Denham Group National Park

Denham Group National Park
Hawksbill sea turtle ( Eretmochelys imbricata )
Coordinates: 11 ° 10 ′ 14.8 ″  S , 143 ° 0 ′ 55 ″  E
Location:	Queensland , Australia
Specialty:	Coral islands
Next city:	75 km from Cape York
Surface:	90.7 ha
Founding:	1989
Soot oystercatcher ( Haematopus fuliginosus )

The Denham Group National Park (English Denham Group National Park ) is a 90.7 hectare national park in Queensland , Australia . It consists of a total of seven coral islands and is part of the Great Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site .

location

The national park is located 700 kilometers north of Cairns on the east coast of the Cape York Peninsula in the Coral Sea . The islands are 75 kilometers south of Cape York , the northern tip of the peninsula, between 12 and 25 kilometers from the coast.

In the vicinity in the Coral Sea are the national parks Saunders Islands and Possession Island , on the mainland Jardine River .

National nature

The national park consists of seven coral islands Aplin , Milman , Cholmondeley , Wallace , Sinclair and Cairncross Islet (English Islet means small island ) and Boydong Island . The smallest are only a few hundred meters long, the largest, Boydong Island, is almost a kilometer long.

Flora and fauna

Almost untouched by humans, the islands offer numerous plants and animals both habitat and breeding grounds, including the endangered soot oystercatcher ( Haematopus fuliginosus ), little tern ( Sternula albifrons ), curlew ( Numenius madagascariensis ) and reef triel ( Esacus giganteus ).

Hawksbill sea turtle ( Eretmochelys imbricata ) and green turtle ( Chelonia mydas ) lay their eggs on the different islands. Milan Island is home to the Great Barrier Reef's largest breeding colony of the hawksbill sea turtle, which is classified as endangered.

The vegetation in the national park varies from island to island, there are grassy areas, small patches of low-growth forest, mangroves and scrub. On Wallace Island there is a small patch of Pisonia grandis, a plant from the family of the wonder flower plants (Nyctaginaceae) that is particularly worthy of protection .

The reefs and extensive seagrass meadows surrounding the islands are an important habitat for dolphins , dugongs , sea ​​turtles and saltwater crocodiles .

In order not to disturb the animals on the islands during breeding, it is advisable to avoid entering the islands from September 1st to March 31st. Entering Milman and Aplin Island is prohibited all year round. Camping is also not permitted anywhere in the national park.

Web links

• Official site of the park (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Australian Government - CAPAD 2010 ( MS Excel ; 170 kB), DSEWPaC , accessed on October 7, 2012 (English)
2. ↑ Australian Government - CAPAD 1997 ( MS Excel ; 93 kB), DSEWPaC , accessed on October 7, 2012 (English)
3. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g} Official Park Website - About , Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service , accessed October 7, 2012
4. ↑ Official Park Website - Species List , Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service , accessed October 7, 2012