Exmouth Gulf, Roberts Island looking towards Doole Island. Photo Peter Nicholas/DBCA
Historic Exmouth Gulf marine park to protect globally significant waters
On 5 September 2025 the Cook Government released the Final Report of the Exmouth Gulf Taskforce and confirmed its support for the key recommendation to establish a marine park over the entire Exmouth Gulf—an important step in protecting its globally significant marine environment and enormous cultural significance.
Sanctuary zones are proposed to protect 30 per cent of the area, reflecting a strong commitment to conservation while balancing sustainable use.
Exmouth Gulf is an amazing reservoir of globally significant marine species and the source of life-giving processes: it is a critical part of the food web that sustains nearby Ningaloo Reef.
The Exmouth Gulf has important seagrass habitat that supports a significant dugong population, and one of the largest known nurseries for humpback whales and is a lifeboat for critically endangered sawfish species. Unusual mixed pods of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins and Australian humpback dolphins are often seen in the area. The Gulf offers vital foraging and nesting habitat for hawksbill, green, flatback and loggerhead turtles. It is a global hotspot for threatened sawfish and wedgefish, and at least 11 species of sea snakes, including two species previously thought to be extinct.
During the Australian summer, Exmouth Gulf is home to 27 species of migratory and several resident shorebird species and is an internationally significant area for several migratory shorebird species.
Exquisite coral reefs and sponge gardens populate some areas. Extensive mangroves along the gulf’s eastern fringes are carbon storage powerhouses (storing four times more carbon per hectare than rainforests). Salt flats and algal mats along the shoreline also have immense ecological importance as they are able to extract nitrogen from the environment that forms the basis of the food chain for the Gulf’s abundant marine animals.
Exmouth Gulf also has immense social, lifestyle and cultural value to all Western Australians. Indigenous cultural heritage of the area dates back at least 32,000 years, and includes important ceremonial sites. Connection to Country is important to the belief system and cultural practices of the Traditional Owners.
This abundance of marine life and beauty gives the Gulf significant recreational and tourism value. It is highly valued by local and visiting fishers who fish in its shallow waters, mangrove-lined creek systems, shoals and reefs while enjoying its tranquil wilderness setting. The Gulf also supports a valuable commercial prawn fishery.
Marine Values Mapper interactive maps
Exmouth and Onslow locals, the West Australian community and visitors to Exmouth were surveyed between April and June 2025 to spatially identify how people used the Exmouth Gulf.
When asked why they valued the Exmouth Gulf, the most common responses were recreational fishing, to undertake recreational activities and to spend time in nature.
The below maps show where these activities were undertaken within the Gulf by the 789 respondents.
Activity zones
Fishing zones
The marine park proposal
In December 2021, the State Government committed to establish a new marine park in the eastern and southern parts of the Exmouth Gulf.
The Exmouth Gulf Taskforce was established in July 2022 to provide high level advice to the Minister on the social, cultural and environmental management of the Exmouth Gulf and its surrounds. The Taskforce’s recommended that the marine park should be extended across the whole of the gulf.
How will Traditional Owners be involved in managing the proposed marine park?
We acknowledge Baiyungu, West Coastal Thalanyji and Yinigurdira People as the original custodians of the land and waters of the Exmouth Gulf.
The Baiyungu, Thalanyji and Yinigurdira Traditional Owners have a strong connection to their Country and its resources, and a cultural obligation to care for and protect it.
The proposed Exmouth Gulf marine park will be jointly managed and jointly vested with the Nganhurra [Nun-ur-dah] Thanardi [Tha-NARDY] Garrbu [GARRd-boo] Aboriginal Corporation (NTGAC).
Planning process overview
The zoning and management approach will be developed based on Traditional Owner knowledge, community and stakeholder feedback, the best available science and local knowledge, with extensive opportunities for input from everyone who lives, works, or has interests in the Gulf.
The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), NTGAC and the Department of Primary Industries and Resources Development (DPIRD) will run a comprehensive planning process to provide opportunities for all community members and stakeholders to contribute to the development of the marine park management plan.
The DBCA planning team is committed to keeping Exmouth and Onslow communities informed and involved.
NTGAC’s involvement will ensure cultural values and traditional knowledge guides the process alongside scientific research and community input.
The planning process will unfold in two phases:
- Phase One: Designing the planning framework, engaging stakeholders and communities, and preparing the indicative joint management and implementation plans.
- Phase Two: Public release and consultation on the draft plans.
Opportunities for input during phase one will be clearly communicated and accessible.
Email exmouth.gulf@dbca.wa.gov.au to request direct notifications about workshop schedules, information sessions, and consultation opportunities as they become available.
Economic benefits of the proposed Exmouth Gulf marine park
Marine parks stimulate the local economy through raising the profile of natural values and increasing eco and cultural tourism opportunities as well as creating jobs, including for Traditional Owners. In June 2020 Deloitte published a report: Economic contribution of Ningaloo: one of Australia's best kept secrets, which reported that in 2018-19 the value of economic activity related to Ningaloo Marine Park was $110M added to the WA economy, of which $100M was directly due to tourism.
Deloitte also found that “The unique interaction of our economy, communities and the environment is at the forefront of our thinking when it comes to planning for both resilient economies and ecosystems. We cannot have one without the other.”
In other words, maintaining recreational tourism, economic and cultural values relies on maintenance of a healthy ecosystem.
Questions and answers
What is a marine park and how does it work?
A marine park is designed to balance environmental protection with sustainable use of marine areas. Think of it as town planning for the ocean - different zones allow different activities while protecting critical habitats. Marine parks use multiple-use zoning systems where commercial fishing, tourism operations, recreational fishing, and other compatible activities can continue in appropriate areas. Specific zoning for Exmouth Gulf will be developed through the public consultation and public submission process, based on community input, scientific evidence, and Traditional Owner knowledge.
What are the next steps and timing to create a new Exmouth Gulf Marine Park?
DBCA, NTGAC and the Department of Primary Industries and Resources Development (DPIRD) will run a comprehensive planning process to provide opportunities for all community members and stakeholders to contribute to the development of the marine park management plan.
What does a marine park mean for fishing and tourism activities?
Current fishing, tourism, and recreational activities continue as normal while the community works together to design the marine park.
Marine parks are specifically designed to support sustainable fishing and tourism while protecting marine habitats. The zoning approach means that commercial fishing operations, charter businesses, recreational fishing, and tourism activities can continue in designated areas. The planning process will work with industry to identify how different activities can be accommodated while enhancing the long-term resilience of the marine environment that these industries depend on.
Any management arrangements will only come into effect after the planning process is complete, the management plan is finalised, and all approvals are obtained.
How can I participate in planning the marine park?
Multiple consultation opportunities will be available throughout the planning process. Targeted workshops will be held for different stakeholder groups including the fishing industry, tourism operators and community organisations. Register above to receive notifications about specific workshop dates and consultation opportunities.
An indicative joint management plan will be released for public comment for a minimum of three months. The public submission period will be widely advertised across media and community channels to ensure broad awareness and participation.
The indicative joint management plan will be amended in the light of public submissions and the final plan will be released once it has obtained final approvals from the Traditional Owners, the Conservation and Parks Commission and the Minister for the Environment.
What is being done about the marine heat wave and coral bleaching?
The State Government has committed $5 million to the Healthy Oceans Initiative over the next four years, with the aim of supporting seagrass restoration projects.
In response to the marine heatwave, DBCA has conducted additional surveys in collaboration with a range of community, industry and research partners, to identify the extent and severity of the event. This has included aerial flights, as well as in-water estimates to determine local bleaching severity. This year’s additional surveys began in March and will continue through to November.
DBCA will continue to work with external collaborators to monitor the current bleaching event and other impacts as it continues to unfold, coordinating efforts where possible to ensure the best use of available resources.
DBCA is an active member of the Western Australian Coral Bleaching Group, a collaboration between key government and science agencies in WA led by the Australian Institute of Marine Science. The group monitors and shares information on bleaching observations and temperature outlooks, as well as facilitates collaboration in the coordination and collection of bleaching observations.
A well-designed marine park will help to improve the resilience of coral reefs habitats and other ecosystems to threats such as climate change by removing some of the pressures on them.
Why do we need marine parks if DPIRD already manages fisheries?
The purpose of a marine park is not to manage fisheries. DPIRD manages fisheries on a bioregional scale. Marine parks work alongside fisheries management and environmental protection laws to keep our aquatic environment and marine ecosystems healthy and resilient.
Contact us
If you have any questions, please contact the marine planning team at exmouth.gulf@dbca.wa.gov.au
Downloads
