The Field Management Program provides funding for essential facilities, information products, services and permits management activities for high-use sites to prevent harm to the environment and to provide for public use and information.

Visitor facilities and education

The Program provides information and facilities for the varied users of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. This includes:

• Regional and site-specific information covering everything from advice on camping to promoting values and management to larger groups such as schools.
• Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) officers provide information to inform visitors, education groups and commercial users on the safe and environmentally-sustainable use of the Marine Park.
• Well-constructed visitor facilities provide both safety and enjoyment to visitors of the reefs and islands and protect the pristine environment from human impact.

The Program, through its QPWS officers, have a significant commitment to maintaining facilities such as public moorings, reef protection markers, camping, picnic areas and amenities, walking tracks and lookouts. More than $2.6 million each year is allocated to infrastructure management and maintenance.

Most island national parks have further information online at Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM). Here you can obtain information about the natural and cultural values, as well as the facilities of the island you are visiting.

Some islands in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area are Commonwealth Islands that are subject to private lease arrangements, defence activities or are managed by a caretaker. These islands have additional management arrangements in place.

Natural and cultural resource protection

The Program addresses the long-term management of resources to protect sensitive areas through a range of activities. This includes:

• Installing public moorings at many popular reefs and bays within Great Barrier Reef Marine Park World Heritage Area to reduce the impact of anchoring on coral reefs. Public moorings should be used where possible to help prevent anchor damage.
• No Anchoring markers to protect fragile reef areas. These are marked by white pyramid shaped buoys with blue Marine Park labels and indicate that no anchoring is allowed inshore of the line of buoys. More information about moorings is available under tourism and recreational management.
• QPWS officers actively manage pest plants and feral animals through Pest Management Plans and a Pest Management System. This facilitates pest management planning and provides a guide to on-ground pest management activities on the islands of the Great Barrier Reef. Pest plants, feral animals and erosion can deteriorate the natural values of the Great Barrier Reef islands.
• Planned burning is practiced on many Great Barrier Reef islands to either reduce the level of fuel to decrease wildfire incidence and protect facilities, or conserve and promote natural ecosystems and processes. QPWS officers Fire Management Program is guided by a comprehensive Fire Management System, which provides processes and guidelines on the planning, implementation and monitoring of fire management.
• Oil spills and vessels hitting the reef are a constant threat to the Marine Park. The Program supports efforts to avoid accidents occurring. Staff are trained to respond to pollution spills and vessel groundings to minimise damage and care for oiled wildlife and habitats.

Marine Park permits 

Many activities in the Marine Park require a marine park permit. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority operates a joint Marine Park permit system with the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management. This ensures permit consistency between the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the Great Barrier Reef (Coast) Marine Park. To protect the cultural and natural resources of the Marine Park, you should always check the zoning plan for the area you plan to visit, to see if your planned activity is allowed and whether it requires a permit. Tourist operations, commercial and recreational camping and traditional hunting in areas without a Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreement (TUMRA) are just some of the activities that require a permit.