Great Australian Bight Marine Park Whale Sanctuary facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Great Australian Bight Marine Park Whale Sanctuary South Australia
IUCN Category Ia (Strict Nature Reserve)
Viewing platform at the Head of the Bight
Great Australian Bight Marine Park Whale Sanctuary Location in South Australia
Nearest town or city	Fowlers Bay
Established	22 June 1995
Abolished	20 October 2016
Area	435.87 km2 (168.3 sq mi)
Managing authorities	Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (2016)
See also	Protected areas of South Australia

The Great Australian Bight Marine Park Whale Sanctuary was a special protected area in the ocean off the coast of South Australia. It was created to help protect Southern right whales, especially when they came to the area to have their babies and raise them. This sanctuary was part of a larger group of protected areas in the Great Australian Bight.

Protecting Whales in the Great Australian Bight

The Great Australian Bight Marine Park Whale Sanctuary was a very important place for whales. It was set up to keep a safe home for these amazing ocean creatures.

Where Was This Special Area?

The sanctuary was located far out in the Great Australian Bight, which is a huge bay on Australia's southern coast. It was about 790 kilometers (about 490 miles) west-northwest of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia.

• The sanctuary stretched along the coastline for about 3 nautical miles (about 5.5 kilometers or 3.5 miles) out into the sea.
• It included a bay known as the Head of the Bight, which is a famous spot for whale watching.
• It was next to another protected area called the Great Australian Bight Marine National Park.
• Since 2012, both the whale sanctuary and the national park have also been inside the boundaries of the Far West Coast Marine Park.

Why Was the Sanctuary Created?

The main reason for creating this sanctuary was to protect Southern right whales. These whales travel to the warmer waters of the Great Australian Bight to breed and give birth to their calves. The sanctuary made sure they had a safe and undisturbed place to do this.

• The Government of South Australia first announced the sanctuary on June 22, 1995.
• It was originally called a "marine park" under a law called the Fisheries Act 1982 (SA).

How Was It Protected?

The whale sanctuary was managed to ensure the whales were safe. It had different levels of protection over time.

Different Types of Protection

• After a new law, the Fisheries Management Act 2007 (SA), was passed in 2007, the sanctuary was re-classified as an "aquatic reserve." This meant it was still a protected area, but under a different legal name.
• The sanctuary was also given a special international classification: IUCN Category Ia. This means it was considered a "Strict Nature Reserve," where human activity is very limited to protect the natural environment as much as possible.

What Happened to the Sanctuary?

The Great Australian Bight Marine Park Whale Sanctuary was officially closed down on October 20, 2016. Its protections were then managed under other marine park systems in the area.