Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
INCLUSION OF THE CUTTLEFISH COAST SANCTUARY ZONE
IN THE
NATIONAL HERITAGE LIST
I, Tanya Plibersek, Minister for the Environment and Water, having considered in relation to the place and the National Heritage values described in the Schedule of this instrument:
(a) the Australian Heritage Council's assessment on whether the place meets any of the National Heritage criteria, and
(b) the comments given to the Council under sections 324JG and 324JH of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, and
being satisfied that the place described in the Schedule has the National Heritage values specified in the Schedule, pursuant to section 324JJ of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, include the place and the specified National Heritage values in the National Heritage List.
Dated 23 / 12 / 2022
Tanya Plibersek
Minister for the Environment and Water
SCHEDULE
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
City of Whyalla Council Area
Cuttlefish Coast Sanctuary Zone:
The area that is part of the Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park, South Australia, zoned as the Cuttlefish Coast Sanctuary Zone (Marine Park 10, Sanctuary Zone 5) the boundary of which commences at:
a) the point of Latitude 33° 00.578ʹ South, Longitude 137° 42.792ʹ East;
b) from there North to the intersection of the median high water mark (at its approximate intersection by the parallel of Latitude 32° 58.694ʹ South);
c) from there following the median high water mark generally south-easterly and easterly to its intersection by the meridian of Longitude 137° 44.799ʹ East;
d) from there South to its intersection by the parallel of Latitude 33° 0.578ʹ South;
e) from there West to the point of commencement.
All geographic coordinates are expressed in Degrees and Decimal Minutes in terms of the Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994 (GDA94) as described in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette GN35 of 6 September 1995.
| Criterion | Values |
(b) | the place has outstanding heritage value to the nation because of the place's possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Australia's natural or cultural history | The Cuttlefish Coast Sanctuary Zone in South Australia is of outstanding heritage value to the nation under criterion (b) because each winter a breeding aggregation of an iconic population of the Giant Australian Cuttlefish, involving tens of thousands of individuals, occurs there. This is the largest and densest spawning aggregation of Giant Australian Cuttlefish in the world. During the event, intense competition between male cuttlefish within the aggregation leads to complex behaviours and spectacular massed displays of colour and shapeshifting. A shallow, fringing, rocky reef system within the place may offer a specific, spatially rare resource which benefits spawning success in the Giant Australian Cuttlefish. |
(c)
| the place has outstanding heritage value to the nation because of the place's potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Australia's natural or cultural history | The Cuttlefish Coast Sanctuary Zone is of outstanding heritage value to the nation under criterion (c) because the place, and the annual aggregation of Giant Australian Cuttlefish it supports, is likely to yield further information on this iconic marine species, its habitat, and its role in broader marine ecology. The Giant Australian Cuttlefish exhibits complex and deceptive behaviour within the aggregation, using rapid camouflaging and signalling, which have provided the biological context for potential new bioinspired materials. |