Lihou Reef National Nature Reserve
Lihou Reef, DEWHA
Overview
Interim management arrangements
The most recent management plan was prepared in 2001 under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and assigns the reserves to an IUCN category 1a - strict nature reserve. This management plan expired on 4 September 2008 and interim management arrangements will apply until a new management plan is in place.
Summary
| Proclamation date | 16 August 1982 |
|---|---|
| Size (current) | 842,896 Ha (8 428 Km2) |
| IUCN category | Ia |
| Biogeographic context | Northeast Province Bioregion |
| Management plan status | Expired 4 September 2008 Interim management arrangements |
The Lihou Reef National Nature Reserve is located in the Coral Sea, some 630 kilometres east south-east of Cairns, far north Queensland. The reserve comprises of about 8430 square kilometres of seabed and a horseshoe shaped reef system containing 18 cays.
Lihou Reef National Nature Reserve is only 100km from Coringa-Herald National Nature Reserve and together they lie in a remote oceanic environment on the Coral Sea Plateau, which is separated from the Great Barrier Reef by an area of deep water known as the Queensland Trough.
History of the Coral Sea National Nature Reserves — Coringa-Herald and Lihou Reef
The Coral Sea islands were discovered by Europeans in the early 1800's.
The Coringa Islets were named after the Coringa Packet, a sailing ship wrecked there in 1845. Relics of guano mining during the 1860's still remain on Chilcott Islet in the Coringa group.
The Herald Cays were named after the HMS Herald, which carried out hydrographic surveys in the Coral Sea between 1849 and 1861. In the early 1960's, scientific parties visited the area and recommended total protection of a sample of the islets. This led to the declaration of two reserves - Coringa-Herald and Lihou Reef on 16 August 1982.
Special features
The Lihou Reef National Nature Reserve is largest reef structure in the Coral Sea. It is best known for its
Hermit crab,
Coral Sea
- pristine environmental condition
- shelf-edge oceanic reef
- rich and diverse marine flora and fauna, including potentially undescribed species
- spectacular and unusual underwater topography
- internationally significant populations of breeding seabirds
- undisturbed habitat for nesting green turtles Chelonia mydas.
The reef habitat supports marine benthic flora and fauna that are distinct from those of the Great Barrier Reef. A diverse range of marine algae, sponges, soft and hard corals, crustaceans, starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and fish have been recorded within the Reserve. The green turtle, Chelonia mydas, breeds in the Reserve and a number of species of dolphins and whales are known to occur in the area.
The Reserve contains extensive and regionally significant seabird colonies, and many of the species recorded from the Reserves are listed under the Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement and China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement. The buff-banded rail, Gallirallus philippensis subsp., and the purple swamphen, Porphyra porphyra, are the only species of land bird breeding within the Reserve.
The Lihou Reef National Nature Reserve is a valuable reference site for scientific research and monitoring of marine ecosystems, seabirds and turtles. They are also an internationally renowned destination for diving, snorkeling and bird watching. An automatic weather station and a solar powered navigation beacon have been established within Lihou Reef NNR. No permanent structures have been established in Coringa-Herald NNR.
See also
Also in this section
Existing Commonwealth reserves under the EPBC Act
Marine Protected Areas
East Marine Region
- Coringa-Herald National Nature Reserve
- Lihou Reef National Nature Reserve
- Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs Marine National Nature Reserve
- Solitary Islands Marine Reserve (Commonwealth Waters)
- Lord Howe Island Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters)
- Cod Grounds Commonwealth Marine Reserve