Maria Island National Park and Ile des Phoques Nature Reserve Management Plan (Review and update)

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The public comment period on the Draft Maria Island National Park and Ile des Phoques Nature Reserve Management Plan 2025 (the Draft Plan) has closed.

Representations received during the eight-week comment period are now being compiled, analysed and where appropriate changes to the draft plan proposed and presented in the Directors Report as required by s.21 of the National Parks and Reserves Management Act 2002 (NPRMA). That report, along with the representations, will be submitted for review by the Tasmanian Planning Commission as outlined in s.22-24 of the NPRMA.

The Draft Plan was developed in accordance with the requirements of the NPRMA and the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Public consultation on the Draft Plan followed the release of discussion papers on the natural and cultural values of Maria Island and Ile des Phoques; public meetings in Launceston, Triabunna and Hobart; and the receipt and consideration of over 400 pre-draft submissions. These submissions, together with targeted consultation and input from Aboriginal heritage specialists informed the Draft Plan. The Stakeholder and Community Consultation Report, linked below, summarises the feedback gained during this stage of the project.

The guiding vision of the Draft Plan is to identify, protect, conserve, present, and, if appropriate, to rehabilitate the World Heritage, National Heritage and other natural and cultural values of the Maria Island National Park and Ile des Phoques Nature Reserve and to transmit that heritage to future generations in as good or better condition than at present.

The Draft Plan sets out the planning and management controls, key desired outcomes and associated policies and management actions to achieve the vision over the life of the plan once approved.

Draft Maria Island National Park and Ile des Phoques Nature Reserve Management Plan 2025 (PDF 8Mb)

Stakeholder and Community Consultation Report - Maria Island National Park and Ile des Phoques Nature Reserve Management Plan (PDF 624Kb)

Any questions about the project can be directed to the Project Manager at mariaislandplan@parks.tas.gov.au

Project stages

		Stage 1 - Background research and preparation of discussion papers
		Stage 2 - Consultation to inform the draft plan - Release of discussion papers - Call for input into the development of the draft plan - Three public meetings - Triabunna, Launceston and Hobart - Online feedback form - Consultation with key stakeholders - Analysis of feedback
		Stage 3 - Preparation of the pre-draft consultation summary report
		Stage 4 - Preparation work on the Draft Maria Island National Park and Ile des Phoques Nature Reserve Management Plan
		Stage 5 - Release of the Draft Maria Island National Park and Ile des Phoques Nature Reserve Management Plan. The pre-draft consultation summary report will also be released at this time.
		Stage 6 - Consultation on the draft management plan - Call for representations on the draft plan - Comment via written submission and email
		Stage 7 - Preparation of the Director's Report for the Draft Maria Island National Park and Ile des Phoques Nature Reserve Management Plan (the Director's Report) - Analysis of submissions - Preparation of proposed amendments to the draft management plan
		Stage 8 - Tasmanian Planning Commission (TPC) review the Director's Report
		Stage 9 - Preparation of the final Maria Island National Park and Ile des Phoques Nature Reserve Management Plan
		Stage 10 - Approval of the final Maria Island National Park and Ile des Phoques Nature Reserve Management Plan - Minister's approval - Governor of Tasmania approval - Australian Government approval

Key dates

Release of discussion papers - Friday 23 April 2021

Call for input into the development of the draft plans - Friday 23 April 2021

Public meetings
Online
Key stakeholder consultation

Close of comment period - 9.00am, Monday 7 June 2021

Call for representations - Release of draft management plan for public comment - Saturday 7 June 2025

The pre-draft consultation summary report will be released at this time
Invitation for submissions on the draft plan to be made to the Director National Parks and Wildlife

Close of comment period - 9.00am, Monday 4 August 2025

Tasmanian Planning Commission (TPC) review - To be confirmed

TPC review of the Director's Report on the Draft Maria Island National Park and Ile des Phoques Nature Reserve Management Plan

Release of the approved management plan - To be confirmed

Release of the approved Maria Island National Park and Ile des Phoques Nature Reserve Management Plan

Have your say

Please make your representation clear and concise. It will help if you refer to the section numbers in the plan. Say whether you agree or disagree with the proposed provisions of interest to you. Wherever possible, give reasons and provide sources of information. Suggest alternatives if you disagree, giving reasons, offering information and alternative suggestions will help improve the plan.

Representations can be made:

• by email to mariaislandplan@parks.tas.gov.au
• in writing addressed to:

Representation: Maria Island Management Plan
Director of National Parks and Wildlife
GPO Box 1751
Hobart TAS 7001

Representations must be received by 9.00am, Monday 4 August 2025.

Confidentiality

Submissions will be made available for public viewing by the Tasmanian Planning Commission in accordance with s.23 of the National Parks and Reserves Management Act 2002. If you wish your submission to be treated as confidential, you must clearly indicate this in writing at the time of submission, specifying which parts you want to remain confidential and the reasons why.

No personal information other than an individual’s name or the organisation making a submission will be published.

The Department will not publish, in whole or in part, submissions containing defamatory or offensive material. If your submission includes information that could enable the identification of other individuals then either all or parts of the submission will not be published.

The Right to Information Act 2009 and confidentiality

Information provided to the Government may be provided to an applicant under the provisions of the Right to Information Act 2009 (RTI). If you have indicated that you wish all or part of your submission to be treated as confidential, your statement detailing the reasons may be taken into account in determining whether or not to release the information in the event of an RTI application for assessed disclosure. You may also be contacted to provide any further comment.