Sir Charles Hardy Group National Park, Protected national park in Far North Queensland, Australia
Sir Charles Hardy Group National Park covers two small rocky islands of roughly equal size, nearly circular and about one kilometre across, lying some 25 kilometres off Cape Grenville in the Coral Sea. The highest point rises 72 metres above sea level. Vegetation is mainly grassland with patches of shrub, and the coast has bays with sandy beaches and pockets of mangrove forest.
The park became a protected area in 1989 and was initially managed by state authorities. In 2016, it was handed over to the Wuthathi people, recognizing their historical connection to the land.
The islands were returned to the Wuthathi people in a land transfer in 2016, and they are part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. The Wuthathi name for the group is Wuthara, and the nearby Wuthara Island National Park carries it.
The park is located in a remote northern region and requires proper planning for a visit. It helps to check local access conditions and weather patterns before traveling, as the area is not easily accessible from major population centers.
The two islands are almost untouched by people and serve as breeding grounds for the endangered sooty oystercatcher, the little tern and the beach stone-curlew. Crested terns are the most numerous bird, alongside bar-shouldered doves and black-naped terns. The only reptile recorded is the coastal tree skink.
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