Outlook Online 2009

Management arrangements for Raine Island restrict access to the island and surrounding waters

Queensland Environmental Protection Agency, 2006:

"Following dedication of Raine Island National Park (Scientific), the management of this protected area and the adjoining marine park areas will, to the extent permitted by law, be complementary and co-ordinated across relevant agencies, to control public access and to preserve and protect the area’s outstanding biological diversity, cultural resources, and the significance of the area to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people(s).

It is intended that future access to Raine Island National Park (Scientific) will be restricted (by permit) to essential management-related scientific research, approved photography, filming and sound recording, and approved activities undertaken by the Indigenous Parties consistent with the ILUA, and assessed to be consistent with the management principles for national parks (scientific) and other legislative requirements, taking into account relevant policies and planning and the input of the Indigenous Parties (refer Section 3).

The waters surrounding the proposed Raine Island National Park (Scientific) are declared Restricted Access Special Management Areas (RA-SMA) under both the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Regulations 1983, and the Queensland Government Marine Parks (Great Barrier Reef Coast) Zoning Plan 2004 (see Appendix 1). RA-SMAs generally must not be entered without written permission from the relevant agencies - the Environmental Protection Agency (through the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS)) and the Commonwealth Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA).

The remote nature of the proposed national park (scientific) and its significance for sea turtle and seabird nesting makes it appropriate to manage vulnerable island resources by controlling human access through the adjoining marine park(s).

Access to the proposed national park (scientific) is restricted to the following activities to the extent they are consistent with the management principles for national parks (scientific) and other relevant legislative requirements:

(a) approved scientific research, which cannot reasonably be conducted elsewhere and which has a direct benefit to the Raine Island National Park (Scientific);
(b) approved photography, filming and/or sound recording, which cannot reasonably be conducted elsewhere, and which provides an exceptional contribution to the public interest (including a significant contribution to the conservation of nature), and the advantages to the national park (scientific) and the public interest demonstrably outweigh any potential disturbance to the park;
(c) any other approved activity that operates in support of (a) or (b); and
(d) approved activities to be undertaken by the Indigenous Parties, consistent with the ILUA."

Citation and/or URL

https://www.epa.qld.gov.au/publications/p02061.html

Spatial Coverage

Raine Island, Moulter Cay and MacLennan Cay

Temporal Coverage

2006-2016

Update Frequency

Not applicable 

Other Information

None 

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