Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L00327:front:0:p67
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L00327
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 189711–192583

Park featuring seamounts and plateaux, in waters between 1000 and 3000 m deep.
  * Kenn Transition—an area in the south-west of the Marine Park featuring seamounts.
Key ecological features of the Marine Park are:
  * Reefs, cays and herbivorous fish of the Queensland Plateau—this is the largest marginal plateau in Australia. Ancient reefs have formed broad limestone platforms that extend over about half of the plateau forming 21 reefs and cays, the largest of which are Tregrosse and Lihou Reefs. Other significant reefs include Coringa–Herald, Moore, Flinders, Holmes, Shark and Osprey Reefs. Osprey Reef differs from the other platform reefs of the plateau in that it is an isolated pinnacle more similar to the seamount reefs found further south.
  * Reefs, cays and herbivorous fish of the Marion Plateau—this area contains three major reef systems: Marion Reef, Saumarez Reef and Frederick Reefs. Marion and Saumarez reefs are built on carbonate platforms that make up half the surface area of the plateau. Both reefs are ancient, dating back to the Pliocene drowning of the platforms. Frederick Reefs rise up to sea level from the Cato Basin at 3000 m depth off the eastern edge of the plateau.
  * The Tasmantid Seamount Chain—these seamounts provide shallow reef and deep-water habitats that differ from the more southerly seamounts in that they are older and they break the sea surface forming Kenn, Cato, Wreck and Mellish Reefs.
Ecosystems and species composition within the Marine Park are influenced by the east–west-flowing South Equatorial Current, the north-flowing Hiri Current and the south-flowing East Australian Current. These currents create a barrier reducing the mixing of species between the north and south of the Marine Park, forming distinct ecological communities.
There are about 34 reefs and 56 cays and islets in the Marine Park, with a total reef area of approximately 15 024 km2. Most of the islets and cays are composed of sand, rocks and coral rubble. Some have grassland, herbfield, shrubland and forest habitats. Two islets of the Coringa–Herald group support communities of Pisonia grandis, a species of flowering tree in the bougainvillea family, which is relatively uncommon in Australia and globally. The only known spawning aggregation of black marlin in the Pacific Ocean occurs near Osprey Reef.
The Marine Park supports a range of species including species listed as threatened, migratory, marine or cetacean under the EPBC Act. Biologically important areas within the Marine Park include breeding and or foraging habitat for seabirds, internesting habitat for marine turtles, and a migratory pathway for humpback whales.
The Marine Park also supports species listed under international agreements such as the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals 1979 (CMS or Bonn Convention), the Agreement