Eighty Mile Beach
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
PILBARA and Eighty Mile Beach: The human ‘footprint’ in the Pilbara and lower west Kimberley is growing and there is a need for more integrated marine planning and management so our marine environment remains in excellent condition. The State Government is therefore planning to expand the marine parks and reserves system in the Pilbara and Eighty Mile Beach regions. PILBARA and By Judy Davidson and Carolyn Thomson-Dans Eighty Mile Beach: multiple objectives, one marine planning process n December 2006 the State Tiny but amazing feathered visitors I Government approved the fly all the way from the northern Department of Environment and hemisphere each year to feed on the Conservation (DEC) leading a whole wealth of marine invertebrates that live of Government effort to expand the in the mudflats of Eighty Mile Beach. marine parks and reserves system in the Some of the birds may have flown Pilbara and Eighty Mile Beach regions. stretches of more than 8,000 kilometres Six study areas have been identified, without stopping. On arriving from within which marine parks and reserves the northern hemisphere in about will be proposed. September, these migratory birds The Pilbara and Eighty Mile Beach spread out to feed over the exposed coast supports significant marine sand and mudflats of the beach at low biodiversity values such as mangroves, tide. At high tide they congregate in coral reefs, sponge gardens, seagrass beds, immense flocks on the narrow beach seaweed meadows and coastal formations slopes and exposed sand shoals—an such as barrier and offshore islands, incredible spectacle. Without areas so protected lagoons, deltas, rocky shores rich in resources on which to feed, and sandy beaches. These diverse habitats these important shorebirds would not are home to marine turtles, dugongs, The long mud survive their long migration back to whales, dolphins, seabirds, fish and The scenic Eighty Mile Beach, their breeding areas in the tundra of many colourful invertebrate species. south of Broome, is the longest the northern hemisphere, which are The area is extremely important for uninterrupted beach in WA, stretching covered in snow and ice for most of flatback turtles (Natator depressus), which for about 220 kilometres between the year. nest on sheltered mainland beaches with Cape Missiessy and Cape Keraudren. Eighty Mile Beach is one of only intertidal mudflats and turbid waters Its tidal mudflats are exceptionally a dozen or so areas in the world with in the Kimberley and Pilbara and on wide, extending for several kilometres huge intertidal flats rich in shorebirds several islands in the Pilbara. Flatback out to sea in many places. They and, as such, has been designated as a turtles are a threatened species and only support rich communities of wetland of international importance. nest in Australia, making each and every invertebrates, including colourful About 90 per cent of the birds are rookery important. Other species of turtle sponges and soft corals that are concentrated in the northern section of recorded in the region include green sometimes exposed at very low tide, as the beach between Cape Missiessy and (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys well as millions of crustaceans, molluscs Wallal. Peak counts of well over half imbricata), loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and and worms that live in the muddy a million shorebirds have been made leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea). sediments. along Eighty Mile Beach and numerous species of these shorebirds occur there in internationally significant numbers. For example, about half of the world’s great knots use Eighty Mile Beach during their annual migration. The area is also believed to be used by the entire population of distinct subspecies of red knots and bar-tailed godwits. On 7 February 2004, an estimated 2.88 million oriental pratincoles were recorded at Eighty Mile Beach, a Previous page Main Sandpipers and other shorebirds congregrate in the shallow waters along Eighty Mile Beach. Photo – Jiri Lochman Above Sponges exposed at low tide near Cape Keraudren. Photo – Steve Bunce Left Dugong feed in seagrass areas of the Pilbara and Eighty Mile Beach. Photo – Geoff Taylor/Lochman Transparencies 12 LANDSCOPE Above The wide fringing mudflats of Eighty Mile Beach make it one of the world's most important areas for migratory wading birds. Photo – David Bettini Left The threatened flatback turtle has several rookeries in the Pilbara and Eighty Mile Beach area. Photo – Jiri Lochman (Avicennia marina) are low and sparse, and frequently interrupted by bare mudflats. A few stunted red mangroves (Rhizophora stylosa) grow at the river mouth. North Turtle Island and Little Turtle Island lie about 20 kilometres off the coast north-west and west of Larrey Point. Bedout Island is a small mid- surprise to scientists as the previous platforms and inland outcrops), tidal shelf island about 40 kilometres north estimated population for the whole flats, mangroves, sandplains, sand dunes of Poissonier Point. These islands are East Asian-Australasian flyway had and sandy beaches. The area has a unique fringed by coral reefs and are important been just 75,000. geology and geomorphology, extremely marine turtle and seabird nesting areas. Large areas of Eighty Mile Beach diverse and rich ecosystems and a long are inaccessible, although there is a history of use by Aboriginal people that Cowrie Beach, Depuch Island well-patronised caravan park at continues to the present day. A 4,800- and Sherlock Bay Wallal. The most popular activities hectare reserve at Cape Keraudren is The coast between Cape Thouin are beachcombing and enjoying the managed by the Shire of East Pilbara and Cape Lambert is complex, spectacle of the long beach particularly and has a resident ranger. About 4,500 consisting mainly of mangroves at sunset and, if the tides are right, campers visit Cape Keraudren every interspersed with several low rocky fishing and four-wheel driving. year, many of them retired travellers, headlands and sections of beach. who stay for about a week at the Cape. Cowrie Beach, south-west of Cape Cape Keraudren, De Grey River To the west of Cape Keraudren, and Turtle Islands Thouin and about 140 kilometres east the De Grey River enters the sea of Karratha, is one of the largest nesting At the southern end of Eighty Mile at Breaker Inlet between Poissonnier areas for the threatened flatback turtle Beach is Cape Keraudren, which has a Point and Larrey Point. The river in WA, with several hundred females scenic landscape dominated by limestone mouth has a delta of extensive mud laying their eggs on the beach each formations (headlands, offshore reef and sand banks. Here, white mangroves year. DEC is undertaking long-term LANDSCOPE 13 turtle tagging and a fox baiting program extensive art and cultural values. With in cooperation with the owners of the increasing industrial pressure on the adjacent Mundabullangana Station. Pilbara coast as a result of the resources There are many small near-shore boom, the world’s biggest bulk port is islands scattered along this coast— proposed for nearby Ronsard Island in remnants of an eroded shoreline the Forestier group. collectively known as the Forestier Further west, Cossack, 12 kilometres Archipelago after Baron Forestier, from Roebourne and once the major a distinguished general who fought port of the Pilbara region and the site with Napoleon. At their centre is the of the first pearling industry in WA, has rocky Depuch Island, which features an special interest for natural historians. All interesting history. Earlier this century seven species of mangrove found in the nearby Balla Balla Harbour was an Pilbara can be seen growing together important port for the copper mines along the shores of Butchers Inlet, within of the Whim Creek district. A large, easy walking distance of Cossack. iron sailing ship, the Crown of England, was wrecked on Depuch Island and Robe River and Great Sandy the Concordia was driven ashore nearby Island Nature Reserve during a cyclone on 22 March 1912 that Another section of coast that will claimed the lives of at least 15 people. be considered during the planning Depuch Island is rich in Aboriginal process stretches from the mouth of rock art and a deep water port that the Fortescue River to that of the was planned there in the 1960s was Cane River, and includes the waters abandoned at the behest of the Western surrounding the Great Sandy Island Australian Museum because of the Nature Reserve and the Mary Anne group of islands. This area is relatively remote and untouched. The Robe and Fortescue rivers have inactive deltas, a Above Cape Keraudren is popular with campers. distinctive coastal landform that is not Photo – David Bettini otherwise seen in the Pilbara. A 75-kilometre plus stretch of Left Fishing at Eighty Mile Beach. coastline lying on either side of the Photo – Dennis Sarson/Lochman Robe River contains the most diverse Transparencies mangrove forests found on the Pilbara Opposite page coast. Seaward of the mangroves, there Above right Mangroves protect are many small, low barrier islands shorelines from erosion and provide close to the shore which frequently habitat for fish, birds and other animals. have fringing mangroves around them. Photo – Marie Lochman 14 LANDSCOPE Study areas for the Pilbara and Eighty Mile Beach planning process. Marine parks and reserves will be identified within the boundaries of these study areas. Cape Bossut Legend Limit of WA coastal waters Marine management area INDIAN OCEAN Marine park