Friends of Merri Marine Sanctuary

The Merri Marine Sanctuary is one of 11 sanctuaries located within Victoria that have been established to conserve coastal marine biodiversity. The sanctuary is a no-take zone, located at the mouth of the Merri River in Warrnambool and covers 25ha of coast. It extends from the Warrnambool breakwater, west to Thunder Point, and inland to the Stingray Bay footbridge. The area contains beautiful kelp

forests that have recently been classified as threatened under Commonwealth legislation, and also hosts an array of fascinating and complex underwater communities. Pickering Point rock pools are particularly diverse and are accessible during low tides. Middle Island is a very important nesting ground for Little Penguins and Short-tailed Shearwaters to roost and breed. Together, these factors make for a very intriguing and unique environment, ideal for studying and recreation. Friends of Merri Marine Sanctuary will host a range of activities including rock pool rambles, snorkel/dive adventures and marine monitoring programs. We are a subgroup of Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare and are in association with Parks Victoria. If you would like to get involved and stay up to date with our activities, please like our page or send us an email.