Description of the Organisation 

Marine Care - Ricketts Point Inc. is a volunteer group concerned with the well-being of the Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary. It works in co-operation with the sanctuary manager, Parks Victoria, and many other interested groups. It was formed at its inaugural AGM on 21 January, 2003. Active members are interested in such things as mapping the sanctuary, monitoring marine life, photography, art, literature, poetry, music, education, surveillance and compliance, inter-organisational activity, surveys and the natural and human history of the area.

Apart from the active members, there is also a more passive membership of supporters and friends who are paid up members but who are less involved in the day-to-day activities of the group.

Sanctuary Information

Data about the Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary
By Bob Whiteway and Michael Norris

Introduction; what the sanctuary means for users
What is it like down under? (Seaweeds and invertebrate animals)
Underwater scenery (topography)
Why a sanctuary?
Sea floor gossip
What fish are commonly found in the sanctuary?
Port Phillip Bay and the Sanctuary – comparative statistics.
Introduced species
Birds & Mammals
Sea Stars
History
Photo Gallery

A marine sanctuary at Ricketts Point – what it means for you.

            
                                Click map to enlarge

The coastal waters from Table Rock Point in Beaumaris to Quiet corner in Black Rock and approximately 500 metres to seaward formally became the Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary under state legislation passed in June 2002. A proclamation ceremony took place at Ricketts Point on 16 November of the same year. The sanctuary status means a complete reorientation for Bayside beach and coastal users.

Sanctuary status dictates that the entire habitat is fully protected. As such it offers a safe haven for all animals so that they might live without fear of capture, habitat loss or excessive disturbance. A sanctuary is a ‘no-take’ zone. As such, fishing, shellfish harvesting and spearfishing are strictly prohibited. The objective is to foster the regeneration of the once abundant plant and animal life so that a thriving marine environment is assured for the future.

For some, particularly those who have fished or harvested the local waters for a large part of their life, the loss will be sorely felt. It is fully acknowledged that the countless happy times spent angling from the shore or fishing from a boat offshore will not be possible after November 16 – the day of the proclamation. This is unfortunate. There is a French proverb – ‘with every parting a little of us dies’. The coming of the sanctuary is not happiness for all. We recognize the parting and appreciate the considerable sacrifice that fishers have been called upon to make.

Most other forms of recreation in the sanctuary will be unaffected. Swimming is accepted, of course, along with snorkelling and SCUBA diving. So is sailing. Tourist and educational excursions are not precluded – but restrictions may be needed in the short run to allow regeneration of plants and animals. In the short run considerable patience may be called for. In the longer term Ricketts Point may become the foremost site in the state for marine education as well as attracting some tourists.

The sanctuary offers the opportunity for scientific research. As the reefs recover they will allow us to understand what a natural, untouched ecosystem is like. If we want to know how a reef outside the sanctuary is doing, we can compare it with one inside the sanctuary. In this way the sanctuary will become an important scientific benchmark.

In this respect, readers might like to send in recollections of what the marine life was like in bygone days. The question came up recently about whether lobsters were ever found in our local waters. Perhaps someone can provide us with a definitive answer. If you have memories of the marine life and sea birds of this locality, please let us know.

What is it like down under? (seaweeds and invertebrate animals)

Colourful sponge‘gardens’
One of the most astonishing things down under is that in secluded caverns and under rock ledges there are sponge ‘gardens’ that are even more colourful than the corals of the Great Barrier Reef. Sponges are extremely primitive filter feeding animals, their ancestors originating as far back as 600 million years. There are dozens of species, some bulbous or finger shaped, some round. Others consist of perforated tissue conforming closely to the shape of the rock they cover. They can be as small as a few square centimetres in size or they may cover a rock several metres across. Sponges are amongst the most brightly coloured creatures in the sea – crimson, red and orange, brilliant blue, iridescent yellow, olive, jet black, off-white and various shades of brown.

A typical underwater garden
In a healthy marine ecosystem, virtually every inch of rock will be occupied, with some animals and plants even growing on top of others. Thus, a sponge ‘garden’ will be interspersed with other organisms – pretty icing-like seaweeds of mauve and purple battling for space with clusters of colonial animals. There are the ascidians for example, whose folded wall structure of light orange is edged with bright red. Less striking but just as appealing are the bryozoan colonies whose wafer-like shapes are pale pink and look as delicate as indeed they are.

The garden’s mobile visitors
To add to this scene of harmonious confusion, we may expect to find shellfish elbowing their way in for a bit of space. Some like mussels are fixed to the rock but others, abalones and winkles for example, may be moving about looking for food. Other mobile creatures include sea urchins and a wide variety of crabs and sea stars. Also, in the nooks and crannies of shallower water we are almost sure to encounter a finger-length fish called the blenny, for it is the cheekiest and boldest creature of the reef, even nibbling at one’s finger if it is offered nothing better.

Underwater scenery (Topography)

As on land, underwater scenery depends on landforms and in this respect the sanctuary waters offer some variety. Its basic underwater structure is one of headlands and reefs separated by stretches of sandy beaches that continue offshore as a sandy seafloor.

There are three significant headlands – at Table Rock Point, Ricketts Point and Quiet Corner. All have scenic appeal and all exhibit extensive shore platforms with rock pools of interest to the beachcomber. At Ricketts Point and Quiet Corner sections of the nearshore waters are protected by reefs from vigorous wave action, allowing the deposition of fine sediments on the gently sloping seafloor. Here seagrass or eelgrass meadows have formed. These are an important nursery for whiting and other fingerling fish. They also support a variety of invertebrate animals such as worms, crustaceans and molluscs and are host to a number of feeding seabirds, particularly waders such as the White-faced Heron.

The sanctuary waters are nowhere deeper than five metres, the shallowest profile being off Ricketts Point.

At Table Rock Point, there is a cleft and a cave forming in the outcrop that juts into the sea. It is also undercut by wave action. Immediately offshore the reef is very craggy and mildly undercut near the sea floor offering numerous holes and gullies where creatures can hide. Further offshore there is a gentle gradient to deeper water.

The most spectacular underwater scenery is found off Quiet Corner. Beyond the eelgrass meadows is the only islet in the sanctuary – Mc Gregor Rock. It rises some two metres above sea level and is undercut at its seaward edge where a narrow cave has formed called Rejda Cave. It leads to a small sunlit cavern that harbours territorial fish such as Zebras and the quaintly shaped Old Wifes. A little further to seaward are kelp-covered boulders and here the reef drops off suddenly to a roomy undercut known as Mellisa Ledge. Large fish are often found resting under there. It is big enough to admit a diver as well. In fact, the first female student diver brave enough to enter this undercut was Mellisa Coxhead, which is how it got its name. Further out there is rock strewn sand before the reef re-emerges to form an extensive outcrop known as Ivor’s Reef. These outer reefs were less affected by the shellfish plunder and other forms of degradation of the last two decades and may therefore become important sources of regeneration.

Why a sanctuary?

The waters of Black Rock and Beaumaris with their extensive cliffs and rocky outcrops offer one of Port Phillip Bay’s outstanding examples of a sandstone reef based marine ecosystem. In 1991, the state government decided to preserve representative habitats along Victoria’s coast and to that end has recently established a system of 13 national marine parks and 11 smaller sanctuaries of which Ricketts Point is one. Not only did it offer a vibrant and thriving array of marine plants, invertebrates, fish and sea birds, it had a beautiful setting and the enormous advantage of accessibility for Melbourne’s 3.5 million people.

The down side is that because it is so accessible it has been subject to extraordinary pressure. When in the late 1970s shellfish harvesters began using snorkel and mask, the rate of depletion rocketed. It wasn’t long before some species started going locally extinct, the predatory dog whelk (a small shellfish) amongst them. That in itself was enough to set alarm bells ringing. But there was worse. With the depletion of shellfish came the reduction in animals that ate shellfish such as some sea stars, predatory molluscs, crabs and seabirds. One of these species, the hermit crab, also appeared to go locally extinct. This was particularly serious because Ricketts Point was the only place inside the bay where it could be found.

More bad news followed. Many filter feeders depend in part on the shellfish eggs. They include bivalve shellfish, sponges, barnacles, several species of worms, sea squirts and colonial animals such as bryzoans.

By the early 1990s the entire system was suffering serious depletion. This was despite a protracted campaign to save the reefs that was conducted over a period of eight years from 1986 to 1994 by The Advertiser. It was then, 1994, that a submission was made to the Land Conservation Council for the area to be protected by the proclamation of a sanctuary. The submission was accepted by that body but it took a further eight years for legislation to finally be passed. The sanctuary will come into being on November 16, 2002.

As will be readily appreciated, if it has taken 25 years to bring this once robust and vibrant ecosystem to its knees, it is not going to recover overnight. Patience will be needed as we learn how best to foster its rehabilitation. Some things are already obvious. For example, we cannot expect the algae or shellfish of the shore platforms to recover if at the same time they are being trampled bare by thousands of feet. All members of the community can help police the no-take regulations by reminding offenders or by informing the ranger or the police. Both the authorities and the householder will need to be far more careful about what enters our storm water drains. Damaging pollutants include dust and other fine sediments (which smother seaweeds), garden herbicides, pesticides and other toxic substances, oil, paint, phosphorus based detergents and litter, particularly plastics. Also remind neighbours if you see them pouring such substances into the gutter. Law abiding fishermen can help offshore by motoring over to a boat inside the sanctuary and from which fishing is taking place. Perhaps a reminder will be sufficient but if not then a mobile telephone call to the ranger might well be in order.

Sea floor gossip (Factual fun)

Sharks
The thought of sharks is enough to put some people off snorkelling all together. There is, however, far more risk on the roads. There are ten fatal shark attacks in the world on average each year compared with 70 million sharks killed at the hands of humans. In Port Phillip Bay, the last fatal attack was off Mordialloc in 1936. It is believed that there was only one other – in 1932 off the Brighton Beach pier.

A deceptive animal
You may come across a fearsome looking blood red sponge the size of a fist and which possesses more spikes than a rose. This is the Rose Sponge. Few care to handle it but those who dare to are in for a surprise. The sponge is smoother than glass, as slippery as a bath soap, as spongy as a pillow and the spikes are as soft your sweetheart’s lips.

Deadly or not?
Everyone knows that the tiny resident blue ringed octopus can kill a man with just one bite. Yet the only time anyone has died is when the animal has been handled out of the water. The reason is probably to be found in its mode of attack. It does not actually bite its prey. It will creep up on an unsuspecting crab, for example, and squirt venom into the water. The crab inevitably ingests some of it and because the venom is so potent the crab is completely paralysed. You can imagine the rest.

Neddies
Sea horses have a poor means of escape from predators. It consists of a small, quivering dorsal fin that sends them through the water at the speed of sand passing through an hour glass. They have a long tail, though, that grips seaweed and here they blend in almost invisibly. And do we have sea horses? Sure do. Look very carefully in the deeper water three metres down or more and you might be lucky.

Never seen a sea worm
I’ve never seen a seen a sea worm, did I hear you say? If you have walked along a rocky coast, the chances are that you have. At about mid-tide level amongst the breaking waves there is often a band of white encrustations on the rocks consisting of a spaghetti-like structure of limestone tubes. These are made by Galleolaria worms. Take a closer look with a hand lens and you will be able to make out the delicate structures of the head and mouth, the latter being surrounded by feeding tentacles. It can feed, of course, only when submerged.

Coral reefs
It is commonly thought that Queensland’s coral reefs are much more colourful than our local waters, but the truth is that our sponge ‘gardens’ are amongst the most brightly coloured creatures of all. The trouble is that they seem to prefer indirect light or shaded water and are therefore less obvious from the surface. But dive down two or three metres and look under ledges or in recesses. Not only will you be astonished by the spectacle but you may also find that we have corals of our own – temperate water species in subtle hues of lime, blue and green. They are the size and shape of an inverted dinner plate.

A strange gathering
Many hundreds of the large eleven arm sea star, Coscinasterias calamaria, were seen packed closely together on a fairly shallow reef at the south end of Half Moon Bay, just north of the sanctuary. The next day a class was taken out to see them but they had entirely disappeared. That was strange, eh? Why had they gathered and why did they suddenly disappear? Even the experts at the museum can’t fathom it.

Flower of the sea
Sea anemones are often called the flower of the sea. Given their flowing tentacles and bright colours, this seems like an apt description. But it is not, for they are not a plant at all but a rather dangerous animal. Their tentacles have hooks and deliver venom. Should a fingerling fish stray too close it will be caught, paralysed and ingested. Because of our skin chemistry, humans are immune to local anemones. You can find them in the gullies of shore platforms.

Self destruction
Some sea stars have methods of reproduction that appear to us like self destruction. I remember scooping up a brittle star once, and the creature so objected to the warmth of my hand, and probably the sunlight as well, that it began throwing off its arms. It so disturbed me that I was obliged to place it back under the sand before it totally disintegrated itself. I later learned that those sloughed-off arms have the regenerative capacity to grow into complete new animals.

Tug of war
Tug of war is a tough game but we play it for fun. The eleven arm sea star and the mussel engage in a similar contest but it is played out in deadly earnest. The sea star clasps the mussel with its tube feet and exerts a steady pull. The mussel is strong and holds its two shells tightly together. The tussle may go on for some time – an hour or even longer. If the mussel weakens, which it often does, the sea star will pull it open and eat it.

A weed that is welcome
Did you know that seaweeds have no flowers but reproduce by spores? That unlike the roots, stem and leaves of land plants the holdfast, stem and fronds of seaweeds are made of the one material? That despite the myriad hues they are grouped into just three colours – red, brown and green. And that along with the microscopic algae they provide the atmosphere with more oxygen for us to breathe than do the land plants?
They are also the ocean’s sole producer of food, save for one minor exception. Hydrogen compounds from volcanic vents in ocean deeps support localised food chains.

Spider crabs
Spider crabs have slim claws and spindly legs and can’t run for nuts. They don’t look very pretty (what crabs do?) so how do they get by? The answer is that they are blessed with sticky saliva. By clipping snippets of seaweed from the rock they can anchor it on their back using the sticky saliva. Can you think of a better camouflage? All they need in order to disappear is to stop moving. And think what the Hobbit achieved with invisibility.

What fish are commonly found in the sanctuary?

There are two groups of fish – the territorials and the travellers. Territorial fish are those that live more or less permanently in the area and may often be found in the same nook or cranny. They include such species as old wifes, toad fish, leather jackets, porcupine fish, zebra fish, angel fish and blennies.

The travellers enter the sanctuary to rest, feed or reproduce and then move on around the bay and even out to the ocean. Some of the more common travellers include King George whiting, snapper, garfish, butter fish, Australian salmon, mullet, flounder, flathead, rays, pilchards and anchovies.

Fish tend to be at or near the top of the food chain and as the ecosystem of the sanctuary recovers these fish will be among the beneficiaries because of the increasing food supply. In addition they may become aware of the safe haven offered in these waters and allow divers to approach them more closely.

Comparative statistics

It is just as well that good things come in small packages because the Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary occupies only a tiny fraction of Port Phillip Bay. It covers about 1.5 square kilometres compared with 1,953 for the bay. Thus, the bay is over 1300 times bigger. The coastal length of the sanctuary is 3.2 kilometres – exactly the same as the width of the Rip at Port Phillip Heads. However, the bay’s coastline is 81 times longer at 260 kilometres. The bays greatest depth is 24 metres but almost half is less than 8 metres. The sanctuary’s greatest depth is 5 metres and over a half is less than 2 metres. The water temperature of the bay ranges from 8 degrees Celsius in winter to 20 degrees Celsius in summer though it may rise considerably above that in very shallow water on a hot day.

Some 300 storm water drains enter Port Phillip serving a hinterland population of 3.5 million people. There are three such drains within the sanctuary – at Quiet Corner, Haydens Road and Ricketts Point.

Introduced species

Over the years, Port Phillip Bay has played host to 175 species of introduced plants and animals, the majority arriving in the ballast water of ships. Fortunately the sanctuary waters have not been overrun but vigilance is needed.

There are three organisms of particular concern currently within the sanctuary. The first is the seaweed Unadaria pinnatifida which was introduced from Japan and occupies deeper water towards the seaward boundary of the sanctuary and beyond. The second is the European fan worm Sabella spallanzani which arrived in Corio Bay probably in the late 1980s and gradually spread. It has recently entered local waters. Both these species tend to crowd out indigenous plants and animals. The most recent invader is the voracious North Pacific Seastar, Asterias amurensis. Its bay population grew to over 100 million at first but has now fallen to half that. Only very small numbers have entered the sanctuary. One reason may be that our eleven armed sea star (C. calamaria) is one of the few native animals that willingly feeds on it. The invader is quite small, about the size of a woman’s hand, and has five arms of creamy-yellow with purple tips. It is harmless to humans and can readily be collected from the shallows. Look for the purple tips though because one of our indigenous species, Uniophoria granifera looks quite similar to the invader but it does not have the purple tips.

Birds and Mammals of the Sanctuary

Notes by Michael Norris, Bayside Friends of Native Wildlife

 Ricketts Point is an important spot for birds as well as creatures that live entirely in the sea. Back in 1984 a government report recommended that the foreshore and rock platforms around the Marine Sanctuary should be made into a �Nature Conservation Zone� to protect the birds.

 One hundred and seventy-two different species of Australian bird, including beachcast corpses, and also some aviary birds  and hybrids, have been seen in that zone, on the sea or flying over.  The twenty-nine species not recorded for 10 years or more include most of the oceanic birds, such as albatross,  which were often seen during the severe winter storms of the late 1970s.

 Sixty-eight species have used the rock platforms or the seagrass areas. Some are normally bush birds which come to bathe or feed, sometimes by picking insects from the saltmarsh plants and beachcast algae, in the �splash zone�.  But most are seabirds: the list includes five species of cormorant, four of the gulls, pelicans and six tern species. The last are sometimes called �sea swallows� because of their elegant flight. Sometimes hundreds or even thousands of these birds come to rest after feeding out in the bay.

 Other visitors to the rocks are migratory shorebirds which come to Port Phillip from Siberia or New Zealand. The twelve recorded species include the Grey-tailed Tattler.  One stayed for a week in 2001 and returned a year later.  This species is critically endangered in Victoria.

 The seagrass attracts long-legged herons and spoonbills, the dumpy hoary-headed grebes, pelicans and penguins.  They are also a feeding ground for our amphibious mammal � the Rakali  - which comes from dens along the beach to catch crabs and shellfish before eating them at   feeding platforms. 

 Along the foreshore the mammals include seven introduced species from House Mouse to Red Fox, humans, two possums, and bats including the Grey-headed Flying-fox which feeds on the banksia flowers.  Fur seals and dolphins are occasional mammalian visitors to the sanctuary and on 5/8/1998 a Southern Right Whale passed by about 100 metres off Table Rock.  Three Humpback Whales were off Beaumaris on 8/7/2003.

Click here to see a complete list of the birds.

 We are always interested in observations and records of Bayside's animals.  You can contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or through Bayside City Council.

 References:

Garnett S., Lane B.& Schulz M., Birds of Port Phillip Bay, Ministry for Planning and Environment, June 1986

Lane B., Schulz M. and Wood, K., Birds of Port Phillip Bay; Coastal Unit Technical Report No.1, Ministry for Planning and Environment, November 1984

Marine Science & Ecology Pty Ltd,  Ricketts Point Marine Study,  October 1999

Norris, M.(ed) et al, Local Birds of Bayside, Bayside City Council, 1995

Links:

Last revised 14.4.2004  MN