Feature park: Marmion Marine Park
Kayaking with seabirds (photo – Peter Nicolas)
Marmion Marine Park, the first marine park in Western Australia, celebrates its 30th anniversary this month. Situated offshore from Perth’s northern suburbs between Trigg Island and Burns Beach, Marmion Marine Park features lagoons, reefs and small islands that provide habitats for seabirds, marine mammals and other remarkably diverse marine life.
Marmion Marine Park Coordinator Melissa Evans said the creation of the park in 1987 introduced West Australians to the concept of marine protected areas and began a movement of conserving areas and providing special places for people to enjoy, and learn about the spectacular marine life of WA.
Seal on beach (photo – Parks & Wildlife)
“Thirty years later, the marine park attracts as many as 1.75 million visits each year and has become Perth’s primary recreational water activity spot,” Ms Evans said.
Little Island (photo – Parks & Wildlife)
“The clear sparkling water and shallow lagoons are inhabited by a wonderful array of marine species.
“Bottlenose dolphins and Australian sea lions can be spotted throughout the year in the park and humpback whales pass through the deeper waters during their annual migration between June and November.”
Ms Evans said the marine park provides the public with an amazing location for water recreation while protecting the incredible marine species and environmental values of the area.
“A number of diving and snorkelling opportunities exist within the park to view fish that live in the caves and ledges of the reef areas,” she said.
Sealife in Marmion Marine Park (photo – Parks & Wildlife)
“Along with fish, you can find sea slugs, sponges, sea fans, hydroids, sea urchins, sea squirts and even green turtles in the marine park. Seabirds flock to the area throughout the year and are best viewed at Little Island, Burns Rocks, Trigg Island and Hillarys Boat Harbour.”
“Mettams Pool is an extremely popular spot for snorkelling as well as the many reefs and small islands in the area.”
Marmion Marine Park is now part of a statewide system of marine parks and reserves that protect about 18 per cent of WA waters.
Spanning more than 13,500 kilometres, WA’s coastal waters are considered to be among the least disturbed in the world. https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park/marmion
Hamersley Pool, Marmion Marine Park (photo – Tsun-Thai Chai)
Mettams Pool, Marmion Marine Park  (photo – Tsun-Thai Chai)
