Tourists were fined for secretly building a holiday shack in part of a Great Barrier Reef national park.
According to reporting by 7News, eighteen individuals were fined after they secretly built a cabin in Australia's Curtis Island National Park.
The Department of Environment, Science and Innovation received reports and surveillance of the illegal building and launched a compliance investigation.
Their investigation found a relatively high-tech construction, filled with bunk beds, solar panels, rainwater tanks, a veranda, a barbecue, and cooking facilities. Not only that, the individuals associated with the shack were taking part in other prohibited activities, like hunting with firearms and using unauthorized vehicles in the park.
To build this construction, the intruders had to cut down trees to make space, and their use of illegal four-wheel drives damaged fragile ecosystems.
The Curtis Island National Park is filled with rare birds, as well as turtle nesting grounds, endangered species, and delicate dunes. The disruptive actions of the shack builders put the natural beauty spot and all of its many inhabitants at risk.
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Under the Nature Conservation Act 1992, all fires and structures are completely banned from Curtis Island National Park, according to 7News.
The Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) tracked down and fined the rogue builders and people who visited the shack. It fined 18 people a total of $7,606, which will hopefully act as a deterrent to others and help protect the area.
Though the rules and regulations at National Parks may seem quite strict on the surface, they are in place so that we can all visit these spots of natural beauty without damaging them.
It's so easy for ecosystems to be harmed by invasive species of plants and insects that can accidentally be carried in on people's shoes or clothes, which is why it's important to check you're not bringing in any mud, seeds, or pests from elsewhere.
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Definitely 👍 When these areas are already at such high risk, the last thing they need is selfish acts of destruction from people who want to turn a National Park into their holiday home.
DESI commented, per 7News, "Curtis Island is a national park, not a private playground."
The organization added, "Queensland's national parks are for everyone to enjoy, not for a select few to exploit for personal gain."
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