Solitary Islands Marine Park

The Solitary Islands Marine Park report

Solitary Islands Marine Park: Safeguarding a Unique Marine Protected Area, authored by marine scientist Iain Watt, examines the ecological condition, management challenges and future opportunities for one of Australia’s most remarkable marine environments. 

Located off the Coffs Coast, the marine park sits at the meeting point of tropical and temperate waters, creating an extraordinary subtropical biodiversity hotspot. The park supports more than 550 species of reef fish, over 100 coral species, threatened marine wildlife and unique subtropical ecosystems, intrinsically linked to the wellbeing and livelihoods of the Coffs Coast. 

The report finds the park continues to deliver important conservation outcomes, particularly through its highly protected marine sanctuary zones. Research shows sanctuary areas support higher fish abundance, greater biomass and increased species diversity compared to areas open to fishing. 

However, the report concludes the park’s management framework is no longer keeping pace with modern conservation challenges. Marine sanctuaries currently cover only around 12 per cent of the park, the lowest level of protection among east coast state marine parks in New South Wales and Queensland. 

The report also highlights the broader significance of the region. Together, with the adjoining Commonwealth Solitary Islands Marine Park and surrounding protected areas, including the newly announced Great Koala National Park, the area forms one of Australia’s most significant ridge-to-reef conservation landscapes, spanning approximately 600,000 hectares. 

A Rare Opportunity 

The report comes at an important time, with both the NSW and Australian Governments expected to review marine park management arrangements in coming years.  

The NSW and Commonwealth Reviews present a rare opportunity to improve coordination, modernise protection and secure the long-term future of the region, because the NSW and Commonwealth Solitary Islands Marine Parks form one connected ecological system but are managed separately.  

The report argues that decisions made over the next few years will be critical to ensuring the Solitary Islands Marine Park remains resilient in the face of climate change, growing human pressures and increasing demands on the marine environment. 

Key Recommendations 

The report recommends a suite of reforms to strengthen protection and improve management, highlights include:  

• Expanding highly protected marine sanctuary zones towards 30 per cent of the park area using best-practice marine planning principles.
• Establishing a formal joint management framework between the NSW and Commonwealth Governments across the connected Solitary Islands marine ecosystem.
• Transferring primary management responsibility to an agency with a clear conservation mandate.
• Pursuing National Heritage Listing for the NSW and Commonwealth Solitary Islands Marine Parks.
• Strengthening co-management arrangements with the Yaegl and Gumbaynggirr Nations, including formal joint management mechanisms.
• Catchment management should be strengthened through measurable water quality targets, improved riparian protection, estuarine monitoring, and tighter controls on high-risk runoff sources.
• Education through schools and community is critical for underpinning co-management practice, acquiring social license, and for recruiting new blood into marine park management.

Understanding the Bigger Picture 

The report also examines marine protection at broader regional scales and finds that: 

• Only around 4 per cent of the Temperate East Marine Region is fully protected. 

• Only around 6.8 per cent of the Tweed–Moreton Marine Bioregion is fully protected. 

These figures remain well below Australia’s commitment to protect 30 per cent of land and sea by 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework. 

The findings reinforce the importance of future NSW marine park planning and the opportunity to strengthen protection for one of Australia’s most ecologically significant marine regions. 

The report was produced by the National Parks Association NSW Coffs Coast Branch with support from an Environmental Levy Grant provided by Coffs Harbour City Council. 

Full Report coming soon.

Download the Executive Summary