Solitary Islands Marine Park

Coordinates: 30°12′06″S 153°16′03″E / 30.20167°S 153.26750°E / -30.20167; 153.26750
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Sunrise over Solitary Islands Marine Park, NSW, Australia. Left to Right: South West Solitary Island, South Solitary Island, Split Solitary Island
Solitary Island Marine Park, NSW, Australia. (For more detailed map, click here). [1]

Solitary Islands Marine Park (SIMP) is a

South Solitary Island
and Split Solitary Island, as well as other significant outcrops such as Muttonbird Island and submerged reefs.

On 15 May 1770, Lieut. James Cook sailed past the Solitary Islands and noted their position in his journal, “Between 2 and 4 we had some small rocky Islands between us and the land the southernmost lies in the Latitude of 30°10' and the northernmost in 29°58' and about 2 Leagues or more from the land.”[5] He named them the "Solitary Isles" on his chart.[6]

Ecology

The Solitary Island Marine Park contains a diverse range of habitats including intertidal and subtidal reefs, soft sediments, beaches, seagrass beds, mangroves, saltmarsh and open waters, which support a large variety of fauna and flora.

South Solitary Island Historic Site which covers 11 hectares and incorporates the lighthouse and keepers cottages built in 1879. Prior to European settlement, none of these islands had been inhabited, burned or subject to grazing animals. A fragile balanced ecology had built up over centuries.[7]

The coastal areas adjoining the Marine Park are high in species richness and endemism

oceanographic regions,[9] and the sea temperature patterns within the Solitary Islands region explains the cross-shelf gradients in biotic patterns. Both tropical and temperate faunas overlap here,[10]
and for many species the Marine Park may represent either their northern or southern limits.

Flora

Vegetation types in the Marine Park include freshwater and marine ecosystems as well as, mangroves and saline communities, frontal dune and foreshore communities and exposed high dune sand systems. Millar[11] (1990), records 119 species of Red Algae from the Coffs Harbour Region, including 22 which were new records for Australia, and Dictyothamnion (D. saltatum) constituting a new genus.

Mangroves are found in sheltered estuarine environments in a transitional zone between land and sea, generally in an intertidal area and provide habitat for many fish, birds and invertebrates. Two types of mangroves dominate, grey mangrove (Avicennia marina) and river mangrove (Aegiceras corniculatum).[3]

The vegetation on the islands and headlands in the region are dwarf grassy heath and rocky heath that struggle with shallow soils and salty winds. Threatened plant species found growing on the headlands, include Carpet Star (

Plectranthus cremnus)[13] and Austral Toadflax (Thesium austral).[14]

North Solitary Island: Pigface (

Ragodia hastata).[15]

North-West Solitary Island: Pigface, Saltbush, Prickly Couch (Zoisia macrantha), Wandering Jew, Coast Morning Glory are predominant species.[16]

South-West Solitary Island: Pigface, Wandering Jew, Variable groundsel (Senecio Lautus), New Zealand Spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides), Climbing Saltbush (Rhagodia nutans), Tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis anacardioides), Prickly Couch, Dusky Coral Pea (Kennedia rubicunda), and Shore Spleenwort (Asplenium obtusatum).[17]

South Solitary Island: vegetation consists mainly of grasses including Prickly couch, Whiskey grass (

Stenotaphrum secundatum).[18]

Birdie (small islet at northern end of South Solitary Island): Wandering Jew, Coast Morning Glory, New Zealand Spinach, Coastal yellow Pea (Vigna marina), Pennywort (Hydrocotyle acutiloba) and Pigweed (Portulaca oleracea).[18]

Split Solitary: Climbing Saltbush, Variable Groundsel, Pigface, Wandering Jew, Coastal Yellow Pea and Sword Bean (Canavalia maritima).[19]

Korfs Islet: Pigface, Prickly couch, Summer grass (Digitaria ciliaris), Ruby saltbush (Enchylaena tomentosa) and Sea purslane (Sesuvium portulacastrum).[20]

Muttonbird Island: Pigface, Tuckeroo, Wandering Jew, Dusky Coral Pea, Prickly couch, Weeping grass (Microlaena stipoides), Lantana (Lantana camara), Flax Lily (Dianella caerulea), Bull Cane (Flagellaria indica),[21] and introduced Spiny burr grass (Cenchrus caliculatus) which have spread.[22]

Fauna

Pair of Australian Pied Oystercatchers

Birds

Macronectes giganteus).[26]

Endangered Little Terns (

Sterna bergii).[29]

Migratory shorebirds that spend the summers at the Marine Park, like the Bar-tailed Godwit (

Arenaria interpres),[32] breed in Siberia, Alaska or the Arctic.[25]
Raptors such as the White-breasted Sea-eagle (
Todiramphus sanctus
), are regularly seen in the estuaries.

Mammals

Around 30 species of marine mammals have been recorded in the region, including the Short-beaked common dolphin (

Balaenoptera musculus).[3]

At the edge of the marine park, the endangered Little Bent-wing Bat, (

Miniopterus australis) roost in caves on the Moonee Beach headland.[13]

While there was a lighthouse keeper on South Solitary Island, rabbits (

Vulpes vulpes) have been found on Muttonbird Island,[22]
which is connected to the mainland by a causeway, however National Parks and Wildlife Service have an eradication program in place to control this.

Fish

Grey Nurse Shark

858 species of fish are found in the Solitary Islands Marine Park.

Seriola lalandi)[3] that are attractive to commercial and recreational fishermen. Commercial fishing fleets operate from Coffs Harbour and Wooli
.

The area on the western side of North West Rock (off

Cheilodactylus fuscus), silver trevally (Pseudocaranx georgianus), bream (Acanthopagrus spp.) and tarwhine (Rhabdosargus sarba).[3]

Reptiles

Marine turtles are common in the Park, with green turtle (

Pelamis platurus).[3]

The only reptile recorded on Muttonbird Island since 1969 is Burton’s Snake Lizard (

Physignathus lesueurii) were plentiful prior to 1930.[22]

Invertebrates

At depths greater than 25 metres the sea bottom is dominated by sponges and invertebrates. More than 700 species of molluscs (snails and shellfish) and coral are found in the Marine Park. Invertebrate species found include blue-bottles, sea-squirts, sea-whips and black coral (

Jasus verreauxi, Scyllarus spp. and Panulirus spp.).[26] Commercial prawn trawling is allowed in the general use area of the Park and crab and lobster trapping in both the general use and habitat protected areas.[34]

Coral

The Solitary Islands region contains the southernmost extensive coral communities in coastal eastern Australia. The East Australian Current transports the coral larvae from the warm tropical waters, and with 90 reported species, there are approximately quarter of the species recorded on the Great Barrier Reef.[9][35]

Environmental threats and issues

Queen Mary 2 sailing past South Solitary Island.

Even though the Marine Park is a protected zone, commercial fishing and recreational activities such as fishing, crabbing, boating and scuba diving are allowed in some zones of the park.

Acanthaster planci) are occasionally recorded in the area.[3]

Introduced domestic animals on South Solitary Island during the days of lighthouse keepers, destroyed the natural vegetation, and eroded topsoil,[36] which in turn caused the nesting Wedgetail shearwaters’ burrows to collapse.

An accidental fire on South West Solitary Island, caused by fishermen, destroyed much vegetation, killing nesting birds and their eggs.[36]

Due to the rocky nature of the area, a number of ships were wrecked on the northern NSW coast. This led to the construction of a series of lighthouses, with the

South Solitary Island lighthouse being completed in 1870.[36]

During the 1960s and 70s many of the beaches were affected by sand mining.

Litter in marine environments is a threat to seabirds, causing entanglement or ingestion of debris, often leading to death.[36]

Management

South Solitary Island lighthouse and keepers' cottages

The Solitary Island Marine Park is managed by the

South Solitary Island
with its lighthouse and cottages is a historic site. Visiting the island is allowed for two weekends of the year, in July, by helicopter.

Public Moorings: A number of public moorings have been installed in the Park, and are located within the sanctuary zone around Northwest Rock,

South Solitary Island and Surgeons Reef.[1]

References

Original prisms from South Solitary Island lighthouse, prior to solar power being installed. Now stored at Coffs Harbour Museum.
  1. ^ a b c NSW Marine Parks Authority. (2011). Solitary Island Marine Park & Solitary Islands Marine Reserve (Commonwealth Waters) - zoning summary and user guide. Retrieved 20/05/2015, from http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/8f451416-4b49-4eac-8287-4153281f2ae5/files/solitary-user-guide-map.pdf.
  2. ^ a b c Commonwealth of Australia. (2001). Solitary Islands Marine Reserve (Commonwealth Waters) Management Plan. Environment Australia, Canberra.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l NSW Marine Parks Authority. (2008). Natural values of the Solitary Islands Marine Park.
  4. ^ NSW Marine Parks Authority. (2013). Solitary Islands Marine Park - Southern Sanctuary Zone.
  5. ^ Cook, J. (1771). Journal of H.M.S. Endeavour, 1768-1771 [manuscript]. Retrieved 20/05/2015, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.ms-ms1-s236r
  6. ^ Cook, J. (1770). A Chart of New South Wales, or the East Coast of New Holland. Discover'd and Explored By Lieutenant J. Cook, Commander of his Majesty's Bark Endeavour, in the Year MDCCLXX. from http://southseas.nla.gov.au/journals/maps/zoom_au.html
  7. ^ Yeates, N. T. M. (1990). Coffs Harbour. Vol 1: Pre- 1880 to 1945. Coffs Harbour: Bananacoast Printers.
  8. ^ Chrisp, M. D., Laffan, S., Linder, H. P., & Munro, A. (2001). Endemism in Australian flora. Journal of Biogeography, 28, 183-198. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2699.2001.00524.x
  9. ^ a b c Zann, L. P. (2000). The Eastern Australian Region: a Dynamic Tropical/Temperate Biotone. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 41, 188-203. doi:10.1016/S0025-326X(00)00110-7
  10. ^ Malcolm, H. A., Davies, P. L., Jordan, A., & Smith, S. D. A. (2011). Variation in sea temperature and the East Australian Current in the Solitary Islands region between 2001-2008. Deep-Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 28(5), 616-627. doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.09.030
  11. ^ Millar, A. J. K. (1990). Marine red algae of the Coffs Harbour region, northern New South Wales. Australian Systematic Biology, 3, 293-593. doi:10.1071/SB9900293
  12. ^ NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. (1998). Zieria prostrata Recovery Plan. Sydney: NPWS.
  13. ^ a b NPWS North Coast Region. (2003). Moonee Beach Nature Reserve: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
  14. ^ NSW Office of Environment and Heritage. (2013). Austral Toadflax - profile. Retrieved 20/05/2015, from http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10802
  15. ^ a b Lane, S. G. (1974a). Seabird Islands No 6, North Solitary Island, New South Wales. The Australian Bird Bander, 12, 14-15.
  16. ^ Morris, A. K. (1975). Seabird Islands No12, North-West Solitary Island, New South Wales. The Australian Bird Bander, 13, 58-59.
  17. ^ Lane, S. G. (1975a). Seabird Islands No 10, South-West Solitary Island, New South Wales. The Australian Bird Bander, 13, 14-15.
  18. ^ a b c Lane, S. G. (1975b). Seabird Islands No 14, South Solitary Island, New South Wales. The Australian Bird Bander, 13, 80-82.
  19. ^ a b Lane, S. G. (1974b). Seabird Islands No 9. Split Solitary Island, New South Wales. The Australian Bird Bander, 12, 79.
  20. ^ a b Lane, S. G. (1976). Seabird Islands No 33, Korffs Islet, New South Wales. The Australian Bird Bander, 14, 92.
  21. ^ a b Floyd, R. B., & Swanson, N. M. (1983). Wedge-tailed Shearwaters on Muttonbird Island: an estimate of the breeding success and the breeding population. Emu, 82, 244-250. doi:10.1071/MU9820244s
  22. ^ a b c Swanson, N. M. (1976). Seabird Islands No 32, Mutton Bird Island, New South Wales. The Australian Bird Bander, 14, 88-89.
  23. ^ Higgins, P. J. (Ed.). (1999). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 4: Parrots to Dollarbird. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
  24. ^ Higgins, P. J., & Davies, S. J. J. F. (Eds.). (1996). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 3: Snipe to Pigeons. (Eds.). (1993). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 2: Raptors to Lapwings. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
  25. ^ a b NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. (nd). Shorebirds of the Coffs Coast: NSW Office of Environment & Heritage.
  26. ^ a b Rule, M. J., Jordan, A., & McIlgorm, A. (2007). The marine environment of northern New South Wales: a review of current knowledge and existing datasets. Coffs Harbour: National Marine Science Centre.
  27. ^ NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. (2008). Little Terns of the Coffs Coast- Bongil Bongil National Park and Hearnes Lake: Dept of Environment & Climate Change NSW.
  28. ^ NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. (2004). Muttonbird Island - Nature Reserve: Dept of Environment and Conservation.
  29. ^ a b Lane, S. G. (1979). Summary of the breeding seabirds on New South Wales coastal islands. Corella, 3, 7-10.
  30. ^ Gill, R. E., Douglas, D. C., Handel, C. M., Tibbitts, T. L., Hufford, G., & Piersma, T. (2014). Hemispheric-scale wind selection facilitates bar-tailed godwit circum-migration of the Pacific. Animal Behaviour, 90, 117-130. doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.01.020
  31. ^ Finn, P. G., Catterall, C. P., & Driscoll, P. V. (2007). Determinants of preferred intertidal feeding habitat for Eastern Curlew: A study at two spatial scales. Austral Ecology, 32(2), 131-144. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2006.01658.x
  32. ^ Weishu, H., & Purchase, D. (1987). Migration of Banded Waders between China and Australia. Colonial Waterbirds,10, 106-110. doi: 10.2307/1521239
  33. ^ Möller, L., Valdez, F. P., Allen, S., Bilgmann, K., Corrigan, S., & Beheregaray, L. B. (2011). Fine-scale genetic structure in short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) along the East Australian Current. Marine Biology, 158, 113-126. doi:10.1007/s00227-010-1546-x
  34. ^ NSW Marine Parks Authority. (2011b). Solitary Island Marine Park & Solitary Islands Marine Reserve (Commonwealth Waters) - zoning summary and user guide.
  35. ^ Harriott, V. J., Smith, S. D. A., & Harrison, P. L. (1994). Patterns of coral community structure of subtropical reefs in the Solitary Islands Marine Reserve, Eastern Australia. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 109, 67-76. doi: 10.3354/meps109067
  36. ^ a b c d NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. (2012). Solitary Islands group of reserves: Draft Management Plan. NSW Office of Environment and Heritage.
  37. ^ NSW Marine Parks Authority. (nd). Solitary Islands Marine Park: Consultation & Management. Retrieved 20/05/2015, from http://www.mpa.nsw.gov.au/simp-consulatation.html

External links

30°12′06″S 153°16′03″E / 30.20167°S 153.26750°E / -30.20167; 153.26750

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