Range: Solomon Islands, Australia (Project Seahorse 2004), New South Wales and North to Forster (Kuiter 2000), South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania.  Not common in our waters (Scott et al 1980), One of our commonest (seahorse sic.) species (H. novae-hollandiae); it is plentiful in Port Jackson and also occurs in Victoria (Waite 1933), South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales H. novae-hollandiae, Spencers Gulf, specimens of bleached H. novae-hollandiae (Waite and Hale (1908).

The specimens identified as Hippocampus novae-hollandiae from the collection of the South Australian Museum do not appear to be H. whitei.  They appear to be more closely related to H. breviceps - if not actually H. breviceps - or to H. angustus.

Distribution: Inshore (Project Seahorse 2004).

Habitat: Seagrass beds, sponges, under jetties on kelp holdfasts, shark nets (Project Seahorse 2004).

Reproduction: Recorded with eggs from mid-spring (October) to mid-autumn (April)112. They are generally found in pairs 111. Egg diameter 1.8 mm26, gestation 21 to 22 days111, length of newborn 8.5 mm, 100 to 250 eggs26.

Conservation Status: Entire Hippocampus Appendix II of CITES. Data deficient IUNC, Australian Wildlife Protection Act 1998. Australian populations under Environment  Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 2001