Solitary Islands Marine Park is located 5.5 kilometres off the coast in northern New South Wales. The marine park is a unique region where tropical, subtropical and temperate marine communities thrive in co-existence, inhabiting both subtidal reef and soft sediment habitats in relatively undisturbed waters. Solitary Islands Marine Park is well known for its incredible scuba diving, and populations of species with special conservation interest such as the endangered grey nurse shark.
Video
This footage shows a few of the Threatened Species that are found within the Solitary Islands Marine Park, including marine turtles, grey nurse sharks, southern right whales and a number of migratory seabirds.
Research
These short articles highlight the findings from ongoing scientific research within the Solitary Islands 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.
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 Solitary Islands 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.
Find out where the seafloor has been mapped with sonar across the Marine Parks.
Scientific papers
The following publications contain information relevant to the Solitary Islands marine park and adjacent waters. Click on the links to access to the publications.
Scott, A, Hardefeldt, J. M and Hall, K. C. (2014).
Asexual propagation of sea anemones that host anemonefishes: implications for the marine ornamental aquarium trade and restocking programs.
Smith, K. R, Scarpaci, C, Scarr, M. J and Otway, N. M. (2014).
Scuba diving tourism with critically endangered grey nurse sharks (Carcharias taurus) off eastern Australia: tourist demographics, shark behaviour and diver compliance.
Falkner, I, Barbosa, S and Byrne, M. (2013).
Reproductive biology of four ophiocomid ophiuroids in tropical and temperate Australia-reproductive cycle and oogenic strategies in species with different modes of development.
Hammerton, Z, Dimmock, K, Hahn, C, Dalton, S. J and Smith, S. D. (2012).
Scuba diving and marine conservation: collaboration at two Australian subtropical destinations.
Malcolm, H.A, Foulsham, E, Pressey, R.L, Jordan, A, Davies, P.L, Ingleton, T, Johnstone, N, Hessey, S and Smith, S.D. (2012).
Selecting zones in a marine park: early systematic planning improves cost-efficiency; combining habitat and biotic data improves effectiveness.
Malcolm, H. A and Authority, N. M. P. (2011).
Cross-shelf patterns of black cod Epinephelus daemelii at three important locations in Northern Rivers marine waters.
Noreen, A. M. (2010).
Ecological and evolutionary connectivity of reef corals in subtropical eastern Australia: implications for the persistence of high-latitude coral populations.
Smith, S. D and Simpson, R. D. (2010).
Nearshore corals of the Coffs Harbour region, mid north coast, New South Wales.
Smith, S. D, Rule, M. J, Harrison, M and Dalton, S. J. (2008).
Monitoring the sea change: preliminary assessment of the conservation value of nearshore reefs, and existing impacts, in a high-growth, coastal region of subtropical eastern Australia.
Rule, M. J and Smith, S. D. (2007).
Depth-associated patterns in the development of benthic assemblages on artificial substrata deployed on shallow, subtropical reefs.
Smith, S. D and Rule, M. J. (2001).
The effects of dredge-spoil dumping on a shallow water soft-sediment community in the Solitary Islands Marine Park, NSW, Australia.
Fairfull, S. J. L and Harriott, V. J. (1999).
Succession, space and coral recruitment in a subtropical fouling community.
Harriott, V. J, Smith, S. D. A and Harrison, P. L. (1994).
Patterns of coral community structure of subtropical reefs in the Solitary-Islands Marine Reserve, Eastern Australia.
Millar, A. J. (1990).
Marine red algae of the Coffs Harbour region, northern New South Wales.
Veron, J. E. N, How, R. A, Done, T. J, Zell, L. D, Dodkin, M. J and O'Farrell, A. F. (1974).
Corals of the Solitary Islands, New South Wales.
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