Marine park permits and activities

You may need a permit for activities in a marine park.

Marine parks established over tidal lands and waters protect and conserve the values of the natural marine environment while allowing for its sustainable use. They protect habitats including mangrove wetlands, seagrass beds, mudflats, sandbanks, beaches, rocky outcrops and fringing reefs.

The three state marine parks in Queensland are:

• Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park
• Great Sandy Marine Park
• Moreton Bay Marine Park

In the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, permits for activities which involve both the Commonwealth Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the State Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park are issued under a joint permit assessment process administered by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) in consultation with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS). In this area, zoning is complementary, with matching requirements for both the State and Commonwealth marine parks.

Marine park zoning plans describe activities that can occur with or without permission and those that are prohibited. Most visitors to a marine park will not require a permit for recreational activities. Applicants should check the relevant marine park zoning plan first to determine whether permission (a marine park permit) is required to enter or use zones and/or designated areas for their activity. A marine park permission cannot be inconsistent with the provisions of a zoning plan.

As a general guide, the following activities require a marine park permit:

• tourism programs
• vessel or aircraft charter operations
• educational programs
• research
• aquaculture operations that do not involve the addition of feed
• media activities that may have environmental impacts
• flying an aircraft
• operating a hovercraft
• anchoring and mooring for an extended period
• works including building or removing structures such as jetties, boat ramps or sea walls
• extraction and mining activities.

Permission may also be required for any other activity likely to have more than a negligible impact on marine park values.

Permits help marine park managers to:

• limit impacts on high-use and sensitive areas
• separate potentially conflicting activities
• collect data for management plans
• monitor activities that may potentially damage marine parks
• provide guidelines for activities
• encourage all marine park users to behave responsibly.

It is important that you refer to the relevant marine park zoning plan for specific information about your activity.

• Moreton Bay Marine Park – Marine Parks (Moreton Bay) Zoning Plan 2019
• Great Sandy Marine Park – Marine Parks (Great Sandy) Zoning Plan 2024
• Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park - Marine Parks (Great Barrier Reef Coast) Zoning Plan 2004

Applying for a permit

Before applying for a permit find out the supporting documentation requirements, timeframes and the fees applied to various activities and works programs. QPWS also offers a free pre-lodgement service which can be accessed by completing a Pre-lodgement enquiry form.

Additional approvals that may be required

There are times when you may need a permit other than a marine park permit to undertake your activity in a marine park.

Authority to conduct commercial activities in a Recreation Area

If you want to run a business, like a tourism program, in a recreation area managed by QPWS you will also need a separate commercial activity permit or agreement. Recreation areas generally overlap with state marine parks in the area between the high-water mark and low water mark. Recreation areas include K’gari (Fraser Island), Mulgumpin (Moreton Island), Bribie Island, Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island), Cooloola, and Green Island.

For the location of recreation areas and national parks in Queensland visit Find a park or camping area.

Authority to conduct research involving protected species

Permission is required under the Nature Conservation (Animals) Regulation 2020 to conduct research on protected wildlife or to be in possession of protected wildlife, either a whole animal or part of an animal. This is in addition to a permit issued under the Marine Parks Act 2004 to conduct research in a marine park.

Protected wildlife means native wildlife listed under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 as extinct, extinct in the wild, critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, near threatened or of least concern.

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

Most of the Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park and parts of the Great Sandy Marine Park fall within declared World Heritage areas. All three state marine parks also contain Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention, as well as providing habitat for migratory species listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth) (EPBC Act). Under the EPBC Act a person must not, without relevant approval, take an action that has, will have, or is likely to have, a significant impact on, amongst other things:

• the world heritage values of a declared World Heritage property
• the ecological character of a declared Ramsar wetland
• a threatened species or endangered community listed under the Act
• a migratory species listed under the Act.

The EPBC Act requires a person proposing to take an action that the person thinks may be prohibited by the EPBC Act without an approval, to refer the action to the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment for a decision on whether or not the action needs an approval. If a Commonwealth environmental approval is required, this will be in addition to relevant State approvals.

For further information on referrals under the EPBC Act can be found at Referrals and environmental assessments under the EPBC Act or you can contact the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) via their website or phone on 1800 920 528.