A group of 18 friends has been fined thousands of dollars after illegally clearing trees to build a shack on an island in a World Heritage site.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers uncovered the timber cabin in a remote part of Curtis Island National Park in August last year.
Curtis Island falls within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage area and is the third-largest continental island in Queensland.
The island – made up of dunes, beach ridges and salt flats – is home to endangered and threatened species like the Capricorn yellow chat and flatback turtle.
Authorities believe the group had been using the hut for months as a base for their trips that involved hunting with firearms, fishing, and driving in restricted areas with unregistered vehicles and unrestrained passengers.
QPWS’ Great Barrier Reef and Marine Parks regional director Tina Alderson said it appeared the hut had been added onto bit by bit over time, with a verandah and barbecue area built at the site.
Authorities also found evidence of illegal land clearing and the harvesting of trees, believed to have been used in the construction of the hut.
‘It’s really disappointing that people have undertaken this activity,’ Ms Alderson said.
Rangers discovered cleared vegetation and felled trees around an illegal hut site within a heritage-listed park (pictured)
Park rangers believe the shack served as a base for other unauthorised activities (above, a picture taken within the park)
Authorities believe a group of 18 people used the shack (pictured) for illegal hunting and fishing
In photos from the illegal site, fishing equipment, including lines, ropes and floats, could be seen stashed near the building.
Another photo showed three people riding trail bikes and all-terrain vehicles through the park.
Others showed kitted-out 4WDs passing through the park with fishing equipment and dinghies.
Queensland’s Department of Environment has issued 22 penalty infringement notices, amounting to a total of $7,606.
Two individuals were fined more than $1,000 each.
Among the offences were the lighting of illegal fires within protected areas and instances of domestic dogs being brought into the park, which can harm the native environment and wildlife.
‘Building an illegal structure in a protected area essentially excludes others from the area and causes damage to the environment,’ Ms Alderson said.
‘This hut was also used as a base for other illegal activities.’
Fishing equipment including ropes, floats and lines was found stashed near the cabin (above)
Trail bikes and ATVs were spotted deep within the Curtis Island National Park (pictured)
A van towing a dinghy was photographed travelling through protected bushland (above)
‘People who want to build a hut for their own personal use for activities such as fishing, hunting and vehicle-based activities can do so on private land, but not in a national park.
‘QPWS is serious about compliance and anyone who builds an illegal structure in a protected area will be caught.’
The Queensland Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) urged anyone with information about illegal activities in Queensland’s protected areas to call 1300 130 372.
