This review is related to the future of The Spit and Gecko will be actively involved informing the community and making submissions to the Dept. of Environment and Science. Currently Moreton Bay Marine Park’s southern boundary is the northern Seaway wall and the west takes in some of the Broadwater.
The review is in 2 stages, with Stage 1 simply being a roll-over of the current zoning plans to ensure the Park retains its protection while extensive community consultation takes place in Stage 2.
A discussion paper will be released by the Dept. of Environment and Science around October 2019 with calls for public submissions.
Keep an eye on Gecko’s Facebook and website for the discussion paper that we expect around October/ November, so you can have your say. Gecko will post some points you might like to include.
Gecko will be making a submission and included in that will be a call for the southern boundary of the Marine Park to be extended south to take in Curlew Island and Curlew Banks. The reason for this is to provide protection for the shorebirds and migratory birds that use Curlew Island for feeding and roosting after their incredible journeys of many thousands of kilometres from Siberia.
At present this small island is not even recognised as land and has no protection from boaties and their dogs and visitor invasions which disturb the exhausted birds.
It has taken many years of persistent and informed advocacy by Bob Westerman, the shorebird ‘s friend, to get Curlew Island recognised as an essential stop over place for the migratory birds which are protected under the several international conventions to which Australia is a signatory.
The other area that need protection by extending the southern boundary of the Marine Park is the incredible marine biodiversity of the Seaway and adjacent areas. Thanks to the indefatigable efforts of diver Ian Banks, over 500 marine species are recognised, documented and recorded by the Queensland Museum in the Seaway. In addition there are frequent visits of Humpback whales, turtles, dolphins and dugong into the Broadwater which is amazing for an area in the midst of the most highly urbanised area on the Gold Coast. All of these creatures deserve better protection and at present there is none.
