
Background
Marmion Marine Park is situated between Trigg Island and Burns Rocks, encompassing approximately 9500 hectares. It was gazetted in 1987 as Western Australia’s first marine park, with management guided by the Marmion Marine Park Management Plan (1992-2002).
A review of the management plan was recommended by the then Marine Parks and Reserves Authority in 2012, and the Office of the Auditor General in its 2016 report Management of Marine Parks and Reserves. The management plan is outdated and was not underpinned by an outcome based, adaptive management framework. The review was recommended to allow for consideration of the changing pressures and uses and increased visitation to the area.
In 2019, development approval for Ocean Reef Marina required the excision of 143 hectares from Marmion Marine Park enacted through the Reserves (Marmion Marine Park) Act 2019. This triggered a review of the management plan to reflect the excision as well as the proposed expansion of the marine park, as a commitment under the State Government’s Plan for Our Parks initiative.
A new management plan will put in place a contemporary management framework to conserve the ecological, social, and cultural values of the area, while allowing for sustainable use and planning for the predicted increased use of the area.
Community engagement and information sessions
The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) is undergoing the planning process for a review and expansion of Marmion Marine Park. DBCA and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) held three information sessions in North Beach, Yanchep and Mindarie between 16th – 18th February 2022. The purpose of these sessions was to provide information to the local community and stakeholders about the proposed review and expansion of Marmion Marine Park, and how community members and stakeholders can be involved during the planning process. Please refer to the presentation and the Q&A's in the download section below.
The State Government has also released a media statement on consultation for the review and proposed expansion of Marmion Marine Park.
A Community Engagement Strategy (CES) has been created with key stakeholder and community input. This document will give you a more in depth look at the community engagement that DBCA is planning to undertake. Download the Community Engagement Strategy (PDF 756KB).
How can I stay informed of the planning process?
Keep an eye on this web page for information about the status of the planning process, or if you would like to receive updates via email, subscribe to Marmion Marine Park News.
For more information, you can email us at marmion@dbca.wa.gov.au should you have any queries.
Community Reference Committee
A large number of high quality nominations were received for the Community Reference Committee. A 12 member Committee has now been appointed by the Minister for Environment to be chaired by Whadjuk Noongar Traditional Owner Mr Noel Morich. Committee members were chosen based on their local knowledge, expertise and experience; their communication skills and ability to represent the broad interests of the local community; their ability to consider information and work constructively and collaboratively to provide balanced advice; and their commitment to Committee membership for the duration of the marine park planning process, from late 2021 to late 2023.
Download the Committee Terms of Reference
The Community Reference Committee will meet regularly during 2022, in May, June, August, October and December. They will also meet once or twice in 2023. Their Communiques from all meetings can be found in the downloads section below.
Sector Advisory Groups
Sector Advisory Groups (SAGs) are a critical pathway for information flow from the sectors and the community to the Community Reference Committee (CRC). They are comprised of representatives of interest groups and the local community (e.g., science, commercial fishing, recreational fishing, tourism/commercial operators, conservation, industry, water sports, local government, etc.). The function of the SAGs is to provide advice from the various sectors to the CRC, DBCA and traditional owners during the planning process.
The nomination process for new SAGs is now closed, and SAGs across a variety of sector interests have been formed. If you are interested in being involved in a SAG, you are encouraged to contact one of the registered SAGs (details below).
Sector | Chair | |
---|---|---|
Commercial abalone fishing | Shane O’Donoghue | shane@millodon.com |
Commercial western rock lobster fishing | Matt Taylor | matt@westernrocklobster.org |
Commercial fishing | Graeme Baudains | som@wafic.org.au |
Recreational fishing | Matt Gillett | matt@recfishwest.org.au |
National conservation | Monique Barker | mbarker@pewtrusts.org |
Local conservation | Kate Sputore | kate.sputore@perthnrm.com |
Tourism | Matt Howard | marinetourismwa@gmail.com |
Recreational diving and snorkelling | Johanna Pool | joey@perthscuba.com |
Science | Gary Kendrick | gary.kendrick@uwa.edu.au |
Spearfishing and collecting | David Bosma | bozmail@gmail.com |
Surf life saving | Cam Robbins | crobbins@slswa.com.au |
Windsurfing | Peter Ryan | WACruizer@outlook.com |
Surfing | Mark Lane | mark.lane@surfingwa.com.au |
Community survey
Community thanked for sharing local knowledge through online survey.
Capturing local knowledge is a key part of the marine park planning process. The marine values mapper survey tool was developed in partnership with the University of Western Australia and used by DBCA to capture information about how people use and value the local marine environment. Local residents, as well as people who visit the area, were encouraged to get involved by completing the survey and sharing it with their local networks. The survey has now closed. The data collected is being used to inform the planning process and to help determine future management arrangements, including marine park zoning.
Frequently asked questions
Do you still have questions about how marine parks work and the review and proposed expansion of Marmion Marine park? Visit our frequently asked questions page.
Subscribe to the review and proposed expansion of Marmion Marine Park news