Not far from Melbourne is the Port Phillip Marine National Park, occupying 35.8 square kilometres of water in the bay of the same name between the Bellarine and Mornington peninsulas. The park area consists of six distinct clusters: Swan Cove, Mud Islands, Cape Lonsdale and Cape Nipin, an artificial a man-made fortification at the entrance to Port Phillip Bay called "Bishop's Eye", and the Portsea Hole seabed depression popular with divers.
The Port Phillip Bay area has long been a popular holiday destination for residents of Melbourne and other neighbouring cities, which has created a certain anthropogenic pressures on sensitive marine ecosystems. In addition, the bay is heavily trafficked, which also has an adverse effect on the wildlife of these places. In 2002, the Port Phillip Marine National Park was established in order to protect the inhabitants of the bay waters, as well as for the rational use of recreational resources.
Among the ecosystems of the park, taken under the protection of the state, are extensive underwater "meadows" covered with algae, rocky reefs located in the intertidal zone, sandy beaches, and habitats for deep-sea marine life. Here you can various species of waders, waterfowl, seabirds and sea birds, as well as Australian fur seals, dolphins, dolphin-apalins, a wide variety of fish species and marine invertebrates. There are several sites within the park that have historical, archaeological and cultural value.
Some areas of the park, such as Swan Cove and the Mud Islands, are also protected under the international Ramsar Convention as wetlands of special importance. Wetlands of particular importance to migratory birds.
The landscapes of the park are interesting. The aforementioned deepening of the seabed, "Portsea Hole" is part of the submerged Yarra River valley, dropping sharply to a depth of up to 32 metres, while the surrounding depth barely reaches 12 metres. This is characterised by an abundance of fish and a variety of algae, sponges and coral. Porthsea Hole is a favourite with divers of all stripes, who regularly dive here.
Five kilometres from Portsea is the so-called Bishop's Eye - an unfinished fortification at the entrance to Port Phillip Bay. It was begun in the 1880s by piling blocks of blue sandstone onto the shoal until it formed a horseshoe-shaped reef. However, construction soon ceased, as it turned out that the fortresses at nearby Swan Island and the forts of Queenscliff and Nepean were sufficient to protect the entrance to the bay and the shipping channels. Today, this artificial reef is home a navigational lighthouse. The reef is also an important habitat for the Australian the Australian puffin, which nests on its rocks. It's also home to white-breasted cormorants white-breasted cormorants and common stoneflies forage for food.
The southern shore of Swan Cove attracts treasure hunters from all over the world: One of the coastal caves is believed to contain the hidden treasure of the pirate Benito Bonito, nicknamed "The Bloody Sword". It's said to be the place where he hid the gold he'd looted off the western shores of America before he was caught and hanged.
