Camden Sound

Camden Sound is a relatively wide body of water in the Indian Ocean located in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

The Lalang-garram / Camden Sound Marine Park is jointly managed by the Government of Western Australia's Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

[4] The area is a drowned valley in the western end of the MacDonald Range, the islands that are found within the sound are remnant emergent features formed by basalt and sandstone formations.

[2] As with the rest of the Kimberley coast, the area is marked by an extreme tidal variation of up to 11 m (36 ft) on a spring tide.

[2] The calves are suckled in the warm, tropical waters for several months until they gain the strength for the journey back to the Antarctic for summer feeding.

In addition, the area is surrounded by fringing reefs with hard and soft corals, turtles, molluscs, fish and marine invertebrates.

It is the first jointly managed marine park in Australia, and has benefited from the involvement of the traditional owners of the land and waters.

The conservation objectives of the government and the traditional owners are aligned, with the latter wanting to ensure that their saltwater country stays in good health, and that no plants or animals become extinct in the area.

The larger plan is to create a total of 5,000,000 ha (12,000,000 acres) of new national and marine reserves in Western Australia.

The new Maiyalam Marine Park covers an area off the north-western coast of King Sound and around Macleay Island.