IMIS

The Muiron Islands are located off the North West Cape of Western Australia, approximately 1200 km north of Perth. The Island group consists of South and North Muiron islands, which are separated by a deep-water channel, and Sunday Island which is smaller and lies further east.
The islands are protected for their diverse marine environment and important seabird and turtle nesting areas through the Muiron Islands Marine Management Area, Western Australia’s first marine management area, which was gazetted on 30 November 2004.
Close by lies the Ningaloo Reef, Australia’s largest fringing coral reef, boasting spectacular coral formations, abundant fishes and species with special conservation significance such as turtles, whale sharks, dugongs, whales and dolphins. Ningaloo Marine Park was first gazetted in 1987 to recognise and protect this diverse biological hotspot with amendments made to park boundaries on 30 November 2004 to encompass the whole of the Ningaloo Reef. The Department of Parks and Wildlife is the primary manager of these reserves.
The Muiron islands and the beaches of the Ningaloo coast provide an important habitat and relatively undisturbed nesting area for the loggerhead (Caretta caretta), green (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) turtles between November and March each year. Flatback and leatherback turtles have also been recorded foraging occasionally along the Ningaloo coast.
In recognition of these important and diverse reserves, the surrounding area was bestowed the highest level of international recognition with its inscription on the World Heritage List for its natural beauty and biological diversity in June 2011. The Ningaloo World Heritage Area encompasses 604,500ha in total, including the Muiron Islands Marine Management Area, Ningaloo Marine Park, Cape Range National Park, the Learmonth Air Weapons Range and Bundegi and Jurabi Coastal Parks.