Beelbi declared Fish Habitat Area

Location and plan number

• Beelbi and Marsh creeks and coastal foreshore, 34km north-west of Maryborough
• Plan number: FHA-030 (Revision 2)
• Fraser Coast Regional Council

Size and management level

Total size: 1,432 ha:

• 885 ha – Management A
• 547 ha – Management B.

Declaration history

• 10 May 1986: Original declaration.
• 19 December 2003: Redeclaration:
  • combined Beelbi and the southern part of the Burrum Toogoom Fish Habitat Areas.
• 25 February 2005: Redeclaration:
  • revised Management area along the foreshore in front of Toogoom.
• 29 March 2024: Redeclaration, effective from 21 May 2024 revised to:
  • exclude the area within 30m of the public boat ramp at Toogoom
  • change an area at Beelbi Creek to Management B
  • show the exclusion of non-tidal land within Burrum Coast National Park.

Management features

• Conservation of commercial, recreational and Indigenous fishing grounds.
• Inshore fish and crustacean nursery area.

Habitat values

• Extensive mangrove stands with low, closed shrubs (Avicennia and Aegialitis) and open mixed-forests
• Seagrass areas
• Shallow littoral flats
• Patches of saltmarsh.

Fisheries values

• Species:
  • Bream
  • Estuary cod
  • Flathead
  • Garfish
  • Luderick
  • Mangrove jack
  • Sea mullet
  • Tailor
  • Whiting
  • Banana prawns
  • King prawns
  • Mud crabs.

Other values

• Habitat for dugong.