Green Island National Park
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Green Island National Park is a protected area declared over a small (12 ha) coral cay of Green Island,
Cairns Region The Cairns Region is a local government area in Far North Queensland, Queensland, Australia, centred on the regional city of Cairns. It was established in 2008 by the amalgamation of the City of Cairns and the Shires of Douglas and Mulgrave. H ...
,
Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...
, Australia. It is known to the local Gungganyji Aboriginal peoples as ''Dabuukji''. The Gungganyji people used the island as an initiation ground. It is 27 km offshore from Cairns (1394 km northwest of
Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
),
Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...
, 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 The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over over an area of approximately . The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, ...
.


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. More than 60 species of bird are found on the island. While exploring the east coast in 1770, Lieutenant James Cook recorded on his chart "a low green woody island" and named the island after his ship's astronomer, Charles Green. In 1857, the first of many beche-de-mer fishing stations was established on the island. In 1928, the first regular ferry service began in the region. Green Island has been a popular tourist resort for more than a century. The island became a national park in 1937, 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. Camping on the island is not permitted. A small luxury resort is built on the island with daily ferry services providing access.


See also

*
Protected areas of Queensland Queensland is the second largest state in Australia. It contains around 500 separate protected areas. In 2020, it was estimated a total of 14.2 million hectares or 8.25% of Queensland's landmass was protected. List of terrestrial protected ar ...


References


External links


Australian Explorer
Green Island page, a brief outline and some photographs. {{National Parks of Queensland National parks of Far North Queensland Cultural landscapes of Australia Great Barrier Reef Protected areas established in 1937 1937 establishments in Australia