The Ningaloo Reef is one of the last healthy major coral reef systems in the world. 80% of the world’s coral reefs are in serious decline so the isolated Ningaloo Reef is of particular international importance and interest. Many private, academic and government organizations are committed to research on the Ningaloo Reef, Cape Range and in Exmouth Gulf.  Research markets have either an environmental or a commercial focus. The environmental focus is on the west coast where the impacts of tourism and oil and gas development on the marine and terrestrial environments are constantly under focus. In the Exmouth Gulf, commercial prawn fishing is well established. Important aquaculture operations and research are underway adjacent to the gulf. The present research activity at Ningaloo is supported by the $5 million Ningaloo Program of the Western Australian Marine Science Institution, particularly by attracting AIMS, CSIRO and other WAMSI partners to work in the region. AIMS is able to bring its large research vessels to Ningaloo research, providing a mobile ocean-based research platform. Perth based universities are also active with research on the Ningaloo and Cape Range areas, independent of WAMSI funding. However, there is no adequate facility to support the marine and terrestrial research being carried out in the region. While there is a whole network of coral reef research centres on the Great Barrier Reef there are none that support research activity between Perth and Darwin. A feasibility study, completed in March 2006, concluded that a regionally based research centre focusing on the Ningaloo Reef, Cape Range and Exmouth Gulf could operate successfully with some support for its operating funds.