Escape River declared Fish Habitat Area

Location and plan number

• 20km south of Cape York includes the southern part of Newcastle Bay mouth of Escape River, and Jacky Jacky Creek
• Plan number: FHA-060
• Torres Shire Council and Cook Shire Council

Size and management level

• 27,506 ha – Management A.

Declaration history

• 19 November 1983: Original declaration.
• 1 July 2010: Redeclaration:
  • redeclared to cadastral boundaries
  • redefined the seaward boundary.

Management features

• Conservation and management of essential fish habitat.
• Conservation of commercial, recreational, and Indigenous fisheries resources.
• Department of Primary Industries survey stations were sampled in the 1980s at the mouth of the Escape River and upstream.

Habitat values

• Extensive closed mangrove forest (Rhizophora) interspersed with small patches of open mangroves (Avicennia and Ceriops)
• Seagrass beds between Turtle Island and the mainland.

Fisheries values

• Pearl culture area in Queensland.
• Barramundi and commercial prawn habitat.
• Recreational usage from Cape York, including fishing safaris.
• Species:
  • Barramundi
  • Blue salmon
  • Grey mackerel
  • Queenfish
  • Grunter
  • Mangrove jack
  • Mud crabs
  • Brown tiger endeavour
  • Western king prawns
  • Pearl oysters.

Unique features

• The Escape River to Kennedy Inlet system has the most extensive stand of medium-tall mangroves in Queensland.
• Within and adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.

Other values

• Important dugong turtle and estuarine crocodile habitat.