Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2025L00100:front:0:p69
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2025L00100
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 219152–221983

between the Kent Group and Hogan Island Group.

Two historic shipwrecks occur in the park. In the north-west of the park lies the SS Queensland  an iron screw steamship which sank in 1876 after colliding with another steamer while enroute from Melbourne to China. The SS Cambridge, a British cargo ship which sank on 7 November 1940 after hitting a World War II mine, lies in the north of the park in 67 m depth. Other shipwrecks may occur in the park, as 3 other ships have been lost in the vicinity of the park but are yet to be found.

Social and economic benefits

At the time of making this plan, one commercial tour operator held a licence for whale watching in the park and the main commercial fisheries operating in the park include:

       * South-east Scalefish and Shark Fishery  gillnet, hook and trap sector (Commonwealth managed)

       * Tasmanian and Victorian octopus fisheries

       * Tasmanian and Victorian rock lobster fisheries

       * Tasmanian Scalefish Fishery

       * Victorian Ocean General Fishery

       * Victorian Wrasse (Ocean) Fishery

       * Victorian Commercial Permit and Small Sales Commercial Permit Fishery.

Two important commercial shipping routes to the Port of Melbourne go through the north and north-western sections of the park.

Figure S1.2 Beagle Marine Park
Flinders Marine Park
Proclaimed   28 June 2007 and came into effect on 1 September 2007

Assigned zones in park National Park Zone (II) 15,024 km²

    Habitat Protection Zone (IV) 10,892 km²
    Multiple Use Zone (VI) 1,129 km²

Depth range   34 m–5,041 m

Total area   27,046 km2

Overview and summary of values

Flinders Marine Park (Figure S1.3) is off the north-east tip of Tasmania near Flinders Island. The park extends from the mid-continental shelf eastwards to the outer limit of Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone and protects a range of ecosystems, including mesophotic (middle‑light) reefs; rariphotic (rare light) reefs; shelf sediments; upper-, mid-, and lower-slope reefs and sediments; canyons; and seamounts.

The seafloor of the western area of the park was part of the Ancient Land Bridge  a landscape that once connected Lutruwita/Tasmania to the mainland and was used by First Nations people before it was submerged at the end of the last glacial period about 10,000 years ago. First Nations communities hold knowledge, oral traditions, stories and songlines that connect to the times of the land bridge that have been passed down through the generations, giving unique insights into the flooding of this Country.

Across the park mesophotic reefs differ. In the north-west corner of the park in 40 m to 45 m depth, low-profile mesophotic reefs support a diverse benthic community of sponges, cnidarians, hydroids, gorgonian fans and soft corals. The large gorgonian fans and soft coral