Is drilling for oil or gas allowed in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area?
Drilling for oil and gas and other mining activities are prohibited in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which encompasses approximately 99% of Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has also developed the Great Barrier Reef Region (Prohibition Of Mining) Regulations 1999 to prohibit mining in the Great Barrier Reef Region. Exploration ‘outside’ the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area is subject to Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) requirements, if there are likely to be significantly impacts on the Great Barrier World Heritage Area. These proposals would be assessed under the EPBC Act.
