Lexi Webster
Raine Island is a vegetated coral cay situated on the outer edges of the Great Barrier Reef off northeastern Australia. It is located 120 kilometres (75 miles) east-northeast of Cape Grenville on the Cape York Peninsula, which is off the coast of Queensland. The island is known for being the largest and most important green sea turtle nesting area in the world, with up to 64,000 females nesting in one season. It is also a significant cultural site for the Wuthathi Aboriginal people and the Torres Strait Islander peoples.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Distance from mainland Australia | 120 km from Cape York Peninsula |
| Area | 32 hectares (79 acres) |
| Location | Northeastern Australia |
| Distance from Cairns, Queensland | 620 km |
| Distance from Cape Grenville, Cape York Peninsula | 120 km |
| Turtle species | Green sea turtles |
| Number of nesting females | Up to 64,000 in a season |
| Number of turtles in the water | Over 250 turtles in an hour |
| Vegetation | Low shrubs and herbaceous annual vegetation |
| Composition | Phosphate rock, sand, and coral |
| Shape | D-shaped |
| Length | Less than 1 km |
| Width | 0.5 km |
| Status | Uninhabited by humans |
| Management | Managed by the Wuthathi people of eastern Cape York Peninsula and the Meriam Nation |
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What You'll Learn
Raine Island is 620 km from Cairns, Queensland
Raine Island is a vegetated coral cay situated on the outer edges of the Great Barrier Reef off northeastern Australia. It is located 620 km (390 mi) north-northwest of Cairns in Queensland. The island is a protected area, closed to the general public, and is only accessible for research and conservation purposes.
Raine Island is a significant site for the Wuthathi Aboriginal people and the Meriam Nation (Ugar, Mer, and Erub) people of the eastern Torres Strait, who have been regular visitors for tens of thousands of years. It is named after Captain Thomas Raine, an English mariner who discovered the island in 1814 or 1815.
The island is known for being the largest and most important green sea turtle nesting area in the world. It is estimated that up to 64,000 female turtles nest on the island in a single season, with the cay producing 90% of the region's green turtles. The island is also the only known Australian breeding site for the critically endangered Herald Petrel.
Due to its ecological, historical, and cultural significance, Raine Island is a highly protected area. It is home to the oldest European structure in tropical Australia, a stone beacon built in 1844 using stone quarried from the island's phosphate rock. The structure was built by convict labour to warn ships of the treacherous waters surrounding the island, which have caused more than thirty shipwrecks.
In recent years, collaborative projects have been undertaken to reshape the island and improve conditions for the turtle population, which has been impacted by global warming and declining hatching rates. These projects aim to ensure the preservation and protection of the natural and cultural heritage of Raine Island, located 620 km from Cairns, Queensland.
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It's 120 km from Cape Grenville on the Cape York Peninsula
Raine Island is located about 120 kilometres (75 miles) east-northeast of Cape Grenville on the Cape York Peninsula. It is a vegetated coral cay situated on the outer edges of the Great Barrier Reef off northeastern Australia. The island is a popular dive site, known for its coral gardens, plunging walls, and abundant marine life, including turtles, sharks, and colourful fish.
Being 120 km from Cape Grenville, Raine Island is relatively remote and inaccessible. It is not accessible to the general public and can only be visited by a long-range liveaboard dive boat. This isolation has helped protect the island's fragile ecosystem and cultural heritage.
As the largest and most important green sea turtle nesting area in the world, Raine Island plays a crucial role in marine conservation. Up to 64,000 female turtles nest on the island in a single season, and it is estimated that the cay produces 90% of the region's green turtles. The island is also the only known Australian breeding site for the critically endangered Herald Petrel, making it a significant seabird rookery in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.
Raine Island holds cultural significance for the Wuthathi Aboriginal people and the Torres Strait Islander peoples, who have strong historical and cultural connections to the area. It is also of historical importance, as it is home to the oldest European structure in tropical Australia—a stone beacon built in 1844 using convict labour. The beacon was constructed to warn ships of the treacherous waters around the island, which have claimed more than thirty shipwrecks, including the HMS Pandora involved in the capture of mutineers from HMS Bounty.
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It's a protected area with restricted access
Raine Island is a protected area with restricted access. The island is located about 120 kilometres (75 miles) east-northeast of Cape Grenville on the Cape York Peninsula, which is off the coast of far north Queensland. It is the largest and most important green sea turtle nesting area in the world, with up to 64,000 females nesting on the small coral sand cay in a single season. The island is also an important site for the Wuthathi Aboriginal people and other Torres Strait Islander peoples, as well as being the site of the oldest European structure in tropical Australia, a stone beacon built in 1844.
Due to its ecological, historical, and cultural significance, Raine Island is protected from public access. It is part of the Raine Island National Park (Scientific), which has been declared a Restricted Access Special Management Area under both state and Commonwealth legislation. Access to the waters surrounding the island is by permit only, and all fishing, harvesting, and other marine extractive activities are prohibited. The only exceptions are for permitted research and traditional native title holder activities. This restricted access ensures the protection of breeding seabirds and turtles, as well as the cultural heritage of the area.
The Raine Island Recovery Project is a collaboration between the Queensland Government, BHP, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, the Traditional Owners, and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. The project aims to preserve Raine Island and address issues impacting the green turtles that nest on the island. As part of this project, the island was reshaped between 2011 and 2020 to make it easier for female turtles to nest and reduce the risk of nest inundation. A sophisticated monitoring and research system, utilising 3D modelling, satellite technology, and drones, was also implemented and continues to be used today.
In addition to the Recovery Project, the Turtle Cooling Project is being undertaken by scientists from the World Wildlife Fund Australia, University of Queensland, Deakin University, and the Queensland Government. This project focuses on the impact of global warming on northern green turtle breeding, specifically the effect of higher temperatures on the production of female turtles. The Turtle Cooling Project is working in the area around Raine Island, Heron Island, and Moulter Cay, all of which are important turtle nesting sites.
While Raine Island itself is off-limits to the general public, it is possible to visit the surrounding fringing reef on a long-range liveaboard dive boat. This reef is home to an abundance of turtles and other marine life, including sharks and various species of fish. However, even during these dives, visitors are not allowed to step onto the protected coral cay of Raine Island.
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The island is named after Captain Thomas Raine
Raine Island is located about 120 kilometres (75 miles) east-northeast of Cape Grenville on the Cape York Peninsula, which is off the coast of Queensland, Australia. It is a vegetated coral cay that is dominated by low herbaceous annual vegetation. The island is named after Captain Thomas Raine (1793-1860), an English mariner and merchant.
Thomas Raine was born on 21 June 1793 and was the youngest son of Richard Raine, a barrister, and his wife Mary, née Beatty. He attended Westminster School and later joined the merchant marine. In 1814, he sailed to Australia as a junior officer on the convict transport ship Surry. During this voyage, an epidemic of typhus broke out, leaving Raine as the only surviving officer. As acting master, he sailed the ship to China and, on his return journey, examined parts of the Great Barrier Reef, including Raine Island and Raine Passage, which were subsequently named after him.
Raine was later confirmed as captain of the Surry and made four more voyages to Australia with convicts between 1816 and 1823. He was known for his humane treatment of the convicts, earning him the commendation of Governor Lachlan Macquarie. In addition to his maritime career, Raine was also a merchant adventurer, establishing the first shore whaling station on the Australian mainland in 1818 and engaging in various other commercial enterprises. He demonstrated a keen ability to visualise the commercial possibilities of new localities and trade routes, although his ventures were ultimately unsuccessful due to a lack of capital.
Captain Thomas Raine's legacy is commemorated in the naming of Raine Island, recognising his role as the first European to discover and explore the island and its surrounding waters.
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It's home to the largest green turtle rookery in the world
Raine Island is a vegetated coral cay situated on the outer edges of the Great Barrier Reef off northeastern Australia. It is home to the largest green turtle rookery in the world. The island is a highly significant cultural and story place for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, particularly the Wuthathi People from Cape York and the Meriam Nation People from the eastern Torres Strait Islands Ugar, Mer, and Erub.
The island falls within the traditional lands and waters of the Wuthathi Aboriginal people, who share their interests in the area with the Torres Strait Islander peoples. Raine Island is also an important environmental icon and is totally protected from public access. It is one of the most important historical monuments in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register and the Commonwealth Register of the National Estate.
Raine Island is the largest and most important green sea turtle nesting area globally, with up to 64,000 females nesting on the small coral sand cay in a single season. The turtle population can vary from less than 1,000 to more than 10,000 and has been found to correlate with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. The nesting site has been active for over 1,000 years, making it the longest-known marine turtle rookery in existence. Up to 100,000 nesting females have been observed in a season, with the cay producing 90% of the region's green turtles.
The Raine Island Recovery Project is a collaborative effort between the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, the Queensland Government, BHP, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, and the Wuthathi and Meriam Nation Traditional Owners. The project aims to protect and restore the island's critical habitat and ensure the future of key marine species, including green turtles and seabirds. The project has implemented adaptive management actions to restore viable turtle nesting habitats, raise and reprofile significant areas of low-lying nesting beaches, and reduce fatal nest inundation.
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Frequently asked questions
Raine Island is located approximately 620 km (390 mi) north-northwest of Cairns in Queensland, Australia.
Raine Island is situated about 120 kilometres (75 mi) east-northeast of Cape Grenville on the Cape York Peninsula.
Raine Island is located about 200 kilometres southeast of the tip of Cape York.
No, Raine Island is a protected area and is not accessible to the public.
