Dry Tropical Coast
Where is the Dry Tropical Coast?
The Dry Tropics region extends from the northern boundary of Thuringowa City to the southern boundary of Bowen Shire, and incorporates the local government areas of Townsville, Burdekin and the Palm Island Group.
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What’s special about the Dry Tropical Coast?
Covering approximately 1300km of coastline, the Dry Tropics region contains a diversity of significant conservation values, including seagrass, mangrove and beach scrub communities, island landforms, fringing reefs, marine turtle nesting areas, fish nurseries, and seabird, wader and raptor habitats.It forms part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and encompasses extensive areas of internationally and nationally significant wetlands. Of particular note are the world-renowned Bowling Green Bay wetlands, which support more than 20,000 waterfowl and provide breeding habitat for almost half of the 244 bird species known to visit these wetlands.
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The intertidal and subtidal seagrass beds and mangrove-lined estuaries of Cleveland and Bowling Green Bays provide extensive feeding and breeding habitat for commercially and recreationally important fish species and rare and threatened marine life such as dugongs and turtles.
The region also supports Indigenous Traditional Owner cultural resources and other cultural heritage sites of significance, including World War II installations, graves, shipwrecks and market gardens.
The region supports a wide diversity of land uses, ranging from urban, tourism, defence, aquaculture, agriculture, to major industry and infrastructure. Major ports are located at Townsville and Abbot Point, with strong links to the mining industry.
Finalisation of the Dry Tropical Coast Regional Coastal Management Plan has, in light of the review of the State Coastal Plan, been postponed. Efforts to finalise the Dry Tropical Coast Regional Coastal Management Plan have been redirected to assist with the review of the State Coastal Plan. The information that has been collected during the development of the draft Dry Tropical Coast Regional Coastal Management Plan to date will be invaluable to the review of the State Coastal Plan and other regional and local planning activities that the Environmental Protection Agency is participating in. The finalisation of a Coastal Management District for the Dry Tropical Coast will continue.
For further information please contact:
Principal Coastal Planner
Environmental Protection Agency
PO Box 5391
Townsville Qld 4810
Phone: 1800 428071
Or email drytropics_RCMP@epa.qld.gov.au
Last updated: 25 January 2008
