The Queensland Government is currently consulting on a new Draft Provisional Land Use Plan (PLUP) for the Port Hinchinbrook Priority Development Area. This plan will shape how land and sea country around the Hinchinbrook Channel is used for years to come.

NQCC has lodged a detailed submission calling for much stronger environmental and cultural protections — because as it stands, the draft plan risks locking in the same problems that have caused decades of environmental damage in this sensitive area.

This is a critical moment, and your voice matters. Submissions are open now — and we’re asking our supporters to join us in speaking up.

Why This Matters

The Hinchinbrook Channel is one of the most spectacular and ecologically important places in the Great Barrier Reef region. It is home to:

• rich seagrass meadows
• mangrove forests
• threatened species including dugongs and turtles
• culturally significant sea country of the Banjin, Djiru and Girramay peoples

But it’s also a place where poorly planned development has left a long legacy of environmental harm.

What’s Wrong With the Draft Plan?

NQCC’s review of the Draft PLUP found several serious gaps that could lead to more dredging, more habitat loss, more boating pressure, and greater risks to the World Heritage Area — unless they are addressed before the plan is finalised.

Here are the headline issues we raised.

1. Risk of More Marine Habitat Damage

The Hinchinbrook / Townsville region still supports relatively high dugong numbers, making it an important regional refuge. But long-term monitoring shows dugong populations across much of the Reef are declining and are vulnerable to:

• boat strikes
• habitat disturbance
• seagrass loss

Increasing vessel traffic or dredging in the Channel — both still possible under the Draft PLUP — would place this dugong refuge at even greater risk.

2. A Long History of Siltation and Storm-Tide Damage

A 1977 government assessment found the Port Hinchinbrook site unsuitable for marina development due to:

• extremely high siltation
• cyclone-driven storm-tide surges
• high maintenance costs

These risks have repeatedly proved true. Nothing has changed physically to alter that reality — yet the Draft PLUP leaves the door open to more high-impact marine development.

3. Weak Protection for World Heritage Values

The plan recognises the area’s Great Barrier Reef World Heritage significance but does not include strong, enforceable safeguards for:

• water quality
• seagrass meadows
• visual and wilderness values
• marine fauna like turtles and dugongs

Without mandatory assessments and clear ecological limits, the risks to the World Heritage Area remain high.

4. Climate Hazards Are Not Adequately Addressed

The area is:

• low-lying
• cyclone-prone
• vulnerable to severe storm tides

Yet the Draft PLUP does not introduce strong enough controls to prevent risky development in unsafe areas or require adaptation to future sea-level rise.

5. Inadequate Recognition of Traditional Owner Cultural Rights

Traditional Owners — including the Banjin, Djiru and Girramay peoples — have deep cultural connections to Hinchinbrook. Some have publicly opposed inappropriate development on or near Hinchinbrook Island, and sea country is actively managed under the Girringun TUMRA.

The Draft PLUP needs stronger requirements for:

• cultural heritage protection
• meaningful Traditional Owner involvement in decision-making
• safeguarding culturally significant places and species

What NQCC Is Calling For

In our submission, we’ve urged the Government to strengthen the PLUP by:

• requiring best-practice acid sulphate soil management
• prohibiting new dredging unless assessed at the highest environmental standard
• capping vessel traffic and creating dugong/turtle protection zones
• strengthening World Heritage impact assessment requirements
• ensuring climate-resilient coastal planning
• protecting visual and wilderness values
• creating a Community + Traditional Owner Reference Group
• embedding the precautionary principle

These changes are essential to avoid repeating decades of environmental harm.

How You Can Help

Government processes like this only improve when the community speaks up.

Make Your Own Submission

It doesn’t need to be long. Even a short message makes a difference.

You could mention:

• your connection to Hinchinbrook and why you care
• any concerns about dredging, boats, or impacts on dugongs
• why strong World Heritage and cultural protections matter
• your support for NQCC’s recommended changes

For further inspiration, check out this submission and this supplementary submission from Cardwell local John Mewing (shared with his permission) or this submission by CAFNEC. 

More information: https://www.yoursay.edq.qld.gov.au/port-hinchinbrook-ppda

Send your feedback to: [email protected]

Submissions close on Tuesday 9 December 2025, so please act soon.

This is one of the most important planning decisions for the future of the Hinchinbrook Channel. With enough community voices, we can ensure the final plan reflects:

• strong environmental protection
• respect for Traditional Owner rights and sea country
• safe and climate-resilient coastal planning
• a truly sustainable future for this extraordinary place

Thank you for speaking up for the Reef, for Country, and for Hinchinbrook.