunbury Basalt,and another occurs in CheyneBay where there is anoutcrop of PallinupSandstone, both rock I typesforming shores of differentcharacter to rockyshores elsewhere on theSouth Coast. Inlets ond estuaries Manyof thebays on theSouth Coast are wide and provide little protectionfrom the prevailing winds I andswell. The major exception is theKing George Sound-Princess Royal Harbour-Oyster Harbour complex(Wells, 1990). These three basins are depressions of the Proterozoic land surface now flooded bythe sea. Princess Royal Harbour is analmost landlocked, shallow marine inlet which is not fedby I anymajor rivers or streams.Oyster Harbour, on theother hand, has two major rivers entering it which contributelarge volumes of freshwater,at leastduring the winter months, and it maybe regarded as an I estuary. Alongthe western part ofthe SouthCoast there are many small rivers entering the sea and forming estuariesat theirmouths. A generaldescription of WesternAustnlia's southern estuaries may be found I in section3.7.6. ofPart I ofthis report.Detailed descriptions ofthe SouthCoast estuaries have been publishedby Dr E. P.Hodgkin and associates in a seriesof EnvironmentalProtection Authority I Bulletins(see reference list). I

I PartV-7 'l Theestuaries west ofAlbany have catchments in forestedand agricultural lands with relativelyhigh rainfall(greater than 1000 mm/ann.). East ofAlbany there is a sharpdecline in rainfall.The rivers rl thereare short and small and have catchments in semi-aridagricultural lands. East of CapeArid there is no surfacerunoff and no estuaries.Because of theclimatic regime South Coast estuaries are all seasonal,saline and freshwater conditions alternating. Some of thesmaller estuaries on theSouth rl Coast,especially those in thedrier eastern areas, may actually dry up in summer.Because of this extremevariation in salinitythey form harsh aquatic environments. rl Physiographically,the SouthCoast estuariei are of twobDes, riverine and lagoonal (Hesp, 1984). They maybe further classified as "permanently open", "seasonally open" and "semi-permanently closed" (see PartI. section3.7.6.). rl OysterHarbour is unusualin that it is a largelagoon \4,ith a permanentlyopen mouth. Only the upper partofthis lagoonis greatlyinfluenced by freshwater flow from the riversentering it, thelower part rl beingalmost permanently marine (McKenzie, 1962, 1964). The other large South Coast Iagoonal estuarieswhich have permanently open mouths are the Hardy and Nornalup-Walpole Inlets. Both of thesehave an entrancebarwhich retards tidal flow ofseawater. I

BrokeInlet is a seasonallyopen lagoonal estuary. Its entrancebar is breachedevery year when the riversflood and closes again when river flow ceases. Wilson Inlet is naturallya seasonallyopen estuary I ofthe sametype but it is artificiallyopened every year as a measurefor floodcontrol in thecatchment.

Themost easterly lagoonal estuary is CulhamInlet near Hopetoun. In thiscentury it hasopened only t onceor twiceand it couldbe regarded as a saltlake. Recently, increased clearing in the catchmentand unusuallyheavy rainfall have resulted in floodingand the entrance bar has been breached. A permanentspillway has now been constructed at theentrance bar and it is anticipatedthat itwill once I againconvert this systemto a "salinelake".

Thesmall riverine estuaries east of Albanyare all of thesemi-permanently closed type. They have small I catchmentsand their bars are breached only after exceptionally healy rainfall. I 1.2. Marine flora and fauna

Althoughthere has been some collecting of marineplants and animals by individualscientists at many t localitieson theSouth Coast, only two areas have been studied or surveyedin anydetail.

KingGeorge Sound is an importantsite in thehistory of science.Because of its magnificentharbour I andaccess to freshwater, it wasvisited by manyof theearly voyages of exploration.The French ships of theBaudin (1801-03) and 'Lstrolabe (1826) expeditions spent some time there and their naturalists madeextensive collections of the marinelife. consequently King George Sound is thetype locality for I manysouthern Australian marine species, especially molluscs, described by 19thcentury French scientists.The British survey ship Inuestigator commanded byMatthew Flinders spent four weeks in thesound (December 1801 - January1802) and botanist Robert Brown collected many terrestrial plants t in thearea. charles Darwin visited the sound briefly aboard the Beagle (1836), but apparentlymade no "Hamburg scientificobservations. The German Expedition"(1905) collected marine invertebrates ata numberofsites in KingGeorge sound and the nearby inlets. Most recently an international marine t biologicalworkhop was held in thearea, resulting in thepublication of a numberof importantpapers on the taxonomy,ecology and physiology of localmarine plants and animals (Wells et a/.,1990; 1991). Thewestern Australian Environmental Protection Authority is presentlyengaged in a longterm study I of PrincessRoyal Harbour in thecontext of concernabout the increasing pollution of its waters. I t I PartV-8 rl I r CapeLeeuwin is sometimesregarded as the position of a boundaryzone between the temperate I SouthemAustralian Biogeographic Region and the subtropical West Coast Overlap Zone (Wilson & Gillett,1971; Wlson & Stevenson,1977; Wells, 1980; Wilson & Allen,1987). It canbe aygued that Cape Naturalisteis a moremeaningful position for a biogeographicalboundary than Cape Leeuwin, if the I natureof the rockyshore habitats along the L€euwin-Naturaliste coast are taken into account. Irrespectiveof preciselywhere the boundary is located,many species of marineflora and fauna are distributedacross the southern coast ofAustralia from Bass Stnit to thevicinity of theLeeuwin- I Naturalistecoast and no further.A fewnorthern species of tropicalorigin have distributional ranges whichextend around Cape Leeuwin and along the South Coast. The influence ofthe LeeuwinCurrent I is paramountin this,as described in section1.2 of PartIV. Andfinally there is a significantsouth-west endemic species element in themarine biota, many of themrelics ofthe TertiaryTethyan Pyovince. Most of theendemic species have distributions which I straddlethe transition between the Southern Australian Region and the West Coast Overlap Zone, and liveon bothsides of CapeLeeuwin. One endemic gastropod of Tethyanoriginis Diastoma melanioida, thesole living survivor of thefamily Diastomatidae, which lives in theseagrass beds on theSouth I Coastof WesternAustralia east ofAlbany.

Coralsare generally regarded as tropical animals although there are four species endemic to the I southerncoast ofAustralia (Veron & Marsh,1988). In addition,five tropical species extend down the WestCoast and onto the western part of theSouth Coast. Of these, three species of thegenus I Turbinariacover extensive areas in KingGeorge Sound and the Recherche Archipelago. Rockgshore faunas Perhapsthe most conspicuous marine habiiats of theSouth Coast are the rocky shores. Intertidal t communitiesat severalSouth Coast localities were described by Hodgkin (1960) but otherwisethere hasbeen little studyofthese rocky shore communities. Granitic and gneissic slopes exposed to healy waveaction are usually rather smooth and populated with moderateto largenumbers of gastropod r molluscs,barnacles and macrophytes showing distinct vertical zonation. A greaterdiversity of species, bothplant and animal, occurs in themore sheltered corners of theheadlands where there are boulder I fieldsin theintertidal and sublittoral zones. A featureof theSouth Coast is thespectacular rock wall launa of thedeeper sublittoral zone. The sublittoralslopes of theexposed headlands and islands usually drop off steeplyto considerabledepths I (asmuch as 40 m) beforereaching the sandy sea floor. Vertical rock walls and narrow canyons are common.To depthsof20 m or sothese rock surfaces are usually dominated by macrophytes,but below thissponges, ascidians and coelenterates grow in highdensity anlv,here there is a hardsubstrate. They I providea verycolourful display. To date there has been no study of thisrock wall fauna.

Seogmssbeds t Seagrassbeds are extensively developed along the South Coast although there is verylittle knownof their diversity.The genus Posidonia dominates both as a meadow-formingseagrass and as fringing and clumpedpatches. P. australisand P. sinuosa are the mainmeadow-forming species butP. robertsonae I alsoforms well-defined meadows. Edges and blowouts usually harbour,4mpftrboftb species. The smaller plantsHalophila australis and Heterozostera tasmanica also often grow in disturbedareas and I blowouts. TheSouth Coast may be the centre of distributionof thegenus Posidonia. In additionto the dominant speciesnoted above, P. ostenfeldii,P. denhartogiiand P. kirkmanii are found in largequantities in r somebays but theirrespective habitat preferences are not known.All thePosidonia species flower and producefruit in summer.It is believedthat some seagrass species grow to depthsof at least45 m along theSouth Coast. The plants are well adapted to largeswells as they have deep, well developed I rhizomes.The "ostenfeldii" group (P. ostenfeldii, P. denhartogii"P. robertsonaeand P. kirkmanii) have rhizomeswhich grow vertically downwards and hence the above-ground plants appear as clumps. The "australis"group tend to spreadhorizontally at a rateless than 2 crnlyar.Thalassodendron t pachgrhgziumhas been found as drift but not growing.It is expectedthat it livesattached to rocky substrates. I I PartV-9 I

Associatedwith theseagrasses there is a rich anddiverse fauna. Seagnss communities in KingGeorge Soundand Princess Royal Harbour have been described in detail(Kirkman et a|.,7991;Walkeret al,, I 1991;Hutchings et a/.,1991; Wells ef a/.,1991).

Algaeand algal beds I Alongthe SouthCoast the dominant alga is thesmall kelp Ecklonia radiata which often forms dense bedsin theshallow sublittoral zone Other common brown algae include Qysto ceira, Scgtothallia, Clstophoraand Hormosira bankii. Conspicuousgreen algae are various sp ecies of Caulerpa.The reds I arerepresented by manycool temperate species. Genenlly speaking, the limestone reefs afford more protectionand a bettersurface for attachmentofalgae than the gyanitic or gneissicrocks. I Estuaine lloru ond founa SouthCoast estuaries are depauperate in terms of diversityof plantsand animals due to theirstrongly seasonalnature and the extremehydrological conditions that result, although biological production I andpopulation density of tolerantspecies may be very high when conditions are favourable. Most of the estuariesare becoming progressively degraded as biological environments as a resultof nutrient enrichmentand sedimentation and increased frequency of floodingfollowing extensive clearing in I theircatchments. An exceptionis BrokeInlet whose catchment lies entirely within forestedland.

Thereis onlya handfulof obligateestuarine species (ie. aquatic species found in estuariesbut not in I marineor freshwaterhabitats) in theSouth Coast biota. Most of theanimals present in theseasonally openestuaries are opportunistic marine invaders which enter with tidalinflows in earlysummer when theflow of freshwaterdecreases. Some of thesespecies are subject to massmortalities when the next I winterfloods scour the estuaries with freshwater.Even in thepermanently open Hardy and Nornalup- WalpoleInlets the entrancebars restrict summer tidal flow, winter scourinpi is severe,and species diversityis consequentlylimited. In thecase of thesemi-permanently closed estuaries, marine species t invadeon thoseoccasions when the bars open and a progressivedecline in speciesdiversity follows afterthe bars reclose. I Obligateestuarine molluscs on theSouth Coast include th e gastrcpodsHgdrococcus brazieri, Satinator fragilis, Tateapreissii and Hgdrobia buccinoides and thebivalves Fluuiolanatus subtorta, Xutostrobus inconstansand X. secal"r3.Among the marine mollusc species which normally inhabit protected bays I andinlets and invade the estuarieswhen conditions are suitable are the bivalves Arthritica semen, Katelgsiascalarina, K. peroni,Spkula trigonellq Mgtilusedulis planulatus, Wallucina assimilis, Macomonadeltoidalis, Soletellina donacioides, Sanguinolaria biradiata, Iris crenataand Theora I Iubrica,and the gastropodsly'assaz'as burchardi, N. pauperatus,Liloa breuisand pftlrne species.Some of this secondgroup of molluscsmay maintain populations within the estuaries for severalyears even il thebars remain closed. Fossil beds containing shells ofthese and other marine species are commonly I foundaround the shores of theestuaries, providing evidence that seasonal conditions during earlier timesin theHolocene and Pleistocene were nther lessextreme than at present. I Thetube worm -Ftcopomatus enigmaticus is foundin mostof theestuaries wherever there are hard substrates.Other common polychaetes are Capitella capitata, Scoloplos simplat, Ceratonereh aequisetes,Neanthes uaali, Prionospio cf. cirrifera and,Polgdora sp.'two speciesof benthicamphipod, I Llelita sp.and Paracorophium sp., are commonly present. The estuari ne crabHalicarcinus ouatus is alsousually common, especially in bedsof themussel Xenosfro6us. The shrimp Palaemonetes australis I seemsto beeverywhere. I\uo marinecrustaceans, the blue manna crab, po,"tunus pelagicus and the bamacleBalanus a.mphitrite, invade the larger estuaries when the bars open but neitheris capableof survivingprolonged winter flooding. The crdb moves out of theestuaries to avoidsuch flooding while I thefixed bamacle suffers mass mortality. Empty barnacle shells are frequently seen on rock and timber, evidenceof thetransient success of thisanimal. I Wth the exceptionof someatherinid and gobiid species, few fishes breed in theSouth Coast estuaries. Themost notable of thosewhich do are the black bream and the cobbler which are tarpiet species of boththe commercialand recreational fisheries. Blue-spotted flathead and southern sea garfish breed in I wlson Inlet (andpossibly Nornalup-walpole Inlet). However, there are many species which enter the juveniles estuariesfrom the sea as anduse them as nursery areas (Lenanton, I974a; lg74b; 7g84; I PartV - 10 I I Lenanton& Hodgkin,1985). Large numbers ofjuveniles of fishes,such as mullet and whiting, which I enterthe estuaries when they are open to thesea and establish flourishing populations become isolated fromthe sea after the bars close again. Such populations may flourish in thesemi-permanently closed I estuariesfor severalyears following breaching of theentrance bars. Planktonblooms occur in earlysummer in theSouth Coast estuaries, developing in wedgesof saline waterthat penetrate upstream as the summer progresses. The majority of zooplanktonspecies are the I larvaeof marinespecies and are the source of recruitmentto theestuarine fauna. However, there are a fewtruly estuarineplanktonic animals. The most ubiquitous of theseis the copepodGladioferens imparipes.Also recorded are the copepodsSa/canus conflictus, Acartia trante , A. clausiand Oithona I nano.Nearer the entrances these are usually replaced by moremarine copepods such as Gladioferms inermis.Small medusae ofthe genusAustralomedusa are also common.

I Ruppiamegacarpa is theonly submerged aguatic plant that commonlyoccurs in SouthCoast estuaries.It is a dominantplant in thebasins of thelagoonal estuaries and lower reaches of mostof the riverineestuaries. It growson sandin theshallows and is an importantfood resource for BlackSwans. I Otherseagrasses occur mainly in thelower parts of thoseestuaries which are permanently open. For example,in OysterHarbour the three marine seagrasses Posidonia sinuosa, P. australis and Amphibolis antarcticaare common in the marineparts oI inlet,Halophila australis occurs sparsely there, and I Heterozosteratasmanica is loundnear the entrance.Only Zostera mu$onafa lives in theupper part of theinlet (nearthe mouth of theKalgan River). In HardyInlel, Z. mucronataoccurs in thelower reaches.Halophila australis is reportedfrom HardyInlet. A newlydescribed species, Halophila glabrg t livesalong channel banl

I Seagrassesare vulnerable to reducedlight intensity. This detrimental condition may be caused by turbidityor eutrophicationwhich produces increased density ofphytoplankton and epiphytes. Seagrass communitiesof manyof theSouth Coast estuaries show evidence of declinecaused by these forms of r pollution(Hodgkin & Clark,1990) Thereis a varie$of macroalgaeand filamentous algae in theSouth Coast estuaries. Brown algae are I not commonexceptfor Hormosira banksii and Cgstophgllum muicatum in lhe marineparts of Oyster tlarbour,and Cgsfose ira trinoideswhich has been found on rock at theentrance of NornalupInlet. Greenalgae dominate most of thevegetation, including speaes of Polgphgsa, Cladophora, I Chaetomorpha,Enteromorpha and Vaucheria.The stonevtort ktmprothamnium papulosum is commonin mostestuaries. Some of thesealgae are subject to springblooms and eutrophication and I maysmother the seagrasses. Morine mammals Humpbackwhales t![egaptera nouaeangliae) and sperm whales (Phgseter catodon) occur off theSouth I Coastbut arenot commonlyseen in near-shorewaters. However, the southern rightwhale (Eubalaena australisl,oncehunted to nearextinction, is presently staging a recoveryand is beingseen more and morefrequently in coastalwaters along the South Coast. The humpback and southern right whales are I boththreatened species under the Western Australian Wildlife Conservation Act.

A monitoringprogram of thesouthern right whale begun in 1978has shown a steadyincrease in the I SouthCoast population of thisanimal (Bannister, pers. comm.) now estimated to numbeyat least81 animals.Females use the sheltered bays as birthing and nuysery areas. Cows with calvesmay often be seenvery close to shorein Augustand October. Several localities have recently become popular'\,vhale I watch"sites. Perhaps the best of theseis PointAnn in theFitzgerald River National Park. An observationplatform has been erected at thatspot and it is frequentlyused by tourists, including the I commercialtourism industry. Twospecies of pinnipeduse South Coast islands as resting and breeding sites. These are the Australian SeaLion @r'eopitocacinerea) and the New Zealand Fur-seal @rctocephalus forsfen). Both are classified I asspecially protected species under the Western Australian Wldlife Conservation AcL The sea lions I feedin theshallows and are frequently seen along the shores of theSouth Coast, but thefur sealsfeed I PartV - 11 I

in the openocean and are not commonlyseen except at the breedingcolonies during the breeding season.A baselinesurvey has recently been undertaken to determinethe populationsize and locatethe I breedingcolonies of theseanimals. I 1.3. Tourist potential

The South Coasthas a numberof populartourist destinationsalthough most visits relateto the scenic I attrdctionsof the coastand to datemarine-based tourism is not well developed.Beach fishing is very popularand there is a small diving fraternity.Some charter boats operate dive tours, for examplein the RechercheArchipelago and King GeorgeSound. The qualityof the fishing,diving andseascapes is such I that thereis scopefor developmentof a marine-basedtourism industry. t 1.4. Fisheriet

The South Coastbetween Cape Leeuwin and the WA,ISAborder supports the State'smajor commercial I finfisheriesand someimportant recreationalfisheries.

The DemersalGillnet andDemersal Longline fishery, primarily for gummy (Mustelusanarcticus), I whiskery(Furgaleus rnaclrl) and duskyor bronzewhaler (Carcharhinusobscurus) sharks and demersal scalefish,is the largestoffshore fishery of the SouthCoast. This fishery,which extendsoffshore to the 200 m isobath,is managedin two zones,Zone I extendingaround Cape Leeuwin and eastwardsto t Cfiffy Head, and Zone 2 fromCliffy Head to theWA"TSA bordey. ln Zone2,25fulltime and29 supplementaryaccess license holders landed 1080 tonnes of sharkand 160 tonnes of scalefishduring 1991-92.over the pastfew yearssome of theseoperators have moved further offshoreto target I deepwaterspurdog sharks (Squalus spp. ) andscalefish such as the blue-eyedtre,,talla (Hgperoglgphe antarctica). I Scalefishare targeted by a groupof line fishers(including drop and longliners) operating principally from Albanyand Esperance. Key species include deepwater fishes such asIeatherjackets (lulonocanthidaespp.), hapuka (Polgprion orygenerbs,) and grey-banded rock cod (Epinephelus I septyemfasciatus),together with speciesthat canbe takencloser inshore such as bight redfish (Centrobergrgeradl) queensnapper (Nemadactylus ualenabnsl) and blue groper(Achoerodus gouldii). I

South Coasttrawl fisheriesare managedby Stateand Commonwealthagencies. The Commonwealth managestrawling seawardof the 200 m isobathand in the GreatAustralian Bight eastof 125".The I south coastDemersal rrawl Fisheryextending offshore to the 200 m isobathbetween cape Leeuwin and 125"Eis managedunder State jurisdiction. The targetspecies are demersal finfish suchas queen snapper,bight redfish,boarfish (Pentacerotidae spp.) and deepwaterfl athead(ptatgcephalus conatus). I Presently4 vesselshave access to this fishery.The area of the RechercheArchipelago between 121" 30' E and 123' 30' E, andoffshore to 34'20' S, is excludedfrom generaltrawl fishing.However the watersof the archipelagoare seasonally open (April 1 to November30) to endorsedvessels to fish only r for scallops(Pecten sp.l. Atpresentthere are two endorsedscallop vessels. They also have access to the CommonwealthBight TrawlFishery for scallopsin shelfwatersbetween 125"E and 129.E. I Purse-seining,primarily for pilchard(Sardinops neopilchardus), is lhe mostimportant inshorefinfish fishery.It is managedin four zoneson the SouthCoast, the mostimportant beingthe AlbanyZone which includesthe King Georgesound fisherywhere 22 vesselstook a total of 4 255tonnes in lggz. I

Othernearshore resources that historicallysupport commercial fisheries, and now alsosupport increasinglyimportant recreationalfisheries, are stock ofAustraliansalmon (Arripis ruttaceus) and r Australianheffing (1.georgianus). Atpresent 21 commercialteams have access to thesefisheries on nominatedSouth Coastbeaches. The mostwesterly beach is at WindyHarbour and the most easterlyat Trigalowon the westernend of DoubtfulIsland Bay. Beach seines are used to catchsalmon while fixed I I PartV - 12 t I

"G"(trap) nets and sometimes beach seines are used for herring.In 1993totals of 2 006tonnes of I salmonand 532 tonnes of herringwere taken by these limited entry fisheries.

Abaloneis oneofthe mostvaluable nearshore resources harvested off theSouth Coast. Commercial I abaloneoperations are managed in twozones, on eitherside of ShoalCape (120"E). There is a closed arearestriction in FlindersBay. Six divers have access to theeastern zone and eight to thewestern I zone.They take three species of abalone,Roe's (Haliotk roei), greenlip(H. laeuigata)andbrownlip Qf. conicopora).

Rocklobster fishing is alsoan important coastal activity which is managedas two sepante fisheries, I eachextending to thelimit ofthe teyritorialsea as the offshore boundary. The Augusta-Wndy Harbour fisheryis locatedwest of 116"E,and the Esperance fishery located between 120"E and 125"E. In 1991- I 92,13 vessels caught 36 tonnesofwestern rock lobster (Panulirus cggnus) in theAugusta-Wndy Harbourzone and 9 vesselscaught 45.7 tonnes of southernrock lobster (Jasrr eduardsii) in the Esperancezone. The viability ofthe Augusta-Wndy Harbour fishery is enhancedby capture of deep t watercrabs and a varietyof scalefish. Severalofthe SouthCoast estuaries (but not including Hardy Inlet) also support important I commercialfisheries managed as a single,limited entry fishery. During 1992, 61 fishing units had accessto this fishery.Commercial fishers can operate in all of theSouth Coast estuaries although nettingis specificallyprohibited in Wellstead,Torbay, Nornalup-Walpole and Nannarup inlets. Finfish t targetedby the estuarine fishery west ofAlbany include King Ceorge whiting (Sillaginodes punctata), Australianherring, garfishQfgporhamphus melanochir), trevally (Pseudocarant dentex\, cobbler (Cnidoglankmacrocephalus), flathead (Platgcephalus speculator),leatherjacket (Monocanthid spp.), I yelloweyemullet (.4ldichetta forsteri), sea mullet Mugil cephalus)and black bream (,Acanthropagrus butcheri).East of Nbanycatches are dominated by black bream and to a lesserextent the two mullet species.Small catches of bluemanna crabs (Portunus pelagicus) and squid are taken in someestuaries. I Thebivalve molluscAnadara trapezia is takenexclusively from Oyster Harbour. HardyInlet is managedas a separate,small, limited entry estuarine fishery. During 1992 three units I hadaccess to thisfishery. The key species are King George whiting, western yellowfin whiting (S//ago schomburgkii),blackbream, yelloweye mullet, sea mullet and ta'kwhine (Rhabdosargus sarba). I Thereis animportant offshore tuna fishery (mainly for southernbluefin tun a Thunnusmaccogii) operatingfyom the majorSouth Coast ports. It is managedby the Commonwealth. I A 1987Australian Bureau of Statisticssurvey of recreationalfishi ng estimatedthat 13.5%of about 284000 recreational anglers operated in theSouth Coast region in 1986-87.About 73% of thesewere shore-based.The most sought after species would have been Australian herring. Other key species I wouldhave included whiting and Australian salmon. Offshore species taken by boaters would include queensnapper, bight redfish, samsonfish (Seriola hippos), breaksea cod (Epinephelus armatus), blue I groperand shark. Nettingis anotherimportant recreational activity in this region.It is mostlyundertaken in estuaries for suchspecies as sea mullet, yelloweye mullet, Australian herring, and black bream. Recreational I nettingin WAis currentlyunder review. Some rock lobster potting, squid jigging and diving for abalonealso occur in theregion. t I I I

I PartV - 13 I

|| 2. ExrsrrNcMARTNE REsERvEs ,- Thereare no existingmarine reserves on theSouth Coast. I I I I I r I t t I I I I I I I I I I t PartV - 15 3. RECOMMENDATIONSFOR MARINE RESERVESON THE SOUTH coAsr.

Fourprimary geomorphological areas distinguishable in the South Coast region are described in section1.1. One ofthese, the Bremer sedimentary basin, has only minor outcrops on theshore. The otherthree exhibit very different types of,shore topognphy and provide a usefulfirst divisionof the SouthCoast into majordistinctive coastal types. T\A,o of themmay be further subdivided on geomorphologicalcriteria. Estuaries are an important feature of theSouth Coast and these too maybe classifiedinto a rangeof typesaccording to theirgeomorphology and hydrological conditions. The followingrecommendations ofthe WorkingGroup attempt to takeall thesefactors into account.

Previous,unimplemented recommendations ofthe EPAreport on ConservationReserves for Western Australia,Systems 12 (1975), 2 and3 (1976)and the CALM South Coast Regional Management Plan (1991)are incorporated within the following recommendations of the Working Group.

3.1. Hardy Inlet (Map V-l)

In PartIV section3.12, it is recommendedthat consideration be given to inclusionof anarea east of CapeLeeuwin encompassing Flinders Bay and nearby offshore rock withina Leeuwin-Naturaliste marinereserve. Such a reservewould include the waters seaward of themouth of theHardy Inlet. Considerationof the inlet was deferred to thisPart because it is necessaryto assess its recreationand conservationvalues in thecontext ofthe suiteof SouthCoast estuaries. Nevertheless, should both the marineareas east of CapeLeeuwin and the estuarine areas of HardyInlet be reservedthey should be managedas a singleunit.

HardyInlet is the downstreambasin of theBlackwood River estuary. This recommendation actually refersto the entireBlackwood estuary and not merelyto its inlet.Only a briefaccount of the estuary andits floraand fauna is givenhere. Details may be found in a comprehensivereport, with references to earlierpublications, by Hodgkin (1978).

Tenure Thetownsite of Augustaoccupies the land on thewestern side of theinlet near its mouth.The Scott NationalPark and freehold land occupy the eastern shore. Upstream from the town there is freehold landon bothsides of theestuary but beyondAlexandra Bridge most of theshores are State Forest.

Gamorphologgand hgdmlogg Theestuary of theBlackwood maybe classified as a seasonal,permanently open estuary. Like the other largeestuaries on theSouth Coast it is subjectto weaktidal flow in summerand scouring with freshwaterduring winter floods. It hasa catchmentof about23 000 kmr, much of it within an areaof relativelyhigh rainfall.The upper Blackwood River catchment lies in agriculturallands on theYilgarn Craton.After crossing the Darling Fault the river flows westwards across the Perth Basin until it is impededby the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Block. It thenturns south and runs more or lessalong the fault zonethat formsthe junction of theLeeuwin-Naturaliste Block and the Perth Basin, entering the SouthernOcean east of Cape Leeuwin.

TheBlackwood is oneof thetwo large estuaries on theSouth Coast which are permanently open to the sea.It consistof twoparts, a pairof downstreambasins and a longupstream riverine section. The wide lowerbasin is thepart known as Hardy Inlet which opens to thesea via a ratherlong and narrow entrancechannel. TWo lagoons, the Deadwater and Swan Lake, open into theeastern side of the entrancechannel near the mouth. There are two shallow bays further upstream known as West Bay and NorthBay. The smaller upper basin, into which the Blackwood and Scott Rivers discharge, is called MolloyBasin. It is almostfilled by Molloy Island.

Theoriginal position of themouth ofthe estuarywas at its presentlocation but thebar silted up duringthe period from 1925 to 1930and the mouth moved to a newposition about 2 km to the east. TheDeadwater was formed during that period as the entrance channel. The bar was cut in 1945,

PartV - 17 returningthe mouthto its oldposition, the Deadwater remaining as a narrowlagoon. Swan Lake was originallya freshwaterlagoon but becamesalty when it wasconnected to theDeadwater. Both areas arenow saline lagoons relatively little affectedby winter flooding and they contribute significantly to the productivityof the estuary.

Theriverine parts ofthe estuaryare unusually lon!. Tidalwater flows upstream in the ScottRiver for a distanceof about8 km.The Blackwood is tidalto a pointupstream from Wamer Glen Bridge, a distanceof morethan 30 km beyondMolloy Bxin.

Tidalexchange is dampenedby the entrancebar. Astronomic tides in theinlet have a maximumrange of only70 cm.However, other factors (notably barometric pressure) also influence water level and the extremerdnge ofwater level may be as great as 1.3 m (Hodgkin,1978). Mean sea level in wintermay beas much as 30 cm higherthan the meansummer level. There is alsoa build-upof floodwater duringwinter which raises the level ofwater in thebasins as well as in theriverine parts of the estuary.

Muchof thearea ofthe basinsconsists of shallowbanks or "marginalplatforms" at lessthan I m depth. Largeareas of theseare exposed at lowtide and there are rush islands in thehighest parts of them. Thus,although the inlet is wide, it actuallyholds little water compared with theother basin estuaries on theSouth Coast. There are clearly defined channels 2-8 m deep.The main channel extends into MolloyBasin, around the west side of MolloyIsland and up theriverine part of theestuary as far as WarnerGlen Bridge. That portion of it withinthe inlet was dredged in 1956and again in 1923. FIom and fauno Themost prominent aquatic plant in theestuary is thes eagrus Ruppia manTrmc. This species is tolerantto a remarkablywide range ofsalinity and survives in theestuary throughout the year. It is nowparticularly abundant in theDeadwater. Another seagrass, zostera mucronat4 is confinedto the lowerpart of the inletwhere low salinity is experiencedonly briefly in winter. Halophilaglabra,which maybe Australia's first known annual seagrass, is found alon€l the channel bank fromnear the mouth to MolloyIsland.

Thebottom fauna of theinlet is ratherdiverse compared with thatofother South Coast estuaries. All theobligate estuarine species are present (see section 1.2). A numberof marineinvaders also appear to bepermanent residents in at leastthe marine end ofthe inlet (Hodgkin,1928). As might be expected with a permanentlyop€n estuary, the list of non-residentinvaders is relativelylong. These include manykinds of fishesthat enter the estuary as larvae and establish large populations, eg whiting, herring,mullet tailor,mulloway, tarwhine and many others much sought by both amateur and professionalfishers.

Themud banks of theinlet are widely used by waterbirds, including migratory birds, as feeding areas in thesummer months. The numbers present, however, are not as great as at someother estuaries. The Deadwaterand swan Lake are especially important areas for Blackswan and a varietvof duck which consumelarge quantilies of Ruppia.

Recteationand tourism Augustahas become an important holiday centre. It is popularbecause ofits scenicand historic attractionsand its proximityto first-ratefishing areas, caves, wine-growing areas and surfbeaches. HardyInlet is an importantcomponent of thelocal attractions. As expansion of thetown and tourism activitiescontinues, the natural environmen! eJpecially the estuary, will comeunder increasing pressure.

Previoustqommendo tions In its reporton conservationreserves on theSouth coast (system 2, 1976)the EpA did not consider llardy Inlet,although in the contextof communitydebate at aboutthe same time on a proposalto mineminenl sandson the easternside ofthe inletit directedthat there be a studyof theecology of theestuary. This was to includean assessment of the multiple uses ofthe estuaryfor a rangeoi' recreational,consenation and commercial purposes. This was done and resulted in the reDortbv

PartV - 18 Hodgkin(1978) which has been the main source document for theWorking Group in its mnsiderations.

Wo*ing Crouprecommendations TheWorking Group notes the high recreationalvalues ofHardy Inlet and the upper parts of the BlackwoodEstuary and the fact that increasing activity in thearea places increasing stresses on its biologicalresources. The estuary is oneofthe twolarge estuaries on the SouthCoast which are peymanentlyopen to thesea and it supportsa relativelylarge diversity of aquaticspecies of plantsand animals.Although the basin is wide,the volume is relativelysmall and there will bean increasingneed to managehuman activities, especially fishing, so that the aesthetic and biological values of the estuary aremaintained.

Accordinglythe Working Group recommends that:

"Theestuary ofthe BlackwoodRiver, including the Deadwater,Swan Lake, Hardy Inlet, MolloyBasin and the tidal partsof the Scottand Blackwood Rivers be consideredfor reservationas a marine reservefor dual recreationand conservationpurposes.

"Theestuarine reserve should be continuouswith the easternportion of the proposedLeeuwin- Naturalisternarine reserve." [See Part IV]

3.2. D'Entrecasteaux(Map V-l)

Wth the exceptionof a fewsmall enclaves, the coastal lands between Black Point and the mouthof BrokeInlet comprise the D'Entrecasteaux National Park. The coastal marine and estuarine environmentsare diverse along this sector but, for managementreasons, the Working Group decided to treatit asa unit.

Tenure Alongmost ofthe openocean shore of thissector the D'Entrecasteaux National Park extends to the low watermark.

Thesmall inlets of theDonnelly, Warren, Meerup and Gardner Rivers and Doggerup Creek are wholly or partlyencompassed bythe D'Entrecasteaux National Park. At the mouthof theCardner River on the easternshore there is a reserve(No. A15776,283.3 ha) vested in the Shireof Manjimup.

BrokeInlet lies almost entirely within the D'Entrecasteaux National Park. Almost the entire catchment of theShannon River is reservedwithin the Shannon National Park. There is a smalltownsite and a Shirereserve (No. 19787,40.5 ha) at Camfieldon theeastem shore. There are some residences and holidayhuts at Camfieldbut otherwisethere are no residentialareas near the shores of the inletor in the catchment.

Thereis difficultyin determiningthe present stntus of at leasttwo of thesmall inlets under the Land Act.Although the bars of theWarren, Meerup and Doggerup inlets may be breached in somewinters, allowingseawater to floodthe lowerreaches of therivers, they are not tidalin anysense and it is here assumedthat they are presently reserved within the national park. However, the inlets of theDonnelly andthe GardnerRivers are tidal in thesense that, for thebriefperiod when the bars are open, seawater entersand there may be tidal flow upstream, at leastin a wedgeof salinewater along the bottom below thefreshwater. The boundary ofthe nationalpark is the"low water mark" but it is problematical whetherthe deeperportions of theestuaries should be considered to be'below low tide" simply becausethey are seasonally flooded with seawater.The distinction between tidal and not tidal is quite arbitraryin caseslike this. A legalopinion is neededto determinewhether these water bodies are alreadypart of thenational park.

Gamorphologg a nd hyilrologry Fromthe point of viewof coastalgeomorphology this stretch of coastmay be dividedinto distinct westemand eastern portions. The western portion from Black Point to BlackHead is a straigiht,wide,

PartV - 19 90km longbeach forming the southern shore ofthe PerthBasin. Black Head is theposition of the DarlingFault and the coast east of it is characterisedbyrocky headlands alternating with arcuate.bays, typicalof thecoastal margin of theProterozoic Albany-Frazer Oregon.

Thesector has one large estuary, Broke Inlet which is of theseasonally open, basin type, and several smallinlets in the mouthsof theDonnelly, Warren, Meerup, Do€gerup and Gardner Rivers, some of whichmay be flooded with tidalwater for briefpenods in earlysummer. Of the latter, only the Donnellyand Cardner may be considered to be"tidal" in anysense and possible candidates for reservationunder the CALM Act.

Forthe purposes of thisreport it is convenientto distinguishthe following coastal areas within the sector:

(i) BlackPoin! (ii) surfbeachesofthe Perth Basin; (iii) alternatingrocky headlands and arcuate beaches ofthe Albany-Frazer Oregon; (iv) BrokeInlet as a representativeofa large,seasonally open, basin tlpe of estuary; (v) Donnellyand Gardner Inlets as representatives ofthe seasonallyopen, riverine type ofestuary.

AlthoughBlack Head has geological significance as the pointwhere the Darling Fault crosses the coast, theWorking Group concluded that coastal waters at neitherthis locationnor off therocky headlands of PointD'Entrecasteaux and CliffPoint have particular merit as candidates for reservation.No further referencewill be madeto thoseareas. However, each of theother areas in theabove list hasfeatures of specialinterest and they are considered separately below.

3.2.1. BlackPoint Tenurc Thepromontory known as Black Point is at thewestern end of theD'Entrecasteaux National park whichextends to thelow water mark.

Ceomorphologg Thepromontory interrupts the otherwise continuous stretch of widebeach forming the southern shore ofthe PerthBasin. It is a highheadland of theBunbury Basalt, and is oneof themost extensive outcropsof this rock type.At the shorethe outcrophas eroded into high cliffswith narrowrock platforms,large tide pools and boulder fields at sealevel. Columnar and pillar formations are both present.It is assumedthat the rock extendinto the sublittoral zone.

Flom and fauno Noinformation is availableon themarine flora or faunaat this locality.However, the tlpe of rocky shoreis unusualand undoubtedly provides a varietyof habitatsfor marinelife.

Rectution Thelocality is remoteand access difficult. Some use is madeofthe shoreas a recreationalfishing site.

Previousruommendo tions None.

Worki ng Gmuprcc ommemlo tions Notingthat thepromontory is uniquein its geologyand landforms and that the shore above low water markis within theD'Entrecasteaux National Park, the Working Group recommends that: "a surveyofthe marinehabitats adjacent to BlackPoint be conductedand an ass€ssmentmade of their valuefor conservationpurposes, with a viewto considerationbeing given to reservation0fthe areaas a marinereserve foy the conservationof marineflora and fauna,"

Theworking Group considered that there would be merit in extendingthe proposed reserve west or eastto includea sectionofthe wide beach characteristic of thesouthern shore of theperth Basin. However,not all ofthe hinterlandof thoseareas is presentlyincluded within the national oark and it

PartV - 20 wasconcluded that a representativeportion of thatcoastal type would be better selected further east (seesection 3.2.2).

3.2.2. WarrenBeach Thissection refers to a 20 km stretchofshore between the mouth of theDonnelly River and Black Head.The D'Entrecasteaux National Park comprises the hinterland for almostits entirelength.

Gamorphologg Thesector represents the stnight, wide beach coastal tlpe characteristicof thesouthern shores of the PerthBasin. It is backedby Quatemarydunes. The shore faces directly into theprevailing south- westerlywind and swell and is exposedto continuousheavy surf. The beach face is steep,almost reflective,and consists of coarsequartz sand. The surfzone exhibits a twobar system, that is an outer parallel-bardisparative system and an innertransverse bar-and-rip system, with attendantmega-cusp hornsand bays on thebeach face (Mclachlan & Hesp,1984). Beyond the surf zone the seabed is gently shelving.

FIom and fauno Mclachlan& Hesp(1984) recorded accumulations of diatoms (comprising only a singlespecies - Anaulusbirostrdus) in thesurf zone at thisbeach. Similar surf zone diatom blooms in otherareas are knownto supportrich beach communities, especially offilter feedingbivalves.

Little informationis availableon the marinebiota of thisarea. With exposure to suchstrong wave action,species diversity is unlikelyto behigh. Mclachlan & Hesp(i984) failed to findany "large macrofaunaorganisms" burrowing in thebeach face, in spiteofthe presenceof diatomblooms, and interpretedthis asprobably due to theunsuitable, coarse-grained substrate. Nevertheless, it may be assumedthat plant and animals are present, representing the surf beach and sandy substrate near- shorecommunities ofthe SouthernAustralian Redion. necaeation Thecoast of thissector is remotewith fewaccess points. Very limited use is madeof thebeach by recreationalfishers.

Prcaiousrccommendo tio ns None.

Wo*ing Grouprecommendations Althoughspecies diversity is unlikelyto behigh in thishabitat, it is representativeofa coastaltype and ecosystemnot otherwise represented or proposed in theSouth Coast marine reserve system. The WorkingCroup recommends that:

"State coastalwaters adjacent to the D'EntrecasteauxNational Park between the mouth ofthe Donnelly Riverand BlackHead be consideredfor reservationfor the conservationof marineflora and faunaand their habitats."

3.2.3. BrokeInlet BrokeInlet is theonly South Coast estuary, in factthe only one in southernWestern Australia, with little developmentaround its shoresand virtually none in its catchmentso that it remainsalmost unaffectedby humanactivity.

Theestuary and its floraand fauna have been described in somedetail by Hodgkin & Clark(1989b) and onlya briefsummary is given here.

Ganorp hologyand hydmlogy BrokeInlet is an elongatelagoonal estuary fed mainly by the Shannon River. The catchment of Broke Inletand its riverslies within the highest rainfall area ofthe southwestwith an annual average of about1 300mm. Most of therain falls in thewinter months but summerrain is sometimes experienced.

PartV - 21 Brokeis a seasonalestuary, the bar being closed for muchofthe year.It hasbrackish water in summer, rarelymore than half the salinity of seawater. The bar is wide, consisting of marinesands which builtl up to ashigh as 1.8 m abovesea level in summer.It is breachednaturally in mostyears by winter floods,usually between June and September, and remains open until Decemberor January.The dates of openingand closing vary, depending on thetime and volume ofthe winter floods. There have been dryyears when it hasnot opened.Sometimes fishermen have artificially opened the bar.

Themain river is the shannonwhich is 47 km longand rises in theforested hills ofthe shannon 'l\uo NationalPark. It entersthe western end of theinlet where it formsa smalldelta. small,short rivers,the Forth and the Inlet Rivers, enter from the east where they arise in swampyplains.

BrokeInlet lies in a depressionof theProterozoic landscape behind a fieldofHolocene coastal dunes. Thebasin is about15 km longand 2 to 3 km wide.It hasan area of48 km2.The entrance channel is 3.5km longand nowhere more than 250 m wide.Its northernshore is steepand cliffed but the southernshore is lowand sandy. The entnnce appears to beslowly eroding its waynorthwards. The positionand depth ofthe channel varies.

Thebasin is shallowwith anaverage summer depth of 1.5m but thereare several deeper areas with depthsof 3 to 4 m. Thesedeeper basins are separated by wide sand banks which may be exposed at low tideor whenwater level is lowfor otherreasons. \,ty'hen the bar is openthe inlet is tidalbut the astronomictidal range is onlyabout 10 cm. Barometric pressure effects are believed to producewater levelchanges as great as 30 cm.During winter floods the water level in theinlet may be as much as 2 m abovesea level. It is thisbuild-up of flobdwater in theinlet which breaches the bar and scours the entrancechannel-

Therivers entering the inlet are tidal for onlyshort distances upstream, the shannon for about3 km fromits mouth.

Theshallow sand bank withinthe inlet are composed offine, yellow, siliceous sand. The sediment at thebottom ofthe deeperbasins is finesandy mud or blackgelatinous mud. Along the northernand eastemshores of theinlet there are rocky outcrops with sandybeaches between, rising to vegetated dunes.The south-westem shore has a narrowbeach backed by swamp with paperbarktrees. There are twomoderately large islands in theinlet and several islets and emergent rock.

FIom ond fauna Theaquatic flora and fauna of BrokeInlet is depauperate.The river water entering the estuaryis low in nutrientsand biological productivity is not great.The dominant plants are th e seagrassRuppia megacarpa,the stonevrortlamprothamnion pqulosum, the redalga polysiphonia and the greenalga cladophora.only thehandful of obligateestuarine benthic animal species are normally present throughoutthe year. Invasion of otherinvertebrates sometimes occurs in springwhen the bar is open but fewsurvive the subsequent winter.

Hodgkin& clark (1989b)list u commercialspecies of fishat BrokeInlet. Most of theseare temporary invaders.Because the bar usually closes rather early in summer,only early-breeding fish species are ableto colonisethe estuary in mostyears. Fishes that breed in spring,summer and aufumn such as the KingGeorge whiting, yellow-finned whiting and tarwhine, invade the inlet only in thoserare years whenthe bar remains open until latein theseason. This is onereason Broke Inlet is a lesspopular fishinglocality than NornalupAMalpole andwilson Inlets where the bars are permanently open or open until mid-summer.There is bothcommercial and recreational fishing in theinlet but it is of limited extent.

Rec:rutlon BrokeInlet is relativelylittle usedfor recreationalpurposes. Fishing and some windsurfing and canoeingare the mostcommon activities. Access to theinlet is limited.Easy access is availableonly to theCamfield townsite on theeastern shore via Broke Inlet Road. There is a boatlaunching site at that locality.The Education Department has a campfucility at camfieldwhich is occasionallyused for schoolgroups on nature-orientedstudy camps.

PartV - 22 Preo iou s recomm e nda ti ons In its reporton ConservationReserves in Western Australia (1976, System 2), theEPA recommended declantionof a SouthCoast national park, to includethe land surrounding Broke Inlet and the catchmentof theShannon River. This has now been done, the parks being called the D'Entrecasteaux andShannon National Parks. In makingthat recommendation the EPA did not explicitlyrecommend thatthe inlet be reserved although this was clearly implied by the following recommendation:

"2.3 (7) until legislationis enactedto allow conservationreserves to includesubmarine lands, the FisheriesAct be employedto protectthe Brokeand Walpole-Nornalup Inlets and the Director of Fisheriesand Wildlife be maderesponsible for their protectiont'.

TheShannon and D'Entrecasteaux National Park Management Plan (CALM Management Plan No. 6, 1987)recommends that Broke Inlet should be gazetted as a marinepark.

Wo*ing Gmuprccommendation Brokeand Wlson Inlets are similar in manyrespects. Both are large, lagoonal estuaries which are seasonallyopen. However, while the catchment ofBroke lies within a conservationreserve, that of WlsonInlet lies largely in agriculturallands. Broke Inlet hx everychance of remainingin virtually pristinecondition without eutrophication while Wilson Inlet is alreadyeutrophic. Although Wilson Inlethas a richerflora and fauna than Broke, its statusas a biologicalenvironment is lesssecure. For catchmentmanagement reasons as well as management of the estuary, the Wlson Inlet bar is artificiallyopened every year. Access to WlsonInlet is considerablygreater than to Brokeand it is moreextensively used for recreation.Management of Wlson Inlet and recreational use of it is presently underthe control ofthe WilsonInlet Management Authority, empowered by theWaterwa)s Consen"tionAct.

TheWorking Group concluded that there would be little pointin reservingWilson Inlet for conservationpurposes as it is nowsubject to suchintensive human impact. As the inletis already controlledby the Management Authority, neither would there be any advantage in reservingit for recreationalpurposes. For conservation purposes Broke Inlet is a betterchoice as an exampleof the Iarge,lagoonal, seasonally-opened estuary because it is likelyto remainin naturalcondition. Because of its isolationwithin the nationalpark, Broke also offers the prospect of managementto preserveits presentpeaceful character and use for passiverecreation.

Accordinglythe Working Group recommends that:

"Broke Inlet and th€ tidal partsof the Shannon,Forth and Inlet Riversbe reservedfor recreationand conservati0nand their managementintegrated with that of the D'EntrecasteauxNational Park."

3.2.4. Donnellyand Gardner Inlets Gnmorphologgond hgdmlogg Eachof theserivers has a small,riverine estuary at its mouth,described by Hodgkin & Clark(1989b). Thereare no lagoons.The mouth of theDonnelly River is barredby thebuild-up ofsand but opens seasonallyfollowing winter floods. While the bar is openthe riveris tidalfor a distanceof about12 km upstream.The sea water intrudes beneath the surface freshwater and there may be little, if any,mixing. TheGardner River has a rockbar at themouth which remains open all year,although the bar impedes penetrationofsea water except during the summer period when there is verylittle riverflow. The catchmentsof bothrivers lie largelywithin forested land although the headwaters arise in agricultural land.

Ftom and fauna Asmight be expected given the highly seasonal nature ofthe environmentthe aquatic flon andfauna of both inletsare depauperate. The marine seagrass Rupp ia megacarpaand the stonewort Lamprothamniumare sometimes present. Even the suite of obligateestuarine benthic animals is representedby only a fewspecies (see Hodgkin & Clark,1989b). Only the Donnelly has significant fish populationsand is fishedwith anyregularity.

PartV - 23 Preoiousrccommenda tions None.

WorkingGmup recommmdation TheWorking Croup considers that the inlets ofthe Donnellyand Gardner Rivers have considerable scientificand recreational value and should be managed as part ofthe surroundingD'Entrecasteaux NationalPark. It is unclearwhether these areas are already included within the nationalpark. Accordinglythe Working Group recommends that: "Legal adviceshould be takenon th€ statusofthe tidal pats ofthe Donnellyand CardnerRivers and if they ayenot alreadyreserved within the D'EntrecaiteauxNational park underthe LandAct, consideYationshould be givento reservingthem underthe Conservationand LandManagementAct for conservationand recreationalpurposes."

3,3. Walpole-Nornalup(Map V-l)

TheWalpole-Nornalup estuarine system consists of twoconnected lagoons, that is Nornalupand walpoleInlets, and the tidal reaches of theDeep, Frankland and walpole Rivers. The estuary has been describedby Hodgkin & Clark(1988a) and Smith et a/. (1990).

Tenure In 1972the Govemment gazetted the Walpole-Nornalup National Park under the Land Act as a ClassA reserveand included the inlets within the park. But it waslater discovered that areasbelow low tide cannotbe reserved under that Act and that inclusion ofthe tidalwaters ofthe inletswithin thepark wasnot valid. When the marine reserves provisions of theCALM Act were introduced the Government directedthat theinlets be reserved as marine park under the powers of thislegislation. This has not yet beendone.

NornalupInlet is entirelysurrounded by thewalpole-Nornalup National park. A smallarea of thepark on thenorth-eastern shore of NornalupInlet is leasedto theCoalmine Beach Sailing Club. The south- easternshore of walpoleInlet is alsonational park but thenorth eastern shore is occupiedby the Walpoletownsite and the north-westernshore is a recreationreserve vested in theShire of Manjimup.

Thetidal parts of theFrankland and Deep Rivers are also contained within the nationalpark exceot for a portionof theformer in thevicinity ofthe Nornaluptownsite.

Gnmorphologyand hydrclogg walpole-Nomalupis a relativelylarge lagoonal estuary which has two basins and a permanenflyopen entrance.It liesbetween forested, granitic hills fringing the Albany-Frazer Oregon and the high Pleistocenedunes of thecoast. It consistsof twobasins which together cover an areaof about13.2 km2. WalpoleInlet is connectedto the muchlarger and deeper Nornalup basin by a narrowchannel between steepgranite headlands. The entrance channel from the sea into NornalupInlet lies against a granite headlandon its westernside and the sand dunes which flank Bellanger Beach on its easternside. The oceanbar limits tidal flow but it is alwaysopen and the estuary is alwaystidal.

Boththe Deep and Frankland Rivers have well-defined channels, rather large deltas and discharge over shallowsand bank into NomalupInlet. The channels have been dredged and the rivers are navigable for somedistance upstream. Their upper catchments are in agriculturallands but for muchof their lengththey flow through State forest or nationalpark. Rainfall in thecatchment is high,with an annualhll of up to I 400mm nearthe coast.

DeepRiver is tidalfor a distanceupstream ofabout 6 km andthe Frankland for about12 km. The muchsmaller walpole River is tidalfor onlya veryshort distance. Except for the dredgedchannels, WalpoleInlet is shallowwithdepths less than 1 m. Thereare shallow sand bank aroundthe perimeter of NomalupInlet which shelve steeply to a centralbasin between 3 and5 m deeD.

PartV - 24 (for Thesalinity regime -Hodgkinin the estuary was studied in somedetail by cslRo from1944 to 1951 referencessee 6rclark, 1988a). Throughout the summer the salinity of thewater in both inletsis approximaielythat of seawater.Marine water of oceanicsalinity also penetrates far upstream in therwo iarger riveis cluring summer. In winter,when the rivers flood, a thermoclinedevelops and thefresh water flows downstream over salty water which usually remains in thedeeper parts. The salinebottom water may become deoxy5lenated under those conditions'

FIom and fauna Asmay be expected, this permanently open estuary has a relativelyrich flora and fauna. The seagrasses n.qpia megicarpaand Heterozostera tasmanica both occurin NornalupInlet, the latter mainlynear the entraniechannel. A brownalpia, Cys toseira trinodes, is commonon rock aroundthe shore. Green algaeof thegenera chaetomorpha and cladophora are abundant on the muddyflats, and the green allgaAcetabilaia calyculus is common,living attached to stonesand shells in theshallows. The eplphyticalgae Cft aeiomorpha billardieri and,Monosponn australis somettmes overgrott the Ruppiq althoughthere is no evidenceof eutrophication.

Theestuarine copepod Gladioferens impolrpes dominates the plankton of theriverine parts of the estuarybut alsooccurs abundantly in theinlets. The marine euryhaline cop epod Acartia tonsa is lhe dominantplankter in thehigher salinities of theinlets. Hodgkin & clavk(1988) list othercopepods takenin planktonsamples within the estuary.

All of the SouthCoast obligate estuarine invertebrate animals occur in the estuaryand there is a larger numberof marineinvaders than is foundin anyother estuary in the region(except oyster Harbour). A faunallist is givenin Hodpikin& Clark(1988a).

Thefish fauna also is relativelydiverse. Many species targeted by recreationalfishers are present, often in largenumbers, including most of thecommon inshore marine species. Nornalup Inlet in particular is a popularlocation for recreationalfishing. Net fishing is prohibited.

Rec:fetion Abloneet aL (1990)summarised recreational use of thewalpole-Nornalup National Park.

Thewalpole-Nornalup estuary is surroundedin manyplaces by tall forest.It is scenicallyand aestheticallyone of western Australia's most spectacular estuarine environments (Hodgkin & clark, 1988).Mucir of its shoreremains in its naturalcondition and the ruaters are unpolluted. For these reasonsthe Walpole-Nornalup National Park has long been a populararea for recreationalpursuits, with theinlets as a centralfocus. Boating and especially fishing are among the mostcommon recreationalactivities. Sailing from the Coalmine Beach Sailing Club attracts visitors as well as local people.Wndsurfing is becominganother popular watersport on theinlets.

Thewalpole-Nornalup National Park Management Plan notes the current late of increasein the numberof visitorsto thepark, including those indulging in watersports, with the correspondingneed for increasedmanagement to pYevent degradation of theenvironment. Managementofboal launching sites is seento beof particularconcern. Prevention of pollutionand conservationof fishstock arealso important.

Preoiousrecommemlo tions Althoughin its reporton conserydtionReserves in western Australia (1976, System 2) theEPA did not specificallyrecommend marine park status for theWalpole-Nornalup Inlets, it recommendedas follows: "(7) until legislationis enactedto allow conservationreserves to includesubmarine lands, t}le Fisheries Aci be employedto protectthe Brokeand Walpole-Nornalup lnlets and the Director of Fisheriesand Wildlife be maderesponsible for their protection;".

TheGALM Walpole-Nomalup National PaTk Management Plan (smith el a/.,1990) noted that the lvlinisterfor theEnvironment harl directed that the inlets should be reserved under the CALMAct and "expected that declarationof themarine park was to occurearly within the life ofthis lmanagement] plan".

PartV - 25 Wo* in g Gmuprecomm enda tions TheWorking Group believes that the Walpole-Nornalup estuarine system has very high conservation andrecreational values. Although in sizeit is similarto Brokeand Wilson Inlets, it is quitedifferent in that it is naturallypermanently open to thesea. It is theonly permanently open lagoonal estuary on the SouthCoast and, apart from the partly estuarine Oyster Harbour, it hasthe mostdiverse estuarine floraand fauna of anyestuary in theregion. It alsohas outstanding scenic qualities and is largely surroundedby NationalPark.

TheWorking Group notes that in 1972the Government included Walpole-Nornalup Inlets within the nationalpark until it wasdiscovered later that this was not possibleunder the Land Act. Accordingly theWorking Group recommends that:

"declaration ofWalpoleand NomalupInlets andthe tidal partsof the Deep,Frankland and Walpole Riversas marine park be implementedas a matter of high priority, and its managementintegrated with that ofthe surroundingnational park."

3.4. William Bay (Map V-2)

Tmurc Wlliam BayNational Park extends to thelow tide mark in thearea under consideration.

Cumorphologg Thisis a graniteshore with beachesaltemating with smoothrock surfaces. There is a chainof large, near-shoreboulders and rock islets protecting the beaches and deep pools from the full forceof the swells.This type of situationis uncommonon theSouth Coast where most oDen ocean rockv shores are exposedto healywave action.

Floro and fauna Thereis verylittle informationabout the marine flora and fauna at this locality.However, the sublittoralhabitats are diverse with extensivetide pools and boulders. A diverseflora and invertebrate faunais certainto occurthere. The locality is thetype locality for thegastrop od (cwry) Cgpraea hadnightae.Seagrdsses, mainly species of Posdonlaand Amphibolis, grow in mostof thesheltered areasin thelee of the islets.

Rectution Thisis oneof theSouth Coast's most attractive sections of coast,particularly because of its relatively protectedwaters suitable for swimming,diving and fishing. It is of suchscenic quality that photographsof it oftenappear in touristpromotion and other publications.

Prcviousrecommendo tions None.

Wo*ing Ctouprccommenda tion Notingthe highscenic and recreational values ofthe localityand its likelydiverse marine flora and faunarepresentative of the South Coast rocky shore habitat, the Working Group recommends that: "the Statewaters adjacant to the William BayNational Park be surveyedand assessedfor their conservationvalues, with a vi€wto possiblereservation as a marinereserve for dual conservationand tecteationpurposes."

3.5. West (ape Howe (Map V-2)

Tenure WestCape Howe National Park extends to thelow water mark along most of thecoast under considention.At theeastern boundary ofthe park, that is at thewestem end ofrorbay (port Harding), thereis a Shirereserve at theshore.

PartV - 26 Gnmorphologg Thissection of thecoast is oneof a seriesof repeatedgeomorphic units characteristic of thewestem partof the SouthCoast (see section 3.1) with TorbayHead as its centralfeature. It is a high doleritic promontoryuith perhapsthe State's most dramatic sea cliffs exposed to thefull forceof the Southern Oceanswells. Its extremityis thesouthernmost point of WesternAustralia. To the west, between West CapeHowe and Knapp Head, there is a long,curved sandy beach backed by high Pleistocene dunes. Thesea floor fronting the western beach is gentlyshelving but theshore of thepromontory is steep-to, droppingoff very steeply into deepwater. On the easternside ofthe promontory there is a seriesof small,deep, arcuate bays with narrowbeaches below very steep hill slopes.Further north within Torbaythe force of theswells decreases and the shore comprises boulders with somesemi-protected tidalpools. Tvo smallislets, Migo and Richards, protect a channeland boat anchora€le.

Floro and fauno Noinformation is availableon themarine flora and fauna of theshore. Inspection of aerialphotographs revealsa widerange of rockyshore habitats from those with maximumexposure to oceanswells, to semi-protectedpools and boulders. There are dense algal beds in theshallows on the easternside of the promontory,especially in theshelter of thetwo small islets. Deeper waters offshore in thewestern part ofTorbaysupport extensive seagrass beds. The aerial photographs suggest the presence of similar seagrdssbeds beyond the surf zone off the beach west of WestCape Howe.

Rec,/etion Thereare spectacular views from the headland although four wheel drive is necessaryto gainaccess. Accessis availableto theshore on theeastern and western sides ofthe headland.Both areas are popularwith localpeople for beachand rock fishing. The small, deep bay on theeastern side is oneof the mostpopular dive sites in theAlbany district, with accessto deepwater from the shore. The water is exceptionallyclear and the rockwall fauna is extremelyrich and colourful. The beach at the Shire reservein Torbayis popularas a familyswimming area and boat launching site. Until now this headlandhas had little attentionfrom tourists because of its relativeremoteness and inaccessibility.

Preoiousrecomm enda t ions None.

Workin g Gmuprecommenda tions Notingthe high scenic values of theshore, the ready access to deepwater and magnificent underwater scenery,and the variety of habitatsand likely high diversity of marineflora and fauna, the Working Grouprecommends that:

"considerationbe givento reservationof the Statewaters adjacent to the WestCape Howe National Park asa marinereserve for the purposesof conservationofflora and faunaand recreation,with the possible inclusionof the westernpart of Torbayadjacent to the Shirereserve."

3.5. Klng GeorgeSound - PrincessRoyal Harbour (Map V-2)

KingGeorge Sound and the two related inlets, Princess Royal Harbour and Oyster Harbour, comprise oneofthe principallandform features of theSouth Coast. Albany, the South Coast regional centre and principalport, is locatedon theseshores.

Tenurc Landuse around the shores of thisarea is complexwith townsites,shire reserves, freehold land and nationalparks. The waters of KingCeorge Sound, Princess Royal Harbour and Oyster Harbour are underthe controlof theAlbany Waterways Management Authority.

Geomorphologty A generalaccount of thegeomorphology of the Sound and inlets is givenin section1.1. King George Soundis a marinegulf, Princess Royal Harbour an enclosed marine inlet, and Oyster Harbour partly a marineinlet and partly an estuary. The waters are presently under study by the EPA and other governmentagencies in viewof concernabout eutrophication of theinlets.

PartV - 27 KingGeorge Sound is protectedfrom the southerly winds and swells by Flinders Peninsula which terminatesat BaldHead. The southern side ofthe Peninsulais veryexposed and features hiplh gnnite andlimestone cliffs. The Sound is open to theeast although there are two high islands in the entrance, Michaelmasand Breaksea, both ofwhich are nature reserves. The depth ofthe Soundranges from 10 to 35 m. Thedeepest part is a basinat 30-35m in FrenchmanBay west of SealIsland. A sublittoralrocky ridgeconnects Michaelmas Island to thenorthem shore of themainland west ofHerald Point and there is a chainof deepreefs west ofthat island.

PrincessRoyal Harbour is cut off fromKing George Sound by Vancouver Peninsula with onlya narrow entrancechannel. The inlet is siltedand very shallow except for a smallbasin on the northernside just insidethe entrance where the port ofAlbany is located.There are wide muddy sand banks around its periphery.

OysterHarbour is similarto PrincessRoyal Harbour but hastwo rivers, the King and the Kalgan, enteringit on the northside. These render the northern part of theinlet an estuary. The entrances to bothinlets are permanently open and there are strong tidal flor,vs in andout. Princess Royal Harbour andOyster llarbour are both eutrophic while King George Sound is oligotrophic.

FIom ond fauna Asnoted in section1.2, King George Sound and the two inlets were collecting sites for severalearly expeditionsand many marine species were originally described from there. There has been a numberof ecologicalstudies in thearea in morerecent years, outlined by Wells (1990). McKenzie (1962) describedthe environment and fauna of OysterHarbour. Roberts & Wells(1980) described the marine andestuarine molluscan faunas. An internationalmarine biological workshop held in thearea in 1988 resultedin publicationof a rangeof importantpapers on thebiology of thesound and the two inlets (Wellset al., eds.,1990; 1991). These included detailed studies on seagrassbeds and their associated fauna(Kirkman el a/.,1991; Walker ef a/.,1991; Hutchings el a/.,1991; Wells ef a/.,1991), spatial distributionof intertidalrocky shore invertebrates (Britton et al., 1991;McMahon & Britton,1991), fongingby opisthobranchs (Jensen, 1991), resource partitioning by intertidal snails on sandflats (Morton& Britton,1991). Also included were taxonomic accounts of somegroups of invertebrate animalsin thearea.

Fromthe early and modern accounts it is clearthat there is a widerange of habitatin theSound and thetwo inlets. These range from open ocean marine, through protected marine inlet to estuarine. Thereare both limestone and granite rocky shores, intertidal mud and sand flats, deep reefs, and deep basinswith finesand and mud substrates. As a consequencethis area has an exceptionally rich and diversemarine and estuarine flora and fauna.

Seagnssbeds are dense and rich in plantand animal species, especially on thesandy sills on eachside ofVancouverPeninsula and bordering Middleton Bay. However, the seagrass beds in PrincessRoyal Harbourand Oyster Harbour have suffered serious depletion in recentyears as a resultof eutrophication(Bastyan, 1986; Kirkman, 1987). In FrenchmanBay seagrdsses grow down to 17m. The meadow-formingspecies Posidonia sin lloJd covers the largest area but alongthe shallow edges P. auslraft3is the firsl seagrassseen. P. kirkmanr'lis commonat Gull Rockand along the north eastern shoresof KingGeorge Sound. P. roberstsonae is common along blowout edges and inside blowouts. Both speciesof.Ampftlbolr3 occur throughout King GeorgeSound. Halophila australis and Heterozosteratasmanlta are transient members of theseagnss communities between years of large stormsand years with fewstorms.

Theintertidal sand flat faunas ofPrincess Royal Harbour and Oyster Harbour support diverse communitiesof burrowinginvertebrates (Roberts & Wells,1980; Wells & Roberts,1980) and are of specialsignificance as this habitat type is nowofsuch rare occurrence on theSouth Coast. A notable speciesis a populationin Oystertlarbour of the bivalvedmollusc Anadara trarezia, a relic of iormer timeswhen the species had a muchwider geographical range. It is a commonspecies in Pleistocene shellbeds in southernWestern Australia. The species is commonin south-easternAustralian estuaries

PartV - 28 todaybut in WesternAustralia it now livesonly in Oysterllarbour whereit is the subjectof a small fishery.

The rockysublittoral ridge between Herald Point andMichaelmas Island has a rich and diversefauna of attached,suspensory-feeding invertebrates, especially sponges, and associatedanimals. A seagrass, Thalanodendronpachgrhizum, growsin largequantities along this ridge.The steep-to, rocky shores of Michaelmasand BreakseaIslands also have a rich andextremely colourful wall faunabelow the algal zone(that is belowabout 15 m).

The deepbasin in FrenchmanBay has a fine sandfloor with a rich burrowinginvertebrate fauna.

Fishnies An accountofthe fish faunaof PrincessRoyal Harbour and Oyster Harbour can be found in Lenanton (1974).Pilchard is the mostabundant species harvested in the area.It is takenby purse-seinein King GeorgeSound and to a lesserextent in PrincessRoyal Harbour. Other key species, taken by beach-seine andgill net within the area,include Austnlian herring,leatherjackets, cobbler, yellowtail scad, flathead,King Georgewhiting andgarfish.

Bonito and NanarupBeaches, located east of King CeorgeSound, are important beaches for the Australiansalmon fishery. Commercial fishing for Greenlipabalone Qlaliotis laeuigata) occurs off FlindersPeninsula and in King GeorgeSound.

Reueotion Theprotected and semi-protected waters of the Soundand both inlets are extensivelyused by local peoplefor recreation,including boating, fishing and diving.There are boat rampsat severallocations. Largervessels use the pori in P ncessRoyal Harbour. Commercial dive tours operatefrom Albany, takingdivers to the exceptionallyscenic areas in thevicinity of Michaelmasand Breaksea Islands. Whale-watchingtours alsooperate from Albany.The leeside ofFlinders Peninsula is particularlysuited for snorklersand beginners. Torndirrup National Park, which occupiesmuch ofFlindersPeninsula, has ouistandingscenery and is heavilyused by sightseers.

Preuious recommenda tio ns None.

Worki ng Group recommenda t io ns TheWorking Grouprecognises that King GeorgeSound, Princess Royal Harbour and OysterHarbour are extensivelyused for port and recreationalpurposes and that the two inlets showevidence of environmentaldegradation. Nevertheless, these areas are of suchbiological importance that reservationofsome parts of them for conservationpurposes should be considered.There might alsobe merit in reservationof someparts to protectand promote recreational activities, especially diving.

Ofparticularimportance are the seagrassbeds on eitherside ofVancouver Peninsula and in FrenchmanBay. The sheltereddeep basin in FrenchmanBay is alsoa rarefeature on the South Coast. Theseareas are of specialvalue for both conservationand recreation.The rockysublittoral ridgeand reefsin the vicinity of Michaelmasand Breaksea Islands have special attractions for recreationaldivers, including the commercialdive tour industry.Although similar underwaterscenery and flora and fauna occursfurther eastaround Cape Vancouver, the King GeorgeSound sites are much more easily accessibleto vesselsfrom Albany.

Accordinglythe WorkingGroup recommends that:

"1.the westem shore of VancouvetPeninsula in PrincessRoyal Harbour, and the eastern shore ofthat Peninsulain KingCeorge Sound as far east a.s Flat Rock, and extending seaward as far asSeal Island to includethe waters of FrenchrnanBay, should be considered for r€servationar a marinereserve for the purposesof conservationofflora and fauna and recreation;

"2.a surveybe conducted of thedeep ridge and reefs in th€vicinity of Michaelmasand Breaksea Islands, togetherwith a surveyof thewaters around Cape Vancouv€r, to assesstheir relative underwater scenic

PartV - 29 valuesand merits as dive sites, with a viewto selectingareas to bereserved for conseryationand recreationuse."

3.7. Cap€ Van(ouyer to Bald lsland (Map V-2)

This sectionof the South Coasthas outstanding coastal scenery and a wide rangeof opencoast habitats with high conservationvalues.

Tenure The CapeVancouver peninsula is reservedas a ClassA NatureReserve (No. 27956) notable as a refuge for the NoisyScrub-bird and other threatenedbirds. Bald Island is alsoan important ClassA Nature Reserve(No. 25869) which is especiallyimportant as an islandrefuge for the Quokkaand the site of an introducedpopulation ofthe NoisyScrub-bird. Between the two is the Mount Manypeaksridge incorporatingthe WaychinicupNational Park (No.25865 and 275021anda ClassA NatureReserve (No. 36028).Thus, all but a few kilometresofthe coastin the sectionunder consideration is reservedfor conservationor conservationand recreation DurDoses.

Gamorphologrg This sectionof coastis a fine exampleof the repeatedsequence of arcuatebeach between granite headlandswhich is a prominentfeature of the westernpart of the SouthCoast (section 1.1).

Mount Cardner(399 m) andMount Manypeaks(565 m) aretwo of the high pointson the South Coast. Mount Gardnerforms a large,granitic promontory,terminating at CapeVancouver, and connectedto the mainlandby a low,sandy isthmus. It wouidhave been a highisland when sea level uas onlya few metreshigher than it is today.The southern side ofthe isthmusis thewindward side. The shore there consistsof a long,curved, surf beach backed by Pleistocenedunes and a fringeof eolianitelimestone cliffs.At sealevel, especially at the easternend, there is extensivebeach rock development and the formationof intertidal limestonerock platforms.The northeynside of the isthmus,fronting onto Two PeoplesBay, faces east and is lessexposed to the southernswells. It too hasan arcuatebeach and a backingofPleistocene dun€s but thereis lesssurfand no limestone.The bay is gentlyshelving with a sandyfloor.

Mount Manypeaksis the high point on an east-westgranitic ridgefacing the SouthernOcean and forming a stretchof veryrugged, steep-to shore with almostno access.The ridgeis breachednear its centreby the steepvalley o{ the waychinicupRiver which hasa smallbut uniqueinlet at its mouth. The inlet is very narrowand flanked by steepgranite hills. Its entranceis permanentlyopen and sea waterpenetrates a short distnnceupstream until it is blockedby a seriesof rock bars.The upper portion of the inlet is estuarine.The high gnnite ridgeterminates in the eastat Bald Island,separated from a granitic headlandbetween Mermaid and Lookout Points by a narrowand deepchannel. Beyond LookoutPoint the coastturns north againto HassellBeach, the high gnnite givingway to another long, curvedbeach backed by Pleistocenedunes.

Although the seafloor slopesgradually out to 20 m in Twopeoples Bay and offHassellBeach, elsewherethere is a rather steepslope. The graniticshores of capevancouver, Bald Islandand the Manypeakridge drop off verysteeply to 50 m within 1 or 2 km from the shore.These steep-to shores arecharacterised by spectacularvertical rock wallsin the sublittoralzone. There are reportsof a deep underwatercanyon off the mouth of the waychinicupRiver which maybe a continuationof the river valley.

Flora and fauna The gentlysloping, relatively protected seabed of I\tro peoplesBay has extensive seagrass meadows of Posidoniaand Ampftffo&i spp.There is no informationon their floristic compositionor the compositionof their associatedfauna. However it would be safeto assumethat the seagrass communityis rich in both densityand species.

Little is known of the rockyshore flora andfauna of this shore.The steepgranite shores of cape vancouver,the Manypeaksridge and Bald Islandare exposed to very heavywave action. The intertidal

Part V - 30 biotathere is not diversebut well representsthe floYaand fauna of exposedSouth Coast granitic shores.The limestonerock platforms on the southernside of the Mount Gardneristhmus have not beenstudied bul althoughthey providea rather differenthabitat, are probably constantly abraded by sandin the healysurf and not rich in species.

The intertidal faunaof the rockyspit at SouthPoint at the southernend of Two PeoplesBay has been well sampledby biologists.The western side of the spit is relativelyprotected from the swellsand consistsofa field ofbouldersand tide poolsextending down into the sublittoralzone. This is a habitat rich in macrophyticalgae and invertebrate animals. There is an assemblageof molluscs,crustaceans and echinodermstypical of SouthCoast sheltered rocky shores. Juvenile Roe's abalone (Haliotis roei) areabundant and the endemicrelict gutropod,Campanile sgmbolicum is very common.Seagrass meadowsbegin at a depthof 2-3 m, beyondthe limit of the boulders.They are sparse with a shoot densityof about 9-1l/m. The meadow-formingspecies Por idonia sinuosa is the dominantseagrass but P. robertsonae coverslarge arex. Amphibolis sqp,Heterozostera tasmanica andHalophgla australis arealso present. There is a similar featurewith a similar flora andfauna in the equivalentposition at CheyneBeach, at the southernend of HassellBeach. Habitats o{ this typeare rare on the ruggedSouth Coast.

An unusualgeomorphic feature, with an unusualflora andfauna, is the WaychinicupInlet. The shelteredrocky shores have many tide poolsand loose boulders providing invertebrate habitats. In the estuarineshallows near the headofthe inlet thereare dense seagrass beds of Posidoniaaustralis and muddysand flats with diverseflora and fauna. There is nothingelse quite like this on the SouthCoast. The mostsimilar would be partsof Oyst€rHarbour.

On openocean shores the rock slopesare densely vegetated with macrophyticalgae down to depthsof 15-20m. Belowthat depthmacrophytes give way to a very diversecommunity of attached,suspensory- feedinginvertebrate animals including sponges, ascidians and coelenterates. Sublittoral vertical walls andundercuts where there is shadeare also densely covered with awall faunaof sedentary invertebrates.

Severalof the emergentrocks and islands on this sectionof the coastare important haul-outand breedingcolonies of AustralianSea Lions and New Zealand Fur Seals.The most important of theseare CoffinIsland and Bald Island. Bald lsland is alsoan importantbreeding area for the LittlePenguin (Eudgptulaminor).

Fisheties Pilchardis the mostabundant species harvested (by purse-seine) from the inshorewaters between Cape Vancouverand Bald Island.Betty's Beach, midway between these points, is oneof the mostproductive salmonfishing beaches on the SouthCoast. Greenlip abalone are taken commercially around Cape Vancouverand Bald Island.The demersalline-fish resource of this regionis fishedby recreational fishersoperating mainly by small craftlaunched from Albanyand CheyneBeach.

Recretion l,ocal peopleuse this areafor fishingand divingbut it is relativelyremote and it hasnot yet becomea 'l\uo populartourist area.There is little accessto the shore.The PeoplesBay Nature Reserve is a "prohibitedarea" except at the beachon the north sideof the promontorywhere there is a picnic area and a boatlaunching site. There is anotherpicnic areaand boat launching site at the northern endof the bayat North Point.A trdck givesaccess to the headof the WaychinicupInlet but only very small boatscan be launchedthere. The only other point of accessis at CheyneBeach at the south endof HassellBeach where there is a reasonableanchorage and a launchsite.

Becauseof limited access,the shoreand its flora andfauna are relativelypristine. Anecdotal evidence wasgiven to the WorkingGroup that the fish faunaaround Cape Vancouver and Bald Islandremains veryrich with little evidenceof depletionof the largeand vulnerable species like BlueGroper and QueenSnapper. Local dive tour operatorsand abalone divers claim that locationslike Coffin Islandoff CapeVancouver and Bald Island, with their deepdrop-offs (to 50 m in someplaces), spectacular rock wallsand exceptionallyclear water areamong the bestdive sites known on the SouthCoast. They are

PartV - 31 relativelyeasily reached in goodweather from the boatlaunching sites in TwoPeoples Bay and Cheyne Beach.

Preuious recomme mla ti ors None.

Working Croup recommendations Noting the widevariety of coastaltypes and habitats that arerepresented, the relativeremoteness and lack of accessto the shoreand the degreeof protectionthat provides,and the valueof the inshore watersfor public recreation,especially fishing and diving,the Working Grouprecommends that:

"theState coastal waters between the western boundary of theTwo Peoples Bay Nature Reserve and LookoutPoint, including the tidal waters ofWaychinicup Inlet and encompassing Bald Island, be consideredfor reservationas a marinereserve for conservationof floraand fauna and recreation,"

3.8. Fitzgerald Biosphere Rererve (Map V- 3)

Thissection deals with the marineenvironment of the coastadjacent to the FitzgeraldRiver National Parkand the estuarineenvironments of severalsmali inlets within the park boundaries. A published managementplan for thepark (1991, CALM Management Plan No. 15) contains relevant information aboutthe coastalfeatures.

Tenure The FitzgeraldRiver National Park consists of two ClassA reserves,one (No.31738) being a 700 m widestrip of landalong the coastbetween Gordon and Culham Inlets, extending to the low tidemark andincluding a smallnear-shore islet known as Red Island. The national park is a BiosphereReserve underthe UNESCOMan & the BiosphereProgram.

Beyondthe southernend of thepark, that is at thesouthern end of DoubtfulIslands Bay, there is a prominentgranitic headland, terminating in PointHood and two small islands called the Doubtful Islands.The headland, which forms the easternside ofBremer Bay, is Shirereserve and freehold land but the two islandsare Class A NatureReserve (No. 23516).

TheFitzgerald River National Park extends to the lowwater mark and the status of thoseinlets entirely encompassedby it is difficult to determine.As the inlets are merelyflooded with seawatey on rare occasions,they arehardly classifiable as "tidal" so that it canbe arguedthat they are,by definition, includedwithin the nationalpark. Gordon Inlet in thewest and Culham Inlet in the eastform part of the boundaryof the park but the Iocationof that boundaryremains ambiguous because a "low water mark"is not definable.

Cumorphologg TheFitzgerald River National Park is characterisedby rollinghills and a rangeof higherhills, the Mount BarrenRanges. The hills areformed of metasedimentsof the Albany-FrazerOregon known as the Mount BarrenGroup. Low partsof the landscapeare filled with Eocenesediments. The Mount BarrenRange lies alongthe coastin the easternpart of the park,forming ruggedrocky shores with precipitouscliffs. Outcrops of the Mount BarrenGroup occur at Point Charlesand PointAnn, producinghigh, prominentheadlands. Between the headlandsof the Mount BarrenRange east of DempsterInlet andPoint Charles,between Point Charlesand Point Ann, andbetween Point Ann and Point Hood,there arewide, arcuate beaches backed by Pleistocenedunes.

The seabedsouth of Point Hoodand the DoubtfulIslands drops off steeplyto 50 m within 1 km of the shorebut in DoubtfulIslands Bay there is a gradualslope and the 50 m contouris 10-15km offshore.

BetweenPoint Hoodand Hopetoun there is a seriesof inlets either containedwithin the Fitzgerald RiverNational Park or borderingit. From westto eastthese are the Gordon,St Mary,Fitzgerald, Dempster,Hamersley and Culham Inlets. They are no longerestuaries in the conventionalsense, being opento the seaon rareoccasions when there are exceptionalfloods and the barsare breached (Hodgkin

Part V - 32 & Clark,1990a). Nevertheless they are considered here as they sometimes support estuarine and marineflora and fauna. Detailed descriptions of theseinlets have been published by Hodgkin& Clark (1990).

Whileacknowledging that the inlets within and bordering the Fitzgenld River National Park lie at the edgeof thedefinition of estuary,for thepresent purpose they are considered to fallwithin the category of semi-permanentlyclosed estuary (see Part I, section3.7.6). The inlets have formed where the river mouthsare trapped in depressionsbehind rocky headlands or coastaldunes. If theywere permanently closedthey would be classified as saline coastal lagoons. Culham Inlet could perhaps be so regarded. Therivers that feed the inlets are saline and tend to flowintermittently. In summersome ofthe inlets becomehypersaline as a resultof evaporationor evendry out.

GordonInlet has a smalllagoon about 4 km longbut thereis a meanderingriverine portion extending 13km fromthe mouth.The lagoon is shallow,probably not muchmore than half a metrebelow mean sealevel. The entrance sand bar is lowand break at intervalsof about3-5 years. The eastern shore of thelagoon forms the boundary of thenational park and the western shore is a shirereserve.

St MaryInlet is thesmallest of theseries. It is only1 km longand 250 m wide.It hasa veryshallow lagoonand is filledwith sedimentto aboutmean sea level. It hasa lowsand bar at the entrancethat break onlyin thoseyears of unusuallyheavy rainfall and then remains open for onlya fewweek.

FitzgeraldInlet is the largest ofthe series. It hasa lagoonabout 6 km longand 1.5 to 2 kmwide, lying in a valleyof PallinupSandstone with cliffedshores at severallocations. There is a narrowinlet channelbarred by lowdunes. The lagoon is veryshallow, that is seldommore than I m, andthe floor is at aboutmean sea level. Water level in thelagoon may build up to nearly2 m duringa heavywinter flood,before the bar bursts and the water is released.The bar does not stay open for morethan a few weeks.The inlet dries completely in prolonged dry periods.

DempsterInlet is a smallelongate lagoon, about 4 km long,lying in a valleyof metamorphicschists. It is fedby small streams that rise within the park. The floor of thelagoon is siltedto aboutmean sea level.The entrance channel is narrow and there is a highsand bar. There are no records of the frequencyofopening but it doesnot seem to beoften.

HamersleyInlet lies in a deepvalley between metamorphic rocks. Its upper reaches lie in a meandering gorgeand the lagoon has rocky shores. Overall the inlet is about7 km longbut it is narrowerthan the Fitzgerald.It is deeperthan any other of theseries with the lagoonfloor at about2 m belowmean sea levelnear the mouth. It driescompletely only rarely. The sand bar at theentrance has broken only aboutseven times since 1923, that is anav€rage of aboutonce in tenyears.

CulhamInlet is a wide,shallow coastal lagoon cut off fromthe sea by a stablecoastal dune system. Its westernshore abuts the steep slopes of EastMount Barren in thepark. Its easternshore is lowerand borderedby Shirereserve and agricultural land. The inlet is fedby the Phillips and Steere Rivers, both ofwhichare saline. There are rich fossilbeds around the lagoon showing that it wasa true estuary duringthe Holocene. The inlet is nowso shallow that it driesup completelyduring prolonged dry periods.It fillswith salineriver water in mostwinters. The last time the bar is knownto havebroken naturallywas in 1849(Hodgkin & Clark,1990a) but it wasopened artificially in about1920 and again in 1993following hea'"y floods.

Flora and fauna Thereis verylittle informationabout the marine flora and fauna alongi this stretch of coast.The metasedimentaryrocks of theMount Barren Group form rocky shores of ratherdifferent gpe to the granitesholes more $pical of theSouth Coast but therehave been no surveysof theirflora and fauna. Aerialphotographs indicate that there is extensivedevelopment of seagrass beds beyond the surf zone in DoubtfulIsland Bay but againno informationabout their floristic composition or associatedfauna is available.

PartV - 33 The steep-toshores of Point Hoodand the DoubtfulIslands are reportedto be spectaculardive sites with verticalsublittoral walls andprolific growth ofattachedinvertebrates and largefish populations. Doubtful IslandBay is an importantbeach for the Australiansalmon and Australian herring fisheries.

SouthernRigiht Whales are frequently seen in DoubtfulIsland Bay during winter and spring.The highestreported numbers of this whalehave been from the vicinity of point Ann (Bannister,pers. comm.).The Doubtful Islandsare important breeding colonies ofAustralian Sea Lions and New ZealandFur-seals.

The inlets within and borderingthe FitzgeraldRiver National Park are very depauperatein terms of aquaticflora and fauna,as might be expectedin viewof their semi-permanentlyclosed condition. However,when the barsbreak and seawater floods the lagoonsmany marine animals invade them and maysurvive there for briefperiods.

The seagrassRupp ia megacarpa and,lhe stoneworlLamprothamnium establishin most of the inlets when salinity conditionsare favourable. Some of the obligateestuarine invertebrateJ are present. Black breamsurvive throughout the yearin deeperriverine pools. Sea mullet anda few other marinefishes that enterwhile the entrancesare open may also survive for somemonths and grow to fishablesize, especiallyin HamersleyInlet. At thosetimes they arefished by both commercialand recreational fishers.The commercialfishers make the point that ifthese fish are not takenthey die anywaywhen thewater becomes unsuitable for themand a valuableresource is wasted.

Recrmtion The coastlineofthe FitzgeraldRiver National park is classifiedby cALM for managementpurposes as havinghigh or moderatescenic value. The centralarea of the park is a wildernesszone without access for vehicles.Vehicle access to otherparts of theshore is sitedto minimisevisual impact. Consequently the scenicquality ofthis verybeautiful section ofthe SouthCoastwill be maintained.

MostDark visitors are sightseers. Recreational fishers use vantage points on the accessiblerocky shores andbeaches but the intensityof useis low.There is a boatlaunching site at the southernend of DoubtfulIsland Bay.

Theinlets within and bordering the FitzgeraldRiver National park are an importantelement in the scenicvalue of the park.Dempster Inlet lies within thewilderness zone of thepark and Fitzgerdld and Hamersleywithin natural environmentzones. The park is becomingincreasingly used for recreational puryoses.

Preaious recommenda ti ons TheEPA made no recommendationsregarding the marineareas adjacent to the FitzgeraldRiver NationalPark or the inletswithin the parkboundaries in its report on conservationReserves in WesternAustralia (1976, System 3).

In the CALMManagement Plan (1991,No. 15)for the FitzgeraldRiver National park it was recommendedthat the Gordon,St Mary,Fitzgerald, Dempster and Hamersley Inlets be declared marine reserves.It wasalso recommended that commercialfishing be permittedin Gordonand HamersleyInlets but not in Fitzgerald,Dempster or St Mary Inlets.

Wo*i ng Croup recommendations while acknowledgingthe lackof informationabout the marineflora and faunaon the shoresof the FitzgeraldRiver National Park, the working Groupbelieves that reservationof the coastalwaters adjacentto the parkwould havemerit for recreationand managementreasons. With limited accessto the shore,significant human impacton the marineflora andfauna is unlikely.Reservation would be consistentwith the principaluses of the coastline,that is sight-seeingand recreationalfishinpi, and a Iogicalextension of the InternationalBiosphere Reserve status of the coast.

The importanceof DoubtfulIsland Bay as a nurseryarea for SouthernRight Whalesis in itself a reason for reservation.Assuming that careis takento avoidinterference with the whales,the existing

Part V - 34 commercialAustralian Salmon fishery would be readilyaccommodated within marinepark managementprograms.

TheWorking Groupnotes the greaterpublic acceJsto the coaston the north sideof Point Hood and the presencethere of housingbut believesthat theyeis a casefor extendingthe proposedmarine reserveto encompassthe DoubtfulIslands and Point Hoodproviding additional protection to the Sea Lion andFur Sealcolonies and adding a significantarea of rockyshore to the reserve.

The small inlets of the FitzgeraldRiver National Park, impoverished though they arein terms of aquaticflora andfauna, nevertheless represent a tlpe of semi-permanentlyclosed "estuary" peculiar to the easternpart of WesternAustralia's South Coast. They have considerable scenic merit and contributesignificantly to the scenicand recreationalvalues of the FitzgeraldRiver National Park and to the integrity of the statusof the areaas an InternationalBiosphere Reserve. Culham Inlet is hardly claimableas an estuaryat all and it is now highly modifiedby human activityand hasless value as a potentialreserve for either conservationor recreationalpurposes.

For the abovereasons the WorkingGroup recommends that: "the areaof Statecoastal waters between the mouth of CordonInlet and the mouth of CulhamInlet , that isthe coastadjacent to theFitzgerald River National Park, should be considered for reservationas a marinereserve for conservationofflora and fauna and recreation, and that it shouldbe added to the FitzgeraldBiosphere Reserve;

"considerationalso be given to reservationfor the same purposes ofthe southern part of Doubtful Island Bayencompassing the Doubtful Islands and Point Hood;

"legalopinion be obtained on thestatus of Cordon,St Mary,Fitzgerald, Dempster and Hamersley Inlets 'tidal' andif theyare judged to be andtherefore excluded from the national Dark as declared under the LandAct, consideration should be given to reservationof thema.s marine reserves under the CALM Act andthat their management be integrated with thatof thenational park.'

3.9. Stokci lnlet (Map V-4)

The sectionof the coasthere under consideration is adjacentto the StokesNational Park encompassing MargaretCove, Dunster Castle Bay and Fanny Cove and includes Torradup and StokesInlets. The geomorphologicaland biological features ofthe inletswere described by Hodgkin& CIark(1989a) and aresummarised here.

Tenure The nationalpark extendsto the low water mark.Stokes Inlet is entirelysurrounded by the national park but the extremeupstream part ofTorradupInlet liesbeyond the park'snorthern boundary. As in the caseof the inlets enclosedwithin the FitzgeraldRiver National Park, there is questionwhether "tidal" Torradupand StokesInlets are andtherefore excluded from the nationalpark by the termsof the LandAct.

Gumorp hologg an d hgdmlogg The repeatedsequence of granitic rockyheadlands alternating with arcuatebeaches backed by Quaternarydunes is representedalong the coastof the StokesNational Park by three units. The headlandshere are low and not asscenically spectacular as those in the westernpart of the South Coast.The largestis ShoalCape at the westernend of FannyCove. Similar but much smallerheadlands form the westernends of DunsteyCastle Bay and Margaret Cove. Fanny Cove is moderatelyprotected from oceanswells except during easterlyweather.

The southward-pointingtoe ofthe ShoalCape headland is exposedto healywave action on both its westernand easternsides. Its shorei aretlpical of exposedgranitic shores with smooth,wave-swept rock slooes.

PartV - 35 Westof ShoalCape the shoreis beachand Quaternarylimestone. For a distanceofover I km immediatelywest of the headlandthe beachis protectedfrom the oceanswells by threeparallel, near- shorelimestone reefs. The reefsappear to be formedof old beachrock depositsand to represent previouspositions of the shore.The two inner reefsbreak the surfacebut the top of the outer oneis severalmetres deep. There are deepchannels between the threereefs and between the inner reefand the shore.The outer channelhas a maximumdepth of over25 m. The inner sidesof the reefsare deeplyundercut and cavernousand there are underwater scree slopes of limestoneslabs. Similar offshorelimestone reefs occur further westbut areless continuous and orovide less Drotection to the shore.

TorradupInlet, formedat the mouth of the TorradupRiver, is the most easterlyof the South Coast riverineestuaries. It is small,being about 3.5 km long and nowheremore than 200 m wide,with an areaof about0.4 kmz.Most of the inlet is shallowwith marginalsand flats and depthsof 2 m in the narrowerparts. It alwaysholds water, which maybe almostfresh when the river flowsand is probably seldommuch more saltythan seawater. The entrancebar breaksevery year but remainsopen only briefly,for abouta week.

StokesInlet is the most easterlyof the SouthCoast lagoonal estuaries of moderatesize. It is only arguablyan estuary.It maybe classifiedas ofthe lagoonal,semi-permanently closed tlpe. Theinlet lies in a deepvalley and is fedby the Lort andYoung Rivers, both ofwhich are saline.Although the rivers arisein agriculturallands, the lagoonis entirelyencompassed by the park. It hasan areaof about 14 kmz.lt hasrelatively deep water and is not knownto dry out. The entrancechannel has a depthof up to 10 m. The entrancesand bar maybe asmuch as2 m high andbreaks infrequently. It remained closedfor the thirty yearperiod to 1967but sincethen hasopened on averageat about5 yearintervals. Themore frequent opening in recentyears appears to relateto the clearingof muchof the catchment and the resultingincreased flooding. Salinity in StokesInlet is rarelyless than that of seawater. Even winterflood water is brackishand evaporation in summermay raise the salinity to hypersalinelevels. Thereis someevidence of minornutrient enrichment derived from the catchment.

FIoru and fauna Verylittle informationis availableon the marineflora and fauna of thisshore. Inspection of aefial photographsindicates that the gentlyshelving seabed, especially in the coves,has dense PosrTonla and Amphibolk seagrassbeds but little is knownoftheir floristic compositionor associatedfauna.

TheWorking Groupwas given reports from abalonedivers and commercialshell collectorsthat the channelsbetween the limestonereefs west of ShoalCape are the habitatof an extremelyrich and diverseinvertebrate and fish fauna.This is consistentwith the physicalnature of the habitat.

The aquaticbiota of StokesInlet is impoverished.The seagrass Ruppia megacarpa, the stone\vort ktmprothamnium and the attachedgreen alga Polgphgsa peniculus are the dominantplants and all maybe abundantin suitablewater conditions.The suiteof obligateestuarine invertebrates normally found in South Coastestuaries is present.In additiona numberof marineinvader invertebrates have beenrecorded. A speciespresent in thisinlet but not recordedin inletsfurther west is the inlandsalt lakesnail Coxiellasp. Black bream are permanent residents in the inlet but during the yearsfollowing openingof thebar a numberof marinefishes establish there, including Australian herring, pilchard, yelloweyemullet, seamullet, King Georgewhiting, cobbler,tarwhine and manyothers.

The aquaticflora and faunaof TorradupInlet is evenmore impoverished than that of Stokes.The only invertebratesrecorded (Hodgkin & Clark,1989a) are the bivalveslrthritica semenand Sanguinolaria biradiata,a salt lakegastropod Coxiella sp" andan unidentifiedpolychaete worm.

Recretion The StokesNational Park has high scenicqualities but it is remoteand asyet it is not a populartourist destination.Yet the coastalvegetation and scenery is of high qualityand fishingin the inlet and on the coastis excellent.Increasing use ofthe park andthe inlet for recreationalpurposes may be expectedin future.

PartV - 36 FannyCove is usedmostly by localpeople as a campingand fishinglocation. Boats may be launched there.Although little usedat present,the westernside of ShoalCape has considerable potential as a recreationaldiving sitewith the protectionfrom the swellsprovided by the near-shorelimestone reefs.

Preui ous rucommenda tions None.

Working Group recommenda tions The repeatedsequence of rockyheadland-beach present on this sectionis representativeof the South Coastexcept that the headlandsare low andwithout high cliffs.The near-shorelimestone reefs which area commonfeature at the easternends of the bayseast of Hopetounare very well representedhere. The deepchannels between the reefson the westernside of ShoalCape are a uniquefeature and undoubtedlyprovide habitat for a diversemarine flora andfauna. The coasthas excellent potential for sightseeing,recreational fishing anddiving which would addsignificantly to the recreational opportunitiesofthe StokesNational Park.

Stokesand TorradupInlets havehigh consewationvalues as representatives ofthe South Coastsemi- permanentlyclosed lagoonal and riverineestuaries. Stokes is the mosteasterly of the lagoonalinlets of anysize. It hasrelatively deep water and doesnot dry out. Undoubtedlyfor that reason,it supportsa more diverseaquatic flora andfauna than other estuariesof similar typefurther west.The inlet has highscenic value and is an importantelement of thescenic quality of the surroundingnational park. It alsohas considerable value for its recreationalfishing.

TheWorking Grouprecommends that:

"Statecoastalwaters adjacent to theStokes National Park, encompassing Margaret Cove, Dunster Castle Bayand Fanny Cove, and including the tidal parts of Stokeslnlet andTorradup Inlet, be considered for reservationas a marinereserve for thepurposes of conservationofflora and fauna and public recreatior; andmanaged in conjunctionwith thenational park."

3.1O. Recherche Archipelago (Map V-4)

The RechercheArchipelago is oneof the major featuresof the SouthCoast, stretching for a distanceof morethat 200km and including manyislands. The port of Esperance,located in EsperanceBay at the westernend of the archipelago,is the district centre.

Tenure Most of the islandsof the archipelagoare incorporated in a ClassA NatureReserve (No. 22796). Woody Islandin EsperanceBay is a ClassB NatureReserve. Cape Arid NationalPark and CapeLe Grand NationalPark includethe shoresof mostof the adjacentmainland. All ihe naturereserves and the nationalparks extend to the low water mark.

Severalof the outer islandslie beyondthe Statethree mile limit (that is three nauticalmiles from the baseline).They are Stateterritory andtherefore each is surroundedby its own areaof Statewaters.

Geomorphologty The islandsof the archipelagorepresent the high pointsof the Proterozoicland surface(Albany-Frazer Oregon)now floodedby the ocean.Most of the islandsare exposedto high or moderatewave action from all directionsand thereare few safe anchorages or landings.In form and characterthe islands resemblethe granitic headlandsof the mainlandcoast. Their high rockypromontories have smooth, steepsides sloping into the seain the most exposedareas. More sheltered shores have boulders and tide pools.Between some of the headlandsthere are arcuate beaches backed by low dunesor gnnite hill slopes.

The depthof the seafloor within the archipelagoaverages about 40 m. Most of the islandsare within the 50 m bathymetriccontour although the outer islandsrise from depthsof 70 m or more.Typically

PartV - 37 the rockyshores are steep-towith an abruptchange in substratewhere the rock slopesmeet the sandy floor. Thereare manyvertical rock walls in the sublittoralzone.

Floru and fauna The only studiesof the marineflora andfauna of the archipelagowere published over 30 yearsago by membersof the AustralianGeographical Society Expedition. There is Iittle other informationavailable. Inspectionof aerialphotognphs indicates that thereare extensive seagrass beds in the baysbut there is no informationon their floristic compositionand associated flora andfauna. Posidonia sinuosa hu beencollected fvom individual clumps as deep as 47 m in the Archipelago.

Recreationaldivers and commercialabalone divers and shell collectorshave informed the Working Groupthat the upperparts of the rock slopes,that is aboveabout 20 m, are dominatedby macrophytic algaebut belowthat depththere arespectacular growths of attachedinvedebrates, most notably spongesand coelenterates.Fish communitiesare very diverseand eventhe vulnerableresidential specieslike Blue Groperand QueenSnapper are abundant.

Manyof the islandsand emergentrock in the archipelagoare haul-out sites and breeding colonies of AustralianSea Lions and NewZealand Fur Seals.The breedingcolonies include the largestin the State for both species.There are also important nestingareas for the Little Penguinon severalof the islands.

Fishnies The lower rock slopesof the islandsare an importantZone I areafor the greenlipand brownlip abalone whichare fished commercially.

Gummyshark, and to a lesserextent whiskery shark and duskyshark (bronze whaler), are extensively fishedby demersalgillnet andlongline in thesewaters. The waters of the archipelagoalso support a largeproportion of the fisheryfor the southernrock lobster.A small demersaltrawl fisheryfor saucer scallopsalso operates seasonally within the area.There is a regionallyimportant, developing, purse- seinefishery for pilchard.

Recrcotion Becauseof the remotenessof theseislands, the paucityof safeanchorages and the difficulty of landing ashore,they are notwell suitedfor recreationaluse. With one exceptionthey are reservedexclusively for natureconservation and, although landing is not prohibited,camping on the islandsis approved only for specialpurposes. The exceptionis WoodyIsland where shore accommodation is available. Nevertheless,the watersaround the islandsprovide excellent opportunities for fishing and quite spectacularsites for diving and the archipelagois becomingincreasingly used for thosepurposes, includingcommercial dive tours.

Pretious recommenda t i ons None.

Workin g Gmup rccommendatiotts While acknowledgingthe paucityof informationabout the marineflora andfauna of the Recherche Archipelago,the WorkingGroup believes that resewationof thesewaters can be justifiedon the groundsthat habitatsare diverse and that addedprotection would be providedfor the SeaLion, Fur Sealand seabirdcolonies. Pyotection of areasfor the purposesof recreationaldiving and development of the commercialdive tour industrycan also be justified.

However,with the limited informationavailable, the Working Groupwas unable to identifyparts ofthe Archipelagowhich areparticularly worthy of reservation.It wasconcluded that selectionof specific areaswould be unwiseand that reservationof the entirearea as a multiple-usemarine reserveis warranted.Subsequent surveys in the courseofpreparation of a managementplan would identifyareas ofparticular importancefor conservation,recreation and commercial fishing and appropriatezoning would resolveootential conflicts between these activities.

PartV - 38 Accordingly the Working Group recommends that:

"the watersof the RechercheArchipelago between Butty Headin the westand IsraeliteBay in the ea5t, extendingto the limit of the StateTerritorial Sea,including the areai of Statewaters surounding the outer islandsbut excludingthe Port of Esperance,should be consideredfor reservationas a marine reservefor multiple purposesincluding conseruation of flofa and faunaand public recreation."

3.11. Twilight Cove (Map V-5)

The sectionof the coastconsidered here takes in the westernshores of the GreatAustralian Bight, extendingapproximately 50 km eastand west of Twilight Cove.

Tenurc The adjacentcoast is a ClassA NatureReserve (No.27632) which extendsto the low tide mark.

Gnmorphologrg Ceologicallythe arealies within the EuclaBasin and straddles the two major coastaltlpes characteristico{ the shoresof that sedimentarybasin. In the eastthe shoreis beachbacked by high, often mobilePleistocene dunes, including the EyreSandpatch. ln the westthe shoreis formedby the BaxterCliffs, high limestonecliffs with narrow,limestone rock platforms, boulderfields or narrowbeaches at their base.They are similar to the NullarborCliffs on the South Australianside of the border.The sea floor alongthis stretchof coastis gentlyshelving and relatively featureless.

Floro and fauna Thereis verylittle informationabout the marineflora and fauna of this area.Inspection of aerial photographsindicates that thereare extensive seagrass beds off the beach,protected by coastal limestonereefs. The seagrassmeadows consist mainly of Amphibolisbut their associatedfauna has not beendetermined. Nothing is knownof the rockyshore biota along the base of the BaxterCliffs.

TheLittle Penguinhas been reported nesting at sitesalong the coastin thevicinity of TwilightCove, the onlymainland breeding area known for thisspecies in WesternAustralia. There have also been reportsof a breedingcolony of the AustralianSea Lion on rocksat the baseof the BaxterCliffs (pers. comm.B. Haberley).The colony is smallbut it too is the onlyrecord of the speciesbreeding on the mainland.

Fisheries Nosignificant use is madeby commercialfishers of this area.The shallow coastal limestone reefs and seagrassbeds between Twilight Coveand Eucla are currently being considered as a protectednursery areafor the commerciallyimportant gummy shark.

Recreation Thisis a veryremote part of the coastwith limitedaccess. [t is usedonly rarely by sight-seersand recreationalfishers.

Preu ious recornmenda ti ons None.However, it shouldbe notedthat the SouthAustralian Covernment has proposed the establishmentof a marinereserve at the Headof the Bight extendingas far westas the Western Australianborder.

Workin g Group tecommenda t i ons This sectionof the coastis selectedfor considerationby the WorkingGroup because it representsthe two coastaltlpes characteristicof the shoresof the EuclaBasin and not becauseit hasany known specialconservation or recreationvalues. The Working Grouprecommends that:

PartV - 39 "a surveyof the coastbetween about 50 km eastand west of Twilight Coveshould be conductedto assess the valueof the areaai a marinereserve for the Drotectionof marineflora and faunaand coastal landforms."

PartV - 40 A REPRESENTATIVEMARINE RESERVESYSTEM FOR WESTERN AUSTRAtIA

Report of the Marine Parks and ReservesSelection Working Group

Summaryof Recommendations PART l: INTRODUCTION

Theintroductory section contains no Working Group recommendations.

PART ll: MARINE RESERVESlN THE KIMBERLEYAND THE SAHUT SHELF

RECOMMENDATIONSFOR MARINE.RESERVES ON THE KIMBERLEYCOAST

...... Part II - 11 Iondonderry(Map II-2)...... Part II - 13 VansittartBay-Admiralty Gulf (Map II-3) ...... PartII - 15 PrinceFrederick Harbour-Saint George Basin (Map II-4) ...... Part II - 17 MontgomeryIslands (Map II-5) ...... Part II - 18 WalcottInlet and Secure Bay (Map II-5) ...... Part II - 19 BuccaneerArchipelago (Map II-6)...... PartII - 20 OceanicCoral Banks and Islands (Map II-7) ...... Pafttt- 2I

CambridgeGulf (Map ll-l ) Working Crouprecommenila tions Notingthe high biological diversity of theCambfidge Gulf estuary, especially in the easternmangals andnearby areas, the unique character of theestuary in termsof its geomorphicand biological communitystructure, and the importance of thesystem as a contributorto thebiological productivityof BonaparteGull theWorking Group believes that there is a goodcase for reserving thisarea for naturecons€rvation.

Aftersome consideration the Working Group decided not to recommendextending the resewation to the NTborder because, although the fringing mangals and supra-tidal flats of thatshore are a significantlydifferent coastal tlpe to thoseof CambridgeGulf, they are not likelyto supporta diverse floraand fauna and not likelyto needmanagement for publicrecreation purposes.

TheWorking Group recommends that:

"the easternside of CambridgeGulf, eastof a Iine betweenWhite StonePoint on LacrosseIsland and NichollsPoint on AdolphusIsland, and encompassingthe FalseMouths of the Ord,together with the waters of the tidal po ion of the EastArm of the Ord,be consideredfor reservationfor the conservationof marine flora and faunaand protectionof mangalhabitat. At the mouth of the Gulfthe reserueshould extend seawardto the limit of Stateteritorial watersand eastwardsfrom CaDeDomett for a distanceof approximately15 km."

Londonderry(Map ll-2)

Worki ng Croup recommenda tiotts It is acknowledgedthat the following recommendations are based almost solely on photo- interpretationand accounts of thesc€nic quality of the coast. Field studies will be needed to confirm thehigh values of theseagrass, reefand mangal habitats before these recommendations proceed and boundariesare decided.

TheWorking Group endorses the earlierrecommendations, though noting that there is no category for marinenational park in thecurrent legislation. Given the high recreational and tourism potential of thearea the most appropriate reserve category would be marine park.

Theeastern and westem extent of theproposed marine reserve is problematical.In thewest, because of the configurationof theDrysdale Estuary, it is notpossible to limit the marinereserve to the waterscontiguous with theproposed national park. lt will benecessary to extend the reserve westwardsalong the southern shores of theestuary which are Aboriginal reserve land. The western

Recommendations- 3 boundaryof the marinereserve could be located along a linerunning northward from Red Bluff and throughWest Governor Island so including the north eastern part of NapierBroome Bay.

Limitingthe marine park to thewaters contiguous with thenational park in theeast would exclude LesueurIsland, the estuaryof theKing George River and the spectacular King George Falls. As the fallsare an important feature in potentialrecreational use of thepark and Lesueur Island and its surroundingreefs have high conservation values, the working Group believes that consideration shouldbe given to includingthese areas within the marine reserve.

Theeastern and western sides of theproposed marine reserve abut Aboriginal Reserve land and it will benecessary for theboundaries to bediscussed with therelevant Aboriginal communities.

TheWorking Group recommends that:

"western Australiancoastal waters west and north of the capeLondonderry peninsu14 including the estuariesof the Drysdaleand King CeorgeRivers and extendingea-stwards as far asCape Rulhieres, should be reservedfor the purposesof public recreationand the conseruationof flora and fauna.',

Vansittart Bay - Admiralty Gulf (Map ll-3)

Worki ng GroupRecommenda tions Althoughinformation on theflora and fauna of thisremote part of theKimberley coast is sparse,the WorkingGroup believes that four marine areas within the area warrant consideration as candidates for reservationand recommends asfollows:

"1. VansittartBay Noting the accountsof the high recreationalpotential, marine habitat variety and abundantmarine fauna, that there be a biologicalsurvey ofwaters of VansittartBay with a viewto selectingan areaor areasfor reservationfor conservationof marineflora and faunaand public recreation.The area surveyed should includethe waterssouth of the EclipseIslands and Marv Island.

"2. Port Warrender TheWorking Croup endorses the earlierrecommendation ofBurbidge et. al. (1991) that a marinereserve be declaredin the watersadjoining the proposednational park at the mouth of the LawleyRiver. However, asthere is no categoryfor marinenational park, the reserveshould be marinepark or maline nature reserve.In view of the high natute conservationvalue of the areaand the limited Dotentialfor oublic recreation,the appropriatecategory would be marinenature reserve. "The areaconsidered for reservationshould be southof a line eastwardfrom WalshPoint upstreamin the tidal riversof the LawleyEstuary a.5 far asthe limit of tidal waters,thus includingboth the Walshpoint and Lawleymangals.

"3.Mitchell River Considerationshould be givento reservationof the MitchellRiver Estuary for the purposeof conseruation of marineflora and fauna"The area considered should include the watersof walmeslyBay south of PickeringPoint and extend upstream to the limit of tidalwaters.

"4. Long Reef Theworking Grouprecommends that therebe geologicaland biologicalsurveys of Long Reefand that reservationbe consideredat a later date."

PrinceFrederlck Harbour - talnt ceorge Basin(Map ll-4)

Wor*in g Croup recommenda tions Theworking Group has not considered the marine habitats surrounding the many nearshore and offshoreislands of thissector because there is suchlittle informationabout them. Further study may showthat the waters around the outer islands, eg. Montalivet and Maret Islands, may warrant reservation.However, the Working Group believes that there are sufficient grounds for reservationof thetwo marine gulfs in thesector and recommends asfollows:

Recommendations- 4 "Therecommendations of the EPAand Burbidgeet al. (1991)that the watersof PrinceFrederick Harbour and Saint GeorgeBasin should be reservedshould be implemented,except that there is no categoryof marinenational park. The appropriatedesignation to meetthe intent of thoserecommendations u,ould be marinepark.

"TheWorking Groupsuggests that the seawardboundaries of the two marinereserves should be varied from thoseof the earlierrecommendations. In the caseof PrinceFrederick Harbour the boundaryshould be acrossYork Soundbetween Cape Torreris and Augereau Island. In the caseof Saint GeorgeBasin the boundaryshould be acrossBrunswick Bay between High Bluff and CapeWellington, incoDorating the watersofHanov€r Bay. These boundaries include portions of the more openocean marine habitati and can be preciselylocated for managementpurposes."

Montgomery lrlands (Map ll-5)

Working Croup rccomme nda tions With verylittle informationavailable the WorkingGroup is not in a positionto do more than endorse the earlievrecommendations of Burbid€eet al.,primarily on the groundsthat a knownhabitat of the dugongis worthy of protection.However, the extensiveintertidal and subtidal rock andsand flats constitutean unusualfeature on the Kimberleycoast and it is probablethat they supporta diverse flora and fauna.The hunting of dugongin the areaby Aboriginesis not necessarilyincompatible with marinereserve status, provided that the dugongpopulation is monitoredand the numbersof animals takenare at sustainablelevels.

Accordinglythe Working Grouprecommends that:

"Thewaters suffounding the Montgomery and High Cliffy Islands should be considered for reservationfor theconservation of floraand fauna, with provisionsmade for a sustainablelevel of dugonghunting by Aborigines.

"TheWorking Croup suggests that the outer boundary of the marine reserve should be located at a suitable bathymetriccontour around the banks and reefs."

Walcott Inlet and Secure Bay (Map ll-5)

Wo*i ng Group recomme nda tions TheWorking Group endorses the recommendationofBurbidge et al. (1991)for the reservationof the watersof WalcottInlet. As there is no categoryof marinenational park the appropriatecategory of reservein keepingwith the recreationaluse of the surroundingnational park would be marinepark.

The Working Croup notedthe extensiveand unusual mangal system and scenic values of SecureBay and believesthat it shouldbe addedto the proposedmarine park. Marine park statuswould not necessarilybe incompatiblewith future useof this featurefor the generationof tidal power.

TheWorking Groupwas also impressed by GeorgeWater and Doubtful Bay as likely crocodileand bird habitatand by the extensivemangal there, although there is little informationabout those areas. Further studiesshould be undertakento identiff the mostimportant areas of theseinlets for nature conservationpurposes and reservationof them shouldbe consideredat a later date.Preference given hereto WalcottInlet and SecureBay as a marinepark representingthe enclosedinlet environment of this sectionof the coastis basedon the fact that Walcottis surroundedby proposednational park.

Accordinglythe WorkingGroup recommends that:

"1.The tidal parts of Walcott Inlet and Secure Bay should be considered for reservationfor thepurposes of publicrecreation and the conservation offlora and faun4 with theseaward boundaries being across the entrancesat Yule Entrance and The Funnel resDectivelv,

Recommendations- 5 "2. Therebe a surveyof the habitats,flora and faunaof CeorgeWater and DoubtfulBay and assessment madeof the natural valuesofthese areas and considerationgiven to reservationof them or Dartsof them, for the conservationof flora and fauna."

BuccaneerArchipelago (Map ll-6)

Worki ng Croup recommendatiotts TheWorking Group endorses the proposals that the waters of theBuccaneer Archipelago be declared marinepark and zoned for multiple use according to a managementplan developed in collaboration r,viththe Aboriginal community.

Afterconsidering the proposed boundaries, the working Group believes that the values of the marine parkwould be greatly enhanced by extending the boundaries to includeCygnet Bay in thewest and TalbotBay in theeast. The Working Croup's preferred boundaries are indicated in Maoll-6.

Thepresence of pearlculture leases and operations within the area of theproposed marine park is noted'Providing that this industryis managedwith duecare for themany sensitive natural values of themarine environment, the workinpl Group considers that this activity would be compatiblewith multiple-usemarine park status.

TheWorking Group recommends that:

"The watersof the BuccaneerArchipelago, including cygnet Bay in the south west andralbot Bayin the east,should be consideredfor reservationas a multiple-usemarine oark.,,

OceanicCoral Banksand lslands(Map tl-Z)

Worki n g Crouprecommenda tiorrs TheWorking Group endorses the earlier recommendations for declaration of marinereserves around bothAdele and Browse lslands. It is notedthat, in thecase of Adele, the surrounding reef extends beyondthe limit of Statejurisdiction. As it is anintegral part of thecoral platform reef and ecosystemit is importantthat the whole reef be reserved. The working croup suggests that the state authoritiesliaise with theCommonwealth with a viewto securingreservation under Commonwealth legislationofthose parts of thereef under Commonwealth jurisdiction and subsequent joint managementof thewhole marine reserve.

TheWorking Croup also believes that considerationshould be given to thereservation of ScottReef. Althoughpart of thereef is underState jurisdiction and part under Commonwealth jurisdiction, the WorkingGroup believes that the reef complex should be managed as one unit, r.r,ith appropriate collaborationbetween the Stateand Commonwealth management agencies.

TheWorking Group recommends that: "1. Consid€rationshould be givento reservationof the Statewaters surrounding Browse and Adele Islands and Scott Reei

'2. The relevantCommonwealth authorities should be approachedwith a suggestionthat thoseareas of Scott Reefand the reefaround Adele Island which are under its jurisdiction,should be reservedunder commonwealthlegislation so that the state and commonwealthareas can be manageda5 ecologically inteeralunits." I PART lll: MARINE RESERVESON THE CANNTNGAND pttBARA COASTS I AND THE ROWLEYSHELF RECOMMENDATIONSFOR MARINE RESERVES ON THE PILBARA AND CANNING COASTS AND I THEROWLEY SHELF Westcoast ofDampierland (Map nl-1)...... partIII - 15 I PenderBay...... partIII _ 16 LacepedeIslands...... partIII - 1Z RoebuckBay - LagrangeBay (Map III-2)...... partIII _1g I EightyMile Beach (Map III-3)...... partIII _23 Keraudren(North Turtle and Bedout Islands) (Map III-4)...... partIII - 24 Depuch(Map III-5) ...... partIII _26 I CowrieBeach ...... partIII - 26 DampierArchipelago (Map III-6)...... partIII - 28 CapePreston (Map III-7) ...... partIII - 31 I Robe(Map lU-8) ...... partIII - 33 ExmouthGulf (Map III-9)...... partIII _35 WestPilbara offshore islands (Maps III-8, III-9) .....partIII _3g I SerrurierIslands...... partIII _ 3g MuironIslands...... partIII - 39 Barrow-MonteBello complex (Map III-8)...... partIII _41 I MonteBello Is1ands...... part III - 42 BarrowIsland...... partIII _ 46 I Wcrt Coastof Dampierland(Map tff f ) I Worhin g AroupRecomm mda tions I l. PenderBay - CapeBorda: "(i) that a surveybe caffiedout of the supratidal,intertidal and shallowsublittoral marine habitats and flora and faunaof the CapeBorda-Pender Bay system and the Sandypoint BeagteBay system; I " (ii) that, asan outcomeof the survey,an areaof the coastbe selectedfor declarationas a marinereserve for public recreationand protectionof flora and faun4 to representthe V,shapedbay systems characteristic t of the Canningcoast."

2, LacepedeIslands:

I "that there be a surveyof the intertidaland shallowsublittoral marine habitats and reefolatforms suffoundingthe LacepedeIslands, and an assessmentmade of their suitabilityas a marinereserve for the I conservationofflora and fauna."

I RoebuckBay - LagrangeAay (Map f -2) Worki n g GroupRecomm enila tiotts I Asa designatedRAMSAR wetland, Roebuck Bay is anobvious candidate for reseruation.As well aj its statusas bird habitat it includesa large mangal of very unusual structure and exceptional)y well- devefopedmudflats. The working croup endorses the earlier recommend ation of Burbidgeet al. I (1991)that a marinepark be declared in RoebuckBay but believes that further work is needed to definethe most appropriate boundaries. From an ecological and management point of view, limiting thepark to theintertidal flats is notappropriate. It would be preferable to resewethe whole waters if I thebay and such parts of theadjacent hinterland which directly contribute to its ecosystem functions,ie. the tidal creeks and supra-tidal flats. I

T Recommendations- 7 Also,the Working Group considers that boundaiies should be set north and south ofthose recommendedin the 1991report. The rocky shore of GantheaumePoint has particular conservation valuesin termsof its invertebratemarine fauna and the presence of dinosaurfootprints. Inclusion of thatarea within themarine reserve would help resolve the management problems that prevail there andincrease the habitat diversity of thereserve. The southern boundary recommended byBurbidge el a/. at SandyPoint would be undesinble as the Roebuck Bay coastal geomorphic continues southwardstoCape Villaret.

Forthese reasons the Working Croup suggests that the Marine Park should include a largerarea than thatrecommended by Burbid€eet al. (1991),while noting that the Port of Broomewould need to be excluded.

Theproposed Roebuck Bay Marine Park should be managed specifically for theprotection of habitat for migratorybirds and the ecosystems upon which they depend. Nevertheless, the Working Group believesthat thecurrent level of commercial,recreational and subsistence fishing in RoebuckBay is compatiblewith thatmanagement objective.

TheWorking Group was also impressed by the features of LagrangeBay which is perhapsthe best exampleon the coastof the dune-ridgebay coastal tlpe. It hasan exceptionallywide range of habitatsand biotic assemblages and an extremelyrich marine fauna including many of the North WestShelf endemic species.

Accordinglythe Working Group recommends asfollows:

1. RoebuckBay Marine Park:

"(a)That the watersof RoebuckBay be reserveda.s Marine Park for public recreationand protectionof flora and fauna.

"Themarine park shouldexclude an area(whose precise limits will needto be defined)encompassing BroomeHarbour.

"TheWorking Groupsuggests that the boundariescould be from the norLhsid€ of CantheaumePoint to CapeVillaret andfrom High WaterMark to the limit of the Territorial Seabut further studyand discussion will beneeded on thisaspect.

"(b)That foreshoreareas not alreadyreserued behind High WaterLevel adjacent to the centraland southern partsof the park,should be addedto the marinepark by reservationunder the LandAct. This action is pivotalfor successfulintegrated management. The shorewardboundaries of this proposedreserve have not beenfully determinedbut theyshould encompass those coastal areas of pastoralleases which arean integralpart ofthe drainageand geomorphologicnl systems ofthe coast.

2. LagrangeBay

"Thatthere be further studyofthe flor4 faunaand habitats of the coastalwaters, tidal creeksand supra- tidal flats betweenCape Latouche Treville and CapeBossut including Lagrange Bay, and an assessment madeofthe presentcommercial and recreationaluses of theseareas, with a viewto the selectionof the most suitablesections for reservationfor the purposesof pubJicrecreation and protectionof floIa and fauna."

Eighty Mile Beach (Map lll-3)

Workin g Grouprecomm endo tions

"1. While noting that the wholeof Eighty Mile Beachreceives environmental recognition as a MMSAR Wetlandof Intenational Importance,the WorkingGroup recommends that a sectionbe reservedfor the protectionof marineflora andfauna and the habitatof migntory shorebirds.The area reserved should includethe tidal flats and the 40 metre strip of landabove high tide level,ie. it shouldextend at leastfrom low tide levelto the boundaryof the adjacentpastoral leases.

Recommendations- 8 I ,,2.The Working Grouprecommends that considerationshould also be givento the r€servationof an areaof coastalwaters seaward of low tide level,preferably to the limit of statewaters, as a bufferto the beach I reserve.

"3. Noting that the RAOUstudy of Eighty Mile Beachis not yet complete,the Working Crouprecommends I that a decisionon which sectionshould be reservedshould be deferr€duntil it is possibleto accurately identifythe areaj of most importanceto migntory shorebirds,although preliminary indications are that it I shouldbe a sectionin the vicinity of AnnaPlains." I Keraudren (Map lll-4) WorkingCroup Recommendations I "1, That there be a surveyof the marinehabitats and flora and faunaof the mainlandcoast between Cape Keraudrenand spit Point,with specialattention given to the mangalsand sand/mud flats, and that an assessmentbe madeof their regionalsignificance with a viewto selectingthe most diverseand I representativearea for considerationas a marinereserve. ,,2.The Working Croup endorses the EPArecommendations for the declarationof North Turtle Islandas a ClassA reservefor the conservationof flora andfauna and recommendsthat the waterssurounding the I island,from the Low Tide Mark to the limit of Statewaters, be alsoreserved for protectionof seabirds, turtles and their habitats,and marineflora and faunagenerally. I "3, TheWorking Croupendorses the EPArecommendations for the declarationof BedoutIsland aJ a Cla55A reservefor the conservationofflora andfauna and recommendsthat the waterssurrounding the island, from Low TideMark to the limit of Statewaters, be alsoreserued f0r the protectionof seabirdsand marine I flora and faunagenerally."

t Depu

t CowrieBeach is a specialcase. The Working Group considers that reservationof the beachand hinterlandis urgentlyneeded to supportprotection of the veryimportant Flatback Turtle rookery. I Not much would be gainedby includingthe watersin front ofthe beachwithin the reserve.However, thereis goodreason for includingthe tidal watersof cowrie creekwhich is a smallbut significant, self-containedmangal unit.

I Declarationof the Coastnllands as a CALMAct maline natule reserveor LandAct natureleserve would havethe disadvanta$ethat recreationalfishing and camping could not be permitted.There would be procedunl advantages,however, in declaringthe intertidalzone and the 40 m strip as I marinepark underthe CALMAct oy the LandAct, vested in the NPNCA"thus allowingrecreational fishingto continue,subject to carefulmanagement to avoidinterference with the turtle breeding t activities. Accordinglythe WorkingGroup recommends that:

t "1.That a suneyshould be carried out of the mangal and nearshore marine habitats of the coastbetween CapeThouin and Cape Lambert so that one or moreparts of it mayselected for res€rvationto represent I coastaltype 3 andprotect nearshore marine and mangal habitats and their flora and fauna. I

I Recommendations- I I "2.That the stretch of shore of CowrieBeach and West Cowrie Beach, extending from the boundary of the adjacentpastoral lease to theLow Tide Mark, but includingthe tidal waters of CowrieCreek, be reserved andvested in theNPNCA, for thepurpose of public recreation and protection of flora and fauna. I

"3.That the breeding success of theFlatback Turtles at thissite be monitored and any necessary steps be takento ensurethat predation of theadults and young and other forms of disturbanceare kept to a I minimum." I Dampier Archipelago (Map lll-6)

Working Croup recomme nda tions t TheWorking Croup had no difficultyin agreeingthat the waters of theDampier Archipelago warrant reservationbut the determinationofboundaries for sucha reservewas problematical. There is potentialfor pollutionof thewaters in thevicinity of theindustrial and harbour facilities of Dampier I andthe western side of the BurrupPeninsula and in theshipping lane which bisects the Archipelago throughMermaid Sound, and potential for conflictbetween management objectives of the port- industrialdevelopments and conservation. I

For thesereasons the WorkingGroup concluded that a DampierArchipelago marine reserve should excludethe innerportion of MermaidSound and the functional area of thePo.rt of Dampier.The park I wouldthen comprise two primary sectors, connected on thenorthern side. The western part would encompassRosemary, Malus, Enderby, Eagl€hawk, West Lewis and the westernand northernshores of EastLewis Islands. The eastern part would include the northemtip of theBurrup Peninsula, I Conzinc,Dolphin, Angel and Gidley Islands, the island complex and waters north of GidleyL, HamersleyShoal, and Legendre, Hauy and Delambre Islands. The Working Group considers that the watersof Nickol Bayare not an integralpart of the Archipelagoecosystem and doesnot proposethat t theyshould be includedin the reserve,except for the areaacross the top between Dolphin, Hauy and DelambreIslands. I TheWorking Group considers that the area proposed to be includedin the reserve,while avoiding the principalshipping lanes and industrial areas, adequately represents the coralreef, mangal and sand andmudflat habitats of particularimportance in theArchipelago, and that it providesgood buffers I for theturtle andseabird nesting sites on the islands.It alsocontains the mostimportant recreationalareas worthy of managementand long term preservation. Thesuggested boundaries are straight lines between easily identifiable points in the seascape I whereverpossible. In the caseof the easternsector, a suitablewestern boundary for management purposescould be the easternlimit of theprohibited anchorage area, between Conzinc Island and the westerntip of HamersleyShoal, where the gas pipe)ine is laid.This would include the important t coralcommunities on the rockslopes of Conzincand other small islands.

Accordinglythe WorkingGroup recommends that: I "...the watersof the Dampier Archipelago, excluding the Port of Dampier, be reserved for the purposes of publicrecreation and protection of floraand fauna, and that the reaward boundary should be the limit of I theState Territorial Sea." I Cape Preston (Map lll-7) Working Croup recommendations I Themangals, muddy intertidal flats and extensive shallows east and west of CapePreston are species- rich and undoubtedlycontribute significanUy to the energybudget of the coastalwaters in the region.The varied mayine habitats are diverse and represent the mainlandcoast of the central I Pilbara,especially coastal tlpe 10,so that the areais an excellentcandidate for settingaside as a marineconservation reserve. I Thearea considered here is closeto the easternpart of RegnardBay which is suggestedfor inclusion within the proposedDampier Archipelago marine park (section 3.6 - seeMap III-6). A casecan be madefor a singlemarine reserve extending from the Archipelago to CapePreston and encompassing I

Recommendations- 10 I I all thewaters of RegnardBay, combining within the one reserve major examples of coastalbDes 9 and10. For this reasonthe recommendations of this section should be considered togethey with I thosefor section3.6.

Aftersome consideyation the Working Group decided not to proposeinclusion ofthe Fortescue I inactivedelta in theproposed marine reserve. This coastal tlpe is repeatedfurther south in theRobe Riverdeltn (section 3.8). However, if the boundaries of themarine park proposed within that sector do notinclude the Robe delta, inclusion ofthe Fortescuedelta within the proposed marine reserve at I CapePreston should be reconsidered. I Accordinglythe Working Group recommends: "1. That the sectionof coastalwaters between Gnoorea Point andJames Point, encompassingSouth West RegnardIsland, Preston Island, Preston Spit and CareyIsland, be consideredfor reservationfor the I purposesofprotection of mangalhabitat, prawn and fish nurseryarea-s, turtle nestingand feedingareas, and marineflora and faunagenerally. 'Alternatively, I considerationcould be given to extensionof the proposedDarnpier Archipelago Marine Park (section3.6) westwards to encompassall the watersof RegnardBay and North Regnard,South West Regnard,Preston and CareyIslands. "Extension I westwardsto includethe inactivedelta of the FortescueRiver should be consideredif the inactivedelta of the RobeRiver is not includedin the reserveof the Robe-Canesector. "2. t That the 40m strip of vacantCrown Land between High WaterMark and the boundaryof the adjacent paJtoralleases be addedto the MarinePark by reservationunder the LandAct.', I Robe(Map lll-8)

I Working Gmuprccommendo tiotts Althoughavailable information and inspection of aerialphotographs clearly indicate that this sector containsmany significant geomorphological and biological features, the Working Group r,{as not able I to recommendany particular section of it for reservationbecause of thelack of adequate information.Field survey work is neededto establishwhich areas most adequately represent the I vayietyof geomorphology,habitats, flora and fauna that are present. However,the Working Croup noted that the nearshore islands of thenorthern part of thesector, that is betweenSholl and Yammadery Islands, have recently been collectively designated as the xxx I NatureReserve (see Map lll-8). Shouldthe results of fieldsurveys indicate that the northern part of thissector contains geomorphology, habitats, flora and fauna suitably representative of the sector, therewould be merit in selectingthe waters surrounding those islands for designationas a marine I reserve. I Thereforethe Working Group recommends: "1. That there shouldbe a surveyof the marinehabitats, flora and faunaof the Robemangal and adjacent nearshorewat€rs to identifyareas of particularconseruation value in terms of mangalhabitat, prawn and t fish nurseryareas, dugong and turtle feedingareas, and marineflora and faunagenerally. "2' Thal unlessthe resultsofthe surveyindicate that the mostdesirable areas for marine conservationare I elsewherewithin the sector,consideration should be givento the declarationof the waterssurrounding the islandsdesignated as the GreatSandy Island Nature Reserve and encompassingthe Robemangal south to the CaneRiv€r, including the inactivedelta of the RobeRiver. "3. I That the strip of landbetween the High WaterMark of the areaselected for designationas marine reserveand the boundaryof the adjacentpastoral lease, should be addedto the reserve.,, I I

I Recommendations- 11 a I Exmouth Culf (Map lll-9)

Working Group recommendations I Thedistinctive eastern mangal and adjacent coastal waters of thegulf a)ready receive a measureof protectionunder the FisheriesAct. Marineresewe status would enhancethat protection.Reservation ofthe supra-tidalflats between the mangaland the hinterlandwould be essentialto ensureadequate I managementof the mangaland coastal habitats of the marinereserve. Although they represent a differentmangal tlpe, the mangalsof GalesBay and the Bay of Restshould be includedin the reserve.By extendingthe reservenorth along the south-western shore to a pointin thevicinity of I Learmontha sectionof the verydifferent habitats of the westernshore would be included. Reservationof a smallsection of the coastlinenear Exmouth would then adequately reDresent the westernshore habitats. I Accordinglythe Working Group recommends: t "1.That the nearshore waters on the eastern and south-western sides 0f Exmouth Culf be considered for reser"r'ationfor theprotection of mangalhabitat, prawn and fish nursery area-s, turtle and dugong feeding areas,and coastal marine fauna and flora generally, and for recreational fishing and such commercial I fishingand mariculture as may be consistent with the former purposes. "2.Boundaries: t (a)that the nofih eastern limit 0f the proposed marine reserve should be located at Locker Point and the south-westernlimit in thevicinity of Learmonth;

"(b)that the marine area reserved should extend from the High lVater Mark seaward to aboutthe 10 m I bathymetriccontour, or some suitable straight lines approximating that contour; "(c)that the 40 m stripof vacant Crown Land behreen the adjacent pastoral Ieases and Fligh Water Mark shouldbe added to themarine reserve by reser"r'ali0n under the Land Acl, t0gelher wilh such portions oF I theadjac€nt paJt0ral leases as will produce simple, clearly definable boundaries. "3.That the EPA 1975 recommendations fordeclaration ofislands in thearea as nature reserves should be I implementedaJs0on as possible. The Working Croup is of the view that all the island nature reserves shouldbe designated asClass A." t West Pilbara Offshore lslands (Maps lll-8, 9) t Workin g Croup recommendations Thewaters around the islandsand reefs of the Serruriergroup are representative of the offshore marinehabitats of the westernRowlev Shelf. Thev also have Dotential as a resourcefor recreation I andtourism. Dueto increasinguse of the marineresources of thewaters around the Muiron Islands there is a I needfor increasingmanagem€nt, that is, facilitating access while protecting the environmentand its livingresources. Reservation of the areaas marine park is onemeans of providinga basisfor management. t Accordinglythe Working Group recommends: I "1.Serrurier Island Group "a)That an area of watersencompassing Flat, Serrurier, Bessieres, Round and Table Islands and LIood Reef, BlackLedge and Bowers Ledge be considered forreservation forthe purposes ofpublic recreation and protecti0nof marineflora and fauna. I

"b)That an integrated Mana€ement Plan be developed forboth the island Nature Reserve and the surroundingmarine reserve, with provisions for recreational fishing and for camping ashore during those I seaionswhen seabirds and turtles are not nestinp.

"2.Muiron Islands I Thatan area of thewaters encompassing the Muiron and Sunday Island group be considered for reservation forthe purposes ofpublic recreation and pr0tection ofmarine fl0ra and faun4 subject to: I

Recommendations- 12 I I "a)a surveyof the marineflora andfauna and habitatssurounding the Muiron Islandsand comparisonwith thoseof the Ningaloomarine Park. I "b) a studyon the impactof current andanticipated future recreationalfishing on fish stocksaround the islandsand a report producedon optionsfor management,including the option of reseruingthe I areaas marinepark." Barrow-MonteBello Complex(Map Iu-8)

t Wotkin g Grouprecomm endo tions Whilenoting that the Barrow-Monte Bello-Lowendall island complex comprises a distinct coastal I t),pewith verysignificant conservation values, the Working Croup considers that appropriate protectionand management can be achieved by resewationof partsof thearea, combined with I designationof theremainder as an environmentallysensitive area needing special management. Accordinglythe Working Group recommends:

"1.Monte Bello Marine Park I "a-that the watersencompassing the MonteBello Islands,southwards to the channelseparating the group fuomthe Bayrow-Lowendalgroups, be declareda ClassA marinereserve for publicrecreation and protectionof flora and fauna,ideally with boundarieslocated at the Iimit of Stateterritorial watersalong I the westemand northernsides and following the edgeof the sublittonl ridge on the eastemside;

"b. that the presentpearl oyster lease within the marinereserve continue but that the issueof any further I leases,or approvalfor the expansionof the existinglease, be subjectto carefulreview taking accountof possibleenvironmental impacts. t "2. BarrowIsland "a.Biggada Reef - that a stretchof the westerncoa5t of BarrowIsland between Cape Malouet and Cape Poivre,encompassing Turtle Bay,the Biggadacoral reel and a sectionof rocky shore,be consideredfor reservationfor protectionof marineflora and fauna.The preciseseaward, northem and southem I boundariesshould be determinedin consultationwith WAPETafter further studvof the coastalflora and faunaand marinehabitats of the area;

t "b.BandicootBay - that an areaeast of SouthEnd, Middle Island and BoodieIsland to a line southwardfrom StokesPoint and encompassingBandicoot Bay, be consideredfor reservationfor protectionof marineflora and fauna"The pyecise boundaries should be determinedin consultationwith WAPETafte/ further studyof I the flora and faunaand marinehabitats of the area." I I I t t t I I I Recommendations- 13 r PART lV: MARINE RESERVESON THE WEST COAST

I RECOMMENDATIONSFOR MARINE RESER!'ES ON THE WESTCOAST

NingalooReef - southernextension (Map IV-1) ...... Part lV - 21 I RedBluff to PointQuobba (Map IV-2) ...... Part IV - 22 SharkBay Marine Park - Bernier,Dorre and Dirk HartogIslands extensions (Map IV-2)... Part IV - 23 I{albarri(Map IV-3)...... PartIV - 26 I PortGregory to PortDenison (Maps IV- 3, lV-5)...... ,...... Part IV - 27 Port Cregory(Map IV-3) ...... Part IV - 27 Sevenlvlile Beach (Map IV-5)...... Pari IV - 28 I HoutmanAbrolhos (Map IV4)...... Part IV - 28 BeagleIslands (Map IV-5) ...... PartIV - 34 Jurien(Map IV-6)...... Part IV - 35 I ShoalwaterIslands Marine Park - Gardenand Carnac Islands extensions (Map IV- 7)...... Part IV - 38 Peel-HarveyInlet (MapIV-8) ...... Part IV - 40 LeschenaultInlet and Estuary (Map IV-g) ...... Part IV - 44 I GeographeBay - CapeLeeuwin (Map IV-10) ...... Part IV - 47 I Ningaloo Reef - Southern Extension (Map lv-f )

I Work i ng Croup recomme nda t ion:

"Considerationshould be given to a southemextension of the Stateportion of the NingalooMarine Park I encompassingthe StateTerritorial Sea as far asCnarraloo Bay so asto includethe full lengthof the NingalooReef. I "TheCommonwealth Covernment authorities should be consulted so that consideration may also be given to theseaward extension of the parkbeyond the limitsof the Stat€Territorial Sea adjacent to this proposed I southernaddition, as is the casewith the existingpark."

Red Bluff to Point Quobba (Map lV-2)

I Workin g Crouprccomm enda tions

"Thearea at Point Quobbapresently gazetted as closed waters under the FisheriesAct shouldbe reserved r protection the lagoon. for the of marineflora andfauna specificallyfor the small coralreef community in

"Therocky shores between Point Quobbaand RedBIuff shouldbe consideredfor reservationas a marine I reserve,subject to a surveyof the habitats,flora andfauna of the shore.The surveyshould be donein conjunctionwith therecommended surrrey of thesimilar habitats along the highenergy shores on the I westemsides ofBernier, Dorre and Dirk HartogIslands."

Shark Bay Marine Park - Bernier, Dorre and Dirk Hartog lslands Extensions (Map t rv-2) I Workin g Crouprccomm e nda t i ons "1.The Working Group endorses Shark Bay Region Plan recommendation 5.5.3 (2) (p.79) that thewaters I eastof Bemierand Dorre Islands should be added to the SharkBay Marine Park. "TheWorking Croupnotes that the 6 m isobathrecommended aJ the seaward(eartern) boundary in the SharkBay Region Plan may be difficult to implementand suggests that a seriesof straightlines I approximatingthat isobathand incorporatingthe sea€rassbanks would be more practical. "TheShark Bay Region Plan did not proposenorthern andsouthern boundaries for this additionto the I marinepark, As an interimmeaJure, pending further consideration ofalso adding the "highenergy" shores I Recommendations- 15 alongthe west€rnsides of the islands(see rec, 2), the WorkingGroup suggests that the northern boundary shouldbe locatedat the northern tip of BernierIsland and the southernboundary at the southerntip of Dorre Island. '2. TheWorking Groupendorses Shark Bay Region Plan recommendation 5.5.3 (4) that the high energy marine environmentswest of Bemier,Dorre and Dirk HartogIslands should be surveyedand an assessment madeoftheir valueas an additionto the SharkBay Marine Park. The survey should be donein conjunction with one of the exposedrocky shores of the sectionof mainlandbetween Red Bluff and Point Quobba. "ln the eventthat the resultsof the surveyof the westernhigh energyenvironmentJ indicate that the westernshores of the islandsshould be addedto the SharkBay Marine Park, the Working Croupsuggests that therewould be practicaladvantage in extendingthese additional ateas around the northernand southernends of Bemier and Dorre IslandsresDectivelv."

Kalbarri (Map lV-3)

WorkingGmup recommmda tion Althoughthere is solittle informationabout the flora and fauna ofthis sector,the geographic location at thecentYe of theWest Coast, the distinctiveness of the coastal geomoryhology and rocky shore habitats, and thefact that the Murchison Estuary is themost northerly of thetemperate estuaries in WesternAustralia led theWorking Group to recommendas follows.

"Consideration shouldbe givento reservationof the marineareai adjacentto the KalbarriNational Park and the Kalbarritownship, seawards for a distanceof l nauticalmile, and encompassingthe tidalwaters in the mouthof the MurchisonRiver, for the purposesof publicrecreation and the protectionof floraand fauna."

Port Gregory to Port Denison (Maps lV-3,5)

SevenMile Beach(Map IV-5)

Workin g Group recomm endati ons "1.Consideration should be given to theres€rvation ofthe reefand lagoon at Port Cregory for protection of marineflora and faun4 particularly the coral reef. Further study is neededto detemineappropriate north€rnand southern boundaries.

"2.Considention should be given to thereservation of thereefs and lagoons at SevenMile Beach for protectionof marin€flora and fauna and scientific study. The reserved area should cover at leastthe area closedto rocklobster fishing under the powers of the Fisheries Act."

Houtman Abrolhos (Map IV-4)

Wor*i ng Cmup recommendations TheWorking Grouphad difficulty in reachinga satisfactorydegree of consensusin respectof its recommendationsfor the Abrolhos.The view that theseislands, reefs and waters have the highestpossible scientificand conservationvalue and that theyshould be managedas an ecologicalentity wasunanimous. Therewas also unanimity that the threeenclaves proposed in the AbrolhosIslands Planning Strategy to be managedprimarily for consen"tionand recreation purposes do not adequatelyrepresent the habitatsof the Abrolhos,or fairly providefor recreationalusers. A strongview was expressed that the whole areaof State TerritorialWaters at the Abrolhosshould be reservedas marine park, noting that presentlegislation would not precludecommercial fishing within the park.However, after long debatethe following recommendationswere agreed.

"In keepingwith thehigh scientific, historic, recreational and conservation values of theAbrolhos islands andreef complexes, and the high value of the rock lobster fishery and other fisheries, the entirearea to the Iimit of StateTerritorial Waters should be reserved and managed as a multiple-usearea. This should be donea.s a highpriority.

Recommendations- 16 r "Management of fisheties,tourism, education and scientificresearch should be integratedwith measuresto protectthe area'snatural and culturalvalues so that an appropriatebalance between these activities is I maintained. "Ideally, giventhe inter-connectednessof the island,reef and openwater ecosyst€ms, the entireAbrolhos I areashould be managedai a singleecosystem unit. "The WorkingGroup proposes that areasselected specifically for protectionof marineflora and faunaand I public recreationcould be mademore representativeof the Abrolhosmarine habitats and flora and faun4 andwith betterprovision for publicrecreation, by the followingamendments to the planningStrategy recommendations:

I i) additionof an areaencompassing the seawardrock platformand sea€lrass meadows on the westand north of WestWallabi and East Wallabi Islands; ii) extensionofthe proposedmarine park aroundBeacon I Islandto includethe wholeof Moming Reef; iii) extensionof the proposedPelsaert Group marine park to includea sectionof the seawardreef- I front habitatofHalfMoon Reefandthe lagoonwest of pelsaertIsland." I Beaglelslands (Map lV-S) Worki n g Crouprecommenda tions Althoughlimited information is availableon themarine habitats and flora and fauna ofthis part ofthe I centnlWest Coast, the Working Group concluded that it hasmany of thecharacteristics of the region and someparticularly important features, most notnbly the very extensive seagrass meadows and the Beagle IslandsSea Lion breeding colony. The scour channels across the seagrasses in the northern part of the I sectorare worthy offurther investigation.

In orderto provideadequate protection to thesea Lion colony, the working Group considers that the I waterssurrounding the Beagle Islands should be made a bufferzone by reservationfor theprotection of marineflon andfauna. civen the importance of theseagrass meadows along the adjacent coast, the WorkingGroup also believes that considention should be given to thedeclaration of a multiple-usereserve I alongthat coast and suggests that this should extend about 30 kilometres from Knobby Head to a pointjust northof Leeman.When taken together with theproposed marine reserve in theJurien sector this would reseweabout 1696 ofthe Port Denison to whitfordscoastal type and adequately represent the marine I habitatsand biota of theWest Coast. Accordinglythe Working Group recommends asfollows: I "Consideation shouldbe given to the reservationof StateTerritorial waters surrounding the BeagleIslands and alongthe adjacentmainland between Knobby l-lead (29" 39') anda pointjust north of Leeman(29" 5s'), I for the purposeof protectionofmarine flora andfauna, with accommodationmade for the continuanceof the rock lobsterfishery." I lurien (Map lV-6) I Working Crouprccomm enda tiotts Havingconsidered the limited available information on themarine habitats and flora and fauna ofthe centralWest Coast, the Working Group concluded that a sectionabout 26 km longencompassing Jurien Bay I hasexcellent potential as a multiple-usemarine reserve r€presenting the regional environmenl when taken togetherwith theBeagle Islands sector. As indicated previously, the two areas represent about 16% of the I PortDenison to Whitfordscoastal tlpe. TheJurien sector has complex bathymetry with well developed reefsystems, emergent rocks and islands, extensivesand banks with denseseagrass meadows, rocky shores with wide rock platforms, several deep t semi-enclosedbasins, and abundant and diverse marine flora and fauna. consideration was given to a stretchof coastfurther south, adjacent to theNambung National park, but thatarea has less complex geomorphology I andless diverse marine habitats.

I Recommendations- 17 I TheWorking Groupis awarethat the rock lobsterfishery makes extensive use of this areabut believesthat is compatiblewith reservationfor multiple-usepurposes under existing legislation (see Part 1). I Accordinglythe Working Grouprecommends as follows:

"Considerationshould be given to reservationof theState Territorial waters beh{een latitudes 30" 12'and I 30' 26',encompassing Sandland Island, North Head, Jurien Bay, Island Point, Boullanger, Whitlock and EscapeIslands and Booker Rocks, for thepurposes of protectionof marineflora and fauna and public recreation.The Jurien Boat Harbour should be excluded." I

5hoalwater lslands Marine Park - Garden lsland and Carna< lslands Extensions I (Map Iv-7)

Workin g Croup recofi m endat i ons I TheWorking Group notes the increasingrecreational use of the watersoff Carnacand GardenIslands and the importanceof theseareas for researchand environmental education. Although no studyof the Carnac Islandarea has been carried out asrecommended by the EPA,the WorkingCroup believes that sufficientis I knownof its marinecommunities and recreational activities in thearea to justifyreservation. However, therewould be merit in extendingthe marinereserve southwards to link with the existingShoalwater lslandsMarine Park and providing added protection to the westernshores of GardenIsland. The Working I Groupalso believes that the representativenessof the reservewould be greatlyincreased if its seaward boundarywas located at thelimit of theState Territorial Sea, thus incorporating asection of thesubmerged limestoneridge known as Five Fathom Bank. I Accordinglythe Working Group recommends as follows. t "Considerationshould be given to theextension ofthe Shoalwater Islands Marine Park seaward to thelimit ofthe State Territorial Sea, northward along the western shores of GardenIsland and Carnac Island, and for l nauticalmile east of CarnacIsland, returning to BeaconHead on the north-eastern corner of Garden I Island." I Peel-HarveyInlet (Map IV-8) Working Group recomm endations I Notwithstandingthe presentpolluted condition of the Peel-Harveyestuary, the WorkingGroup believes that partsof this estuaryhave very high valueas habitat for waterbirds,including migratorywaders whose protectionis subjectto internationaltreaties, and warrant reservation as an addedprotection measure. t Changesto the estuarineecosystem follouing the opening of theDawesville Channel are likeJy to be,on the whole,beneficial although the effectson waterbirdfeeding, roosting and nesting habitats will needto be carefullymonitored. I Therecreational and fishing activities in thePeel-Harvey Estuary are at presentadequately controlled under theauthority of thePeel lnlet Management Authority and the Fisheries Department. Accordingly the I WorkingGroup:

"1.Endorses the recommendations in the EPA System 6 reportfor thereservati0n of threeareas within Peel-HarveyInlet, namely: I

. thewaters surrounding the Creery Islands at theentrance to PeelInlet (C 50. 3); . thewaters and intertidal lands in theeastern part of PeelInlet and south of theYunderup, adjacent I to NatureReserue No 4990 delta (C 50.5): . thewaters of Harvey Estuary south of a linebetween Herron Po int andIsland Point (51.3) I for thepurpose of protectionof floraand fauna, specifically for theprotecti0n of waterbirds and their habitats. I "2.Suggests that the lower reaches of the Harvey River as far upstreamas the southern boundary of Nature reserveNo. 23756 should be included within the resewed area. I

Recommendations- 18 I I "3. Notesthat, under presentlegislation subtidal waters reserved for this purposemust necessarilybe I declaredmarine nature reserve and vested in the NationalParks and NatureConservation Authority. "4. Notesthat the Peel-HarveyEstuary is a declaredmana€ement area under the control of the Peellnlet ManagementAuthority and recommendsthat a reviewof legislationbe undertakento find the most I effectivemanagement structure to ensurecollaboration between the severalCovernment agencies and StatutoryAuthorities which wouldhave responsibility for managementof areasof the inlet declaredmarine I naturereserue under the CALMAct." LeschenaultInlet and Ejtuary (Map IV-9)

I WorkingGrcup ruommendotions AlthoughLeschenault Inlet and Leschenault Estuary have been considerably disturbed and modified by urbanand industrial development, the Working Group believes that they retain important values for both I publicrecreation and conservation.

Thepresent arrangement whereby these waterways are managed by the Leschenault Inlet Management I Authorityunder the authority of theWaterways Conservation Act is entirelysatisfactory as a meansto protectand manage those values and there would be nothing to begained by reservation of thewhole I estuaryand inlet as marine park. Nevertheless,asan added protection there would be merit in reservingthe most important areas for conservationofflora and fauna, notably the important waterbird areas and the mangroveareas, specifically I for thatpurpose. These are correctly identified in the 1992Leschenault Waterways Management Prognm. I Accordinglythe Working Group recommends asfollows: "Thefollowing areas should be reservedfor the protectionof aquaticflora andfauna and waterbird habitat: (i) Leschenaultlnlet; I (ii) two areasofLeschenault Estuary: a) the northernestuary above Waterloo Head, and I b) VittoriaBay (Turkey Point to PelicanPoint, including the Preston Riv€r mouth). "Themost appropriatereserve category is marinenature resel",,e with vestingin the NationalParks and NatureConservation Authority. Management should be carriedout in collaborationwith the Leschenault I Inlet ManagementAuthority."

I Geographe Bay - CapeLeeuwin (Map IV-f O) Working Grouprecomm enda tions I Althoughthere has been no investigation of theLeeuwin-Naturaliste coast, the Working Group believes that thereis alreadysufficient information to supporta recommendationfor declarationof a marinereserve. Theseare shores of twovery distinctive coastal tlpes with outstandingpublic recreational potential, a wide I rangeof habitatsand very high conservation values. TheWorking Group agrees that the areas identified in theLeeuwin-Naturaliste Management Plan have high I conservationvalue but considersthat itwould be unwise to selectonly these for resewation.Other areas are knownto beof similarimportance, for examplethe sheltered rocky shores of FlindersBay and the leeward sideof CapeNaturaliste, and the near-shore sublittoral area between Bunker Bay and Dunsborough where r thereis spectacularunderwater scenery and prolific growth of tropicalcorals. Given the high public recreationaluse of theLeeuwin-Naturaliste National Park and its coast,as well as its highconservation value,there would be merit in declaringthe whole sector a multiple-usemarine park. Commercial fishing is I alsoimportant and would be provided for bymanagement programs under the control of theFisheries Department.

I Themajor distinctive coastal type represented by thesandy beaches, sheltered waters and vast seagrass meadowsof CeographeBay are also worthy of representationin the State's marine reserve system. The I densestseagyass meadows, most prolific coral growth, best underwater scenery and most used areas for

I Recommendations- 19 I recreationare located at thewestern end of the bayin the leeof CapeNaturaliste. As this area is contiguous with the distinctiverocky coast of the Leeuwin-NaturalisteRidge there would be meritin extendingthe proposedmarine park eastwards, perhaps as far as Vasse, to encompassa portion of the GeographeBay I distinctivecoastal type.

Theworking Group believes ihat a multiple-usemarine park encompassing the shores ofthe Leeuwin- I NaturalisteRidge and the western end of GeographeBay would become one ofAustralia's most significant recreationand conservation marine reserves. Accoriingly the Working Group recommends as follows: "1. I Considerationshould be given to thereservation ofthe State Territorial waters adiacent to theLeeuwin NaturalisteNational Park as a multiple-usereserve for protection of marineflora and fauna and public recreation,with provision made for the continuance ofcommercial fishing. I "2. Thatin thenorth the reserve should extend around into Ceographe llay ai faras Va-sse soencompassing th€Dunn Bay sand bar, the best of the Bay's seagrass meadows, and the areas with most prolil,lc coral gfowth. I

"3. Thatin the souththe reser',eshould extend around Cape Leeuwin to encompassl-linders Bay and the sealandsea Iion colonies on the offshorerocks. (The reserve should also include the Hardy Inlet estuary - I seePart V.)." I I t I I I I I I I r I I I Recommendations- 20 I I t PART V: MARINE RESERVESON THE SOUTHCOAST RECOMMENDATIONSFORMARINE RESER\,ES ON THE SOUTH COAST I HardyInlet (Map V-1)...... partV - tZ D'Entrecasteaux(Map V-1) ...... partV - 19 BlackPoint...... partV - 20 I WarrenBeach...... PartV - 21 BrokeInlet ...... partV - 21 Donnellyand Gardner Rivers ...... PartV - 23 I Walpole-NornalupInlets (Map V-1) ...... partV - 24 WilliamBay (Map V-2)...... PartV - 26 WestCape Howe (Map V-2)...... partV - 26 I KingGeorge Sound - Princess Royal Harbour (Map V-2) ...... PartV - 2Z CapeVancouver - Bald Island (Map V-2)...... PartV - 30 FitzgenldBiosphere Reserve (Map V-3)...... partV - 32 I StokesInlet (Map V-4)...... partV - 35 RechercheArchipelago (Map V-4) ...... partV - 3Z I I{ilight Cove(Map V-5) ...... partV - 39

I Hardy Inlet (Map V-l) Workin g Croup rceommendations I TheWorking Group notes the high recreationalvalues of HardyInlet andthe upperparts of the BlackwoodEstuary and the factthat increasingactivity in the areaplaces increasing stresses on its biologicalresources. The estuaryis oneof the two largieestuaries on the SouthCoast which are I permanentlyopen to the seaand it supportsa relativ€lylarge diversity of aquaticspecies of plantsand animals.Although the basin is wide, the volume is relativelysmall and there will be an increasingneed to managehuman activities, especially fishing, so that the aestheticand biological values of the estuaryare I maintained. Accordinglythe WorkingGroup recommends that: I "The estuaryofthe Blackwood River, including the Deadwater, Swan Lake, Hardy Inlet, Molloy Basin and thetidal parts of theScott and Blackwood Rivers be considered for reservationas a marinereserve for dual I recreationand conservation purposes. "The estuarineresewe should be continuous with the eastern portion of the proposed Leeuwin-Naturaliste I marinereserve." I D'Entre

I TheWorking Croup considered that therewould be merit in extendingthe proposedreserve west or east to includea sectionof the widebeach charact€ristic of the southernshore of the PerthBasin. However, not all of the hinterlandofthose areas is presentlyincluded within the nationalpark andit wasconcluded I that a representativeportion ofthat coastaltype would be betterselected further east(see section 3.2.2). I

I Recommendations- 21 I WarrenBeach

Wo*i ng Croup recomme n da ti ons I Althoughspecies diversity is unlikelyto behigh in thishabitat, it is representativeofa coastaltype and ecosystemnot otherwiserepresented or proposedin the SouthCoast marine reserve system. The Working Grouprecommends that: I

"Statecoaital waters adjacent to theD'Entrecasteaux l{ational Park beh{een the mouth of the Donnelly Riverand Black llead be considered for reservationfor the conservation ofmarine flora and fauna and their I habitats."

BrokeInlet I

Worki ng Gmup recomm endati on Brokeand Wilson Inlets are similar in manyrespects. Both are large, lagoonal estuaries which are I seasonallyopen. However, while the catchment of Brokelies within a conservationreserve, that of Wilson Inletlies largely in agriculturallands. Broke Inlet has every chance of remainingin virtuallypristine conditionwithout eutrophication while Wlson Inlet is alreadyeutrophic. Although Wlson Inlethas a I richerflora and {auna than Broke, its statusas a biologicalenvironment is lesssecure. For catchment managementreasons as well as management of the estuary,the Wilson Inlet bar is artificiallyopened everyyear. Access to WilsonInlet is considerablygreater than to Brokeand it is moreextensively used for I recreation.Management of WlsonInlet and recreational use of it is presentlyunder the controlof the Wlson InletManagement Authority, empowered by the Waterways Commission Act. I TheWorking Group concluded that there would be little point jn reservingWilson Inlet for conservation purposesas it is nowsubject to suchintensive human impact. As the inletis alreadycontrolled by the ManagementAuthority, neither would there be any advantage in reservingit for recreationalpurposes. I For conservationpurposes Broke Inlet is a betterchoice as an exampleof the large,lagoonal, seasonally- openedestuary because it is likelyto remainin naturalcondition. Because of its isolationwithin the nationalpark, Broke also offers the prospectof managementto preserveits presentpeaceful character I anduse for passiverecreation.

Accordinglythe Working Group recommends that: t

"BrokeInlet and the tidal parts of theShann0n, l-orth and Inlet Rivers be reser",,ed for recr€ationand conservationand their management integrated with thatof theD'Entrecarteaux Nati0nal Park." I Donnellyand GardnerInlets I Working Cmup recommendstion TheWorking Group considers that the inlets of theDonnelly and Gardner Rivers have considerable scientificand recreational value and should be managed as part of thesurrounding D'Entrecasteaux I NationalPark. It is unclearwhether these areas are already included within the nationalpark. Accordinglythe Working Group recommends that: I "Legaladvice should be taken on the status of the tidal parts of the Donnelly and Cardner Rivers and if they arenot alreadyreserved within the D'Entrecasteaux National Park under the Land Act, c0nsideration should begiven to reservingthem under the Conservation and Land Management Act for conservationand recieationalpurposes." I

Walpole-Nornalup (Map V-l) t

Workin g Croup recomm enda tions TheWorking Groupbelieves that the Walpole-Nornalupestuarine system has very high conservationand I recreationalvalues. Although in sizeit is similarto Brokeand Wilson Inlets it is quitedifferent in thatit is naturallypermanently open to the sea.It is the only permanentlyopen lagoonal estuary on the South Coastand, apart from the partly estuarineOyster Harbour, it hasthe mostdiverse estuarine flora and I faunaof any estuaryin the region.It alsohas outstanding scenic qualities and is largelysurrounded by NationalPark. I

Recommendations- 22 I I

TheWorking Group notes that in 1972the Governmentincluded Walpole-Nornalup Inlets within the I nationalpark until itwas discoveredlater that this wasnot possibleunder the LandAct. AccoYdinglythe WorkingGroup recommends that: I "declarationof Walpoleand Nornalup Inlets and the tidal pads of theDeep, Frankland and Walpole Rivers asmarine park be "implementedasa matterof high priority, and its managementintegrated with thatof the surrounding r nationalpark."

I William Bay (Map V-2) Workin g Cmup rccommmdation I Notingthe highscenic and recreational values of the localityand its likelydiverse marine flora and fauna representntiveof the SouthCoast rocky shore habitat, the WorkingGroup recommends that:

"theState waters adjacent to theWilliam Bay National Park be suneyed and assessed for theirconservation I values,with a viewto possiblereservation as a marinereser.le for dualconservation and recreation I purposes.- West Cape Howe (Map V-2)

I Worki n g Croup recommendo tions Notingthe high scenic values of theshore, the readyaccess to deepwater and magnificent underwater scenery,and the varietyof habitatsand likely high diversityof marineflora andfauna, the Working I GroupYecommends that:

"considerationbegiven to resen,ationof theState waters adjacent to theWest Cape IJowe National Park aJ I a marinereserve for the purposes ofconservation offlora and fauna and recreation, with the possible inclusionof the western part of Torbay adjacent to theShire reseJ"te." I King George Sound - PrincessRoyal Harbour (Map v-2)

I Working Croup tecommenda ti ons TheWorking Group recognises that King GeorgeSound, Princess Royal Harbour and Oyster Harbour are extensivelyused for port andrecr€ational purposes and that the two inlets showevidence of r environmentaldegradation. Nevertheless, these areas are ofsuch biological importance that reservation of someparts of themfor consewationpurposes should be considered.There might also be meritin I reservationofsome parts to protectand promote recreational activities, especially diving. Ofparticular importance are the seagrass beds on eitherside of VancouverPeninsula and in Frenchman Bay.The sheltered deep basin in FrenchmanBay is alsoa rarefeature on the SouthCoast. These areas are I of specialvalue for bothconservation and recreation. The rocky sublittoral ridge and reefs in thevicinity of Michaelmasand Breaksea Islands have special attractions for recreationaldivers, including the commercialdive tour industry.Although similar underwater scenery and flora and fauna occurs further I eastaround Cape Vancouver, the King George Sound sites are much more easily accessible to vessels from Albany.

I Accordinglythe Working Croup recommends that:

"1.the western shore of Vancouver Peninsula in Princess Royal Harbour, and the eastern shore of that I Peninsulain KingGeorge Sound as far east as FIat Rock, and extending seaward as far a5 Seal Island to includethe waters of FrenchmanBay, should be considered for reservationas a marinereserve for the I purposesof conservationof flora and fauna and recreation; "2.a surveybe conducted ofthe deep ridge and reefs in thevicinity of Michaelmas and Breaksea Islands, I togetherwith a surveyof the waters around Cape Vancouver, to assesstheir relative underwater scenic I Recommendations- 23 I valuesand merits asdive sites, with a view to selectingareas to be reservedfor conservationand recreation use.- I (ape Vancouverto Bald lsland (Map v-2) I WorkingCroup rccommendo tions Notingthe wide variety of coastaltlpes and habitats that ar€ represented, the relativeremoteness and lackof accessto theshore and the degree of protectionthat provides, and the value of theinshore waters I forpublic recreation, especially fishing and diving, the Working Group recommends that:

"the Statecoastal waters between the westernboundary of the TwoPeoples Bay Nature Reserve and Lookout Point,including the tidalwatersofWaychinicup Inlet and encompassing Bald Island, be considered for I reservefor conservationof flora andfauna and recreation." reservationa5 a marine I Fitzgerald Biosphere Reserue(Map V- 3)

Worki ng Group recomfi endations t Whileacknowledging the lackof informationabout the marineflora and fauna on the shoresof the FitzgeraldRiver National Park, the WorkingCroup believes that resewationof the coasLalwaters adjacentto thepark would have merit for recreationand management reasons. With limitedaccess to the I shore,significant human impact on the marineflora and fauna is unlikely.Reservation would be consistentwith theprincipal uses of the coastline,that is sight-seeingand recreational fishing, and a logicalextension of the InternationalBiosphere Reserve status of the coast. t

Theimportance of Doubtfultsland Bay as a nurseryarea for SouthernRight Whales is in itselfa reason for reservation.Assuming that careis takento avoidinterference with the whales,the existing I commercialAustralian Salmon fishery would be readily accommodated within marinepark management progIams. TheWorking Group notes the greaterpub)ic access to the coaston the north sideof Point Hoodand the I presencethere of housingbut believesthat there is a casefor extendingthe proposed marine reserve to encompassthe DoubtfulIslands and Point Hood providing additional protection to the sealion andfur- sealcolonies and adding a significantarea of rockyshore to the reserve. I

Thesmall inlets of theFitzgerald River National Park, impoverished though they are in termsof aquatic floraand fauna, nevertheless represent a type of semi-permanentlyclosed "estuary" peculiar to the I easternpart of WesternAustralia's South Coast. They have considerable scenic merit and contribute significantlyto the scenicand recreationalvalues o{ the FitzgeraldRiver National Park and to the integrityof the statusof thearea as an InternationalBiosphere Reserve. Culham Inlet is hard)yclaimable I asan estuaryat all andit is nowhighly modified by human activity and has less value as a potential reservefor either conservationor recreationalpurposes. t For the abovereasons the Working Grouprecommends that:

"thearea of Statecoastal waters between the mouth of GordonInlet and the mouth of CulhamInlet , thatis I thecoast adjacent tothe Fitzgerald River National Park, should be considered forreservation asa marine reservefor conservationof floraand fauna and recreation, and that it shouldbe added to theFitzgerald BiosphereReserve; I "considerationalso be given to reservationfor the same purposes ofthe southern part of Doubtful Island Bayencompassing theDoubtful Islands and Point Hood; I "legalopinion be obtained on thestatus of Gordon,St Mary,l'itzgerald, Dempster and Hamersley Inlets and if theyare judged to be'tidal' and therefore excluded from the national park as declared under the Land Act, considerationshould be given to reservationof themai marinereserves under the CALM Act and that their I managementbe integrated with thatof the park." national I I Recommendations- 24 I I StokesInlet (Map V-a)

I Wo*i ng Crouprecommendo tions Therepeated sequence of rockyheadland-beach present on thissection is representativeof the South I Coastexcept that the headlands are low and without high cliffs. The near-shore limestone reefs which are a commonfeature at theeastern ends of thebays east of Hopetounare very well represented here. The deepchannels between the reefs on thewestern side of ShoalCape are a uniquefeature and undoubtedly I providehabitat for a diversemarine flora and fauna. The coast has excellent potential for sightseeing, recreationalfishing and diving which would add significantly to therecreational opportunities of the StokesNational Park. I Stokesand Torradup Inlets have high conservation values as representntives of the South Coast semi- permanentlyclosed Iagoonal and riverine estuaries. Stokes is themost easterly of thelagoonal inlets of anysize. It hasrelatively deep water and does not dry out. Undoubtedly for thatreason, it supportsa more r diverse aquaticflord and fauna than other estuaries of similartype further west. The inlet has hi(h scenic valueand is an important element ofthe scenic qualig of the surrounding national park. It also-has I considerablevalue for its recreationalfishing. TheWorking Group recommends that: "stat€ I coastalwatersadjacent to the stokesNational park, encompassingMargaret cove, Dunster castle Bayand Fanny Cove, and including the tidal partsof StokesInlet andTorradup Inlet, be consideredfor reservationas a marinereserve fot the purposesof conservationof flora andfauna and publicrecreation. I andmanaged in conjunctionwith the nationalDark.,' t RechercheArchipelago (Map V-4)

Wotkin g Grcuprecommenila tiotts I while acknowledgingth€ paucity of informationabout the marine flora and fauna of theRecherche Archipelago,the Working Group believes that reservation of thesewaters can be justified on thegrounds thathabitats are diverse and that added protection would be provided for thesea lion, fur-seal and seabird I colonies.Protection ofareas for the purposes ofrecreational diving and development ofthe commercial divetour industrycan also be justified.

I However,with thelimited information available, the working croup was unable to identifypa(s of the Archipelagowhich are particularly worthy of reservation.It was concluded that selection of ipecificareas wouldbe unwise and that reservation of theentire area as a multiple-usemarin€ reserve is warranted. I Subsequentsurveys in thecourse of preparationof a managementplan would identify areas of particular importancefor conservation,recreation and commercial fishing and appropriate zoning would resolve I potentialconflicts between these activities. Accordinglythe Working Group recommends that:

"thewaters of the I RechercheArchipelago between Butty Headin the westand Israelite Bay in the east, extendingto th€ limit of theState Territorial Seq including the areai of Statewaters surrounding the outer islandsbut excludingthe Port of Esperance,should be consideredfor reservationas a marinereserve for I multiplepurposes including conservation of floraand fauna and public recreation." r rwilight Cove(Map V-5) WorkingGroup recommenda tions I Thissection of thecoast is selectedfor considerationby theWorking Croup because it represents the two coastaltypes characteristic of theshores of theEucla Basin and not because it has any known special conservationor recreationvalues. The Working Group recommends that: I "a surveyof the coastbetween about 50 km eastand west of Twilight Coveshould be conductedto xsess the valueof the areaas a marinereserve for the protectionof marineflora and faunaand coastal I landforms."

I Recommendations- 25 I t REFERENCES

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OCEAN

SEe3.3 Recommendations 1,2&3 . ANNAPLAINS

t*")

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ers9 . MANDORA a . SANDFIRE WAU-ALOOWNS

l t9 30

BEDOUTISLAND

(Propos€dNalur6 Resetv6)

INDIAN

NORTH TURTLEISLAND

(ProFq6cdlilbtnEks.ra€+

LittloTunl€ bland MAP NI - 4 CAPEKERAUDREN. SPITPOINT BEDOUT& NORTHTURTLE ISLANDS LEGENO Ittf,$ App.oximal€area to be considsGdfor r€servalion Approximat€boundary ot MajorDistincttue Coaslat Typo Approximalionof lh9 Stal€ TerdtorialSea ,,ttr,"rt Reel Th€cosstling on thb mapis lh€ boundaryprovided in digilallorm and€slabl'lshed by AUSLIGh May1991

0 l0 20 ad. O5

SeeMap III - 3

S€e&4 Aw0a€rddfirs 1:

Sdbryllld.d

Capr K€raudron

Condini Landino 'r,-.\-- MiawurygunaRocks Mourt8laz6 MAP III .5 DEPUCH LEGENO liiliiiii'r Approximatgarea to be consideredtor res€rYation *** Areaof MajorDistinctive Coastal Type Approxlmationof lhe State Territorial Sea

Thecoaslline on thismap is the boundaryprovided in digitallorm andestablished by AUStIG in May1991 o 5 ro ts T r.. 05lo15

Seelvlap III - 6

INDIAN

.rJ-","nno

Jerman l€land

O Pbard lsland

Shedock Bay

11730' , r8'00'

ck

OCEAN

Redalaladz 4/4 CapeCo.sbny

Fonsaadlsland ,

/.J

See3.5 Recommendation I

sablelsland rr't) iMoorc ft oepuctrtsam 4*"[-7 MAP III - 5 DAMPIER ARCHIPELAGO LEGEND f:l!l'.,.]::' Approximatearea to be consideredfor reservation Approximateboundary of MajorDistinctive Coastal Type Approximationof the StateTerritorial Sea Boundaryol the EsiuarineEnvironment

Thecoastline on thismap is the boundaryprovided in digitalform andestablished by AUSLIG in May1991

..$o'a

EastInI lsland a SeeMap III - 5

Bezout ,t Lewisls ls !

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THIS IS A BLANK PAGE MAP III - 8 WESTPILBARA LEGEND ADo.oximalearca to b€ consideredfor rgseNalion Arproximat€boundary ol MaiorDistinctive CoaslalType Approxirnationol th6 Stato ToraitodalS€a ExistjngMadn€ Pa* Soundary

The coasting on this map is th6 boundarypfovided in digital{om and €stablishedby AUSLIGin May 1991

20 40 €okm o 10 20nm

OCEAN

INDIAN

a€s.)

/ .,'!:i:::ji ..-' \: MARTNE .":--"-^- ,'.zn- - llu w"r capo \ .re'- ,--'/\;,,"^, I MOffTEAELLO

SeeMaptrI-6& MapIII - 7

, GREATSANOY ISLAND NA1UAE RESEHVE I Condslr ol aI ponio.r!ol landabovo Llifi4 I .rcluding r€hburloolocaliod 935 & /[! I (sfi;ch a|! Fanol Nh S:ndy,Grsady II{AP III.7

See

ls )t : rslacts w€st ol W€ld lsland ac Poooed NauiB R€sowos w€rdt3t JProp.NatR€r) t+onb0 ,1..€i 0

)NSLOW I

rrlg I MAP III - 9 DO\,TOUTHGULF LEGENO ,1..,+iii:. apprdimab a.!a b bo c..Er'dorcdbrr€3.lvalon 2l'30' *Jii* Apgo{mat€ bo.Jndaryoa [.taio. Dilti.Eliv. Coastr]Typ6 Aoororimarionot h! Slal. T.nito,i:{ S€a S.. n|rplll. ! I Eilling Madn6Park t'dl'|( ary bhnd (Nar a63.) Th. coartlinooo hi. nap b ho botldary p|otided in digihl lo.rn Ledc. I ard .3Eblhh€d by AUSLIGh May l99l lsland r n bland (Nal. t NINCALOO UABINE lsland OLod(€r at\ PARK -. I o Otsbwafoalbhnd T

I Se€Map IV - 1

Eva lsland I EXI/OUTH O

I 22OO' 2200 I EXt'tlOUTHGULF

I I t I (Plop. Nai. Learmonth T

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MAP IV - 3 KALBARRI & PORTGREGORY I TTGENO ,iiiitl;1. Appro(hatq ar€ato be considor€dlor r6s6rvation - - - Aooroximallonollhe SlaleToaito.lalS€a

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\ I \ \ I ! Horrocks tu,s I I

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Thecoaslline on thlsmap Is lhe boundaryproMdod In dlgltal lorft i\\ andostablbh€d byAUSLIG h May1991

t Fishermanls' I r r. I t

SandyPt Beekeepers Nature Reserve

Mt. : Es Socr:r'd Sa^db,{, Flvootu.&lllng.r.lvhllockI Esr. llaid3 a. d.s3A Ndc.

INDIAN Jurien

$q OCEAN

OulerRocks

EmuRocks NalureReserve Rocks. Ronsard Bay

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rl \ Xanga,mi l\ rr \!A Z

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I a _. - t fatcon 6ay. t Falcon fr/ I/. I I I t DawesvilleCul t Dawesville I INDIAN z t q, CaleEouvard I I Yalgorup I National Park I OCEAN I I t I t I I I t I MAPIV-9LESCHENAULT LEGEND {tiil.*it Approximatoarea to b6 considsrodlor resorvalion T Approximaiionol the Stale TerritorialS6a

Thecoastline onlhis map is ths boundaryprovided in digilalloiam t andestablished by AUSLIG ln May1991

o 0.3 I I

T ConsefvatlonPark R, A A 42470 I INDIAN I I I I I (/j I s I .!- \ OCEAN I TuarlGrove T I

a Cons€rvatlonPelk I Pt, A ^ 42170 McKennapoint/ r/ TheCut PelicanPt) I i.v i V" Koombana t Bav Ii /V/ T I

I / I b q

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] MAPS COASTREGION

MNG E COASTALTYPES

200 300km I I MAJORDISTINCTIVE COASTAL TYPES

J. PerthBasin *" Albany- FrazerOregon $. EuclaBasin

v.5 tr{tuql|l covE

V . ' II| iGASET COVE . FOINI MALCOM

ESPEBANCE

OCEAN SeeNlap IV - 10 l-..uwln N.lu..lld.

See3.2.4 Recommendation

SOUTHERN

I D'Enkecasl 25irn ro Gl$ lYaJier &ihe Flatls \^

OCEAN Molby Basin Scotl NallonllPark

o.-*----i------lot MAP V. 1 CAPELEEUWIN-POINTIRWIN HARDYINLET YEI.ITR ECASTEAT'X Erac( totNT DONNEIL}' C^.IDNERINIEII tlAAtENaEACH aao(E lt{LEr WATPOLE.NORNALUPINIETS LEGEND Approximatearea to be conskleredfor re.servallon App.oxirnatbnof lhe Slat6 Territor'ral Sea The clasllineon this map is the boundaryprovided in digilallorm PEMBERTON and establishgdby AUSLIGin May 1991

Northcliffe k" tau^ 'a/

/o^

]UX nd-\-\- ndylsland ---,------J\ ------]/ ' SeeMapV-2 I Recommendation| \4: Walpol Walpole- Norn€lup Natlon6lPark

Focky Saddtdh Head Foul Bay ' lsland PoinllMin /t t'

Walpole' Nornalup

.2r' e 1kn ALBANY Torndhrup Weslcape Howe Park Foul Bay NatlonalPark Pdnl v I lGapp -Tobay

\--, Eclipsr t. I 1Q \

SOUTHERN

0 5 10 lskm $4r/4 "u",-tofi Rock-r' !' ,_. t

..-ttuu---2'

/E SeeIUrp V.3 I Mt Manypeaks € Nalqlgneservo

EciiPsslsland Head . ,/_ lsland

I

OCEAN

MAP V - 2 POINT IRWIN-CORDINIJPRIVER iylLLTA!!I BAY wEsr CAPEltowE KINGGIORGE SOSND.?RINCEss ROYAL HARBOUR CAPEYANCOUYER. BALD I. LEGENO iliiiiit# Approxirnatearea lo be considoredfof reseryalion Approxinationol lhe SlatoTerrilo.ial Sea

Thecoastline on this rnapis th€ boundaryprov'tded in digital- torm andeslablished by AUSLIc'inMay 1991

tn'v MAP V . 3 CORDINUPRIVER.HOPETOUN INLETS& COASTOFTHE FITZGERALDzuVER NATIONAL PARK

LEGEND ADoroxirElearea lo beconsiler€d tor reseNalion App.oxirnationol the 9ate TerritorialSea

The coastlineon this rlap b the boundaryp.oviled in digilalform and establishedbv AUSLIGin May 1991

!,,u. Beaufott lnlet

------ioinrrtoyrt a, a Cape Ba), \r I Cape I Riche , SOUTHERN

Haulotf Rock, Mulloc|lllup )'. Nalure Res !. s* r,uvv -z ,/U4>8 / .." WavchlnlcuD National Park qr-- ;

Flugsr.ld atute Res€rv€ u.i"6e Culham A A 40156 lnlet

FitzgeraldRiver Eane6ley lnlet Hopetoun NationalPark ------, l.*, ,z _ Dempster . Mid \ 7nlel Mt Banen

WestMl Barren

(Natue Reserye)

3ay Poinl\enry."

Hame$ley lnlet

OCEAN NIAP v - 4 MARGARETCOVE- POINTMALCOM TORRADUP&STOKES INLETS AND COASTOFSIOKESNATIONAL ?ARK ARCHIPELACOOF TH€ RECHEACHE

LEGENO Aooroximatearea to beconsideredlor reservation Aooroximationol IheState Territorial Sea

Thecoastline on thismap is the boundaryprovided in digitallorm andestablished by AUSLIG in Mayl99l

o!2o-m

Nat|]ru R6s€lve -$ /l\26885,tS88,32419 Nalura Bca!tve3 { /_r-- J tl.k. W.rdm , Woo

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