Green Island National Park
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Green Island National Park Queensland |
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IUCN category II (national park)
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Nearest town or city | Cairns |
Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
Established | 1937 |
Area | 12 ha (30 acres) |
Managing authorities | Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service |
Website | [<span%20class="url"> |
See also | Protected areas of Queensland |
Green Island National Park[1] is a protected area declared over a small (12 ha) coral cay known to the local Gungganyji Aboriginal peoples as Dabuukji. The Gungganyji people used the island as an initiation ground.[2]
It is 27 km offshore from Cairns (1394 km northwest of Brisbane), Queensland, can be accessed by a choice of boats leaving daily from Cairns, and is reputed to be the most visited (popular) island National Park within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.[3]
Park features
Green Island is a true coral cay formed over thousands of years by the build-up of sand and coral rubble deposited on the calm side of a platform reef. The island is covered in tropical vine forest which supports a diversity of birds and insects. The surrounding coral reef is home to many kinds of corals, clams, fish, stingrays and other reef life. Green and hawksbill turtles are seen offshore.[3] More than 60 species of bird are found on the island.[2]
Green Island has been a popular tourist resort for more than a century. The island became a national park in 1937,[2] a marine park in 1974 and part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area in 1981. Today the island, reef and beaches are managed together as a recreation area.[3]
Camping on the island is not permitted. A small luxury resort is built on the island with daily ferry services providing access.
See also
References
- ↑ Queensland Government Placenames
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service Webpage Accessed 20 November 2007
External links
- Australian Explorer Green Island page, a brief outline and some photographs.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Green Island, Queensland. |
- Use dmy dates from September 2014
- Use Australian English from September 2014
- All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English
- IUCN Category II
- Commons category link is locally defined
- National parks of Far North Queensland
- Cultural Landscapes of Australia
- Great Barrier Reef
- Protected areas established in 1937
- 1937 establishments in Australia