by Karina Scott

Every year these breathtaking images attract over half a million people to the Whitsundays, an area that makes up only one per cent of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area but draws 50 per cent of all tourists boating in the Marine Park.

Public moorings and Reef Protection Markers help protect sensative sites

Such a high volume of traffic is a potential concern for the delicate and fragile fringing reefs that are one of the most popular attractions to the Whitsundays. One of the major problems associated with large numbers of boats visiting the Great Barrier Reef is anchor damage to the corals. Careless anchoring can cause chains and anchors to drag along the seabed, damaging the structure of the reef which can take years to repair.

To protect these fragile environments the Reef Protection Program was set up in 1993 by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (the Authority) and the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage (QDEH), with the initial placement of 17 public moorings and eight 'no anchoring' areas in the Whitsundays.

In recent months, thanks to generous support through grant monies from the Department of Industry, Science and Tourism (through the National Tourism Development Program) and the Department of Environment, Sports and Territories (through Coastcare), park managers have been able to place 43 additional public moorings and four more 'no anchoring' areas in the Whitsundays.

Public moorings help to reduce coral damage while maintaining continued access for reef appreciation activities. Each public mooring is marked by a blue, bell-shaped buoy with one of four colour-coded bands. The colour-coded bands let the public know what size boats can be moored there. To allow a number of boats access to each mooring, a limit of two hours per boat applies during the day (7 am - 5 pm), with unlimited use overnight (5 pm - 7 am).

Public moorings have been placed at various sensitive sites in the Whitsundays including Butterfly Bay, Luncheon Bay, False Nara Inlet (Hook Island), Blue Pearl Bay (Hayman Island), Sunlovers Bay (Daydream Island) and Black Island Reef.

'No anchoring' areas are marked by a line of white, pyramid shaped buoys (reef protection markers) displaying the blue 'Marine Parks' label. Where reef protection markers cannot be placed, the no-anchoring areas have been defined using coordinates and/or landmarks. Although anchoring is not permitted inside the line of reef protection markers, the 'no anchoring' area can be used to approach or leave a mooring or beach. Reef protection markers have been placed at a number of sensitive sites within the Whitsundays such as Maureens Cove, Pinnacle Bay, Stonehaven Bay and Langford Island Reef. No-anchoring areas at such sites as Manta Ray Bay, Saba Bay and Bait Reef are defined using coordinates and/or landmarks.

The Authority and the QDEH work together to manage and patrol the Whitsundays and to implement such projects as the Reef Protection Program. Public moorings and 'no anchoring' areas assist in allowing everyone to experience the natural wonder of the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, while ensuring that the delicate and fragile fringing reefs will be just as beautiful when people next visit the area.