Ashmore and Cartier Travel Guide

These two uninhabited tropical islands are administered by the Australian government, but are geographically closer to Indonesia. Not surprisingly, Indonesian fishermen know these islands well, having visited the waters for centuries. This territory lies in the Indonesian through-flow current as well as along a surface current west from the Arafura Sea and Timor Sea, bringing high levels of nutrients and low salinity levels to the region. As a result, there is an abundance of diversity in the Ashmore Reefs, including 14 distinct species of sea snake; more than any other region in the world, including 2 that are indigenous to the area. The Ashmore Reef Marine National Nature Reserve has been established to protect the biodiversity of the area, ensuring that the high levels of coral, mollusks, fish, as well as dugongs, marine turtles and visiting whale sharks remain. Bird lovers will be excited to know that over 88 species of seabirds consider this their nesting ground. In order to protect these colonies however, the islands are restricted to visitors; only vessels seeking shelter may go ashore at Ashmore Reef’s west island. Cartier is closed off due to its one time use as a bombing range; the risk of unexploded ordnance remains high.