Colorful, and brimming with all kinds of marine life, the Rowley Shoals Marine Park is truly one of Western Australia’s natural treasures. The shoals are a group of coral atolls, which dance atop the edge of the continental shelf. With vertical sides that rise from incredible depths, these teardrop shaped atolls are all north-south oriented, with the pointed end of their shapes pointing to the north. Each of the three covers approximately eighty to ninety square kilometers – that’s a lot of diving!
Rowley Shoals Marine Park Dive Sites - Clerke Reef and Imperiuse Reef
Named after Captain Clerke, who was a whaler, and who was credited with the atoll’s discovery, Clerke rises up from a depth of about 390 meters. Meanwhile, Imperiuse Reef, which is the shallowest of the three, it is no less impressive than the others, rising up from approximately 230 meters. It was discovered by Captain Rowley, who sighted this atoll while piloting his ship, the Imperiuse, through the area in 1800.
Rowley Shoals Marine Park Dive Sites - Mermaid Reef
Mermaid Reef, which is the most northerly of the shoals, rises up from 440 meters. It is managed by the Australian Nature Conservation Agency and is not officially part of Rowley Shoals Marine Park, however, it is normally taken into consideration as part of the overall dive trip, particularly if you choose to enjoy an extended stay on a liveaboard.
This is also where you’ll find the wreck of the Lively, which went missing in the area sometime between 1808 and 1809. Discovered in the early 1980’s, the wreck consists of two massive anchors lying atop the reef, plus a series of iron knees that were used to hold the decks to the ship’s walls. More wreckage, including two whaler’s trypots, five iron cannons, a third ship’s anchor, and more artifacts were discovered in a nearby gulley.
Marine Life of Rowley Shoals Marine Park
Untouched coral reefs and gardens with a documented 233 species of coral, plus an astounding 688 documented species of fish inhabit the shoals. Here, you will find at least 28 species of staghorn coral, plus soft coral in every color of the rainbow, hard coral formations, and giant clams. There are incredible numbers of shellfish and invertebrates, and fish life is spectacular too.
Giant potato cod and Maori Wrasse are fed by dive operators, so they are very friendly, and will even follow divers from place to place. The reef fish are brilliantly colored, and schooling mackerel, tuna, trevally, and kingfish are wonderful subjects for underwater photography. With life in such abundance, it can be difficult to decide where to point your camera!
Rowley Shoals offers some of the best diving you will find anywhere in the world, with pristine conditions and plenty of wonderful untouched dive sites that are well-kept secrets. They are remote, and it takes some serious planning to get to the shoals, but once you do, you’ll be diving in paradise. The best diving here takes place between October and December, so plan accordingly for a vacation you’ll never forget.