Goold Island National Park Bandjin and Girramay Country Tropical North Queensland

About Goold Island

    Park features

    The tall, forested hill of Goold Island, in the centre of Rockingham Bay, is an impressive feature when approached from any direction. Granite outcrops and sandy beaches are features of the island. Eucalypt woodland covers most of the island but patches of lush rainforest grow in sheltered gullies. This 830 hectare national park is part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.

    South and west of Goold Island, near Garden Island, dugongs and turtles may be seen surfacing as they feed on the extensive seagrass beds in the shallow waters.

    Looking after the park

    • Where no toilets are provided, bury human waste at least 15 centimetres deep and well away from watercourses.
    • Avoid using soap, shampoo, toothpaste or detergent in or near creeks.
    • Use fuel stoves only—campfires are prohibited.
    • Everything in the park, living or dead, is protected. Please leave everything as you found it.
    • Feeding wildlife is prohibited—it is harmful to their health.
    • Please take rubbish with you when you leave the park and help by picking up rubbish left by others.

    Be pest-free!

    Our precious Great Barrier Reef World Heritage islands are among the most pest-free islands in the world. They need your help to stay this way. Please Be pest-free! (PDF, 573.6KB) before your visit.

    Before you visit, please check that your boat, clothing, footwear and gear are free of soil, seeds, parts of plants, eggs, ants and insects (and their eggs), spiders, lizards, toads, rats and mice.

    Be sure to:

    • Unpack your camping gear and equipment and check it carefully as pests love to hide in stored camping gear.
    • Clean soil from footwear and gear as invisible killers such as viruses, bacteria and fungi are carried in soil.
    • Check for seeds in pockets, cuffs and hook and loop fastening strips, such as Velcro.

    While you are on the islands, remove soil, weeds, seeds and pests from your boat, gear and clothes before moving to a new site. Wrap seeds and plant material, and place them in your rubbish.

    Everyone in Queensland has a General Biosecurity Obligation to minimise the biosecurity risk posed by their activities. This includes the risk of introducing and spreading weeds and pests to island national parks.

    See the guidelines on caring for parks for more information about protecting our environment and heritage in parks.

    Park management

    Goold Island is managed to preserve, to the greatest possible extent, the area's natural, cultural and scenic values, and to provide for sustainable recreational use. Only self-reliant, nature-based and ecologically sustainable recreation is permitted.

    Goold Island National Park is part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service manages the park on a day-to-day basis. Management of the World Heritage area is co-ordinated through a partnership between the Commonwealth and Queensland governments and the Traditional Owners.

    The national park is managed in accordance with the Brook Islands National Park and Goold Island National Park Management Plan (PDF, 605.9KB) .

    Tourism information links

    Rainforest and Reef Information Centre
    www.greatgreenwaytourism.com
    142 Victoria Street, Cardwell
    PO Box 74, Cardwell Qld 4849
    ph (07) 4066 8601
    fax (07) 4066 8116
    email info@greatgreenwaytourism.com
    A partnership between QPWS and the Cassowary Coast Regional Council, managed by Great Green Way Tourism Incorporated.

    Hinchinbrook Visitor Information Centre
    www.hinchinbrookway.com.au
    Cnr Bruce Highway and Cooper Street, Ingham QLD 4850
    ph (07) 4776 4790
    Email tourism@hinchinbrook.qld.gov.au

    Tully Visitor and Heritage Centre
    Bruce Highway, Tully Qld 4854
    ph 07 4068 2288
    fax (07) 4068 2858
    email tullytourism@ccrc.qld.gov.au

    For tourism information for all regions in Queensland see Queensland Holidays.

    • There are currently no park alerts for this park.