Bowling Green Bay declared Fish Habitat Area

Location and plan number

  • Bowling Green Bay, 30km east of Townsville
  • Plan number: FHA-007 (Revision 1)
  • Townsville City Council and Burdekin Shire Council

Size and management level

  • 68,467ha – Management A

Declaration history

  • 25 November 1989: Original declaration.
  • 24 July 1998: Redeclaration:
    • to cadastral boundaries.
  • 10 April 2026: Redeclaration, effective from 1 July 2026 revised to:
    • exclude areas for the Australian Institute of Marine Science research facility operations at Cape Ferguson, including the harbour area and areas for scientific research infrastructure.

Management features

  • Conservation of commercial, recreational and Indigenous fishing grounds and resources.

Habitat values

  • Closed mangrove stands (dominated by Rhizophora and Ceriops)
  • Extensive areas of saltmarsh
  • Sparse seagrass beds within the bay
  • Sand and mud flats
  • Sandy beaches

Fisheries values

  • Major barramundi nursery habitat.
  • Area identified as important to the food chain of the offshore billfish fishery.
  • Species:
    • Barramundi
    • Blue salmon
    • Bream
    • Estuary cod
    • Flathead
    • Grey mackerel
    • Grunter
    • Mangrove jack
    • Queenfish
    • School mackerel
    • Whiting
    • Tiger prawns
    • Banana prawns.

Unique features

  • Brackish and freshwater lagoons immediately upstream.
  • Lies within and adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.
  • Surrounded by:
    • national parks
    • Bowling Green Bay Ramsar Wetland
    • Cleveland and Bowling Green Bay Dugong Protection Area.

Other values

  • Important dugong and loggerhead turtle habitat.