| Great Australian Bight Marine National Park | |
|---|---|
 Coastline typical of that which adjoins the Great Australian Bight Marine National Park | |
  Great Australian Bight Marine National Park | |
| Location | South Australia |
| Nearest city | Ceduna[2] |
| Coordinates | 31°37′40″S131°44′48″E / 31.6278239819999°S 131.746557227°E /-31.6278239819999; 131.746557227[1] |
| Area | 1,233.22 km2 (476.15 sq mi)[2] |
| Established | 26 September 1996[3] |
| Governing body | Department for Environment and Water |
Great Australian Bight Marine National Park is amarine protected area in the Australian state ofSouth Australia located 918 km (570 mi) west of the state capital ofAdelaide.
It consists of two sections occupying the ocean immediately adjoining the coastline up to a distance of 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) and extending from theWestern Australia border in the west to a place known as the Tchalingaby Sandhills in the east. The gap between the two sections is also a protected area known as theGreat Australian Bight Marine Park Whale Sanctuary which was proclaimed on 22 June 1995 under theFisheries Act 1982 (SA). The national park is also part of the group of marine protected areas which are located together in waters within Australian and South Australian jurisdictions within theGreat Australian Bight and which is collectively known as theGreat Australian Bight Marine Park.[4][5]
The national park was proclaimed under theNational Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 (SA) by theSouth Australian Government on 26 September 1996 principally to protect the calving waters of theSouthern right whale and theAustralian sea lion populations. On 5 February 2004, rights under the state'sMining Act 1971 and thePetroleum Act 1940 and under the Commonwealth statute, thePetroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1982, for "entry, prospecting, exploration or mining" existing under the original proclamation were removed. Since late 2012, the national park and the whale sanctuary have also been within the boundaries of theFar West Coast Marine Park.[6][4][5][7]
The national park is classified as anIUCN category II protected area.[1]