Great Sandy Biosphere Reserve is a
biosphere reserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geologic ...
in the Australian state of
Queensland
Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
located on land and coastal waters associated both with the local government areas of the
Fraser Coast Region
The Fraser Coast Region is a local government area in the Wide Bay–Burnett region of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, the state capital. It is centred on the twin cities of Hervey Bay and Maryborough and also contains K'gari. ...
and the
Gympie Region
The Gympie Region is a Local government in Australia, local government area in the Wide Bay–Burnett region of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, the state capital. It is between the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Sunshine Coast and ...
and
Fraser Island
K'gari ( , ), also known by its former name Fraser Island, is a World Heritage-listed sand island along the south-eastern coast in the Wide Bay–Burnett region of Queensland, Australia. The island lies approximately north of the state capi ...
(also known as K'Gari and Gari), and with the bay known as
Hervey Bay
Hervey Bay () is a city on the coast of the Fraser Coast Region of Queensland, Australia. The city is situated approximately or 3½ hours' highway drive north of the state capital, Brisbane. It is located on the bay of the same name open to ...
.
The biosphere reserve was described by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
in 2016 as:
The Great Sandy Biosphere Reserve is located in the Southeast Queensland Bioregion in eastern Australia. Renowned for its cultural and ecological significance, the reserve contains the Great Sandy Strait
The Great Sandy Strait is a strait in the Australian state of Queensland of length which separates mainland Queensland from K'gari. It is also a locality in the Fraser Coast Region local government area. To the north of the strait is Hervey Bay ...
, a Ramsar-listed wetland, and Fraser Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The reserve incorporates the largest Sand Island and coastal sand mass in the world.
The biosphere reserve was established in 2009 and its managing authorities are reported as being the Burnett Mary Regional Group for Natural Resource Management Ltd., the Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland)
Queensland's Environmental Protection Agency (abbreviated to EPA) was for some time a separate department of the Queensland Government, and, following 2009 state elections, became a part of the Government's larger Department of Environment and ...
, the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) is a business division of the Department of Environment and Science within the Government of Queensland. The division’s primary concern is with the management and maintenance of Protected areas ...
and the local government areas of the Fraser Coast Region and the Gympie Region.
See also
* List of biosphere reserves in Australia
References
External links
Official website
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170616172455/http://greatsandybiosphere.org/ , date=16 June 2017
Webpage for the Great Sandy Biosphere Reserve on the Protected Planet website
Biosphere reserves of Australia
Wide Bay–Burnett
Coastline of Queensland
2009 establishments in Australia
Protected areas established in 2009