Solitary Islands Marine Park
The zoning plan for Solitary Islands Marine Park is currently under review. Please refer to the review information package for details.
Location and size
The first marine park established in NSW, the Solitary Islands Marine Park stretches over 75 Km from Muttonbird Island in the south to the Sandon River and Plover Island in the north. The marine park incorporates estuaries to their tidal limit, foreshores to the mean high water mark and extends offshore to the 3 nautical mile state waters boundary.
It covers an area of around 71 000 hectares.
Adjacent is the Commonwealth Solitary Islands Marine Reserve of 160 square Km. The Marine Parks Authority manages the Reserve under an annual business agreement.
Establishment
The NSW Government established the Solitary Islands Marine Park on 2 January 1998, incorporating all of the state waters of the Solitary Islands Marine Reserve.
Special features
The marine park contains a diverse range of habitats including estuaries, sandy beaches, intertidal rocky shores, sub-tidal reefs and open oceans. It also contains the important island group, the “Solitary Islands”, from which the marine park takes its name.
Researchers have identified over 550 species of reef fish, 90 species of hard coral and 600 species of molluscs (shelled animals) in the marine park. The marine park also supports a range of threatened and protected species such as the grey nurse shark, black cod, turtles, whales, shore birds and rare marine algae.
The local Aboriginal communities within the Gumbaynggirr Nation have strong cultural links with the marine park and are actively involved in conservation planning.
Recreational and commercial use
Visitors and the local community enjoy a range of recreational and commercial activities in the marine park. The most popular activities are swimming and surfing, followed by fishing.
Commercial fishing vessels operating out of Coffs Harbour and the Clarence River access the marine park.
All recreational and commercial activities are managed under the Solitary Islands Marine Park Zoning Summary, 2002 - 
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