By Rose Astley
Noosa National Park joins the list of national parks around the state that will be closed to the public as of tomorrow, April 3.
This action passed down from the state is to reduce numbers in “high visitor” areas.
“A closure of a number of high use visitor locations in national parks, state forests and recreation areas is in effect from 3 April 2020 to help stop the spread of the Coronavirus. These locations will remain closed until further notice.
“This follows closure of all camping areas and visitor centres across Queensland, effective 26 March 2020.
“The closure will be immediately implemented in identified extreme COVID public risk areas, and progressively implemented in identified high COVID public risk areas subject to risk assessments.
The areas closed include:
• Noosa National Park
• Laguna Lookout
• Mount Coolum
• Cooloola Recreation Area
• Teewah Beach
• Double Island Point
The following are exempt from the closure:
• Contractors and their employees undertaking works on QPWS managed estates or traversing estates for essential pre-approved works.
• Leaseholders/ stock grazing permit holders with leases/ permits/ authorities on QPWS managed estates will continue to have access to their leases/ permit/ authority areas for essential undertakings e.g. tourism resort leases, grazing leases/ permits, mining leases.
• Approved fire recovery and park rehabilitation works.
• Beekeepers.
• Coal Seam Gas and other approved mining or resource authority holders/ operators.
• HQPlantations licence areas operations.
• Approved timber and foliage harvesting operations.
• Approved quarry operations.
• Installation, operation and maintenance of service facilities and utilities (e.g. electricity infrastructure, water pipelines, dams etc.)
• Government employees with approved business needs on the parks, forests and recreation area estates.
• Bona fide residents accessing their properties by the most direct route only eg Kgari, Moreton Island,
• Bribie Island, Rainbow Beach, Teewah Beach, North Stradbroke Island, Stockyard Point.
• First Nations people from the local communities only undertaking cultural business, in numbers permitted by the Health Directives.
• State Marine Parks other than those areas within dedicated recreation areas under the Recreation
• Areas Management Act 2006 in compliance with Health Directives.
