About the Passage

Pumicestone Passage is located between Caloundra in the North, Bribie Island in the East and Deception Bay in the South.

It is a narrowing passage of tidal salt water lying between the mainland towns of Ningi, Toorbul and Donnybrook, and Bribie Island.

The island is accessible in the South by a 1.8km traffic bridge built in 1963.

The Pumicestone Passage Marine Park, located just over 1 hours’ drive north of Brisbane, is accessed from Bribie Island Road over a bridge that spans Pumicestone Passage onto Bribie Island.

The Pumicestone Passage is a narrow, shallow estuary with a meandering system of channels, sand banks and islands between Bribie Island and the mainland extending from Caloundra in the north to Deception Bay in the south.
It is 35 kilometres long and has a surface area of 63sq kilometres. The marine park has 24 islands and is bounded by 240 kilometres of shoreline. The passage is recognised locally, nationally and internationally for its significant environmental values.
Habitats within and adjoining the passage includes:

  • Mangroves and salt marshes
  • Sand flats and mud flats
  • Coastal dunes
  • Sea grass meadows

Many aquatic and terrestrial species inhabit one or a number of these communities including significant species like turtles, dugongs and migratory birds.

Protected by International Agreements, it is an environment of great significance and interesting history.

Pumicestone Passage Significance:

The Pumicestone Passage provides a sheltered water way for water activities such as swimming, boating and fishing, and is home to a significant number of exotic and native species, including some endangered species.

Current studies are being done to clarify the relationship between the local dugong population of Pumicestone Passage (last count about 9-13) and the Moreton Bay dugongs herds.

Throughout our cruises commentary is provided that relates to the environmental significance of the area, its relationship to the catchment as well as the Aboriginal and European history and the scene as it is today.

The Pumicestone Passage Marine Park area is preserved through the gazettal of Marine Parks, Environmental Parks and National Parks. 
The extensive intertidal wetlands has brought about the inclusion of this area on three international environmental treaties, CAMBA the Chinese migratory bird agreement, JAMBA the Japanese migratory bird agreement but the most important agreement of all is the RAMSAR Convention. The RAMSAR Convention is an international treaty signed by over 100 hundred countries with its strategy aimed at preserving intertidal feeding banks in both hemispheres and along the flyways of migratory bird species.

The international RAMSAR standing committee visited the Pumicestone Passage Marine Park in September 1995 and approximately 100 international delegates cruised the waterway in March 1996, comments received at the time was that this area was of truly international importance.

The Pumicestone Passage Marine Park was gazetted in January1986, the zoning removed all the commercial netting out of the creeks and placed a sunset clause on all existing license holders, if the license holder was not active, the license would lapse. At the time of zoning the marine park 19 active commercial netting operators were working the Pumicestone Passage. By October 1996 this number had dropped to 10.

On the 20th of October 1996 due to the State Government deciding to accelerate the process all commercial fishing was removed from the waterway and it is now for recreational and amateur activity only.

This marine park has the oldest registered fish habitat in Qld, “TRIPCONEY BIGHT” zoned in 1946. This area also includes the no-take zone for the park. Another very important feature for the marine park is the direct catchment area that is only 680 sq kms and includes 12 creeks.