Here is an extract from the MAFRI Report No 31 (pages 20-21)
Artificial Reefs - Applications in Victoria from a literature review
by Partick C Coutin
March 2001
Victoria
Early ship wrecks and vessels sunk deliberately for disposal, wave breaks or as diving sites reefs could be considered as artificial reefs. Some examples are: the submarine east of Swan Island, the Cerebus located off Black Rock, the "Restless" wrecked near Patterson River, a bucket dredge (74m) sunk in 20m off Phillip Island (Winstanley 1979) and a fishing boat sunk in 22m, 0.5 km north of Lawrence Rocks near Portland in 1990 (Kerr 1992).
Similarly "Pope's Eye", a fortification built from bluestone blocks at the entrance to Port Phillip Bay in the 1880's, is an early example of a marine construction in 3m of water that has been colonised by some of the most spectacular marine life in Victoria. It is now a popular diving site for viewing reef fish and many tourists visit this marine reserve to see Australian fur seals, dolphins and sea birds (Anon 1989).
These artificial structures often have a high biodiversity providing a substrate for benthic plants and animals and a refuge for fish. For instance the Gellibrand Light, a wood and steel structure with basalt boulders supporting the piles that is located off Williamstown, has sixty species of sub-tidal algae (Lewis 1983) compared to 169 species of inter-tidal algae found in Port Phillip Bay (King et al. 1971) and 368 species of marine algae in Southern Australia (Womersley (1984).
One of the first purpose-built artificial reefs in Australia was located in 18m off Carrum, Port Phillip Bay in 1965 (Anon 1965). The objectives of the reef were to enhance marine production, provide shelter and food sources for fish so that fish stocks and recreational fish catches would be increased. The position of the reef was agreed and marked by Victorian Ports and Harbours. It is located 4.3 miles on a bearing of 210ð from Mordialloc Jetty. It consists of 331 concrete pipes (up to 2.4m long and 1.2m wide each) weighing 400 tonnes that were laid over a muddy silt substrate (Pollard 1989). The pipes were deployed so that they formed a wall 3m high with a hollow centre to provide a shelter for fish covering an area of 1012 m2. Since it was first constructed, a concrete boat was sunk and a wooden hull filled with concrete ballast were sunk at the site in 1967 and 1971, respectively (Sanders 1974). This was a pilot study but there has been very little research, monitoring or evaluation. Although many of the pipes may have become buried in the silt, boat anglers still use the area frequently to target a variety of species, particularly snapper (Pagrus auratus), but other species such as rock ling (Genypterus tigerinus), and beared rock cod {Physiculus barbatus) are also taken. Divers occasionally visit this site, but the low visibility on the silty substrate and the low relief of the reef do not make it an attractive diving location compared to the ship wrecks and natural reefs in other locations.
Multi-component reefs were also constructed in Port Phillip Bay during 1973 and their locations were recorded by Beinssen (1976). The reefs are located at Mordialloc, Dromana, Portarlington and Werribee and consist of 1000 tyres bound in modules of 8 tyres each, 100 m3 of rock, four 3 m3 steel frames and three concrete and steel cubes (1.5 m3). Each component was spaced about 60 m apart (Sanders 1974). The Mordialloc artificial reef is located 103m on a bearing of 144 ð from a marker buoy that was located 1.3 miles on a bearing of 185ð from Mordialloc Jetty. The Dromana artificial reef was located 340m on a bearing of 162 ð from a marker buoy that was 2.6 miles on a bearing of 8 ð from Dromana Jetty. The Portarlington artificial reef is under a pile located 1.35 miles on a bearing of 262 ð from a white beacon on Point Richards. The Werribee artificial reef is 177 metres on a bearing of 186 ð from the marker buoy that was located 6 miles on a bearing of 305 ð from the Prince George Light. Diving observations on these reefs showed that within 6 months all of the components except for the tyres were densely settled by mussels (Mytilus edulis planulatus) and eleven armed starfish (Coscinasterias gemmifera) (Beinssen 1976). Two years later the mussels had been replaced with red algae, sponges, ascidians and hydroids. A fish community sheltered amongst the tyre modules consisting of: snapper, ling, boarfish, red mullet, bearded rock cod, leatherjacket, long-finned seapike, and southern sea garfish (Beinssen 1976).
Most recently, two tyre reefs were constructed by the Keysborough Angling Club and deployed off Mt. Martha and Mordialloc in 15-20m depth during 1992/93. Each reef consisted of 150 tetrahedron shaped units with a base of 9 tyres (3 x 3) bound together with industrial straps that were fastened with stainless steel crimps (T. Minear pers. comm.). The purpose of these artificial reefs was to create suitable habitat for juvenile fish such as snapper, but there has been no research to monitor the habitat and the fish community or to assess the stability of the reef structure since deployment.
Artificial Reefs - Applications in Victoria from a literature review
by Partick C Coutin
March 2001
Victoria
Early ship wrecks and vessels sunk deliberately for disposal, wave breaks or as diving sites reefs could be considered as artificial reefs. Some examples are: the submarine east of Swan Island, the Cerebus located off Black Rock, the "Restless" wrecked near Patterson River, a bucket dredge (74m) sunk in 20m off Phillip Island (Winstanley 1979) and a fishing boat sunk in 22m, 0.5 km north of Lawrence Rocks near Portland in 1990 (Kerr 1992).
Similarly "Pope's Eye", a fortification built from bluestone blocks at the entrance to Port Phillip Bay in the 1880's, is an early example of a marine construction in 3m of water that has been colonised by some of the most spectacular marine life in Victoria. It is now a popular diving site for viewing reef fish and many tourists visit this marine reserve to see Australian fur seals, dolphins and sea birds (Anon 1989).
These artificial structures often have a high biodiversity providing a substrate for benthic plants and animals and a refuge for fish. For instance the Gellibrand Light, a wood and steel structure with basalt boulders supporting the piles that is located off Williamstown, has sixty species of sub-tidal algae (Lewis 1983) compared to 169 species of inter-tidal algae found in Port Phillip Bay (King et al. 1971) and 368 species of marine algae in Southern Australia (Womersley (1984).
One of the first purpose-built artificial reefs in Australia was located in 18m off Carrum, Port Phillip Bay in 1965 (Anon 1965). The objectives of the reef were to enhance marine production, provide shelter and food sources for fish so that fish stocks and recreational fish catches would be increased. The position of the reef was agreed and marked by Victorian Ports and Harbours. It is located 4.3 miles on a bearing of 210ð from Mordialloc Jetty. It consists of 331 concrete pipes (up to 2.4m long and 1.2m wide each) weighing 400 tonnes that were laid over a muddy silt substrate (Pollard 1989). The pipes were deployed so that they formed a wall 3m high with a hollow centre to provide a shelter for fish covering an area of 1012 m2. Since it was first constructed, a concrete boat was sunk and a wooden hull filled with concrete ballast were sunk at the site in 1967 and 1971, respectively (Sanders 1974). This was a pilot study but there has been very little research, monitoring or evaluation. Although many of the pipes may have become buried in the silt, boat anglers still use the area frequently to target a variety of species, particularly snapper (Pagrus auratus), but other species such as rock ling (Genypterus tigerinus), and beared rock cod {Physiculus barbatus) are also taken. Divers occasionally visit this site, but the low visibility on the silty substrate and the low relief of the reef do not make it an attractive diving location compared to the ship wrecks and natural reefs in other locations.
Multi-component reefs were also constructed in Port Phillip Bay during 1973 and their locations were recorded by Beinssen (1976). The reefs are located at Mordialloc, Dromana, Portarlington and Werribee and consist of 1000 tyres bound in modules of 8 tyres each, 100 m3 of rock, four 3 m3 steel frames and three concrete and steel cubes (1.5 m3). Each component was spaced about 60 m apart (Sanders 1974). The Mordialloc artificial reef is located 103m on a bearing of 144 ð from a marker buoy that was located 1.3 miles on a bearing of 185ð from Mordialloc Jetty. The Dromana artificial reef was located 340m on a bearing of 162 ð from a marker buoy that was 2.6 miles on a bearing of 8 ð from Dromana Jetty. The Portarlington artificial reef is under a pile located 1.35 miles on a bearing of 262 ð from a white beacon on Point Richards. The Werribee artificial reef is 177 metres on a bearing of 186 ð from the marker buoy that was located 6 miles on a bearing of 305 ð from the Prince George Light. Diving observations on these reefs showed that within 6 months all of the components except for the tyres were densely settled by mussels (Mytilus edulis planulatus) and eleven armed starfish (Coscinasterias gemmifera) (Beinssen 1976). Two years later the mussels had been replaced with red algae, sponges, ascidians and hydroids. A fish community sheltered amongst the tyre modules consisting of: snapper, ling, boarfish, red mullet, bearded rock cod, leatherjacket, long-finned seapike, and southern sea garfish (Beinssen 1976).
Most recently, two tyre reefs were constructed by the Keysborough Angling Club and deployed off Mt. Martha and Mordialloc in 15-20m depth during 1992/93. Each reef consisted of 150 tetrahedron shaped units with a base of 9 tyres (3 x 3) bound together with industrial straps that were fastened with stainless steel crimps (T. Minear pers. comm.). The purpose of these artificial reefs was to create suitable habitat for juvenile fish such as snapper, but there has been no research to monitor the habitat and the fish community or to assess the stability of the reef structure since deployment.