Winderbandi (Ningaloo Station), Ningaloo Marine Park, Western Australia.

Research spotlight turns on Ningaloo region

Growing coastal populations and tourism presents a range of challenges for management of coastal resources.

• 22 November 2006 | Updated 14 October 2011

• Areas of research
• Partners

Ningaloo Marine Park, stretching more than 300 km along the coast of Western Australia, is one of Australia’s pre-eminent marine environments.

The conservation of this unique marine ecosystem, coupled with sustainable development of the region, is a major challenge.

The Ningaloo Marine Park presents an ideal opportunity to use innovative science to evaluate possible management scenarios for the future planning for our marine ecosystems and the projected impact of human social and economic forces.

Areas of research

Research in the Cluster focuses on understanding the ecological, social and economic values of the Ningaloo Marine Park and adjacent regions through the following linked components:

• examination of habitats and biodiversity in the Ningaloo reef lagoon including the topography of the sea floor, marine and terrestrial habitats, biodiversity and land-uses of Ningaloo coastal lagoon areas in relation to resource use and access points on the land
  
• human uses in the region, including recreation, tourism and activities such as fishing, swimming, diving , tourist boats, caravans and camping
  
• social and economic assessment of tourism along the Ningaloo coast and the development of a dynamic modelling approach (a tourism destination model)
  
• the measurement of socioeconomic values of human use of Ningaloo, providing a framework to assess changes in economic and social welfare as a result of alternative management strategies within the region
  
• development of an integrated ecosystem and socioeconomic model for the Ningaloo Marine Park and Ningaloo region in a Management Strategy Evaluation framework. This model will incorporate the results of the other components of the Cluster, plus aspects of the ecosystem characterisation that will occur in Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI).

The work conducted in the Cluster is complementary to the research being undertaken by the Ningaloo Research Program that is part of WAMSI, an initiative of the Western Australian Government.

Data is transferred freely between the Cluster, WAMSI and government agencies with responsibility for managing activities in the Ningaloo Marine Park.

Partners

The partners in the Cluster include:

• Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia 
• Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia
• Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre, Brisbane, Queensland
• The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia
• Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia
• The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
• The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland
• CSIRO, through the Wealth from Oceans Flagship.

Find out more about Ningaloo collaboration cluster.