The Main Use Zone provides suitable areas in which access and support operations can be conducted and in which long-term facilities can be located, while confining the potential environmental impacts associated with these activities to areas which have been the focus of most past and current activities on land within the Reserve.

Main Use Zones are located at Atlas Cove and at Spit Bay, allowing for the conduct and support of activities at the north-west and south-east ends of Heard Island. Each of these areas contains sites and/or items of cultural heritage significance, and activities in the zone will be regulated to prevent undue interference or damage to these.

Zone boundaries

The Main Use Zone (MUZ) consists of the Atlas Cove MUZ and the Spit Bay MUZ.

The Atlas Cove MUZ comprises the land area within the outer boundaries described below, except for the Heritage Zone. Commencing at the sign post at 53°01’10”S, 73°23’42”E , the Atlas Cove MUZ boundary proceeds in a straight line south-west to the low water mark of Atlas Cove (53°01’14”S, 73°23’33”E), follows the high water mark generally northwards to Wharf Point (53°01’11”S, 73°23’26”E) then generally north-east along the south-eastern extent of the vegetation on Azorella Peninsula (the southern boundary of the Restricted Zone) until the point where the vegetation limit intersects the edge of the Azorella Peninsula lava flow (approx. 53°01’01”S, 73°23’41”E), before tending southwards along the western limit of the lava flow to the point of commencement (view map PDF).

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