Marmion Marine Park has great natural beauty and limitless potential for aquatic
recreation. The clear shallow lagoons, reefs and small islands provide habitats for
seabirds, marine mammals and other remarkably diverse marine life. The reefs are a
diver's paradise, forming ledges, caves and swimthroughs. They are inhabited by a
wonderful array of fish species and colourful invertebrates. Marmion was the State's
first marine park, declared on 13 May 1987.
One the park's jewels is undoubtedly Boyinaboat Reef, which lies at the southern end
of a chain of inshore reefs. It is just 75 metres from the sea wall of Hillarys Boat
Harbour, and its accessibility and beauty has made it one of the most popular dive
sites in Perth. Caverns in the reef provide homes for many fish, including western blue
devils, old wives, banded sweep, crested morwong, horseshoe leatherjackets, dusky
morwong, truncate coralfish, bullseyes, wrasse and red-striped cardinalfish. The reef
top often comes alive with the frantic feeding of large schools of buffalo bream. Blue
and orange nudibranchs are common and add to the colour.
Offshore from Little Island, sponges, gorgonians,
hydroids, sea urchins and sea squirts crowd beneath
ledges and into caves, and sea lions laze on the
island's beach, sometimes joining divers in the water.
The seagrass meadows that grow in sandy areas
around the island support a huge range of animals such
as bailer shells.
Little Island, North Lump, Wreck Rock, Cow Rocks and
many other submerged reefs within the marine park
also entice divers. A historic shipwreck lies in the waters of Marmion, as testimony to
days when sailing vessels provided an important lifeline. The Centaur was wrecked on
the southernmost section of Marmion Reef in 1874, while en route to Fremantle.
Two species of marine mammal are common in the
park. The bottlenose dolphin can be seen in all areas.
Australian sea lions use Little Island as a resting
place, and are regularly seen by snorkellers.
Humpback whales swim past the park during their
migration between breeding areas in the north and
feeding areas in Antarctic waters and are sometimes
seen in park waters.
