Limmen Bight Marine Park

Limmen Bight Marine Park covers approximately 8800 km² of coastal waters and mangrove-fringed shoreline in the Gulf of Carpentaria, adjoining Limmen National Park on land. This marine park protects a rich mosaic of marine habitats – including extensive seagrass beds, coral reefs around the Sir Edward Pellew islands, sponge gardens and estuaries – which support a high diversity of wildlife:contentReference[oaicite:100]{index=100}. The area is renowned as the Northern Territory’s prime stronghold for dugongs (sea cows); these gentle marine mammals graze on seagrass and can often be seen coming up for air in the shallow bay:contentReference[oaicite:101]{index=101}. Four species of marine turtles (flatback, green, hawksbill, and olive ridley) feed or nest within the park:contentReference[oaicite:102]{index=102}, and endangered sawfish inhabit the estuaries of the Limmen and Roper Rivers. For humans, Limmen Bight is a remote fishing mecca – barramundi, mud crabs, prawns and numerous reef fish draw a small number of dedicated anglers to the region’s lodges and charter boats. Access to the marine park is challenging due to its isolation; most visitors come by sea or via rugged tracks from Roper Bar or Borroloola. There are no facilities once out on the water, and self-sufficiency is a must. The marine park has been established not only for conservation but also to help manage sustainable recreational and commercial fishing. Birdwatchers find Limmen rewarding as well – tens of thousands of shorebirds and waterfowl forage on its tidal flats and wetlands, especially in the Wet Season. Sunrises and sunsets over Limmen Bight are breathtaking, casting vivid colors over endless horizons of sea and sky. As one of the newest and largest marine parks in the NT, Limmen Bight represents a significant step in protecting the Top End’s coastal treasures for future generations:contentReference[oaicite:103]{index=103}.