Park management on Cape York Peninsula bolstered by newly trained authorised officers
Issued: 16 Sep

Whether your plans include hiking a trail, camping under the stars or filming the sights and sounds on park, every action has the potential to impact Queensland’s precious ecosystems.

Cape York Peninsula features landscapes of unsurpassed beauty and immense diversity, renowned for their strong and rich culture. Visitors experience a ‘cultural landscape’, interwoven with significant places, traditional stories and deep spiritual meaning, and sense the strength of Aboriginal peoples’ connection to country.

Many Cape York Peninsula protected areas are national park (CYPAL) and jointly managed between Traditional Owners—represented by an Aboriginal corporation or land trust—and QPWS. Through an Indigenous Management Agreement, QPWS and Traditional Owners work together to protect and conserve the natural and cultural values of these areas, which can include minimising the impacts of dangerous bushfires, controlling weeds and other pests, as well as maintaining camping areas, walking tracks and other visitor facilities.

Authorised Officers are empowered to enforce the provisions of the Nature Conservation Act 1992, Recreation Areas Management Act 2006, Marine Parks Act 2004 and Forestry Act 195 and so need to be able to navigate legislation, many stipulations and legal jargon.

Visitor activities—whether recreational, commercial or for research— can impact the area and we all want to make sure that these magical areas are protected well into the future which means working together and having consistent approaches to park management. This is why activities including camping, having a camp fire, using a generator, or commercial tours and photography to name a few can be limited, or require a permit.

Anyone who breaches the legislation can be fined, and tools such as drones and surveillance cameras may be used by our Rangers and Authorised Officers to identify anyone committing an offence under the relevant State legislation.