Goold & Brook Islands National Parks

Goold & Brook Islands National Parks are 830ha in size and located north of Hinchinbrook Island. Both parks are part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and are popular boating destinations.

The Brook Islands are low and rocky and are covered in a dense vine-forest. The eastern shores are rocky while the western ones feature a few beaches of coarse sand and coral rubble which supports a breeding colony of more than 40 000 pied imperial-pigeons and colonies of bridled terns, black-naped terns, little terns and roseate terns. Beach stone-curlews, a vulnerable bird species, are also present and are believed to breed on North Brook Island beaches. Bush camp or picnic on the western beach. Toilets, picnic tables, a shelter shed, tank water and gas barbecues are provided. The tank water supply and creek flow are seasonal and unreliable. Take fresh water, insect repellent and a fuel stove for cooking. It is also closed in nesting seabird season.

The area is attractive to weekend boat users from Cardwell and Lucinda and to a range of tourist operators. The fringing reefs provide the best inshore coral viewing close to Cardwell, although access is often restricted because of weather conditions. North Brook Island was used for a few months in 1944 for mustard gas experiments, but virtually no trace of this remains. Enjoy superb views of nearby Hinchinbrook Island but be aware of marine stingers between October and May. Observe restrictions on collecting and fishing in the surrounding marine park waters.

Goold Island is covered in open forest dominated by eucalypts and wattles and has a developing understorey of rainforest species in some parts. Rainforest occurs in some sheltered gullies and an interesting stand of mangroves line the estuary of a creek on the island's southern side. Two or three creeks on the island carry water for most of the year and one flowing to the southern beach is almost permanent. The coast is mostly rocky, but sandy beaches occur in two locations on the west and south coasts. Some coral reefs occur on the south-western and eastern areas in particular, but little is known about these. Goold Island has been popular with campers and fishers since Cardwell was settled in 1865, and before that was used by Aborigines, who relied heavily on the marine environment. Heavy recreational use over many years has impacted on the spit area, eroding the beach and opening the vegetation around camping sites.

Both national parks are areas of cultural and spiritual significance to the descendants of the original inhabitants. There are several tangible reminders of their lifestyle in the form of middens and stone fish traps.