Gumoo Woojabuddee Section - More Information

What is a zoning plan?

A zoning plan, like a town plan, specifies how a particular site can be used. Marine parks are divided into a number of zones each representing a different level of resource use and protection. This allows the separation of activities which may conflict with each other and protects particularly sensitive areas.

Planning a marine park - how zoning plans and boundaries are determined

The process to be followed is: [wader graphic]

Place public notices seeking public comment on issues and proposed management.
Receive and consider public comments on the area.
Prepare a draft zoning plan and issue it for public comment.
Receive and consider public comments on draft zoning plan.
Amend zoning plan if necessary.
Finalise zoning plan and submit for ministerial and parliamentary approval.
Publish the zoning plan and bring it into effect.

Natural values

[dugong graphic] The lack of development adjacent to the Gumoo Woojabuddee Section and its remoteness from major population centres has meant that its marine and coastal habitats have remained relatively pristine. The area has a range of productive and diverse communities including mangroves, seagrass beds, intertidal mudflats and fringing reefs.

These communities provide important food resources and habitats for a range of animals including commercial fish species. In addition, the area provides a refuge for vulnerable or endangered wildlife such as dugongs, marine turtles and shorebirds.

Cultural values

Numerous archaeological sites of cultural significance to the Darumbal Aboriginal people have been identified in coastal dunes and rocky headlands bordering the Gumoo Woojabuddee Section. These include shell middens, stone quarries, ceremonial sites and campsites. The Darumbal Aboriginal people have strong spiritual and cultural ties with this area.

Port Clinton also contains a number of important sites associated with early European exploration including places visited or named by Captain Cook and Matthew Flinders.

Defence use

The northern part of the Gumoo Woojabuddee Section is within the Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area where the Department of Defence hosts exercises conducted by Australian and overseas defence forces. These include amphibious landings of personnel and equipment at Freshwater Bay, use of Port Clinton waterways for rafting and bridge training and low level overflights by aircraft.

Fishing

[fisher graphic] Commercial fisheries in the area are based on prawns, finfish and crabs. Banana, tiger, king and endeavour prawns are trawled along the Byfield coast and in the mouth of Port Clinton. A variety of fishing methods are used to catch blue salmon, shark, barramundi, mullet and grey mackerel throughout the area. As Port Clinton has been designated a Zone 'A' dugong protection area, foreshore and offshore set and drift nets are no longer permitted in that part of the zoning area. Mud crabs are the most important crab species fished in Port Clinton. Sand and spanner crabs are caught in Port Clinton and along the Byfield coast.

Tourism and Recreation

Tourism is limited in the zoning area because it is remote and land access to the defence training area is prohibited without a permit. In addition, access by sea may be restricted during defence activities. Current tourist operations include four-wheel drive day-trips to the beach at Five Rocks and chartered fishing trips along the coast and into Port Clinton.

[yacht graphic] Four-wheel driving, fishing and camping are popular recreational activities on the Byfield coast south of the military training area boundary. Boats can be launched at Corio Bay and Stockyard Point, but generally only larger recreational vessels and passing yachts visit the more remote areas. These vessels generally visit Port Clinton which is a popular and sheltered anchorage.