Get Away with Dre: Marine Sanctuaries in Australia
June 8th is World Ocean Day, so Dre has some marine sanctuaries you can visit in Australia to celebrate and witness the amazing marine life we have in our waters.
World Ocean Day is a wonderful thing to celebrate because we should all be working towards a healthy ocean and a stable climate. Did you know that our oceans and seas cover 70% of the earth?
Marine sanctuaries, marine parks and green zones are highly protected areas free from commercial fishing, mining, dumping, or extracting oil and gas. They are set up soley to protect marine life and the ocean environment. and a place for us to witness and enjoy the marine wildlife in their natural habitat.
Let’s dive into some marine sanctuaries in Australia worth a visit.
Queensland – Lady Elliot Island
Lady Elliot Island is a coral cay located at the southern tip of the World Heritage Listed Great Barrier Reef.
What’s a coral cay?
A coral cay is when an island that rests on top of a reef. Giving the area a unique ecosystem because it’s surrounded by coral gardens and shallow lagoons which makes it an ideal home to diverse plants and animal life.
It also makes it the perfect place to snorkel and explore the reef without having to go out too far
This is what makes Lady Elliot Island special and why it’s highly protected. It’s a sanctuary to over 1,200 species and known as the ‘Home of the Manta Ray’ with over 700 individual manta rays found there at one time – so you have a good chance of seeing one whilst visiting.
You can watch the female turtles lay their eggs on the beach during laying season from November to February, then come back to the island from January to March to watch the baby turtles hatch and make their way to the ocean.
You can also watch the humpback whales pass by the island during their migration from the Antarctic from May to November.
There’s a range of activities you can do on Lady Elliot Island. There’s reef walking, snorkelling and glass bottom boat tours. It’s also the only coral cay island with an airstrip on the Great Barrier Reef, so the scenic flight is a one-of-a-kind activity because you get a birds eye view of the reef.
Western Australia – Twilight Marine Park
Twilight Marine Park is in the Great Australian Bight and an important feeding ground for the Australian Sea-Lion – the rarest sea-lion in the world.
The Australian Sea-Lion’s population plummeted after being hunted for their fur in the past and many have also drowned after being caught in fishing nets. Sadly their population are still low which is why as a feeding ground, Twilight Marine Park is a marine sanctuary.
Fishers and fisheries are also helping by developing and using fishing gear that are sea-lion proof, as well as carefully managing the fisheries in places where the sea-lions live.
Twilight Marine Park has a seafloor that’s a relatively shallow continental shelf which makes it rich with marine life. The sea-lions have a banquet to choose from with octopus, cuttlefish, small sharks and rays available. The sea-lions aren’t the only marine life that benefit from Twilight Marine Park – there’s white sharks, seabirds and little penguins that frequent the marine park.
After eating the sea-lions like to rest on the beaches along the coast, which you can do as well. You’re spoilt for choice with numerous beautiful beaches lining the coast of the Marine Park. Voted as one of the most beautiful, Twilight Bay is a must-visit with it’s turquoise waters and bright white sand, it’s just ridiculously gorgeous.
NSW – Batemans Marine Park
In the most southern part of NSW, Batemans Marine Park is the largest marine park in NSW at a measurement of 850 square kms.
It’s mostly famous for its snorkel and dive site at Montague Island – which is home to an Australian and New Zealand fur seal colony. It’s famous for it’s experience to snorkel with the seals!
They also have dolphins, rays, the grey nurse shark, and the little penguin. The park also gets killer whales visiting which is a rarity in Australia.
Kayaking activities are popular at the marine park, but if getting in the water sounds scary to you, you can do a few coastal walks that run along the water’s edge. You can also do some fishing activities in certain designated spots.
A visit to Montague Island is a must-do to see the lighthouse that still stands since 1881.
