Curtis Island Recreation Plan
Curtis Island Recreation Plan
Queensland Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing
Inspiration
The Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area conjures visions of wide expanses of oceans, coral cays, reefs and small island resorts and a complex biodiversity of outstanding universal value. Despite world acclaim for the WHA, little is known about its largest island, Curtis Island. A short hop offshore from the major industrial city and port of Gladstone, Curtis Island is rarely visited apart from those who live in the small settlement on its southern extremity. Thus, the island remains a relatively hidden gem with vast expanses of coastal heath, littoral rainforest, sand dunes, beaches and salt flats that support a rich diversity of fauna.
Seeking to grow visitation, Queensland National Parks (QNPWS) asked Inspiring Place to bring its professional and personal experiences in the natural world to bear on the opportunities to enhance, develop and manage visitor infrastructure and experiences. Given the sensitive natural values of the island and its surrounds, emphasis was placed on regeneration of degraded landscapes, sensitive design of new low-impact recreational opportunities and best practice principles for nature-based tourism.
Outcomes
The vision, principles and recommended management strategies and plans were grounded in sound policy, respectful of the local community’s values, realistic yet inspiring in scope and responsive to the realities that QNPWS faces in managing such a location.
The recreation plan delivers on the principle of the primacy of nature conservation and the promise for a quality visitor experience commensurate with the universal values for which Curtis Island is treasured.
Recognition
“The plan has articulated the different visitor groups and their expectations very well. QPWS has a sense of the local community but would not have been able to articulate the diverse expectations in context for all groups in words as Inspiring Place have skilfully done…
As a result, the planning by Inspiring Place the visitor sites and recreational opportunities on Curtis Island are now more consolidated - and the overall recreation framework is integrated as a whole and will work because it is practical and achievable. The detailed concept plans will continue to provide the guidelines over the implementation timeframe. Importantly these plans are essential in progressing approvals for individual sites for the detailed design stage.
There is of course more in this plan that will provide a strong and consistent direction for management of visitor use on Curtis Island.” Felicity Chapman, Senior Conservation Officer
Photography: Inspiring Place
