Special Management Areas for Macquarie Island Nature Reserve

In accordance with Section 37 of the National Parks and Reserves Management Act 2002, Macquarie Island Nature Reserve (including its surrounding waters to 3 nautical miles) is declared a Restricted Area to which the public has not a general right of access.  Pursuant to Regulation 11 of the National Parks and Reserved Land Regulations 1999, a person must not enter or remain in the reserve unless the person is granted authority by the Director, or the person is accompanied by an authorised person.  Special Management Areas are declared from year to year to further protect vulnerable species, vegetation communities or sites extremely vulnerable to human disturbance.

A map showing the special management areas is available for download as a PDF (252 Kb)

Category 1
Very sensitive areas.  Difficult to enter area without disturbing endangered /threatened wildlife or causing damage to fragile vegetation.  Category 1 areas cover the Caroline Cove region (wandering, grey headed and black-browed albatrosses, vegetation damage and giant petrels), the featherbed from Handspike Point to Bauer Bay (wandering albatrosses, vegetation damage and giant petrels), the north end of North Head (grey petrels and vegetation damage) and Soucek and Sandell Bays on the west coast (high densities of giant petrels).  Access to these areas between August and May will only be granted by the Managing Authority under very exceptional circumstances.  Some areas will not be able to be accessed for any reason due to the proximity of extremely sensitive breeding wildlife.

Time Frame – 1 August – 31 May

Category 2
High densities of penguins make these areas difficult to access throughout the breeding season without causing significant disturbance.  Giant petrels are also found throughout much of the Category 2 areas.  These areas include much of the west coast and the southern part of the east coast.  The Managing Authority will only grant access under exceptional circumstances to these areas between September and April.  No routes through breeding penguin colonies will be allowed at any time.  Minimum wildlife approach distances must be observed throughout the year.

Time Frame – 1 September – 30 April

Category 3
More sporadic breeding colonies of penguins and giant petrels make these areas difficult to access throughout the breeding season without causing disturbance.  These management areas make a significant proportion of the east coast of Macquarie Island.  The Managing Authority will only grant access under exceptional circumstances to these areas between October and March.

Time Frame – 1 October – 31 March