Great Australian Bight Marine Park Whale Sanctuary

Great Australian Bight Marine Park Whale Sanctuary South Australia
IUCN category Ia (strict nature reserve)
Great Australian Bight Marine Park Whale Sanctuary
Nearest town or city	Fowlers Bay
Coordinates	31°29′36″S 131°09′30.9″E / 31.49333°S 131.158583°E / -31.49333; 131.158583Coordinates: 31°29′36″S 131°09′30.9″E / 31.49333°S 131.158583°E / -31.49333; 131.158583
Established	22 June 1995
Area	435.87 km2 (168.3 sq mi)
Managing authorities	Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (South Australia)
See also	Protected areas of South Australia

Great Australian Bight Marine Park Whale Sanctuary is a protected area located immediately off the coastline of the Great Australian Bight in waters within South Australia about 790 km (491 mi) west-northwest of the Adelaide city centre. The whale sanctuary was originally proclaimed as a marine park under the Fisheries Act 1982 (SA) by the South Australian Government on 22 June 1995 to protect waters used by Southern right whales for breeding and calving . It was re-classified as an aquatic reserve after the repeal of the Fisheries Act 1982 by the Fisheries Management Act 2007 (SA) in 2007. It extends from 130 degrees 45.5 minutes east at its western boundary to 131 degrees 30 minutes east at its eastern boundary, and from the coastline for a distance of 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi). It is bounded by the Great Australian Bight Marine National Park to its immediate west and east and its extent includes the bay known as the Head of Bight. It is also part of the group of marine protected areas which are located together in waters within Australian and South Australian jurisdictions within the Great Australian Bight and which is collectively known as the Great Australian Bight Marine Park. Since late 2012, both the whale sanctuary and the national park have also been within the boundaries of the Far West Coast Marine Park. The whale sanctuary is classified as an IUCN Category Ia protected area.