Consultation on proposed amendments to the protected area estate

Closed: 13 February 2026 11.59pm
Topic: Queensland parks and wildlife
Type: Public notice and consultation
Region: Tropical North Queensland

The Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation is proposing to make a number of amendments to the protected area estate and is seeking views in consideration of the Human Rights Act 2019, including Aboriginal peoples’ and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ cultural rights.

The Cape York Peninsula Tenure Resolution Program (CYPTRP) is proposing to progress amendments to the Nature Conservation (Protected Areas) Regulation 1994 and Nature Conservation (Protected Areas Management) Regulation 2024 to upgrade most of two existing national parks and most of one resources reserve to national park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal land), dedicate three parcels of land as national park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal land), upgrade one conservation park to national park and declare one nature refuge.

The amendments to be made are as follows:
Nature Conservation (Protected Areas) Regulation 1994

Tenure	Local Government Area	Details of proposal
Endeavour River National Park	Cook Shire	Change class: of most of Endeavour River National Park to be part of Waalmbaal Birri (Endeavour River) National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land). Redescribe: Endeavour River National Park as lot 5 on SP320140, containing an area of 9.408 hectares.
Mount Cook National Park	Cook Shire	Change class: of the entirety of Mount Cook National Park (formerly National Park 142, County of Banks) to be part of Waymbuurr (Mount Cook) National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land).
Keatings Lagoon Conservation Park	Cook Shire	Change class: of the entirety of Keatings Lagoon Conservation Park to be part of Keatings Lagoon National Park.
Keatings Lagoon National Park	Cook Shire	Dedicate: lot 97 on CP896130, containing an area of 46.7ha as Keatings Lagoon National Park.
Endeavour River Resources Reserve	Cook Shire	Redescribe: Endeavour River Resources Reserve as lot 1 on SP320140, containing an area of 2.077ha. Note: the balance of Endeavour River Resources Reserve, described as part of lot 2 on CP867124 and lot 3 on CP867124, containing an area of 37.689 hectares, will be dedicated as Waalmbaal Birri (Endeavour River) National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land).
Waymbuurr (Mount Cook) National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land)	Cook Shire	Dedicate: lots 10 and 142 on SP344578 and lot 9 on SP344592 containing an area of 715.958 hectares as Waymbuurr (Mount Cook) National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land).
Waalmbaal Birri (Endeavour River) National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land)	Cook Shire	Dedicate: lot 3 on CP867124, lots 6, 7 and 206 on SP320140, containing an area of 2,157.898 hectares as Waalmbaal Birri (Endeavour River) National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land).
Gungaarr Nature Refuge	Cook Shire	Declare: the entirety of lot 3 and part of lots 4 and 5 on SP344593 shown on plan PA1198, containing an area of about 4.12 hectares as the new Gungaarr Nature Refuge.

The amendments to be made are as follows:
Nature Conservation (Protected Areas Management) Regulation 2024

Protected Area Reference and Schedule	Local Government Area	Details of proposal
Mount Cook, Schedule 3	Cook Shire	Redescribe: from Mount Cook National Park—the part identified as ‘Mt Cook QPS QAS SES’ on administrative plan LPF/10739. to Waymbuurr (Mount Cook) National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land)—the part identified as ‘Mt Cook QPS QAS SES’ on administrative plan LPF/10739.
Endeavour River National Park, Schedule 5	Cook Shire	Redescribe Endeavour River National Park, all parts; to Waalmbaal Birri (Endeavour River) National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land), all parts.

Protected Area Reference and Schedule

Local Government Area

Details of proposal

Mount Cook, Schedule 3

Cook Shire

Redescribe:

from Mount Cook National Park—the part identified as ‘Mt Cook QPS QAS SES’ on administrative plan LPF/10739.

Waymbuurr (Mount Cook) National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land)—the part identified as ‘Mt Cook QPS QAS SES’ on administrative plan LPF/10739.

Endeavour River National Park, Schedule 5

Cook Shire

Redescribe

Endeavour River National Park, all parts; to Waalmbaal Birri (Endeavour River) National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land), all parts.

Comment regarding the proposed amendment to the protected area estate must be in writing and directed to CYPTRPTenure@detsi.qld.gov.au or the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation, Cape York Peninsula Tenure Resolution Program, PO Box 4597, Cairns, QLD, 4870.

Comments received by 13 February 2026 will be considered by the department.

Amendments to the protected area estate under the Nature Conservation (Protected Areas) Regulation 1994 and the Nature Conservation (Protected Areas Management) Regulation 2024 are administered by the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation.