Whether you know it by name or not, the Great Sandy Marine Park is a large and very important part of Queensland’s gorgeous natural landscape. From the northern reaches at Baffle Creek to the southern end at Double Island Point, these expansive waters are home to some of our state’s most wonderful but threatened species. Because it’s such a red-hot spot, it makes sense that the park sees a lot of action — but sometimes you can love something a little too much.

While certain human and climate activity has started to impact the Great Sandy Marine Park, actions including rezoning can help to mitigate these impacts. Zoning helps clearly define sections of the park, what activities are allowed in each section, plus how much protection is needed to keep the ecosystem happy.

A new zoning plan for the Great Sandy Marine Park commenced 21 May 2024 following a comprehensive review aimed at increasing the long-term conservation of marine life and their habitats. So how does zoning work exactly? Let’s dive in.

The Great Sandy Marine Park at a glance

So, what exactly is the Great Sandy Marine Park? In a nutshell, it’s approximately 6,000 square kilometres of biodiverse magic that spans the waters of Hervey Bay, Great Sandy Strait, and Tin Can Inlet, plus the waters off the east coast of K’gari (formerly Fraser Island). Its resume is chock-full of super-impressive stats, including:

• culturally significant sea Country
• 22 threatened species
• 23 habitat types
• 2 areas of international significance
• 11 declared fish habitat areas.

As you can see, that’s a whole lot of stuff worth protecting!

The rationale behind the rezoning

When you’ve got a good (albeit fragile) thing, it makes sense to keep it safe — which is why the Great Sandy Marine Park was rezoned 2024. The whole point of a marine park is to strike a balance between what’s best for the natural environment and what’s best for the humans that want to use and enjoy it. Unfortunately, sometimes this balance gets thrown off-kilter — factors like climate change, population growth, pollution, and increasing use mean that it was important to reassess how to keep the Great Sandy Marine Park healthy and thriving.

So, what’s at stake? If use of the Great Sandy Marine Park were to continue with the zoning established in 2006, there would have been a hefty impact on its biodiversity and critical species. Due to the new and increased threats mentioned above, it was important to reassess zoning – this helps us get ahead of the curve and protect both the flora and fauna of the Marine Park.

Letting Queenslanders shape their own future

One of the trickiest parts of creating an effective zoning plan is balancing different uses – which is why the process for the Great Sandy Marine Park zoning plan review placed such a heavy emphasis on consultation. The Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation consulted with the community, First Nations peoples, local councils, scientists, and key stakeholder groups on the zoning arrangements in the marine park – and more than 6,500 pieces of feedback were received!

Online surveys revealed strong community support for most of the key proposals given effect in the rezoning. The majority of respondents agreed that marine park habitats needed more protection – this means folks threw their support behind expanding the Marine National Park, Conservation Park, and Habitat Protection zones.

What’s in it for you?

There are so many benefits involved for Queenslanders at large and the local communities of the park’s areas. We’ve highlighted a couple of things from the updated zoning plan.

Better recreational experiences

Whether you’re into boating, snorkelling, surfing or stand-up paddle boarding, all these activities rely on one thing — a healthy, thriving aquatic environment. The zoning changes in the Great Sandy Marine Park will help our waters stay in tip-top condition for all these splash-centric pursuits. The recreational fishing scene is also going to be stronger than ever as large areas of the Marine Park, including the Great Sandy Strait, ditch large mesh commercial gill nets for good. There’s also new and upgraded infrastructure in the works to level up your casting experience — we’re talking more boat ramps and even artificial reefs!

A stronger economic outlook

We know how much people love coming to visit, so it’s in our best interests to keep it that way. Making sure the Great Sandy Marine Park looks beaut and functions properly in the long-term is an investment in our economy — so when folks come to lap up our enviable lifestyle, there’s plenty for them to see and do.

Connect with Country and culture

Our First Nations people are the original custodians of the marine park’s land and waters – and their authority and expertise are needed to care for Country. The updated zoning plan will help create an environment that respects First Nations peoples’ rights to connect to Country, as well as provide the opportunity to preserve their connections to these sacred spaces.

What’s in it for Mother Nature?

Much like humans, nature often needs proper boundaries to heal from being overwhelmed – and the positive flow-on effects that come from this are plentiful. We've picked a handful of the most exciting environmental benefits to expect in the wake of the rezoning.

Healthier habitats

Our natural environment is under a lot of stress, but rezoning the Great Sandy Marine Park will give it some much-needed room to regenerate. Marine National Park and Conservation Park zones were extended — this means close to 30% of the overall area of the marine park will be tightly guarded against things like fishing that disrupt these sensitive habitats.

Relief for the animals

Zoning plan changes will help a number of animals that call the Great Sandy Marine Park home. There are brand-new Seasonal Shorebird Closure Areas to protect our feathered friends as they roost, more room for critically endangered grey nurse sharks to breed, plenty of new and improved “Go Slow” areas to safeguard turtles and dugongs from boats, plus plenty more perks that come with a more protected environment.

Less strain on natural resources

Wear and tear isn’t just about seeing the soles of your sneakers get thinner — it applies to our natural habitats and ecosystems too. The removal of commercial large mesh gill nets from significant waterways in the marine park will keep tonnes of fish in the water and support a more naturally functioning ecosystem.

Doing our part for the parks

By drawing on the classic Queensland spirit of community and resilience, we can all chip in and do our part to protect our precious natural spaces. If you’re planning a trip to the area, be sure to brush up on care and safety rules for Queensland parks and familiarise yourself with the new zoning plan.

Keen to take a deep dive into the subject? Check out more details about the Great Sandy Marine Park zoning plan review outcomes. You can also stay up to date on all things environment by following our Facebook and Instagram.