Reports, posters and papers - Gnaraloo Wilderness Foundation

Loggerhead sea turtle at Gnaraloo in Western Australia - Ningaloo Reef - Papers and Reports

Key submissions to Government

‣ Read the full submission by the GWF “Notice of harm to Aboriginal and environmental heritage values at Gnaraloo Cape Farquhar Southern Ningaloo Coast National and World Heritage Area” (January 2021). The actions of a local government authority (the Shire of Carnarvon) caused this problem with the damage continuing UNABATED as at April 2024, without being stopped by the West Australian Government or the Australian Government, in this world heritage area of high importance.

‣ Read the full submission by the GWF (May 2019) on the draft Ningaloo Management Plan by the State Government (WA).

‣ Read the full submission by the GWF (March 2019) on the draft planning policy document (called “Future Directions for the Ningaloo Coast Regional Strategy Carnarvon to Exmouth”) by the State Government (WA) and their draft plan.

Gnaraloo Bay Rookery & Gnaraloo Cape Farquhar Rookery: Report 2008 – 2018

The Gnaraloo Turtle Conservation Program (GTCP) is a scientific research and public outreach program aimed at identifying, monitoring and protecting sea turtle rookeries located along a 65 km stretch of beach at the southern end of the Ningaloo Reef at Gnaraloo, Western Australia.
The sea turtle nesting habitat at Gnaraloo Bay, including a 20 km radius internesting habitat buffer, was identified as a habitat which is critical to the survival of loggerhead turtles of the southeast Indian Ocean regional management unit (RMU; Recovery Plan for Marine Turtles in Australia, 2017 – 2027).
Since 2008, the GTCP has conducted daily beach track surveys, along with a variety of complementary research and monitoring activities (e.g. Night Surveys, flipper tagging, satellite tagging, Nest excavations), in the Gnaraloo Bay Rookery (GBR) between 1 November and 28 February. Additional beach track surveys commenced in season 2011/12 in the Gnaraloo Cape Farquhar Rookery (GCFR), which is located approximately 22 km north of the Gnaraloo Homestead and unreported prior to 2011. In this document, we report on the activities of the GTCP during the sea turtle nesting season 2017/18 and summarise findings of the 10-year monitoring program.

Executive Summary

Gnaraloo Bay and Gnaraloo Cape Farquhar Rookeries: Summary Report 2017/18

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Peer review papers

‣ The Chelonian Conservation and Biology – the international scientific peer-reviewed Journal of Turtle and Tortoise Research – published the Gnaraloo turtle research findings from 2008/09 – 2015/16, which total 8 years of successful research at the Gnaraloo Bay Rookery.

This achievement is in no small part due to our scientific field teams, Gnaraloo staff, the Richardson family, Landcare, the Australian Government, esri Australia and Brains, as well as mentors, advisors, contractors, and other loyal supporters who have assisted the program.

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‣ Marine Turtle Newsletter – Issue number 140 – Discovery of New Nesting Beaches for Loggerhead Turtles (Caretta caretta) at Gnaraloo on the Ningaloo Coast, Western Australia – K. Riskas

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2008-2018 Key Achievements

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Marloo’s Journey

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Land for Wildlife

Report by Rangelands NRM with the LFW assessment information by them for Gnaraloo Station. This assessment was required prior to the listing approval by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (WA).

‣ Land for Wildlife – Property Assessment Report – Gnaraloo Station

Read our sea turtle scientific reports

We’re excited to share our detailed scientific reports. These rigorously researched documents reflect important baseline data on the sea turtles of Gnaraloo. Our scientists use this data to inform responsible management and protection of endangered sea turtles and their critical coastal nesting habitat.

The Gnaraloo Turtle Conservation Program was started and managed by Gnaraloo Station (the predecessor of the Gnaraloo Wilderness Foundation).

Read our feral animal control reports

The Gnaraloo Feral Animal Control Program was started and managed by the Gnaraloo Station Trust (the predecessor of the Gnaraloo Wilderness Foundation) in 2008/09 and ended in 2014/15.

Recovery Plan for Marine Turtles in Australia

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Species Assessment Report for Loggerheads

Assessment of the conservation status of the loggerhead turtle in the indian ocean and south east asia

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Sea turtle conservation

The scientific Gnaraloo Turtle Conservation Program identifies, monitors and protects key coastal nesting rookeries of endangered sea turtles on the Gnaraloo remote beaches.

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Sea turtle migrations

During sea turtle nesting seasons 2015/17, the Gnaraloo Turtle Conservation Program undertook the first ever satellite tracking of loggerhead females that nest on the Gnaraloo coastline.

FOLLOW THEIR JOURNEYS