Schedule 1South-east Marine Parks overview

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Schedule 1: South-east Marine Parks overview

Royal penguins preening at Macquarie Island

Image: Royal penguins preening at Macquarie Island (Kerry Steinberner/Australian Antarctic Division)

S1.1 South-east Network overview

Most of the marine parks of the South-east Network were proclaimed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) (EPBC Act) in June 2007, came into effect on 1 September 2007 and were renamed on 11 October 2017. The exceptions were Macquarie Island Marine Park, which was proclaimed in October 1999, and the part of the Huon Marine Park that was the Tasmanian Seamounts Marine Reserve, which was proclaimed in May 1999. Proclamation dates for each park are provided in Section S1.3.

Throughout this section (S1.1) the parks are presented in a clockwise geographical order starting off in north-eastern Victoria, moving around Tasmania up to Cape Otway in western Victoria and across to South Australia, then to the sub-Antarctic.

Table S1.1 Overview of the South-east Network

Marine park name	Zones, IUCN categories and zone area	Marine park IUCN category	Total marine park area
East Gippsland	Multiple Use Zone (VI) 4,137 km²	VI	4,137 km²
Beagle	National Park Zone (II) 479 km²Multiple Use Zone (VI) 2,448 km²	VI	2,928 km²
Flinders	National Park Zone (II) 15,024 km²Habitat Protection Zone (IV) 10,892 km²Multiple Use Zone (VI) 1,129 km²	II	27,046 km²
Freycinet	National Park Zone (II) 56,825 km²Recreational Use Zone (IV) 323 km²Habitat Protection Zone (IV) 68 km2Multiple Use Zone (VI) 725 km²	II	57,941 km²
Huon	National Park Zone (II) 1,433 km²Multiple Use Zone (VI) 8,558 km²	VI	9,991 km²
South Tasman Rise	National Park Zone (II) 27,704 km²	II	27,704 km²
Tasman Fracture	National Park Zone (II) 22,536 km²Multiple Use Zone (VI) 19,965 km²	II	42,501 km²
Zeehan	National Park Zone (II) 18,663 km²Special Purpose Zone (VI) 301 km²Multiple Use Zone (VI) 933 km²

Key natural value	Park	Ecosystem	Description
Diverse sponge community on rare mesophotic reef habitat in Bass Strait	Beagle	Mesophotic rocky reefs	Mesophotic reef is a rare ecosystem in the bioregions within Bass Strait. This reef is exposed to large currents leading to high biological productivity and provides habitat for a diverse range of sponge species.
Deep-sea coral communities on Huon seamounts	Huon	Seamount reefs	The Huon seamounts, Australia’s largest known cluster of seamounts, support globally significant, diverse, and fragile deep-sea coral communities.
Basketwork eel aggregation on Patience Seamount	Huon	Seamount reefs; seamount sediments	This aggregation of basketwork eels is the only known spawning site for oceanic eels globally. Basketwork eels are apex scavengers and an important species of ecosystem functioning.
Fragile rare communities of black corals and octocorals	Flinders	Upper-slope reefs; shelf-incising canyons	The Flinders canyons and upper slope reef supports a high abundance of rare black corals and octocorals and conservation‑dependent shark species including the Harrisons dogfish and southern dogfish. The area is highly productive due to the current flowing from the Bass and Banks Straits.
Joe’s Reef	Freycinet	Mesophotic rocky reefs; rariphotic shelf reefs	This structurally complex mesophotic/rariphotic reef is covered in a diverse invertebrate fauna including sponges, gorgonian fans, mushroom corals, and rare and vulnerable tree-forming black corals. It is a unique feature within the South-east Network.
Unique fish communities associated with rare outcroppings of shelf break reefs	Freycinet and Flinders	Rariphotic shelf reefs	Shelf break reefs, a rare habitat within the typically sediment-draped shelf break, are a key habitat for striped trumpeter and blue eye trevalla.
Fish aggregation Main Matt	Tasman Fracture	Seamount reefs; seamount sediments	The large aggregation of orange roughy, oreo dories and a diverse range of deep‑sea sharks at Main Matt seamount is unique to the South-east Network. These species are likely key species for ecosystem functioning.
High biomass deep sea communities in a unique geomorphic fracture zone	Tasman Fracture	Lower-slope reefs and sediments	The Tasman Fracture Zone, an extensive ridge and trench complex in 2,000 m to 4,000 m water depth, is a unique geomorphic feature for the South-east Network. It provides habitat for a range of fauna not found elsewhere in the network, including habitat forming species such as anemones and barnacles.
Rare outcroppings of upper slope reef	Zeehan	Upper-slope reefs	The Zeehan upper slope reef is a rare reef habitat within the mud-draped slope landscape of western Tasmania. This reef is biologically diverse relative to other upper slope areas on the west coast.
Rock lobster	HuonTasman Fracture	Mesophotic rocky reefs; rariphotic reefsRariphotic reefs	Rock lobster is an apex predator important for ecosystem functioning and is an important fishery species for the region.
Handfish	HuonTasman Fracture	Mesophotic rocky reefs; rariphotic reefsRariphotic reefs	Handfish are endemic to southern Australia and are predominantly found in waters around Tasmania.Handfish have been recorded in Tasman Fracture and Huon Marine Parks. Species identifications are yet to be confirmed but likely include the vulnerable Ziebell’s handfish, the pink handfish listed as Endangered under the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995, the warty handfish and the Australian handfish and potentially other species, some of which may be undescribed species new to science.
Golden kelp forests	Huon and Franklin	Mesophotic rocky reefs	Golden kelp forests have only been recorded in 2 marine parks in the South‑east Network. These offshore kelp forests are a rare habitat in the South-east region, where most kelp forest is associated with coastal areas or offshore islands.
Shy albatross	BoagsFranklinMurrayZeehanandTasman Fracture	On-shelf epipelagic	The endangered shy albatross is an endemic Australian seabird which breeds exclusively on 3 offshore Tasmanian Islands.Boags, Franklin and Zeehan Marine Parks are core foraging areas for early incubating shy albatross from Albatross Island. Boags, Murray and Tasman Fracture Marine Parks provide core foraging areas for post‑fledgling shy albatross from Albatross Island.

Key natural value

Park

Ecosystem

Description

Diverse sponge community on rare mesophotic reef habitat in Bass Strait

Beagle

Mesophotic rocky reefs

Mesophotic reef is a rare ecosystem in the bioregions within Bass Strait. This reef is exposed to large currents leading to high biological productivity and provides habitat for a diverse range of sponge species.

Deep-sea coral communities on Huon seamounts

Huon

Seamount reefs

The Huon seamounts, Australia’s largest known cluster of seamounts, support globally significant, diverse, and fragile deep-sea coral communities.

Basketwork eel aggregation on Patience Seamount

Huon

Seamount reefs; seamount sediments

This aggregation of basketwork eels is the only known spawning site for oceanic eels globally. Basketwork eels are apex scavengers and an important species of ecosystem functioning.

Fragile rare communities of black corals and octocorals

Flinders

Upper-slope reefs; shelf-incising canyons

The Flinders canyons and upper slope reef supports a high abundance of rare black corals and octocorals and conservation‑dependent shark species including the Harrisons dogfish and southern dogfish. The area is highly productive due to the current flowing from the Bass and Banks Straits.

Joe’s Reef

Freycinet

Mesophotic rocky reefs; rariphotic shelf reefs

This structurally complex mesophotic/rariphotic reef is covered in a diverse invertebrate fauna including sponges, gorgonian fans, mushroom corals, and rare and vulnerable tree-forming black corals. It is a unique feature within the South-east Network.

Unique fish communities associated with rare outcroppings of shelf break reefs

Freycinet and Flinders

Rariphotic shelf reefs

Shelf break reefs, a rare habitat within the typically sediment-draped shelf break, are a key habitat for striped trumpeter and blue eye trevalla.

Fish aggregation Main Matt

Tasman Fracture

Seamount reefs; seamount sediments

The large aggregation of orange roughy, oreo dories and a diverse range of deep‑sea sharks at Main Matt seamount is unique to the South-east Network. These species are likely key species for ecosystem functioning.

High biomass deep sea communities in a unique geomorphic fracture zone

Tasman Fracture

Lower-slope reefs and sediments

The Tasman Fracture Zone, an extensive ridge and trench complex in 2,000 m to 4,000 m water depth, is a unique geomorphic feature for the South-east Network. It provides habitat for a range of fauna not found elsewhere in the network, including habitat forming species such as anemones and barnacles.

Rare outcroppings of upper slope reef

Zeehan

Upper-slope reefs

The Zeehan upper slope reef is a rare reef habitat within the mud-draped slope landscape of western Tasmania. This reef is biologically diverse relative to other upper slope areas on the west coast.

Rock lobster

HuonTasman Fracture

Mesophotic rocky reefs; rariphotic reefsRariphotic reefs

Rock lobster is an apex predator important for ecosystem functioning and is an important fishery species for the region.

Handfish

HuonTasman Fracture

Mesophotic rocky reefs; rariphotic reefsRariphotic reefs

Handfish are endemic to southern Australia and are predominantly found in waters around Tasmania.Handfish have been recorded in Tasman Fracture and Huon Marine Parks. Species identifications are yet to be confirmed but likely include the vulnerable Ziebell’s handfish, the pink handfish listed as Endangered under the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995, the warty handfish and the Australian handfish and potentially other species, some of which may be undescribed species new to science.

Golden kelp forests

Huon and Franklin

Mesophotic rocky reefs

Golden kelp forests have only been recorded in 2 marine parks in the South‑east Network. These offshore kelp forests are a rare habitat in the South-east region, where most kelp forest is associated with coastal areas or offshore islands.

Shy albatross

BoagsFranklinMurrayZeehanandTasman Fracture

On-shelf epipelagic

The endangered shy albatross is an endemic Australian seabird which breeds exclusively on 3 offshore Tasmanian Islands.Boags, Franklin and Zeehan Marine Parks are core foraging areas for early incubating shy albatross from Albatross Island. Boags, Murray and Tasman Fracture Marine Parks provide core foraging areas for post‑fledgling shy albatross from Albatross Island.

East Gippsland Marine Park
Proclaimed 28 June 2007 and came into effect on 1 September 2007
Assigned zones in park Multiple Use Zone (VI) 4,137 km²
Depth range 604 m–5,276 m
Total area 4,137 km2
Overview and summary of valuesThe East Gippsland Marine Park (Figure S1.1) is south-east of the New South Wales  Victoria border at Cape Howe. The park contains deepwater ecosystems extending from the upper slope to the abyssal plain. The main seabed features include a dome-shaped plateau on the mid slope, 2 large box canyons and several large, tilted blocks.The western section of the park intersects with the offshore edge of the upwelling east of Eden, which is defined as a key ecological feature, as it is an area of high productivity. The East Australian Current brings warm subtropical water from the north and forms large eddies around Cape Howe which interact with the varied seafloor terrain, causing upwelling of cooler waters. The mixing of cool and warm water creates phytoplankton blooms that support an abundance of zooplankton, fish, marine mammals and seabirds.The park includes biologically important foraging areas for 7 species of albatross (including the endangered shy albatross; the vulnerable black browed, Campbell, Indian yellow nosed and wandering albatrosses; and the Bullers albatross), wedge-tailed shearwaters, white faced storm petrels and the pygmy blue whale.The lower slope, in depths of 2,500 m to 3,850 m, supports a diverse invertebrate fauna, including large red spiny king crab, squat lobsters, finned octopus, sea cucumbers, sea stars, sea spiders, shrimp, crinoids and sea whips, polychaetes and bivalves.The park contains habitats, species and ecological communities associated with the Southeast Transition provincial bioregion.The key ecological features represented in the park include:upwelling east of Eden.
Social and economic benefitsAt the time of making this plan, the only commercial fishery operating in the park is the Commonwealth-managed Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery.

East Gippsland Marine Park

Proclaimed 28 June 2007 and came into effect on 1 September 2007

Assigned zones in park Multiple Use Zone (VI) 4,137 km²

Depth range 604 m–5,276 m

Total area 4,137 km2

Overview and summary of valuesThe East Gippsland Marine Park (Figure S1.1) is south-east of the New South Wales  Victoria border at Cape Howe. The park contains deepwater ecosystems extending from the upper slope to the abyssal plain. The main seabed features include a dome-shaped plateau on the mid slope, 2 large box canyons and several large, tilted blocks.The western section of the park intersects with the offshore edge of the upwelling east of Eden, which is defined as a key ecological feature, as it is an area of high productivity. The East Australian Current brings warm subtropical water from the north and forms large eddies around Cape Howe which interact with the varied seafloor terrain, causing upwelling of cooler waters. The mixing of cool and warm water creates phytoplankton blooms that support an abundance of zooplankton, fish, marine mammals and seabirds.The park includes biologically important foraging areas for 7 species of albatross (including the endangered shy albatross; the vulnerable black browed, Campbell, Indian yellow nosed and wandering albatrosses; and the Bullers albatross), wedge-tailed shearwaters, white faced storm petrels and the pygmy blue whale.The lower slope, in depths of 2,500 m to 3,850 m, supports a diverse invertebrate fauna, including large red spiny king crab, squat lobsters, finned octopus, sea cucumbers, sea stars, sea spiders, shrimp, crinoids and sea whips, polychaetes and bivalves.The park contains habitats, species and ecological communities associated with the Southeast Transition provincial bioregion.The key ecological features represented in the park include:upwelling east of Eden.

Social and economic benefitsAt the time of making this plan, the only commercial fishery operating in the park is the Commonwealth-managed Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery.

Beagle Marine Park
Proclaimed 28 June 2007 and came into effect on 1 September 2007
Assigned zones in park National Park Zone (II) 479 km²Multiple Use Zone (VI) 2,448 km²
Depth range 46 m–77 m
Total area 2,928 km2
Overview and summary of valuesBeagle Marine Park (Figure S1.2), in Bass Strait off Wilson’s Promontory, surrounds Tasmania’s Kent Group Marine Park and the Hogan and Curtis Island groups.The seafloor of the park was part of the Ancient Land Bridge  a landscape that once connected Lutruwita/Tasmania to the mainland and was used by First Nations people before it was submerged at the end of the last glacial period about 10,000 years ago. First Nations communities hold knowledge, oral traditions, stories and songlines that connect to the times of the land bridge that have been passed down through the generations, giving unique insights into the flooding of this Country.In the centre of the park, spanning much of the distance between the Kent Group and Hogan Island Group, are mesophotic (middle-light) reefs that rise 2 m to 5 m above the seabed.They are thought to be relict coastal dunes that formed on the Ancient Land Bridge.These mesophotic reefs, which are a rare ecosystem within Bass Strait, support a sessile invertebrate assemblage comprised of bryozoans, hydroids and a high diversity of temperate sponges. Abundant and diverse fish communities are associated with these mesophotic reefs and are dominated by butterfly perch, barber perch, jackass morwong, common gurnard perch, Melbourne silverbelly, Degen’s leatherjacket, and rosy wrasse. At the time of making this plan, aggregations of many hundreds of predominantly female Port Jackson sharks have been observed in 2018 and 2024, indicating that these reef features are important for the species during winter foraging migrations to Bass Strait.Rubble fields, comprised of broken bryozoan skeletons and dead and alive scallops, occur in the centre of the park and function as reefs in the hard substrate limited environment of Bass Strait. They provide important habitat for sessile filter feeding invertebrates including bryozoans, hydroids and sponges.The shallower eastern section of the park is dominated by linear ridges less than 1 m in height that extend several kilometres. These low-profile ridges are sometimes covered by shell hash and gravel that support a diverse sessile filter feeding invertebrate community dominated by bryozoans and sponges.The deeper, south-western part of the park is sediment-dominated and contains extensive mobile dune fields less than 1 m high with patches of doughboy scallops.The park includes biologically important foraging areas for many seabirds, including 6 species of albatross (including the endangered shy albatross; the vulnerable black browed, Campbell, Indian yellow nosed and wandering albatrosses; and Bullers albatross), white faced storm petrel, common diving petrel, short-tailed shearwater and little penguin. There are also biologically important areas in the park for white shark, southern right whale and pygmyblue whale.Humpback whales and short-tailed shearwaters (mutton birds) are culturally significant species, as their seasonal movements are in songlines and dreaming for some First Nations groups.The park contains habitats, species and ecological communities associated with the Southeast Shelf Transition provincial bioregion and the Twofold Shelf and Flinders mesoscale bioregions.The key ecological features represented in the park include:shelf rocky reefs and hard substrate – includes mesophotic reefs between the Kent Group and Hogan Island Group.Two historic shipwrecks occur in the park. In the north-west of the park lies the SS Queensland  an iron screw steamship which sank in 1876 after colliding with another steamer while enroute from Melbourne to China. The SS Cambridge, a British cargo ship which sank on 7 November 1940 after hitting a World War II mine, lies in the north of the park in 67 m depth. Other shipwrecks may occur in the park, as 3 other ships have been lost in the vicinity of the park but are yet to be found.
Social and economic benefitsAt the time of making this plan, one commercial tour operator held a licence for whale watching in the park and the main commercial fisheries operating in the park include:South-east Scalefish and Shark Fishery  gillnet, hook and trap sector (Commonwealth managed)Tasmanian and Victorian octopus fisheriesTasmanian and Victorian rock lobster fisheriesTasmanian Scalefish FisheryVictorian Ocean General FisheryVictorian Wrasse (Ocean) FisheryVictorian Commercial Permit and Small Sales Commercial Permit Fishery.Two important commercial shipping routes to the Port of Melbourne go through the north and north-western sections of the park.

Beagle Marine Park

Proclaimed 28 June 2007 and came into effect on 1 September 2007

Assigned zones in park National Park Zone (II) 479 km²Multiple Use Zone (VI) 2,448 km²

Depth range 46 m–77 m

Total area 2,928 km2

Overview and summary of valuesBeagle Marine Park (Figure S1.2), in Bass Strait off Wilson’s Promontory, surrounds Tasmania’s Kent Group Marine Park and the Hogan and Curtis Island groups.The seafloor of the park was part of the Ancient Land Bridge  a landscape that once connected Lutruwita/Tasmania to the mainland and was used by First Nations people before it was submerged at the end of the last glacial period about 10,000 years ago. First Nations communities hold knowledge, oral traditions, stories and songlines that connect to the times of the land bridge that have been passed down through the generations, giving unique insights into the flooding of this Country.In the centre of the park, spanning much of the distance between the Kent Group and Hogan Island Group, are mesophotic (middle-light) reefs that rise 2 m to 5 m above the seabed.They are thought to be relict coastal dunes that formed on the Ancient Land Bridge.These mesophotic reefs, which are a rare ecosystem within Bass Strait, support a sessile invertebrate assemblage comprised of bryozoans, hydroids and a high diversity of temperate sponges. Abundant and diverse fish communities are associated with these mesophotic reefs and are dominated by butterfly perch, barber perch, jackass morwong, common gurnard perch, Melbourne silverbelly, Degen’s leatherjacket, and rosy wrasse. At the time of making this plan, aggregations of many hundreds of predominantly female Port Jackson sharks have been observed in 2018 and 2024, indicating that these reef features are important for the species during winter foraging migrations to Bass Strait.Rubble fields, comprised of broken bryozoan skeletons and dead and alive scallops, occur in the centre of the park and function as reefs in the hard substrate limited environment of Bass Strait. They provide important habitat for sessile filter feeding invertebrates including bryozoans, hydroids and sponges.The shallower eastern section of the park is dominated by linear ridges less than 1 m in height that extend several kilometres. These low-profile ridges are sometimes covered by shell hash and gravel that support a diverse sessile filter feeding invertebrate community dominated by bryozoans and sponges.The deeper, south-western part of the park is sediment-dominated and contains extensive mobile dune fields less than 1 m high with patches of doughboy scallops.The park includes biologically important foraging areas for many seabirds, including 6 species of albatross (including the endangered shy albatross; the vulnerable black browed, Campbell, Indian yellow nosed and wandering albatrosses; and Bullers albatross), white faced storm petrel, common diving petrel, short-tailed shearwater and little penguin. There are also biologically important areas in the park for white shark, southern right whale and pygmyblue whale.Humpback whales and short-tailed shearwaters (mutton birds) are culturally significant species, as their seasonal movements are in songlines and dreaming for some First Nations groups.The park contains habitats, species and ecological communities associated with the Southeast Shelf Transition provincial bioregion and the Twofold Shelf and Flinders mesoscale bioregions.The key ecological features represented in the park include:shelf rocky reefs and hard substrate – includes mesophotic reefs between the Kent Group and Hogan Island Group.Two historic shipwrecks occur in the park. In the north-west of the park lies the SS Queensland  an iron screw steamship which sank in 1876 after colliding with another steamer while enroute from Melbourne to China. The SS Cambridge, a British cargo ship which sank on 7 November 1940 after hitting a World War II mine, lies in the north of the park in 67 m depth. Other shipwrecks may occur in the park, as 3 other ships have been lost in the vicinity of the park but are yet to be found.

Social and economic benefitsAt the time of making this plan, one commercial tour operator held a licence for whale watching in the park and the main commercial fisheries operating in the park include:South-east Scalefish and Shark Fishery  gillnet, hook and trap sector (Commonwealth managed)Tasmanian and Victorian octopus fisheriesTasmanian and Victorian rock lobster fisheriesTasmanian Scalefish FisheryVictorian Ocean General FisheryVictorian Wrasse (Ocean) FisheryVictorian Commercial Permit and Small Sales Commercial Permit Fishery.Two important commercial shipping routes to the Port of Melbourne go through the north and north-western sections of the park.