Whitsunday and Mackay Islands Visitor Management Strategy ...

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Strategy overview 3.1 Conservation values 3.2 Management environment Whitsunday and Mackay Islands Visitor Management Strategy The Great Barrier Reef was declared a World Heritage Area in 1981. It is internationally recognised for its outstanding natural values, and one of only a few sites nominated for all four natural criteria (refer to www.environment.gov.au/ heritage/worldheritage/sites/gbr/values.html). Although coral reefs initially made the area famous, it comprises an extraordinary variety of other plant and animal communities, including fringing coastal reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, sandy and coral cays, sandy or muddy bottom communities, continental islands and deep open ocean areas. The Whitsunday and Mackay islands are visually attractive with rugged landforms, varied geology, sandy beaches and fringing reefs. Significant natural values are represented, including the highest vegetation diversity recorded for any of the Great Barrier Reef continental islands, with nearly 1000 native plant species (including 20 that are rare and threatened). Diverse plant communities such as lowland vine forest, eucalypt woodland, Pisonia forest and grassland are present. Wildlife is rich and varied and includes 31 mammal, more than 200 bird and over 50 reptile species. Several beaches are important nesting sites for green and loggerhead turtles. The planning area is also culturally significant. Aboriginal people inhabited Whitsunday and Mackay islands for more than 6000 years. Today, evidence of this early occupation includes shell middens, fish traps, stone quarries and rock art. Much of the coast and near-shore islands, cays and reefs have special cultural meaning for Traditional Owners, fulfilling a significant role in their traditional and contemporary lifestyles. Hill Inlet, for example is of particular spiritual importance. The islands also contain cultural heritage resources that are evidence of more recent island occupation and use, including shipwrecks, tramways, fencelines and buildings. Visitor use of national parks and beaches is regulated and managed by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), an entity of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and Marine Parks Act 2004. The EPA has developed the Mackay- Whitsunday Regional Coastal Management Plan, which covers the coastal zone and provides direction on how coastal resources in the region will be protected and managed in the future. GBRMPA manages the establishment, control, care and development of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and World Heritage Area through the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park includes all waters to the low tide mark. Visitor use of state waters and the intertidal zone is managed by the Queensland Government in a complementary manner under the Marine Parks Act 2004 and the Marine Parks (Great Barrier Reef Coast) Zoning Plan 2004. Local government has important responsibilities in how the planning area is developed and used. Tourism Queensland and regional tourism organisations market the area as a tourist destination on behalf of local and regional tourism businesses. Commercial operators, resorts and other park neighbours play a critical role in presenting the parks and providing infrastructure and services. 3.3 Visitor environment The islands form a significant part of the Mackay and Whitsunday regions, two of Australia’s most attractive holiday destinations. The regions are popular with domestic and international visitors who come to visit iconic locations such as Whitehaven Beach. The regions are also an important component of the Brisbane–Cairns touring route for travellers exploring the Queensland coast.
Tourism trends The Mackay region (between Laguna Quays and Sarina) recorded 684,000 visitors in the 2005–2006 financial year: 42,000 international and 642,000 domestic visitors. By 2016, Tourism Queensland predicts that the Mackay region will host 853,000 visitors. The Whitsunday region (between Bowen and Laguna Quays) recorded 788,000 visitors in the 2005-2006 financial year: 208,000 international and 580,000 domestic visitors. By 2016 it is predicted that the Whitsunday region will host 1,050,000 visitors. Tourism contributed an estimated $314 million to gross national product and accounted for 12 percent of all employment in the Mackay and Whitsunday regions (Tourism Queensland, 1998/99 data). In the Whitsunday region, 34.4 percent of the shire’s workers are employed in tourism enterprises. The area contains Australia’s largest group of charter boat operators, with an annual turnover in excess of $100 million, along with more than 760 commercially registered boats. Recreation trends National park islands and beaches are used by residents for nature-based activities such as camping, bush walking, scenic viewing, swimming, snorkelling, birdwatching and beach activities. The Mackay and Whitsunday regions have current populations of 114,000 and 29,000 respectively, with significant residential growth occurring in both places. By 2016, these regions are predicted to have an additional 20,000 and 7000 residents respectively. The Whitsunday region offers some of the world’s best boat cruising opportunities, with sheltered waters and many safe anchorages. In the Mackay and Whitsunday area, recreational boat registrations (an indicator of how many residents access offshore islands) numbered 14,077 in 2004, growing annually by between 10 and 20 percent. The area currently has about 850 marina berths, a figure estimated to double in the next few years. Visitor use of marine parks and national park islands No comprehensive figures exist for visitor use of the planning area. Visitor use estimates can be derived from the GBRMPA Environmental Management Charge (EMC) data, QPWS Commercial Activity Permit returns and QPWS camping data. General figures are provided in Table 3.3.1. Future visitor levels to islands in the planning area will be influenced by both domestic and international tourism patterns and residential growth. Strategy overview Table 3.3.1 Visitor use of Whitsunday and Mackay marine parks and islands Estimate type 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Visitor days to marine park 1 533,930 661,853 998,087 890,529 796,291 776,885 Change (%) from previous year 24 51 -11 -11 -2 Visitors to national park islands 2 72,000 3 84,000 4 94,000 5 not available not available not available Change (%) from previous year -- 14 11 Camping on national park islands (Camper nights) not available not available not available 10,551 12,446 12,885 Change (%) from previous year -- 15 3 Notes: 1. Visitor days to marine park in the Whitsunday area via commercial tour operators (EMC data, GBRMPA) 2. Number of visitors using commercial tour operators to access national park islands, not beaches (data from QPWS Commercial Activity Permit returns) 3. Data is for 2002/03 4. Data is for 2003/04 5. Data is for 2004/05 Camping at Crayfish Beach, Hook Island Lookout from South Molle Island Bushwalking at Tongue Point
Page 1 and 2: Visitor Management Strategy Whitsun
Page 3 and 4: Table of contents 1 Executive summa
Page 5 and 6: Recreational boating at Hook Island
Page 7: MAP 1 Planning area locality Introd
Page 11 and 12: Hill Inlet Planning approach “ T
Page 13 and 14: Table 5.1 Setting High use Moderate
Page 15 and 16: Table 5.3 Visitor use permitted wit
Page 17 and 18: Cid Harbour Views of Shaw Island fr
Page 19 and 20: Table 6.3 Significant capital inves
Page 21 and 22: Management strategies » » » Conc
Page 23 and 24: Whitsunday Island » » » Table 6.
Page 25 and 26: Table 6.5.1 Future camping manageme
Page 27 and 28: 6.6 Resorts and developments The fo
Page 29 and 30: 6.8 Education and information 6.9 W
Page 31 and 32: Strategy review and evaluation This
Page 33 and 34: Acknowledgements This Visitor Manag

Whitsunday and Mackay Islands Visitor Management Strategy ...

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