Anchoring and Mooring

The unique reef experiences offered in the Marine Park attract large numbers of visitors each year. Anchor damage can be a serious threat to these experiences by damaging the very attraction visitors come to see. Moorings and various anchoring arrangements are used to minimise anchor damage in the Marine Park.

What is a public mooring?

At many frequently used reefs and islands where there is a need to prevent anchor damage, public moorings have been installed. Public moorings are blue coloured buoys with a colour-coded band that signifies the 'class of mooring'. The five classes of public moorings describe the length of vessel that may be attached and maximum wind conditions that the mooring is designed to withstand.

These limits are displayed on the colour-coded band and on an engraved tag attached to the pick-up line. Before using a public mooring, check that your vessel fits the requirements of the mooring and the wind speed is below the maximum level.

Who may use a public mooring?

Anyone visiting the Marine Park may tie up to a public mooring. Use is on a first come, first served basis. Please remember that the moorings are a public asset for all. You should respect all users’ rights to use the moorings and move off as soon as you can. Please observe any time limits for the public moorings you visit.

When using a public mooring please follow the responsible reef practices for moorings.

Where are the public moorings?

There are public moorings at many of the popular destinations throughout the Marine Park. When you visit an area please check whether there are any public moorings at the site (see Related Links).

What is a permitted private mooring?

Permitted private moorings are installed and used by individuals, companies or operator associations. These operators are responsible for the use and maintenance of their moorings. There are over 300 permitted private moorings in the Marine Park.

If you are operating a permitted private mooring as part of your tourism operation, please learn more about some specific mooring management arrangements.

Can I use a permitted private mooring?

Permitted private moorings are not generally available for public use. However, mooring operators are encouraged to develop arrangements to allow other operators to use their moorings if possible.

How do I find out who operates a permitted private mooring?

You are able to visit the GBRMPA website to view the online Moorings Register to find out about moorings at specific locations and who to contact for permission to use them (see Related Links).

How do I check if a private mooring is permitted?

Legally permitted moorings display a GBRMPA mooring reference number or an MSQ buoy mooring authority number on the buoy. It is likely that any mooring not displaying one of these numbers is not permitted.

How can I protect the reef when I anchor?

Wherever you are anchoring, you can help prevent coral damage by following the responsible reef practices for anchoring. To further protect some fragile reef areas there are special anchoring arrangements such as no anchoring areas or reef anchorages, at some sites.

What is a No Anchoring Area?

There are No Anchoring Areas at a number of reefs and bays to protect fragile coral communities and to provide easy to understand transiting routes through coral areas. They are usually designated by reef protection markers (white pyramid shaped buoys with blue Marine Parks labels). Anchoring is not allowed inshore of the line of buoys except when anchoring on adjacent beach areas. There are No Anchoring Areas in the Whitsundays, Hinchinbrook and Cairns, plus some other bays throughout the Reef.

Please observe these No Anchoring Areas whenever you visit the Marine Park.

What is a Reef Anchorage?

The reefs in the Cairns Planning Area are extremely popular destinations for many people visiting the Great Barrier Reef as they offer a wonderful array of coral types. To protect these reefs and to provide anchoring places away from moorings there are Reef Anchorages at many of the Locations in the area. Please use these anchorages whenever you visit those reefs.