About Ma'alpiku Island National Park (CYPAL)

Rocky exposed coastline.

Photo credit: Queensland Government

Park features

Ma’alpiku Island National Park (CYPAL) comprises two continental islands—Restoration Island and Restoration Rock—offshore from Cape Weymouth. Restoration Island (41ha) rises 116m above sea level, with large granite boulders strewn along the strand line. The island is clad in closed scrub on the lower slopes, open paperbark scrub on the upper slopes, with wind-sheared heath on the highest points and eastern side of the island. Restoration Rock (0.2ha) features sparsely-vegetated blocks of granite rising 33m above sea level.

Ma’alpiku Island National Park (CYPAL) is a living cultural landscape, rich in traditional and contemporary significance for the Traditional Owners. Significant cultural sites and stories are associated with both the land and sea country of this area. Ma’alpiku is the Kuuku Ya’u language name for Restoration Island. Restoration Island is infamous in maritime history as the first point of landfall of Captain William Bligh and 18 men who survived the mutiny on the Bounty on 28 April 1789. Bligh and his crew navigated an open boat 4000km before reaching (and naming) Restoration Island, where they stayed for two days before continuing their epic journey to Timor.

Exposed coastline.

Photo credit: Queensland Government

Looking after the park

• Be careful not to damage coral with anchors.
• Respect Aboriginal culture. The islands are a cultural landscape—features and sites within the park have special significance to the Traditional Owners. These sites are easily damaged and are irreplaceable.
• Everything in the park is protected. Please leave everything as you found it.
• Do not feed the wildlife as it can affect their health and alter the natural population balance.
• Avoid bird-nesting areas and stay clear of roosting birds.
• Domestic animals are not permitted.
• Lighting of fires is not allowed. Bring a fuel or gas stove for cooking.
• Please take your rubbish with you when you leave.

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 and clean out your backpack and hand, beach or camera bags and check them carefully before your visit, as pests love to hide in stored 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

First gazetted as Restoration Island National Park in 1989, the park was renamed Ma’alpiku Island National Park (CYPAL) in July 2011. Ma’alpiku Island National Park (CYPAL) is jointly managed by the Northern Kuuku Ya’u Kanthanampu Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC Land Trust and the Queensland Government in accordance with an Indigenous Management Agreement. Read more about joint management of Cape York Peninsula national parks.

The reef and waters surrounding the islands are protected within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. They also form part of the Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park (State) and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (Commonwealth).

The waters adjacent to these islands are managed in a complementary manner by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA).

Tourism information links

Nature’s Powerhouse
www.cooktownandcapeyork.com
Cooktown Botanic Gardens
Walker Street, Cooktown QLD 4895
Phone: (07) 4069 5763
email: chill@kindredcafe.com.au

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