The Cairns Area Plan of Management was gazetted in 1998 after being prepared in accordance with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975. A number of areas within the Cairns Planning Area required detailed site planning to provide for a balance between recreational and commercial access; in particular determining the most suitable locations for a series of Reef Anchorages and the number of moorings that would be appropriate at particular sites.

Site planning occurred progressively and draft plans were presented for comment to all the interested parties. Site Plans for Lizard Island Localities 2 and 3 were finalised in August 1999, while the remaining draft plans were discussed at site planning meetings held in Cairns and Port Douglas in December 2000. All comments received were considered in the preparation of the site plans, which were finalised in August 2001. The changes, which occurred as a result of the site planning process, were incorporated into the Cairns Area Plan of Management as part of the amendment process in 2001-2002. The Frankland Islands site plan was completed in 2006.

Important Note:
With the implementation of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Zoning Plan and associated Regulations, some of the information contained in these site plans has been superseded – you should refer to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Zoning Plan for the most up to date information. In addition, as part of amendments to the Cairns Area Plan of Management, which came into effect in 2004, the number of passengers at particular Locations and Reef Anchorages has increased. These sites are Opal and Upolu Reefs and Moore Reef Locality 2. These changes have been noted on the respective Site Plans.

Site Plans

Lizard Island Sector

• Lizard Island Locality 2 
  
  
• Lizard Island Locality 3 
  
  

Offshore Port Douglas Sector

• Opal Reef    
          
  
• Tongue Reef  
              
  
• Agincourt Reefs      
      
  

Offshore Cairns Sector

• Norman Reef  
              
  
• Michaelmas Cay Locality  
   
  
• Upolu Cay Reef
  
  
• Green Island Locality 1  
    
  
• Hastings Reef Locality 1   
  
  
• Briggs Reef   
                 
  

South Offshore Cairns Sector

• Flynn Reef 
  
  
• Milln Reef 
  
  
• Moore Reef Locality 2  
  
  

Frankland Islands Sector

• Frankland Islands (Normanby, Russell and Round)