Barrow Island is a regionally important nesting area for green turtles and flatback turtles. Hawksbill turtles nest at low densities around the island and loggerheads have been only occasionally recorded from the island.
Green turtles nest predominantly on the sandy west coast beaches on Barrow Island in spring and summer. Hatchlings emerge from nests through summer and early autumn. While most green turtles migrate away from the area after breeding, some appear to be resident at Barrow Island, remaining near the island during the winter. The area of the proposed feed gas shore crossing at North White's Beach is not a locally important green turtle nesting site. Flacourt Bay, where the alternative pipeline shore crossing is proposed, is an important green turtle nesting habitat.
Nesting flatback turtles favour mid-east coast beaches on Barrow Island. The beaches either side of the proposed Development area at Town Point are important components of this regionally significant rookery. In the summers of 2003-2004 and 2004-2005, flatback turtle nesting densities were highest on the central east coast adjacent to Town Point (Figure 8-2). The proposed shore crossing for the domestic gas pipeline is comprised of mangroves and mudflats and is unsuitable for turtle nesting. A flatback turtle rookery has recently been identified at Back Beach, Onslow.
