A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P NORTH MARINE REGION AUSTRALIA’S OCEANS: FROM ASIA TO ANTARCTICA AUSTRALIAN www.acfonline.org.au/oceans 1 1 NORTH-WEST MARINE REGION The 700,000 square kilometres of this region cover the shallow waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria and the oceans treasure map The region’s one million square kilometres contain Arafura and Timor seas. Inshore ocean life is an extensive continental shelf, diverse and influenced by the mixing of freshwater runoff from productive coral reefs and some of the best examples Australia’s oceans are the third largest and most Without our oceans, Australia’s environment, tropical rainfall and wind and storm-driven surges of tropical and arid-zone mangroves in the world. of sea water. Many turtles, dugongs, dolphins and diverse on Earth. Three major oceans, five climate economy, society and culture would be very The breeding and feeding grounds for a number of seabirds travel through the area. threatened migratory species are found here along Christmas zones, varied underwater seascapes and mighty different. They are our lifestyle-support system. But Island currents bring together an amazing wealth of ocean they have suffered from our use and less than five 2 with large turtle and seabird populations. 2 Cocos treasures. This map shows you where to find them. per cent is free of fishing and offshore oil and gas. e Ara in fura C R Keeling r any eg a ons io Islands M n Tor Norfolk res rth Island Australia has the world’s largest area of coral reefs, To protect our ocean treasures Australia needs to: o Strait TIMOR N DARWIN Van Diemen Raine Island the largest single reef−the Great Barrier Reef−and • create a network of marine national parks free of SEA Rise Wessel the largest seagrass meadow in Shark Bay. We also extractive uses−just like national parks on land. It Islands Lord Howe have the third-largest area of mangroves and more should represent each habitat and also include k r Bonaparte Basin Cobourg o Island Chrismas Island Y than half of the world’s mangrove and seagrass iconic areas, critical habitats and the breeding, to Kakadu e G p 3 r 3 a Ashmore Reef e C a t t species. Australia’s oceans provide for six of the feeding and resting areas of our ocean life s e Cartier Island Gulf of W seven known species of marine turtles, 45 of the • ensure our ocean use is better planned, managed Late August - early September Carpentaria t u n a S o u t h e r n b l u e f i n world’s 78 whale and dolphin species, and 4,000 fish and ecologically sustainable st gu B Au a rly r ea r species−20 per cent of the global total. • reduce land-based sources of ocean pollution ly - ie Osprey Seringapatam Ju r Heard and s p a w n i n g g r o u n d s Cu n te l rrent o La Reef ria i Reef McDonald Islands • build oceans resilience to climate change. to ua g q Bonaparte Archipelago Limmen Bight E e Late August - early September Macquarie R h Sir Edward t u Scott Reef Island o E S Pellew Islands R a e e s Camden Sound f t n Argo Canyons - 4 o 4 M i Late July - early August ar Scott Plateau ine eg R LET’S PROTECT OUR OCEAN TREASURES AND LIFESTYLE NOW! Wellesley Islands France Australian Antarctic Territory e n (AAT) AAT i CORAL SEA r a M Quondong Rowley Exclusive Economic Zone Extended Continental Shelf Area of Australia’s oceans Point Shoals (10.19 millions square kms) (2.56 million square kms) shown in large map So ut h OCEAN TREASURES WITH MARINE NATIONAL PARK PROTECTION s Roebuck Eq ie uatoria it l 5 n Bay Mid September - October C 5 u urre m nt m t o e CARTIER ISLAND E3 HAMELIN POOL D7 RAINE ISLAND K3 C lin s sh st e i oa A stopover for migratory shorebirds, as well as seabird nesting Critical habitat for green and loggerhead turtles and one of only The Great Barrier Reef’s most important tropical seabird colony F G e C r p h e areas and critical habitat for green turtles. two places in the world where living stromatolites are found. and the world’s largest green turtle nesting area. w o c a - l t ea t S n Bedout Island l ie B a c le COD GROUNDS L9 HEARD ISLAND AND McDONALD ISLANDS N3 TWELVE APOSTLES J10 h s n i t er Glomar A -m hty The underwater pinnacles in this marine reserve are of great A group of subantarctic islands with seabird colonies, diverse Spectacular underwater scenery of arches, canyons and reefs r m ig e Shoals E D significance to the endangered grey nurse shark and its prey. seafloor habitats and nurseries for commercial fish species. covered in sponges and soft corals. o B a N rr Dampier i e r Archipelago In this category, each ocean treasure is entirely covered by marine national park protection. It may be in a larger marine protected area with varying levels of protection. EAST MARINE REGION Montebello Islands Exmouth Marine national park protection is free of commercial and recreational fishing, oil and gas development and other extractive uses. It allows for passive uses including diving, sailing, swimming, t n e Plateau ecotourism, scientific research, education and shipping transit. Marine national parks can help recover ocean life, underpin fisheries management, boost regional economies, tackle climate change and r r E u Muiron The region’s 2.4 million square kilometres span both 6 6 maintain our beach and oceans lifestyle. L C a eeuw in Islands s R tropical and warm temperate waters with habitats e t e Cuvier Canyons f including canyons, sea mounts, extensive reefs and July deep water. Much of its globally significant ocean Exmouth r e OCEAN TREASURES WITH SOME MARINE NATIONAL PARK PROTECTION b Gulf A m life is unique to the area, particularly in temperate te y p u l e Ningaloo u S waters. The East Australian Current heavily J d s e i t Reef t a m l o r influences inshore and offshore ocean life. ASHMORE REEF E3 HERVEY BAY L7 ROTTNEST ISLAND D9 - t t d a i s This reef has the highest number of sea snakes in the world, Critical habitat for dugongs as well as for the humpback whales Reefs and seagrass meadows with 400 fish species, 20 coral u M g l u i critical habitat for green turtles and a genetically distinct that migrate from Antarctica to breed in these warmer waters. species and nine seagrass species, and critical habitat for green A Carnarvon a Hervey Bay e t n population of dugongs. turtles. Canyon a JERVIS BAY L9 L 7 7 BATEMANS BAY K10 Estuaries, intertidal rocky shores, subtidal reefs, seagrass ROTTNEST SHELF D9 Sponge gardens, kelp, seagrass meadows and mangroves meadows and sandy beaches support rich ocean life. Limestone reefs and seagrass meadows are home to western rock Fraser Island support grey nurse sharks, turtles and visiting southern right, lobster and blue groper, and critical habitat for green turtles. Shark Bay LORD HOWE ISLAND REGION F M9 Hamelin humpback, pilot and killer whales. Mid September - October Alternating warm and cool currents have brought together a ROWLEY SHOALS D4 Wallaby Pool COCOS KEELING ISLANDS N1 unique mix of ocean life with many species found nowhere else Four globally significant shelf-edge atoll reefs with a rich mix of Saddle Two coral atolls with 500 species of fish, 100 species of hard in the world. corals, sponges, fish, whales, sharks and migratory and resident I N D I A N C July corals, globally significant seabird rookeries and Ramsar seabirds. u MACQUARIE ISLAND REGION M15 BRISBANE Moreton Bay r wetlands. Home to six species of seals and three million seabirds which SHARK BAY C7 r F feed in the surrounding waters above unique seafloor habitats. The world’s largest seagrass meadows with a large dugong e CORAL SEA M4 n Stradbroke Globally significant area of coral reefs, islands, seamounts, population and critical habitat for humpback whales and green t MONTEBELLO ISLANDS D6 Island canyons and cays that is a haven for sharks, large fish, turtles and and loggerhead turtles. O C E A N Globally significant for migratory shorebirds, for seabird migratory seabirds. breeding and feeding and as critical habitat for hawksbill, green SOLITARY ISLANDS L8 Mid September - mid October Evans s 8 n 8 A Head o CORNER INLET AND WESTERN PORT BAY K10 and flatback turtles. A distinct and rich mix of tropical and temperate species in b y r n o a Seagrass meadows, mangroves, saltmarshes and islands act as relatively undisturbed subtidal reefs, open ocean and soft l h C MUIRON ISLANDS C6 o s nursery, breeding and feeding grounds and stopovers for seafloor. I Muiron Islands are critical habitats for loggerhead and green s la migratory shorebirds. s n Solitary Islands t turtles as nesting and rookery areas. SOUTH-EAST SEAMOUNTS K12-K13 d e n Elizabeth and s Late June - mid July p u ELIZABETH AND MIDDLETON REEFS M8 Rugged terrain, strong currents, low light and extreme water o o MORETON BAY L7 l Middleton Reefs S m Coral reefs here and at Lord Howe Island are considered the pressures foster a remarkable mix of stony corals, sponges, a Norfolk Island Critical habitats for humpback whales, dugongs, grey nurse Rottnest Shelf e S most southerly in the world with a unique mix of tropical and crustaceans and fish.