A rare tender opportunity has opened for two people to live and work on one of Queensland’s most quietly spectacular Great Barrier Reef destinations, with the Reef Authority and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service seeking caretakers for Low Island, part of the Low Isles off Port Douglas.
For many, Low Isles is the kind of place usually experienced in postcards, holiday brochures and day-trip memories. Sitting about 15 kilometres north-east of Port Douglas and 60 kilometres north of Cairns, the island group is made up of Low Island, a small coral sand cay, and Woody Island, a protected mangrove cay connected by reef.
It is a place of shallow coral reef, green sea turtles and one of Queensland’s oldest operating lighthouses, first lit in 1878. Tour boats make the short crossing from Port Douglas when conditions allow, bringing visitors to snorkel, walk the beach and experience a gentler, more accessible side of the Great Barrier Reef.
Now, for the right couple or two-person team, Low Island could become much more than a day out. It could become home.
The public tender, Low Isles Caretaker Services, is now open through VendorPanel, and invites submissions for a two-year contract, with two possible one-year extensions. The contract is expected to commence on Friday 9 October 2026.
While the setting is undeniably beautiful, the opportunity is being presented very clearly as a working role rather than an extended island escape. Caretakers live permanently on Low Island during the contract term and help protect the environmental, cultural and historical values of the site, which is jointly managed through the Reef Joint Field Management Program.
The duties are varied and practical. They include grounds maintenance, vegetation management, building maintenance, repairs, maintenance of off-grid systems, visitor education and monitoring compliance with marine park rules.
That makes the role suited to people who are self-sufficient, hands-on and comfortable living in a remote tropical environment where resourcefulness matters. Low Island is off-grid, supported by systems including remote power, rainwater collection and filtration, wastewater treatment and composting public toilets. Life there may come with sunrise over the reef and turtles in the shallows, but it also comes with maintenance schedules, weather awareness and the everyday realities of island management.
Applicants must provide two people able to live permanently on Low Island for the contract term. Requirements include previous caretaking or property maintenance experience, handyperson or relevant trade skills, an ABN, GST registration, public liability insurance of at least $10 million, workers compensation insurance or income protection insurance if self-employed, first aid certification and a construction white card. A site inspection is optional before tender submission, but mandatory for shortlisted suppliers.
The Reef Authority notes that applicants who do not yet meet every requirement may still apply, provided they explain how they will meet the requirements before the contract starts.
For a capable couple with the right mix of trade skills, resilience and respect for the reef, the tender represents a rare lifestyle and stewardship opportunity. It is a chance to live simply, work with purpose and play a daily role in protecting a small but significant part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.
The tender closes at 5pm on Monday 6 July 2026, with an expected decision date of Monday 3 August 2026.
For more information about the opportunity, visit the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority tender page HERE
