Rowley Shoals
Located on the edge of the Australian continental shelf around 260 km west
from the Western Australian town of Broome, lies a trio of atoll-like reefs known as the Rowley Shoals. They rise from
the edge of an undersea feature known as the Scott Reef/Rowley Shoals platform, with shallower shelf waters on the
eastern sides and deeper off-shelf waters on their western sides.
The Rowley Shoals comprise three lozenge-shaped reefs — Imperieuse Reef, Clerke Reef, and Mermaid Reef — each covering around 80-90 km². Each has a continuous outer reef rim and a large central lagoon, broken by one or more passages on the eastern side of the reef. Both Clerke Reef and Imperieuse Reef have large permanent sand cays — Mermaid Reef has no permanent land, except at low tide when several sand cays are exposed by the receding waters. The Rowley Shoals are subjected to a high tidal range, with 4 m+ tides, flowing into and out of the reefs. The ebb and flow of large volumes of water has helped to sculpt the reefs into dramatic formations.
Because of their isolation, untouched and pristine environment and rich marine life the reefs are protected: Clerke and Imperieuse Reefs form the Rowley Shoals Marine Park (which is managed by CALM), while Mermaid Reef is protected by the Mermaid Reef Marine National Nature Reserve (proclaimed in 1991), which is managed by Environment Australia.
Further to the northeast lie the Scott & Seringapatam Reefs which are located on the same undersea platform as the Rowley Shoals. Further northeast still are the reefs that comprise the Australian External Territory of Ashmore Reef & Cartier Island.
For islands and reefs that lie closer to the Australian mainland see the Kimberley coast.
