Geographe Marine Park is located in Geographe Bay, about 8 kilometres west of Bunbury. The sheltered waters of the bay support extensive and diverse seagrass meadows that cover about 60 percent of the seafloor in the area. These tropical and temperate seagrass beds account for about 80 percent of the regions primary productivity, and provide important nursery habitat for a range of marine species.
Video
A huge variety of marine life are attracted to the vast seagrass and sandy habitats of Geographe Bay. These BRUVS have captured but a few of the species that call this region home.
Research
These short articles highlight the findings from ongoing scientific research within the Geographe 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.
Environmental-economic accounting (EEA) is a powerful tool that enables policy and investment decisions to be made based on whole system analysis which integrates environmental, economic and social data.
A pilot accounting project was undertaken for Geographe Marine Park. The EEA examined the location and condition of ecosystems, such as rocky reefs and seagrasses, and the value of ecosystem services, like commercial and recreational fishing and tourism.
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.
Scientists provide a detailed review of what is known about the Geographe Marine Park
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 Geographe 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 Geographe marine park and adjacent waters. Click on the links to access to the publications.
Cannell, B. (2016).
How resilient are the Little Penguins and the coastal marine habitats they use?.
Norman, B. M, Reynolds, S and Morgan, D. L. (2016).
Does the whale shark aggregate along the Western Australian coastline beyond Ningaloo Reef?.
Saunders, B. J, Harvey, E. S and Kendrick, G. A. (2014).
Factors influencing distribution and habitat associations in an endemic group of temperate Western Australian reef fishes over a latitudinal gradient.
Parfitt, C and Whisson, G. (2013).
Artificial habitats deployed on seagrass return lower abundance and diversity of macro-invertebrates than those on sandy substrates in Geographe Bay, Western Australia.
Cannell, B. L, Chambers, L. E, Wooller, R. D and Bradley, J. S. (2012).
Poorer breeding by little penguins near Perth, Western Australia is correlated with above average sea surface temperatures and a stronger Leeuwin Current.
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and communities, Western Australian Fishing Industry Council Incorporated (2011).
AGREEMENT BETWEEN COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA, as represented by and acting through the Department of Sustainability Environment, Water, Population and Communities, ABN 34 190 894 983 AND WESTERN AUSTRALIAN FISHING INDUSTRY COUNCIL INCORPORATED, ABN 36 814 383 345 in relation to Services for Engagement of the commercial fishing industry in the marine bioregional planning program for the South-west marine region: "South-west Commonwealth Marine Bioregional Planning commercial fishing industry engagement project" Milestone report 4.
Saunders, B. J. (2011).
The Ecology of Territorial Herbivorous Damselfish (Genus Parma) on Temperate Western Australian Rocky Reef.
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