Protecting Low Isles
for future generations
The Low Isles Preservation Society (LIPS) is dedicated to the protection of Low Isles (known to the Eastern Kuku Yalanji as Wungkun) and the marine, coastal and historic values of the surrounding reef.
The caretakers return: Steve & Louise come home to Low Isles
Steve Sharpe and Louise Collier have returned to Low Isles as the island's new live-in caretakers — and for this couple, it truly is a homecoming. Steve and Louise first volunteered as caretakers in 2003, won a paid tender two years later, and spent several years raising their family on this remote coral cay before leaving in December 2008.
Their son Tom was born in February 2005 — the day after a warning of potentially damaging winds — spending the first four years of his life on the island. Now 21, Tom has returned with his parents for the handover, before heading back to work in Japan.
"Unfinished business" — how Steve and Louise describe their decision to return to the island they never really left behind.
Low Isles is the only Great Barrier Reef island with live-in caretakers. Their duties include maintaining the grounds, repairing buildings and water systems, monitoring for unauthorised vessels, and engaging with the roughly 50,000 tourists who visit each year.
The island has changed since their first stint — solar power has replaced the 200 litres of diesel they once ferried by boat each month, satellite internet has replaced dial-up, and vegetation has grown back after the dry period of the 2000s. Steve and Louise are hoping their two-year term can be extended. LIPS warmly welcomes them back to this very special place.
↗ Read the full article on ABC NewsLIPS named Volunteer Museum of the Year at the 2026 Gallery & Museum Achievement Awards
The Low Isles Preservation Society has been named Volunteer Museum / Gallery of the Year at the 2026 Gallery and Museum Achievement Awards (GAMAA), presented by Museums & Galleries Queensland at Ipswich Art Gallery on 8 October 2026.
LIPS was recognised for its outstanding achievement in transforming the Low Isles Museum into an engaging and accessible cultural destination celebrating the rich scientific, maritime and cultural heritage of the Great Barrier Reef.
LIPS volunteers — together with island caretakers Ren and Col Musson — partnered with Senior Museum Development Officer Dr Jo Wills to undertake a comprehensive redevelopment of the Museum's collections, interpretation and visitor experience, shaped around four key themes: Traditional Custodians and Sea Country; the Low Isles Lighthouse and its keepers; the 1928–29 Great Barrier Reef Expedition; and the biodiversity and global significance of the Great Barrier Reef.
"The Low Isles Preservation Society demonstrates what can be achieved when passionate volunteers come together with a shared vision and commitment to preserving and sharing their community's heritage."
— Rebekah Butler, Executive Director, Museums & Galleries QueenslandThe project elevated First Nations perspectives and previously underrepresented stories, strengthened partnerships with Queensland Museum, GBRMPA and the Department of Environment, and has become a catalyst for broader regional projects celebrating maritime history and Sea Country.
↗ View the 2026 GAMAA awardsFrom pigeon counts to green turtle research, LIPS volunteers work to protect one of Queensland's most iconic reef islands.
The Low Isles Light
One of Queensland's most recognisable historic lighthouses, the Low Isles Light has guided mariners through the reef since 1878. LIPS works to preserve its history, structure and stories for future generations.
The 1928–29 Great Barrier Reef Expedition — a landmark scientific voyage — was based at Low Isles, cementing the island's place in the history of reef science.
1928 and All That!
Helen McNeill — Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS)
Saturday 24th October, 17:30
Forever Reef Project Facility, Port Douglas
During the Covid lockdown of 2020, Helen McNeill — manager of the Ocean Explorer Centre at SAMS — began delving into the history of her institute. What started as interviews with former staff became a passion project uncovering previously unknown finds, leading her to Port Douglas to share the story.
This talk sets the scene with early photographs from Millport Marine Station, the birthplace of marine science in Scotland, before exploring the characters involved in the groundbreaking 1928–1929 Great Barrier Reef Expedition to Low Isles. Helen will also share some of the exciting artifacts she discovered from the expedition, and how SAMS is working to archive, protect, and make these objects accessible for the future.
There are many ways to support the work of LIPS — from becoming a member to donating your container refunds.
Become a member
Join LIPS and help fund conservation projects, island maintenance, and reef heritage initiatives.
Apply for membership ↗Volunteer on Low Isles
Participate in island visits, pigeon counts, beach clean-ups and the Maritime Precinct project.
Volunteer with usMake a donation
Every contribution supports the ongoing protection of Wungkun and its surrounding reef waters.
DonateMaritime Precinct Project
Help preserve Port Douglas's maritime cultural heritage through this exciting new community initiative.
Learn more