Proposed Marine National Park

GRADE

Comments

WESTAWAYS CREEK (MNP01)
Habitat for Green turtles and nursery area for fish
Ramsar site (internationally significant and important area for migratory shorebirds)

A

Fully meets expectations

TRIPCONY BIGHT (MNP02)
Habitat for dugongs, green turtles and wader birds
Important habitat for commercially fished species
Nursery area for fish, invertebrates, sharks and rays

A

Fully meets expectations

NORTHERN WEDGE (MNP03)

A

Fully meets expectations

FLINDERS REEF (MNP04)
Highest coral abundance in the Marine Park with over 120 species

C

Substantial changes needed to be acceptable

Significant amendment required. Needs extension north to Hutchison Shoal and south to Smith Rock - along the reef. (include the wreck of the Marietta Dal)

CAPE MORETON (MNP05)
Rocky headland
Whale/dolphin area
Important for tourism

D
FAIL

Problem – edge effect is too high and will offset any conservation benefits for green zones. Area needs to be at least doubled in size and extended to the north and east to reduce the edge effect.

HEATH ISLAND (MNP06)
Shorebird habitat

B

Falls short of expectations - Some modification is needed

Needs to be extended

BRAYDON BEACH (MNP07)

A

Fully meets expectations

DEEP OFFSHORE (MNP08)
Offshore reefs

B

Falls short of expectations - Some modification is needed

To receive an A rating it would need to be extended or replicated elsewhere as it does not meet bare minimum overall targets of 10%

DECEPTION BAY (MNP09)
Nursery area for juvenile fish and invertebrates

B

Falls short of expectations - Some modification is needed

Needs to extend south to the mouth of Caboolture River as the northern shores are an important shorebird site.

CHERUB’S (MNP10) CAVE/HENDERSON ROCK Grey nurse shark habitat
Habitat for hawksbill turtles and bottlenose dolphins

B

Falls short of expectations - Some modification is needed

Needs to encompass China Wall to the north to accommodate potential Grey Nurse Shark critical habitat. Could also be contiguous with Moreton Island National Park.

HAYS INLET (MNP11)
Nursery area for fish and invertebrates
Critical habitat for shorebirds
Ramsar site

A

Fully meets expectations

SCOTT’S POINT (MNP12)
Rocky shore
Important habitat for shorebirds and Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphins

A

Fully meets expectations

BRAMBLE BAY (MNP13)
Near Boondal Wetlands
Important habitat for shorebirds and Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphins habitat

A

Fully meets expectations

MIDDLE MORETON BAY (MNP14) (Part of Eastern Banks) Protecting bioturbated sand, mud and seagrass (very deep 15-20m)

B

Falls short of expectations - Some modification is needed

Should extend east include the shallow water habitats around Crab Is (to link shallow and deep water communities)

CRAB ISLAND (MNP15)
Mangroves only protected

C

Substantial changes needed to be acceptable

Area fails to include the seagrass meadows, shorebird feeding sites and nursery areas for sting rays. Needs to include Blue Hole to the north, Henderson’s Gutter to the East (excluding current oyster leases, anchorage and township of Kooringal), Coonungai Bank to the west, Moreton Bank to the south. Crab Island is at the heart of the jewel of Moreton Bay and needs to be massively expanded to pick up the range of biological features in the area. Eg: extensive seagrass meadows, fish nursery areas, shorebird roosting and feedings sites (Ramsar values)

MIRRAPOOL ISLANDS & OFFSHORE AREA (MNP16)
Shorebirds
Ramsar

B

Falls short of expectations - Some modification is needed

Mirrapool protection, but inclusion of the South Passage Bar has questionable conservation benefit. Area east of South Passage Bar has some conservation benefit.

ST. HELENA ISLAND (MNP17)
Critical shorebird habitat. Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, dugongs, 6 habitat types, turtle area on western side. Compliments the National Park

A

Fully meets expectations

FLAT ROCK (MNP18)
Endangered grey nurse critical habitat, Hawksbill turtle habitat.

B

Falls short of expectations - Some modification is needed

Needs an extra 500m extension in radius to meet minimum critical habitat requirements for GNS

WANGA WALLEN BANKS (MNP19)
Shorebirds, nursery area for juvenile fish and invertebartes, inc prawns. Important habitat for green and loggerhead turtles.

C

Substantial changes needed to be acceptable

Area was originally proposed as Myora Wanga Wallen Banks and should connect to Myora Point to the south to take in the high value shallow seagrass meadows (excluding current oyster leases). The split of MNP 19 and 21 has weakened the integrity of both proposals.

AMITY BANKS (MNP20)
Very important turtle and dugong area

C

Substantial changes needed to be acceptable

Insufficient protection and needs to be extended east to include all of Amity Banks (to the western side of the Rainbow Channel), south to the Douglas light, north to include the Warragamba Bank, Rous Channel and Moreton Banks.
The eastern Banks complex is the ‘jewel in the crown’ with the highest diversity of turtles, dugongs, the healthiest seagrass meadows, and diversity of seabed fauna in the Marine Park.

MYORA REEF (MNP21)

C

Substantial changes needed to be acceptable

The shape of this MNP is impractical and vulnerable to edge effects, particularly around the anchorage. Boundary is too close to the corals and should be extended north to the Western Cardinal, taking in the anchorage. This proposed area needs to be connected with Wanga Wallen Banks and Amity MNP proposal to the north (as per original EPA proposal). This proposal would take in the high value shallow seagrass meadows (excluding current oyster leases). The split of MNP 19 and 21 has weakened the integrity of both proposals.

PEEL ISLAND (MNP22)
Important coral habitat. Green turtle, dugong and bottle nose dolpin habitat. Important habitat for shorebirds.

C

Substantial changes needed to be acceptable

Peel Island is the jewel in the crown for inshore coral reefs. The zoning needs to be extended to the south-west and south between the Spit, around South-West Rocks, and north to the southern end of Horseshoe Bay. These areas are very high in coral cover and are offered no protection in the draft plan. The integrity of the MNP zone is compromised by the exclusion of the Lazarete Gutter on the north side of the island, allowing fishing intrusion into the heart of the MPN zone.

COX BANK (MNP23)
Shorebird habitat, inshore algae sponge habitat, mangrove, river, estuarine

A

Fully meets expectations

PRICE ANCHORAGE (MNP24)
Dugong, green turtle, indo-Pacific humpback dolphin habitat, Ramsar site

B

Falls short of expectations - Some modification is needed

Needs to include Pelican Banks to the west, as per original EPA proposal. Pelican Banks is important turtle habitat.

OFFSHORE NORTH STRADBROKE (MNP25)
offshore sandy

C

Substantial changes needed to be acceptable

This MNP is a large size but the exclusion of active shoreline zone and the intertidal wildlife and surf zone (which is part of the same sandy habitat) compromises the integrity of this proposal.

LAMB ISLAND (MNP26)
habitat for dugongs and green turtles. Mangrove areas and sandy channels, Ramsar site

A

Fully meets expectations

PANNIKIN ISLAND (MNP27) mangrove island habitat. Important area for dugong

A

Fully meets expectations

WILLES ISLAND (MNP28)
Black mangrove, which is at the southern most limit of its distribution, nursery habitat for fish and invertebrates, green turtle habitat, Ramsar site

A

Fully meets expectations

COBBY COBBY ISLAND (MNP29)
Habitat for juvenile and adult fish and invertebrates, Ramsar site, compliments the national park

B

Falls short of expectations - Some modification is needed

This proposal would be greatly enhanced by including the relatively inaccessible Mosquito and Short Islands to the south. These are significant mangrove and shorebird feeding and roosting habitats. As the draft plan offers very little protection for channels between islands (where turtles retreat to in low tides), the inclusion of the Cobby Passage in this MNP would be of immense ecological value.

SWAN BAY/ NEVER NEVER CREEK (MNP30)
Mangrove and sandy channels, critical habitat for waders, nursery area for fish, invertebrates, and habitat for commercially important fish species, Ramsar site,

A

Fully meets expectations

McCOYS CREEK (MNP31)
Riverine estuarine, nursery area

A

Fully meets expectations

OFFSHORE SOUTH STRADBROKE (MNP32)
High energy coastal habitat, nesting grounds for loggerhead turtle

A

Fully meets expectations

COOMBABAH LAKE (MNP33) important habitat for migratory shorebirds, imp habitat for juvenile fish and invertebrates, formed at least 5.5 - 6 000 yrs ago, so geologically important. Ramsar site.

A

Fully meets expectations

EASTERN BANKS (aka TURTLE BANKS)
Includes Amity Banks – east
Moreton Banks
Warrangamba Bank
Boolong Bank
Coonungah Bank
Rous Channel

D
FAIL

FAIL - Is not protected in draft plan

This is the ‘jewel in the crown’ and the most critical habitat for turtles and dugongs in Moreton Bay Marine Park. It has very high Ramsar values for migratory and resident wader birds. The area is of incredibly high ecological value. The Government’s own Healthy Waterways program rates this area very highly.

MANTA RAY BOMMIES
North-east of Point Lookout, Stradbroke Is, adjacent to Dune Rock (north of Frenchman’s Bay)

D
FAIL

FAIL - Is not protected in draft plan

Aggregation area and cleaning station for manta rays (which are threatened in many parts of the world). Habitat for a variety of shark species including shovel-nose sharks and other rays. Habitat for large fish species such as groper, sweet lips and snapper. Manta Ray Bommies are also incredibly important to Brisbane’s commercial and recreational dive community. It is also an internationally recognised tourist destination during the manta ray festival and is an important education site for local school snorkelling groups.

FLINDERS REEF NORTH AND SOUTH
Important coral habitat

D
FAIL

FAIL - Is not protected in draft plan

The current Flinders Reef MNP proposal (MNP04) needs extension north to Hutchison Shoal and south to Smith Rock - along the reef (including the wreck of the Marietta Dal)

PEEL ISLAND CORALS
Important coral habitat. Green turtle, dugong and bottle nose dolpin habitat. Imp habitat for shorebirds.

D
FAIL

FAIL - Is not protected in draft plan

Peel Island is a jewel in the crown for inshore coral reefs. The zoning needs to be extended to the south-west and south between the Spit, around South-West Rocks, and north to the southern end of Horseshoe Bay. These areas are very high in coral cover and are offered no protection in the draft plan.

BIRD AND GOAT ISLANDS
Important shorebird roosting site, coral habitat

D
FAIL

FAIL - Is not protected in draft plan

Important coral communities that need protection in the face of climate change

WATERLOO BAY
South of Manly, north of Wellington Point.

D
FAIL

FAIL - Is not protected in draft plan

Waterloo Bay is the only embayment on the western side of Moreton Bay that supports corals, macro-algae and extensive, healthy seagrass beds. Dugongs also frequent this area from time to time. It is one of the healthiest embayments on the western side of the Park

ORMISTON
North of Raby Bay, including Empire Point, Hilliards Creek, and the Geoff Skinner Wetlands
Contains mangrove/intertidal habitat, relic fringing reef, seagrass, riverine/estuarine Shorebird feeding site and critical shorebird habitat.

D
FAIL

FAIL - Is not protected in draft plan

The relic reef at Ormiston foreshore is of significant geological interest and ecological importance, representing a significant fringing reef that existed 3000-6000 yrs ago and today is a site of a developing coral community. The area is also known as an intensive dugong feeding area, particularly from Empire Point to the mouth of Hilliards Creek.