Middle Harbour, Sydney
Our Mission: To establish the Wyargine Aquatic Reserve for the benefit of public enjoyment and for the purposes of conservation, sustainability, and scientific research in the Sydney Harbour marine environment.
There are many ways you can help bring the Wyargine Aquatic Reserve into being, whether you are a concerned individual or a local business
Sydney harbour is a special place and full of life. But there used to be so much more and what remains is under threat from fishing, boats and pollution
Keep up to date with our progress. You can subscribe to get updates as they happen, and learn about marine life sightings in the proposed reserve
This map is an outline of the approximate area of the proposed Reserve. The final boundaries of the Reserve will be subject to the outcome of the Biodiversity report undertaken by the Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS).
Sign the change.org petition to demonstrate your support to protect this important area
Help us document the marine life in the proposed reserve by recording your sightings
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Acting like national parks in the ocean, marine sanctuaries set aside areas for marine life to be protected from extractive activities that include commercial and recreational fishing, while remaining open for other activities like swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving, tourism activities and recreational boating. Marine sanctuaries are backed by Australia’s marine science community as a tried and tested way to protect biodiversity, restore fish populations and provide resilience to ecosystems in the face of climate change. When we protect marine life, we also protect the industries, communities and cultures that rely on it across the state for generations to come.
The role of sanctuary zones in the marine environment
Source: Creating a world class Marine Protected Area system - David J. Booth and Giglia A. Beretta
NSW's coastline is renowned for its spectacular natural beauty, rich biodiversity, and world-class surf breaks. Beneath the waves, coral reefs, kelp forests, seagrass meadows, and seaweed-dominated rocky reefs support an incredible diversity of marine life, from tiny invertebrates to iconic species like dolphins, turtles and fish. These ecosystems are not only critical for marine biodiversity, but also underpin recreational activities such as surfing, diving, and fishing, as well as local economies reliant on tourism and sustainable fisheries.
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), including sanctuary zones like Aquatic Reserves, play a central role in safeguarding these ecosystems. Sanctuary zones, where no extractive activities (including fishing) are permitted, are particularly important for allowing habitats to recover and thrive. Despite this, many sanctuary zones in NSW are small, fragmented, or inadequately enforced, leaving critical areas of the coast exposed to ongoing threats and impacts.
