Overview
The Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve (the Reserve) is Australia’s most remote Commonwealth marine reserve. Covering 380,631 square kilometres of land and sea, the Reserve is located in the southern Indian Ocean approximately 4,000 kilometres south-west of mainland Australia and 1,700 kilometres north of Antarctica.
The previous management plan for the Reserve expired on 14 October 2024. The Head of the Australian Antarctic Division (as Delegate of the Director of National Parks) has prepared a draft management plan for the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve. Once finalised, the new management plan will guide the management of the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve for 10 years.
