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Commonwealth legislation
This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.
What this does
This proclamation creates a small, highly protected marine sanctuary called the Cod Grounds Commonwealth Marine Reserve.
Where it is
The reserve is a circular area in the Tasman Sea, roughly 1,000 metres in radius (about 3 square kilometres), centred on a specific location off the coast of New South Wales.
What it protects
The reserve includes the seabed down to a depth of 1,000 metres. It is classified as a "strict nature reserve" (the highest level of protection under international standards), meaning human activities are severely restricted—typically allowing only scientific research and prohibiting fishing, mining, or tourism.
Why it matters
It protects the conservation values of this specific patch of ocean floor, preserving marine ecosystems and biodiversity in that location from human disturbance.
Want the full deep dive?
Zoe can write the in-depth analysis on top of the summary above: how it works, who it affects and what each part actually does.
Direct links to the current provisions in Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 - Proclamation - Cod Grounds Commonwealth Marine Reserve (10/05/2007).
I, PHILIP MICHAEL JEFFERY, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council and under subsection 344(1) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999:
(a) declare the area specified in the Schedule to be a Commonwealth reserve for the purpose of protecting the conservation values of the area; and
(b) specify that the seabed to a depth of 1000 metres is included in the reserve; and
(c) give the reserve the name “Cod Grounds Commonwealth Marine Reserve”; and
(d) assign the reserve to the IUCN category of strict nature reserve.
This Proclamation commences on the day after the date of registration on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.
Signed and sealed with the
Great Seal of Australia on
10 May 2007
P. M. JEFFERY
Governor-General
By His Excellency’s Command
Malcolm Turnbull
Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
All of that area in the Tasman Sea enclosed within the circumference of a circle of radius 1000 metres the centre of which is at the point of latitude 31 degrees 40 minutes 52 seconds south, longitude 152 degrees 54 minutes 37 seconds east.*
* All geographic coordinates are expressed in terms of the Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994 (GDA94) as defined in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette GN35 of 6 September 1995.
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
I, PHILIP MICHAEL JEFFERY, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council and under subsection 344(1) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999:
(a) declare the area specified in the Schedule to be a Commonwealth reserve for the purpose of protecting the conservation values of the area; and
(b) specify that the seabed to a depth of 1000 metres is included in the reserve; and
(c) give the reserve the name “Cod Grounds Commonwealth Marine Reserve”; and
(d) assign the reserve to the IUCN category of strict nature reserve.
This Proclamation commences on the day after the date of registration on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.
Signed and sealed with the
Great Seal of Australia on
10 May 2007
P. M. JEFFERY
Governor-General
By His Excellency’s Command
Malcolm Turnbull
Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
All of that area in the Tasman Sea enclosed within the circumference of a circle of radius 1000 metres the centre of which is at the point of latitude 31 degrees 40 minutes 52 seconds south, longitude 152 degrees 54 minutes 37 seconds east.*
* All geographic coordinates are expressed in terms of the Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994 (GDA94) as defined in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette GN35 of 6 September 1995.