The Palaszczuk Government today announced the closure of further areas in National Parks including popular swimming holes, summit trails and carparks to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and keep communities safe this Easter.
This follows the closure of National Park campgrounds and popular areas within National Parks last week and the Premier’s announcement yesterday to ban travel to Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island), Moorgumpin (Moreton Island) and K’gari (Fraser Island).
Minister for Environment and the Great Barrier Reef Leeanne Enoch said that with the start of the Easter break these further targeted closures in Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) managed areas were necessary to ensure social distancing.
“Queenslanders must remember that visiting a National Park for exercise should only happen if you live near it and that travelling long distances to go to a National Park is simply not permitted,” Minister Enoch said.
“The updated list of closures now includes full closures of Mt Barney, Moogerah Peaks, Moorgumpin (Moreton Island) and Hinchinbrook Island National Parks.
“There will also be partial closures of popular areas like the summit walking trails at Glass House Mountains and swimming areas at Paluma Range National Park.
“These further closures are necessary given places such as Queen Mary Falls at Main Range, Tallanbana trail head at Springbrook and Witches Falls at Tamborine National Park are still attracting high numbers of visitors.”
Queensland Police Service has already issued on the spot fines for breaches of the Chief Health Officer’s directions.
“Please remember to adhere to advice from our health experts, stay in your suburbs and only walk with one other person or people in your household,” Ms Enoch said.
“When you are out exercising make sure you keep at least 1.5 metres apart from anyone else.”
Increased signage will be in place to inform the public of these latest closures, but locals should check Park Alerts online for the most up-to-date information about closures.
There will be some exemptions for entry into these areas for essential services or work by authorised personnel. A full list of exemptions is available at https://parks.des.qld.gov.au
The closure of these areas will start to roll out from tomorrow 10 April 2020.
A full list of closures is available at https://www.des.qld.gov.au
