Montebello Marine Park lies offshore of Barrow Island. An ancient coastline runs through the Montebello Marine Park along the 125 metre depth contour, providing hard rocky escarpments for benthic communities to flourish in an area otherwise dominated by soft sediments. This habitat supports foraging grounds for whale sharks, and the region is also utilized by pygmy blue whales, breeding seabirds and several species of threatened marine turtles.
Video
Research
These short articles highlight the findings from ongoing scientific research within the Montebello Marine Park, including exciting new discoveries and ideas for future projects.
Small and/or camouflaged fish species hidden on or near the reef surface are commonly referred to as ‘cryptic’ or ‘cryptobenthic’ fishes. These species are characteristically difficult to see but are diverse and abundant throughout Australian Marine Parks and may play an important role in supporting the larger predatory fish species protected within park boundaries.
Parks Australia manage 60 Australian Marine Parks, many of which include shallow reefs. These reef habitats are hugely diverse, and include tropical reefs dominated by hard corals; current-swept offshore bommies covered in sea whips, sea fans and soft corals; temperate rocky reefs with sea urchin barrens or low lying colourful seaweeds; and deeper rocky reefs with sessile invertebrates and large black coral trees.
A re-survey of sites within the North-west Marine Park Network revealed an increase in fish biomass, richness, biomass of larger fishes, coral cover and macro-invertebrate density at Ashmore Reef Marine Park (IUCN Ia). Many of these changes were not recorded at fished reference sites, suggesting the strict sanctuary zoning is having a positive effect.
Natural values
Our marine parks have a number of different values, including natural, cultural, heritage and socio-economic values. The natural values of our marine parks refer to the habitats, species and ecological communities within them, and the processes that support their connectivity, productivity and function. Below are the key datasets that help inform park managers about the natural values that exist within our network of Australian Marine Parks. For more information on other park values refer to the relevant park Management Plans on the Parks Australia website.
See which wetlands of international significance are protected by Australian Marine Parks.
Maps
The information provided by these datasets was integral in the planning and development of our national network of marine parks. Learn in detail about how scientists and marine park planners used these important marine features together to design Australia's network of marine parks, or explore the datasets for the Montebello Marine Park individually through the links below.
See which areas of Australia's marine environments have been World Heritage listed.
Latest maps
Since the initial planning of the Australian Marine Parks Network in 2012, new mapping data has emerged that allows us to see in finer detail the features that exist within our parks. These datasets help marine managers to understand more about what's under the surface, where there are overlaying management or protection regimes, and/or where pressures on the marine environment may be increasing.
Examine how exposure to tropical cyclone activity varies across Australian Marine Parks.
Scientific papers
The following publications contain information relevant to the Montebello marine park and adjacent waters. Click on the links to access to the publications.
Bennett, K, Wilson, S. K, Shedrawi, G, McLean, D. L and Langlois, T. J. (2016).
Can diver operated stereo-video surveys for fish be used to collect meaningful data on benthic coral reef communities?.
Feng, M, Colberg, F, Slawinski, D, Berry, O and Babcock, R. (2016).
Ocean circulation drives heterogeneous recruitments and connectivity among coral populations on the North West Shelf of Australia.
Jones, R. (2016).
Corals of the north west of Western Australia: biogeography and considerations for dredging-related research.
Rosser, N. L. (2016).
Demographic history and asynchronous spawning shape genetic differentiation among populations of the hard coral Acropora tenuis in Western Australia.
Ferreira, L. C, Thums, M, Meeuwig, J. J, Vianna, G. M, Stevens, J, McAuley, R and Meekan, M. G. (2015).
Crossing latitudes--long-distance tracking of an apex predator.
Baldock, J, Bancroft, K. P, Williams, M, Shedrawi, G and Field, S. (2014).
Accurately estimating local water temperature from remotely sensed satellite sea surface temperature: A near real-time monitoring tool for marine protected areas.
Evans, R. D, Wilson, S. K, Field, S. N and Moore, J. A. Y. (2014).
Importance of macroalgal fields as coral reef fish nursery habitat in north-west Australia.
Moore, G. I, Morrison, S. M, Hutchins, J. B, Allen, G. R and Sampey, A. (2014).
Kimberley marine biota. Historical data: fishes.
Lagdon, R and Moro, D. (2013).
The Gorgon gas development and its environmental commitments.
Evans, R. D, Murray, K. L, Field, S. N, Moore, J. A, Shedrawi, G, Huntley, B. G, Fearns, P, Broomhall, M, McKinna, L. I. W and Marrable, D. (2012).
Digitise this! A quick and easy remote sensing method to monitor the daily extent of dredge plumes.
Prince, R. I and Chaloupka, M. (2012).
Estimating demographic parameters for a critically endangered marine species with frequent reproductive omission: hawksbill turtles nesting at Varanus Island, Western Australia.
Richards, Z and Rosser, N. (2012).
Abundance, distribution and new records of scleractinian corals at Barrow Island and Southern Montebello Islands, Pilbara (offshore) bioregion.
Jones, H. A. (1970).
The sediments, structure and morphology of the north-west Australian continental shelf, between Rowley Shoals and Monte Bello Islands.
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