Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs Marine National Nature Reserve. 21/10/02; Coral Sea Islands Territory; 187,726 ha; 29°41’S 159°06’E. Nature Reserve. Located 50km apart in the northern Tasman Sea, the reefs are the southernmost coral atolls in the world. Their coral structures, which stand on isolated, oceanic sea mounts, are influenced by both tropical and temperate ocean currents. They support a diverse marine fauna, including uncommon and heretofore undescribed fishes and several endemic species of mollusc, and are the only known habitat for these species in a vast area of ocean. To date, some 322 fishes of 174 genera and 75 families have been recorded within the site. A large number of shipwrecks give the area considerable marine archaeological significance. There is no resident human population, and the limited recreational diving and fishing is not seen as a potential threat. Ramsar site no. 1223. Most recent RIS information: 2014.

Australia’s East Marine Region