Barunguba Montague Island Nature Reserve: plan of management

Barunguba Montague Island was officially dual named in 2021, followed by the park in 2023, to recognise the significance of the island to Aboriginal people and their continuing connection to Country. Dual naming helps to promote this significance and connection to the broader community.

The island protects an important colony of little penguins, the largest aggregation of fur seals on the NSW coast and provides habitat for many seabirds, including Gould’s petrel.

The marine environment around Barunguba Montague Island is particularly rich because of the close proximity of the continental shelf and the warm East Australian Current. Much of the marine environment around Barunguba Montague Island is part of the Batemans Marine Park.

National Parks and Wildlife Service closely regulates public visitation to Barunguba. To limit impacts on the island’s native plants and animals and its Aboriginal and historic heritage values, public visitors must be part of an authorised tour, and those tours are confined to appropriate areas. National Parks and Wildlife Service also limits visitor numbers to protect the island’s natural, Aboriginal cultural and historic heritage values and ensure a positive visitor experience.

This plan of management replaces the plan adopted in 1995 and amended in 2003 and 2009, and should be read with the Barunguba Montague Island Nature Reserve planning considerations report.