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Michaelmas Cay provides critical habitat and breeding grounds for sea birds, which could be easily disturbed by people and domestic animals.
Every man and his dog are reminded to keep out of restricted protected areas after a Cairns couple were ordered to pay $1,501.40 for taking their kelpie onto Michaelmas Cay.
The couple took their dog to the remote islet in a small vessel before letting it ashore, posing a risk to one of the most important sea bird breeding areas on the Great Barrier Reef.
On 9 September 2022, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) marine park rangers were patrolling Michaelmas Reef off the coast of Cairns when they observed the couple and their dog in the restricted area of Michaelmas and Upolu Cays National Park.
The couple were charged with one count each of entering a restricted access area and bringing a domestic animal into a national park. They appeared in Cairns Magistrates Court last Thursday (20 June 2024), where they both pleaded guilty to the offences.
The man was fined $300 and ordered to pay $551.40 for court proceedings. The woman was fined $200 and ordered to pay $450 for court proceedings.
QPWS Principal Ranger Dan Schaper said the court outcome was a strong reminder for visitors to be aware of the rules around where they can and cannot go, especially with pets.
“In general, if part of a national park is closed, it is closed for good reason, either to keep people safe or to protect the environment,” Ranger Schaper said.
“We also don’t allow pets into national parks because they can carry diseases or injure protected wildlife.
“In this case, Michaelmas Cay provides critical habitat and breeding grounds for sea birds, which nest all year round on the coastal outcrops and can be easily disturbed by people and especially by domestic animals.
“If disturbed, adult birds could abandon their chicks and eggs, leaving them vulnerable to predatory birds and sun exposure.”
