Ningaloo Reef
Western Australia has 22,880 km of largely pristine coastline, stretching from the tropical coral reef and mangrove systems in the north to the cool temperate kelp beds off Esperance in the state's southeast.
Shark Bay on the coast's western-most point contains the world's most extensive seagrass meadows, which provide essential breeding and feeding grounds for a huge array of marine species like the globally-threatened whale shark, which migrates vast distances to feed in the tropical waters of Ningaloo Reef.
Aerial photo of Ningaloo Reef
© Martin HELMERS
Ningaloo is the largest fringing coral reef in Australia and is home to dugongs, manta rays, six of the world's seven marine turtles and about 500 species of fish.
Ningaloo Reef has been the site of several campaigns by WWF and other conservation organisations, resulting in some significant wins for the reef and those who would protect it.
The "Save Ningaloo Campaign" was waged over several years, involving a range of community groups, scientists and celebrities.
Campaigners celebrated a huge win in 2003, when the Western Australian government rejected a proposal to build a 2000-bed resort and marina at Mauds Landing, in the southern part of the Ningaloo Marine Park.
Premier Geoff Gallop stated at the time that he believed "there were far too many risks involved in accepting this development."
Fish swimming through coral at Ningaloo Reef
© David HANNAN
In November 2004, further campaigning by WWF and its Save Ningaloo partners resulted in the extension of protective sanctuary zones on the reef from 10 per cent of the reef to 34 per cent - another momentous victory for the reef.
What WWF is doing
Our marine team continues to work at ensuring sound ecological planning underpins any proposed developments on the unique Ningaloo Coast, and that the environmental values of the Ningaloo-Gascoyne region will be protected well into the future.
Since December 2002, we worked on a valuable turtle conservation and management program in conjunction with the Cape Conservation Group, the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM), Murdoch University and local communities along the Ningaloo coastline.
The Ningaloo Community Turtle Monitoring Program is proudly sponsored by grants from the Tony and Lisette Lewis Foundation through their WildlifeLink program, the Coastwest funding scheme through the Department for Planning and Infrastructure, and the Department of Defence.
The aims of the monitoring program include:
- Identifying critical habitats and rookeries during turtle nesting
- Identify level of threats to critical habitats
- Determining trends in abundance and distribution of turtles on beaches of Ningaloo Reef
- Identifying areas of human disturbance and interference
- Carrying out a community education program, holding training workshops, raising general awareness of beach user codes of conduct for turtle observation and interaction
- Collaborating with all the project partners and interested parties towards a truly coordinated and strategic approach to turtle conservation
