Imagine a world teeming with vibrant marine life just beneath the surface of the waves. That’s Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve. This protected area is located in Manly. Manly is a suburb of Sydney in New South Wales.
In 2002, the NSW Government declared this bay an aquatic reserve. This decision aimed to conserve the unique biodiversity of fish and marine vegetation. The reserve covers about 17 hectares. It includes the entire bay, rocky shores, and beaches. It stretches from the southern end of Manly Beach to the northern end of Shelly Beach Headland.
Before 2002, this area was an Intertidal Protected Area from 1993. Now, Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve is a “no-take” zone. Fishing is prohibited. Removing or damaging marine life is also forbidden. This includes even dead organisms. But you can still enjoy swimming, diving, and snorkelling.
Cabbage Tree Bay offers diverse habitats in a small area. You’ll find sandy beaches, rocky shores, reefs, seagrass meadows, and kelp forests. Surprisingly, a small colony of hard corals lives here. These corals are usually found in tropical waters. Global warming has shifted their distribution.
Over 160 fish species and 50 marine invertebrate species call this reserve home. A common fish is Achoerodus viridis. This giant wrasse changes color as it matures. Females are brown to reddish-brown. Larger ones become males. They acquire a strong blue color. You might spot the junker wrasse too. It is found in Western Australia and Japan.
Tropical fish species also visit Cabbage Tree Bay. They arrive via the East Australian Current. The halterfish is one example. It travels south as a larva in spring and summer. Among the invertebrates, look for Goniobranchus splendidus. This is a species of star snail.
Fifteen years before the reserve was established, marine life was scarce. Recreational fishing had depleted the waters. Today, the reserve is thriving. Large schools of fish are common. You might even meet a resident blue groper. The success of Cabbage Tree Bay proves that marine reserves work.
Dive into the water and explore sponge gardens and kelp forests. Look for stingrays and eagle rays on the sea floor. Wobbegongs, scorpionfish, and octopus hide among the rocks. Weedy seadragons sway in the kelp gardens. You might even find the wreck of a motorbike. It’s a popular first wreck for open water students.
In the summer, juvenile dusky whaler sharks and green sea turtles visit. Smaller tropical fish like Moorish idols also appear. Giant cuttlefish gather to breed in winter. Blue gropers, cuttlefish, and wobbegong sharks live here year-round. Protected species include weedy seadragons, elegant wrasse, and black rock cod.
Remember the rules of the reserve. Do not fish or feed the fish. Do not collect shells from rocky platforms or beaches.
So, grab your snorkel and mask. Jump into the Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve. Prepare to be amazed by the underwater world.