Marine Protected Areas
Oblique aerial photograph of Cartier Island, Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory and Parks Australia
Cartier Island has a prominent military history.
The island and its surrounding areas (within a radius of 10 kilometres) is a former gazetted Defence Practice Area and in the past has been used as an air weapons range by the Department of Defence. Active use of the area for Defence purposes dates back to the Second World War.
The Ann Millicent, an iron hulled barge of 944 tons was wrecked on Cartier Island on 5 January 1888 on a voyage from the Gulf of Carpentaria to Adelaide. Currently the wreck lies on the reef edge and is accessible at low tide.
During the Second World War a RAAF Beaufighter sustained damage during a conflict and was set down on Cartier Island. Following the rescue of the crew, the wreck was strafed by other aircraft and set alight. Some remnants of the aircraft are still visible.
Traditional Indonesian fishermen have been known to undertake fishing on the Cartier Island Reef particularly for trochus and trepang. Recent scientific work has indicated that these species are now heavily depleted and efforts to protect the reef from further fishing are now essential.
Over the last few years Indonesia and Australia having being working cooperatively to improve the protection of biodiversity in the MoU Box and improve the livelihoods of the traditional Indonesian fishermen who access the MoU Box.