Thirty new public moorings, and 17 associated reef protection markers, have been installed in the Whitsundays to help protect the Great Barrier Reef.
Representing an investment of $350,000, these small vessel moorings are located at strategic points on the reef to provide sustainable access to popular Whitsunday snorkelling sites.
The Whitsundays now have more than 200 public moorings for use by the recreational boating public, bareboat users and the marine tourism industry.
The investment in the new moorings is part of the Queensland Government’s $3.9 million ‘Reef Trails’ program to improve public access to the Great Barrier Reef.
The Reef Trails program is creating internationally recognised “scenic drives by sea” taking in Queensland’s most iconic marine and island tourism destinations in the Whitsundays and Townsville areas.
New public moorings and no-anchoring areas are being installed as part of the program, to protect fringing coral reefs, provide sustainable access for boat users, and deliver a unique tourism experience through self-guided activities and access to reef islands.
Information about public moorings in the Whitsundays and across the Great Barrier Reef (including maps, GPS locations and vessel size classes) is available here.
