Barnard Island Group National Park

Barnard Island Group National Park is a protected group of small continental islands off the northeast coast of Queensland, Australia. The islands are managed to conserve seabird colonies, coastal vegetation, and surrounding marine habitats.

The islands are valued for bird nesting, fringing reefs, and nearshore marine life; visitors typically approach by boat for day visits and wildlife observation. There are no settlements on the islands and access is limited to small craft.

The group is protected to preserve its natural values and to limit disturbance to breeding birds and sensitive shoreline environments. Management focuses on restricting development and controlling visitor impact.

Geographically the islands lie off the tropical Queensland coast in the Coral Sea, near the mainland towns of the Cassowary Coast and Cardwell region.

• Access: Access is by private boat or charter from the Queensland coast; there are no road connections to the islands.

What to See #

• North Barnard Island: A pair of principal islands within the group that host nesting seabird colonies and native vegetation typical of continental islands off the Queensland coast.
• South Barnard Island: The southern main island in the group, also important for seabird nesting and surrounded by fringing reef and nearshore marine habitat.