Avoid Island Nature Refuge
An ecologically significant sanctuary
Avoid Island lies in the saltwaters of Koinmerburra Country, and is one of the only privately-owned and permanent nature refuges in the southern Great Barrier Reef. The island is managed by QTFN, in collaboration with our partners.
Avoid Island hosts a unique array of inshore species, a diverse range of endangered shorebirds, and an abundance of marine life. It is a key nesting site for the vulnerable east Australian population of Flatback Turtles (Natator depressus), that nest exclusively in Australia. Interestingly, Avoid Island has no terrestrial mammals; there are no feral animals and weeds are scarce. Vegetation on the island ranges from mangroves and grasslands to rainforests and estuarine wetland, with 15 hectares of the critically endangered littoral rainforest and coastal vine thickets of eastern Australia. Avoid Island has an impressive biodiversity given its 83-hectare size.
Make your impact
- Providing a safe nesting area for flatback turtles and other species, including threatened birds, with ongoing monitoring.
- Conducting surveys to identify and document birdlife.
- Building the island’s resilience with weed removal, ecological burns, and threatened species management plans with the support of a Department of Environment and Science Community Sustainability Action grant.
- Working with the Koinmerburra Aboriginal Corporation to develop a two ways land management plan for the island and jointly deliver education and threatened species outcomes as part of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation’s Reef Islands Initiative.
- Providing exciting opportunities for eco-volunteering (weed removal and beach clean-ups), participation in turtle research, cross-cultural experiences with Koinmerburra Aboriginal Corporation, as well as corporate retreats with a difference.
- Transforming the island into a thrilling outdoor classroom where students learn alongside professional scientists.
- The island provides nesting habitat for around 25-30% of the eastern Queensland flatback turtle population.
- Avoid Island flatback turtles lay close to 10,000 eggs each nesting season, with an 80 to 90% hatching success rate thanks to the protected environment.
- Avoid Island provides the only nesting beaches that are free from light pollution and predators. This means the hatchlings at Avoid Island have the best chance of survival before they reach the ocean.
- After nine seasons, researchers have tagged most turtles that return every year to nest, with new females arriving every year.
- Volunteers have powered a massive reduction in the extent and density of invasive weeds over seven hectares of the island – preserving prime turtle nesting habitat and protecting a precious ecosystem. Target weeds included the invasive Mossman River grass (Cenchrus echinatus) and lantana (Lantana camara).
- Bird surveys on the island have documented almost 90 species of birds from a range of unique ecological guilds, including the woodland bird community, a diverse array of frugivorous rainforest pigeons and doves, and migratory shore birds.
“We have one major goal – looking after Country. Everything comes off that and is connected to that. There is so much knowledge to be shared from both sides – western science and traditional science.”
Samarla Deshong, Director, Koinmerburra Aboriginal Corporation
- Koinmerburra Aboriginal Corporation
- Great Barrier Reef Foundation
- Queensland Department of Environment and Science
- Mackay and District Turtle Watch
- BirdLife Mackay
- Griffith University
- University of Queensland
- Wonder of Science
Action & Insight
QTFN and Koinmerburra Aboriginal Corporation knowledge sharing workshop
Michael Tervo, one of our QTFN Ecologists, joined Koinmerburra Aboriginal Corporation (KAC) this month for a skill-building and knowledge sharing workshop on ecological monitoring and evaluation techniques. During the workshop they refined ecological monitoring techniques, such as protocols and uses for photo monitoring points and drone mapping. The workshop also included a refresher on plant […]
A Turtle Sanctuary at Avoid Island
Over each summer from November to March, it’s turtle season at our Avoid Island Nature Refuge. Avoid Island is located 100 km southeast of Mackay, in the salt waters of Koinmerburra Country. As one of the three largest Flatback turtle (Natator depressus) rookeries in the southern Great Barrier Reef, our team aim to survey and […]
Avoid Island Hits 90 Bird Species
The Queensland’s Trust for Nature’s Long Term holdings property, Avoid Island, recently hit an important milestone: our bird list officially hit 90 species. Our team conduct regular maintenance, research and educational trips throughout the year to this privately owned and protected island and all bird sightings are recorded and documented as part of regular surveying. It […]
Our work
- Providing a safe nesting area for flatback turtles and other species, including threatened birds, with ongoing monitoring.
- Conducting surveys to identify and document birdlife.
- Building the island’s resilience with weed removal, ecological burns, and threatened species management plans with the support of a Department of Environment and Science Community Sustainability Action grant.
- Working with the Koinmerburra Aboriginal Corporation to develop a two ways land management plan for the island and jointly deliver education and threatened species outcomes as part of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation’s Reef Islands Initiative.
- Providing exciting opportunities for eco-volunteering (weed removal and beach clean-ups), participation in turtle research, cross-cultural experiences with Koinmerburra Aboriginal Corporation, as well as corporate retreats with a difference.
- Transforming the island into a thrilling outdoor classroom where students learn alongside professional scientists.
Our impact
- The island provides nesting habitat for around 25-30% of the eastern Queensland flatback turtle population.
- Avoid Island flatback turtles lay close to 10,000 eggs each nesting season, with an 80 to 90% hatching success rate thanks to the protected environment.
- Avoid Island provides the only nesting beaches that are free from light pollution and predators. This means the hatchlings at Avoid Island have the best chance of survival before they reach the ocean.
- After nine seasons, researchers have tagged most turtles that return every year to nest, with new females arriving every year.
- Volunteers have powered a massive reduction in the extent and density of invasive weeds over seven hectares of the island – preserving prime turtle nesting habitat and protecting a precious ecosystem. Target weeds included the invasive Mossman River grass (Cenchrus echinatus) and lantana (Lantana camara).
- Bird surveys on the island have documented almost 90 species of birds from a range of unique ecological guilds, including the woodland bird community, a diverse array of frugivorous rainforest pigeons and doves, and migratory shore birds.
“We have one major goal – looking after Country. Everything comes off that and is connected to that. There is so much knowledge to be shared from both sides – western science and traditional science.”
Samarla Deshong, Director, Koinmerburra Aboriginal Corporation
Who’s involved
- Koinmerburra Aboriginal Corporation
- Great Barrier Reef Foundation
- Queensland Department of Environment and Science
- Mackay and District Turtle Watch
- BirdLife Mackay
- Griffith University
- University of Queensland
- Wonder of Science
Action & insight
Action & Insight
QTFN and Koinmerburra Aboriginal Corporation knowledge sharing workshop
Michael Tervo, one of our QTFN Ecologists, joined Koinmerburra Aboriginal Corporation (KAC) this month for a skill-building and knowledge sharing workshop on ecological monitoring and evaluation techniques. During the workshop they refined ecological monitoring techniques, such as protocols and uses for photo monitoring points and drone mapping. The workshop also included a refresher on plant […]
A Turtle Sanctuary at Avoid Island
Over each summer from November to March, it’s turtle season at our Avoid Island Nature Refuge. Avoid Island is located 100 km southeast of Mackay, in the salt waters of Koinmerburra Country. As one of the three largest Flatback turtle (Natator depressus) rookeries in the southern Great Barrier Reef, our team aim to survey and […]
Avoid Island Hits 90 Bird Species
The Queensland’s Trust for Nature’s Long Term holdings property, Avoid Island, recently hit an important milestone: our bird list officially hit 90 species. Our team conduct regular maintenance, research and educational trips throughout the year to this privately owned and protected island and all bird sightings are recorded and documented as part of regular surveying. It […]