Heard Island, McDonald Islands and Macquarie Island

Scope

Heard Island and McDonald Islands and Macquarie Island are administered under separate protected-area regimes. A combined regional entry must not be taken to mean that one set of permits applies to all of them.

Third-party reference (not an official rule): Heard, McDonald & Macquarie Islands – Noonsite

Heard and McDonald Islands and Macquarie Island are remote protected islands, not ordinary yacht-clearance ports. Before visiting, obtain the relevant environmental/access permit for Heard and McDonald Islands, or the protected-area access and marine park permits for Macquarie Island, and separately confirm Australian border requirements.

Pre-arrival notification

Published guidance says visits require prior permission. Contact the Australian Antarctic Division and the relevant Tasmanian protected-area authorities separately.

Third-party reference (not an official rule): Heard, McDonald & Macquarie Islands – Noonsite

Crew entry

Heard Island and McDonald Islands are an external territory of Australia. Their access permits are environmental and protected-area approvals; they do not replace any applicable Australian border formalities. Macquarie Island is part of Tasmania and Australia. Regulation 2.40 of the Migration Regulations 1994 includes non-citizens authorized to visit Macquarie Island in a special-purpose visa category. It is valid only while they remain on Macquarie Island, and requires written permission from the relevant Tasmanian authority before the visit. This is not a general visa exemption for other parts of Australia. Anyone leaving the island for mainland Australia must separately confirm visa/authorization and border requirements according to their passport and itinerary. Australian citizens do not need visas; eligible New Zealand passport holders are generally granted a special category visa on arrival. Confirm each person's visa or special-purpose visa eligibility, island access permission, arrival/departure reporting and crew-change arrangements. Do not treat an environmental permit as immigration clearance.

Vessel customs and border control

Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) are not ordinary customs ports. Australian Border Force (ABF) Customs Notice 2026/11 says HIMI has no separate customs law and ABF does not administer border controls in the territory. Goods carried from HIMI to mainland Australia must still be assessed for duties and taxes as described in the notice. At the same time, HIMI is managed by the Australian Antarctic Division, and activities such as entering the territory (including its 12-nautical-mile territorial sea) and vessel operations are subject to the HIMI environmental permit scheme. These special arrangements do not waive environmental permits or automatically grant entry or customs clearance.

Macquarie Island is part of Tasmania and Australia. Tasmania's Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) requires visitors to obtain a permit specific to the protected area and directs private vessels to contact PWS. A Parks Australia permit may also be required to transit the Sanctuary Zone of Macquarie Island Marine Park. For a vessel arriving from overseas, ABF's general yacht guidance requires Australian border and biosecurity formalities and entry at a designated first port of arrival. Official material reviewed does not confirm that Macquarie Island itself is a designated port where a vessel may arrive directly from overseas and complete ordinary clearance. Before departure, obtain written confirmation from ABF, DAFF, PWS and Parks Australia about the route, first port of arrival, reporting/inspection and departure requirements. A protected-area permit does not replace customs, biosecurity or immigration clearance.

Quarantine and biosecurity

Protection requirements include not introducing organisms, disturbing or collecting native organisms, or leaving waste. Follow the landing measures specified in the permit.

Third-party reference (not an official rule): Heard, McDonald & Macquarie Islands – Noonsite

Official permit information for Heard and McDonald Islands expressly prohibits bringing in diseased organisms and live poultry. Macquarie Island has separate protected-area and biosecurity requirements. Confirm restrictions on other food, animals and items with the authority responsible for the specific destination.

Obtain advance permission from the authority responsible for the relevant protected area before visiting. This guide has not verified a unified port, customs or immigration procedure. Contact the authorities for Heard and McDonald Islands, Macquarie Island and Australian border control separately to confirm access permits and clearance arrangements.

Fees and departure

No single clearance or departure fee schedule covering all yachts visiting Heard and McDonald Islands and Macquarie Island was found. Tasmania's Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) 2025–26 educational tourism visitor guide for Macquarie Island says approved visits of this type are charged a protected-area management fee based on the approved visitor allocation. The 2025–26 rate is AUD 468.36 per visitor, including GST, and is adjusted annually in line with CPI. This fee applies only to approved educational tourism visits; it is not a general private-yacht clearance fee. The public page does not confirm the 2026–27 rate or fees for an individual private-yacht visit, and the rate does not apply to Heard and McDonald Islands. Before departure, request current written quotations separately from PWS, Parks Australia, the Australian Antarctic Division and any applicable Australian border/biosecurity authorities. Check whether applications, visits, environmental assessments, border inspections, agents or departure formalities incur charges, and confirm any departure permit requirements.