WHITEHAVEN BEACH

Marine Parks -Information Sheet
Wedding Ceremonies on beaches in the Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park (September 2013).

Background
Beaches are popular places to conduct wedding ceremonies. These are generally organised privately by the wedding party but increasingly, on popular beaches such as Palm Cove near Cairns, Four Mile Beach at Port Douglas and Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays, weddings are organised as part of a business.

For most of the East Coast of Queensland and offshore (islands and coral cays) beaches are within Queensland Marine Parks (Moreton Bay, Great Sandy and Great Barrier Reef Coast). Beaches between Bundaberg in the South and the tip of Cape York in the North are within the Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park.

On a National Park and Recreation Area any commercial activity requires a permit. However in a Marine Park the same is not necessarily true. Certain activities such as ‘tourist programs’ require permission however ‘low impact’ activities that are not of a category specifically listed in the Zoning Plan can occur without the requirement for a permit.

Within certain parameters, weddings are low impact activities and do not require a marine park permit regardless of whether they are organised privately or as part of a business. The parameters that define ‘low impact’ apply to everyone.

In recognition of the sensitivity of island national parks to the introduction of weeds and pests, no plants or plant parts (including flowers) are allowed.

Parameters for low impact wedding ceremonies on State Marine Park beaches:

• The activity should not impinge on other people’s reasonable use of the area. The organisers should take all reasonable precautions to ensure that their activities do not impinge on the enjoyment of other park visitors nor interfere with the general public’s access to an area.
• Simple equipment and accessories are allowed for the duration of the wedding ceremony and should be removed from the Marine Park as soon as practicable after the ceremony. This equipment must be able to be carried by a person, easily assembled and disassembled, and free standing. Such equipment and accessories include for example an archway, a table, chairs, aisle carpet and a small sun shade.
• It is the organisers responsibility to ensure that the area is left without any litter. To this end confetti, rice, flower petals and the like should not be used as it cannot be contained or cleaned up. Likewise, the release of balloons or lanterns into the air or ocean is not allowed . All rubbish such as cigarette butts should be collected and removed.
• Our natural environments must be protected from weeds and pests. Islands are particularly sensitive to the introduction of weeds and pests. For this reason, for SMP beaches adjacent to island national parks, no flowers, plants or plant parts are allowed.
• For SMP beaches adjacent to non-protected areas, plants or plant parts (particularly flowers) should be:
  In the form of non-seeding cut plants restrained in bunches, baskets or similar devices; and free from soil, insects and larvae (i.e. plant material should be treated with insecticide prior to being brought on the State Marine park); and removed from the site at the conclusion of the ceremony (e.g. please don’t leave them in bins.) Environmental weeds are not permitted for use.
• No animals are to be brought into the Marine Park (with the exception of guide dogs for assistance).

Further Information:

• Some SMP beaches fall within Regional Council managed areas and approvals and booking requirements may apply. Please contact your local council for further information on their requirements.
• Marine Parks are natural areas, please check our park alerts on our website www.nprsr.gld.gov.au for information relating to site closures and fire restrictions.
• If you are a commercial business such as a wedding celebrant, and would like to conduct weddings on a QPWS Managed Area (excluding State Marine Parks) or the Green Island Recreation Area you will require a Commercial Activity Permit. Please visit our industry portal at www.business.gld.gov.au for further information on Commercial Activity Permits or phone us on 13QGOV (13 74 68).

See below if your chosen ceremony time allows for a Whitehaven Beach ceremony within the existing Hamilton Island Air flight schedule.

12pm ceremony timeslot
Whitehaven ceremony available
Briefing begins at 11.35am
Helicopters depart at 11.45am and 11.55am
Helicopter to return by 1.15pm