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Michaelmas and Upolu Cays National Park

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Michaelmas and Upolu Cays National Park are one of the most important seabird breeding sites on the Great Barrier Reef. It is a unique nesting site, being the southernmost limit of sooty tern breeding, and the northernmost breeding limit for the crested tern.

Nowhere else are these particular seabirds found breeding together, in such vast numbers, in an area readily accessible to visitors.

Michaelmas Cay is ranked as not only the most important seabird rookery within the local Cairns region, but also one of the seven most important nesting colonies in the entire Great Barrier Reef. The cay is a national park whilst the surrounding reef and waters are protected as National Park (green) Zone within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. All animals and plants, including dead shells and coral, are protected.

Common Noddies
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Details

Please Note: *All animals and plants, including dead shells and coral, are protected. To protect Michaelmas Cay, special regulations apply to the Michaelmas Cay Locality, an area of one nautical mile radius from the cay *Access to Michaelmas Cay is restricted to the hours between 9.30am to 3.00pm and is limited to within the area bounded by rope on the western side *The maximum group size is restricted to 15 people per vessel (including crew). This does not apply to permitted vessels *There is a limit of 50 people on the cay at any given time *No anchoring of vessels more than 35 metres in overall length within the locality *No motorised watersports within the locality
Getting There: *Michaelmas & Upolu Cays National Park is 40km north-east of Cairns *Daily access to Upolu & Michaelmas cays is by commercial or private vessels *Commercial vessels depart from Cairns & Yorkeys Knob*Sea planes leave from Upolu Cay *Vessels can only access Michaelmas Cay via the northern channel. Three public moorings are provided for private use for a limited time *Access onto Michaelmas Cay is only allowed within the roped-off area (Designated Access Area of the Marine Park section) between 9.30am and 3.00pm *Access to the national park section of the cay (area above high water) is prohibited due to nesting seabirds

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Location

Michaelmas Cay QLD

Getting There*Michaelmas & Upolu Cays National Park is 40km north-east of Cairns *Daily access to Upolu & Michaelmas cays is by commercial or private vessels *Commercial vessels depart from Cairns & Yorkeys Knob*Sea planes leave from Upolu Cay *Vessels can only access Michaelmas Cay via the northern channel. Three public moorings are provided for private use for a limited time *Access onto Michaelmas Cay is only allowed within the roped-off area (Designated Access Area of the Marine Park section) between 9.30am and 3.00pm *Access to the national park section of the cay (area above high water) is prohibited due to nesting seabirds