Underwater coral discovery south of Melbourne rivals Great Barrier Reef, Parks Victoria says 
 
 Updated 
 
 Coral and sea life rivalling that found on the Great Barrier Reef has been discovered in the waters south of Melbourne, Parks Victoria says. 
 
 A remote-controlled vehicle was sent to depths of 100 metres by Parks Victoria to explore deep sea life in Wilsons Promontory National Park. 
 
 Parks Victoria marine science manager Steffan Howe said the discovery of coral reefs and fish species followed previous research mapping the park's sea floor. 
 
 "The maps identified some amazing underwater structures very deep beneath the ocean, but we did not know what sort of marine life was there," he said. 
 
 "These latest expeditions used cutting-edge technology, including underwater video cameras and a robotic vehicle to record the spectacular marine life found in many of the deeper areas of the park for the first time." 
 
 The vehicle found "extensive walls, house-sized boulders, ridges and caverns" of sponges and hard and soft coral. 
 
 Fish species considered rare to Victoria were also discovered, including Australian barracuda and longsnout boarfish. 
 
 The discoveries had exceed scientists expectations, Parks Victoria said. 
 
 "The resulting footage shows that the deep reef habitats are teeming with life and are home to rich and abundant marine ecosystems that are comparable to Australia's better-known tropical reef areas," Dr Howe said. 
 
 "The extent and abundance of spectacular sponge gardens and corals is a particularly exciting find." 
 
 Topics: environment, environmental-technology, oceans-and-reefs, national-parks, conservation, tidal-river-3960 
 
 First posted ||||| With its multitudes of marine animal and plant life, the Great Barrier Reef is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and indisputably one of the wonders of the world. 
 
 But now it may have a rival — in the south of Australia. 
 
 According to officials from Parks Victoria, Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park near Melbourne can match the Great Barrier Reef for its abundance of coral, sponge and fish. 
 
 There are important differences, however, since the reefs in Victoria are in deeper water than the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, making it a better destination for scuba divers while being less accessible for snorkelers. 
 
 Scientists from the parks service used a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and cameras to get close to the underwater world of Wilsons Promontory for the first time. 
 
 They weren't disappointed. "The resulting footage shows that the deep reef habitats are teeming with life and are home to rich and abundant marine ecosystems that are comparable to Australia’s better-known tropical reef areas," Parks Victoria Marine Science Manager, Steffan Howe, said in a statement. "The extent and abundance of spectacular sponge gardens and corals is a particularly exciting find." 
 
 Coral fans and dunes around 30 metres high were just some of the discoveries found by the ROV. Fish considered rare to Victoria, like the Australian barracuda and Longsnout Boarfish, were also located, along with "large sea whips and colourful sponge gardens beyond scientists expectations." 
 
 Image: Parks Victoria 
 
 Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments. ||||| New research shows Wilsons Prom marine life rivals Great Barrier Reef 
 
 Amazing marine life deep beneath the sea in Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park has been revealed thanks to new technology that has allowed scientists a glimpse of the unusual marine communities for the first time. Spectacular reefs containing colourful sponge gardens, corals, and abundant fish species are just some of the features recorded during the recent scientific expeditions. 
 
 Parks Victoria Marine Science Manager, Steffan Howe said the popular area is famous for its stunning landscapes above the water, but what lives deep beneath the sea has previously been unknown. He said cutting edge technology is now making it easier to explore these areas, with results beyond researchers’ expectations. 
 
 “Recent explorations used a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to record the marine life in habitats from 30-100 metres deep. 
 
 “The exciting discoveries follow previous research that mapped the park’s sea floor in detail. The maps identified some amazing underwater structures very deep beneath the ocean, but we did not know what sort of marine life was there. These latest expeditions used cutting-edge technology including underwater video cameras and a robotic vehicle to record the spectacular marine life found in many of the deeper areas of the park for the first time. 
 
 “The resulting footage shows that the deep reef habitats are teeming with life and are home to rich and abundant marine ecosystems that are comparable to Australia’s better-known tropical reef areas. The extent and abundance of spectacular sponge gardens and corals is a particularly exciting find,” said Dr Howe. 
 
 “It is important for us to have a comprehensive understanding of the habitats and inhabitants in Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park to help guide how we manage this important area in the future. The discoveries and footage will also enable us to showcase Victoria’s spectacular marine environment to the thousands of visitors who come to this park each year,” said Dr Howe. 
 
 Highlights of the discovery and mapping expeditions include: 
 
 Massive coral fans, large sea whips and colourful sponge gardens beyond scientists expectations. 
 
 Extensive walls, house-sized boulders, ridges and caverns with a diverse range of colourful sponges, hard and soft corals and abundant fish life. 
 
 90 m deep holes with big schools of deep sea perch; fish that can grow to 80 cm long. 
 
 Complex underwater dune systems including one about 30 metres high and 2 km long 
 
 Abundant fish species including some that are said to be of conservation significance as they are rare at the state level. Examples include the Australian barracuda (Sphyraena novaehollandiae) and Longsnout Boarfish (Pentaceropsis recurvirostris). 
 
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– Australia already has at least one of the natural wonders of the world in the Great Barrier Reef, but it may have just added another one more than 300 feet under the sea on the other side of the continent, Mashable reports. According to a Parks Victoria announcement yesterday, scientists taking advantage of new technology sent an underwater robot equipped with cameras to explore Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park, only to discover a reef ecosystem "beyond expectations." The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports it was the first time the deeper areas of the park near Melbourne have been explored, and scientists had no idea what marine life they were going to find. According to Parks Victoria, what they found were sponges and coral that created "extensive walls, house-sized boulders, ridges, and caverns"; schools of fish living in 300-foot-deep holes; underwater dunes nearly 100 feet high; and aquatic species, such as the Australian barracuda, previously thought to be rare in the area. Mashable reports the marine park reef has just as many fish, sponges, and coral as the Great Barrier Reef, and Parks Victoria's science manager says they found "ecosystems that are comparable to Australia's better-known tropical reef areas." Now they just need a catchier name. Maybe the Just As Great Barrier Reef? (Scientists also recently discovered Earth's "older cousin.")