Covering 2,750 hectares and five
kilometres of coastline, this park is located 30 kilometres south of
Sale adjacent to the Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park. The calcarenite
reefs here are dominated by invertebrates including sponges,
ascidians, bryozoans, hydroids and soft coral. The unusual soft coral
(Pseudogorgia godeffroyi) is only found in Victoria between McGuarans
and Delray beaches. The Ninety-Mile Beach area has been found to have
the highest species diversity anywhere on the planet. In ten square
metres 860 species were discovered living in the sand and in one
square metre a staggering 187 species.
Victoria's Ninety Mile Beach lies on
the edge of a long slender sand dune, thrown up from the sea by the
easterly waves and protecting the Gippsland Lakes. Offshore, beneath
the water, vast plains of sand stretch in every direction. Yet these
areas are not as monotonous as they might first appear as there are
local variations. Sand particles are sorted into different groups and
layers according to the waves and currents, while there are different
surface features, such as mounds and ripples, as a result of animal
and wave action.
The fine sands of East Gippsland
appear to harbour more animals per square metre than most other marine
habitats in the world. This great diversity is derived from the myriad
of small creatures that call this area home. Creatures that burrow
into the sand build tiny tubes or scurry around eating the scraps of
food that may drift by. Larger animals are far fewer in number. To
conserve their energy and retain access to oxygenated water, animals
like crabs, octopuses, brittle stars and shrimp do not burrow very
deep.
There are no rocky headlands or
platforms along this coast. Offshore, the sandy plains are only
occasionally broken by low ribbons of reef which formed as shorelines
or sand dunes during ice-ages when the sea-level was lower than today.
Even these reefs are periodically covered by sand, shifted around by
the strong tidal currents. These reefs do not support the large brown
seaweeds characteristic of many Victorian reefs, but instead are
covered by resilient red seaweeds and encrusting animals that can
survive the sandy environment. Despite their small size and transient
nature, these reefs almost certainly play an important role connecting
populations of reef animals from rocky areas around Wilsons Promontory
to those of Victoria's far east.
There are plenty of fish too and many
feed on the seafloor smorgasbord of tiny animals. Schools of pelagic
fish like pike, school whiting and snapper are common and the area
appears to be a nursery ground for sharks. Young Great White Sharks
can be found in the area chasing snapper, one of their favourite
foods.
Fauna
Common Stargazer (Kathetostoma
laeve)
Although the Common Stargazer is one of the largest fish found near
reefs on the underwater sandy plains, you would be lucky to see one.
It is not that they are uncommon; they are just masters at making
themselves obscure. They lie almost buried and motionless, with only
their eyes and mouth peering out of the sand. With their skilful
ambush tactics, Common Stargazers can rapidly lunge upward and their
cavernous mouths can consume unsuspecting fish and crustaceans in one
gulp.
Heart Urchin (Echinocardium
cordatum)
Although only six centimetres in length, heart urchins are considered
large animals of the sandy plains. Furrowing their way through the
sand, heart urchins have a thick covering of short, slick-backed,
hair-like spines that ease the movement of sand grains around the
body, thereby reducing drag. They are scavengers, ingesting particles
of sand and fine organic matter that is processed through the gut.
Looking After
the Park
For the protection of the marine
environment, a number of activities are prohibited within the
boundaries of Victoria's marine national parks and marine sanctuaries.
No fishing, netting, spearing, taking or killing of marine life. All
methods of fishing, from the shore or the sea, are prohibited. As
users of the marine environment, you can help minimise your impact on
these areas by being mindful of the following points:
enjoy the marine environment
without removing the plants and animals
minimise your impact while diving
and snorkelling by:
being careful to avoid damage to
marine life caused by fins
developing good skills in
buoyancy control
securing all gauges and pressure
hoses to avoid snagging them on objects
take any rubbish home with you - do
not dump rubbish into the sea
avoid stressing marine life by not
chasing or grabbing free-swimming animals
exercise great care if approached
by large marine animals (including birds) & avoid blocking their
paths if moving
take care where you anchor your
boat (anchor in sand, rubble or mud, avoiding sensitive areas, and
use mooring buoys where provided)
do not pollute the water with
sewage - ensure that if your vessel has an onboard toilet that it
has an approved sewage holding facility and that sewage is disposed
of appropriately on land
take the time to learn more about
Victoria's marine animals and plants and the habitats they depend
upon
Remember, Marine National Parks and
Marine Sanctuaries are NO TAKE ENVIRONMENTS. All objects (artefacts),
animals eg. fish and crustaceans, plants, and the seabed are totally
protected.
Precautions
For your own safety, only undertake
activities appropriate to your skills and abilities. Take all
necessary precautions, be aware of changing conditions, and watch for
potential hazards, such as rips. A number of Victorian marine animals
are potentially harmful if not treated with respect and care, so
ensure that you familiarise yourself with these species. Sunburn and
hypothermia are also potentially harmful but easily avoided.
SCUBA diving is a potentially high
risk activity and should only be undertaken by appropraitely qualified
people that have completed recognised training and certification.
Victoria's cool water environments can be extremely challenging to
those used to diving in warmer waters so ensure that local knowledge
is sought before undertaking a dive in a new location. Dive charter
operators can provide some of the best advice on diving in Victoria.
How to Get
There
Ninety Mile Beach Marine National Park
is located 30 kilometres south of Sale, adjacent to the Gippsland
Lakes Coastal Park.
