It should be a pristine stretch of Northern Territory, but the Wessel Islands archipelago is being choked by plastic waste, and Charles Darwin University researchers and rangers say the problem is only worsening.
The archipelago, which lies just off the coast of Arnhem Land, is renowned for its picturesque beauty, but also as a biodiversity hotspot, and a haven for several endangered species.
However, growing amounts of plastic waste are washing up on its beaches, putting all of that at risk, according to Charles Darwin University research fellow Carol Palmer.
'Never recorded at this level before'
Dr Palmer said she first noticed the plastic waste on a visit in 2011 and, since then, she had seen more and more rubbish of all kinds washing up.
"The amount of plastics, fishing gear [and] ghost nets was astounding," she said.
Photos show plastic bottles, cartons, foam and even a battered, sun-bleached toy scooter littering one of the archipelago's beaches.
Executive officer of the Gumurr Marthakal Rangers, Marcus Lacey, said westerly winds during the wet season brought the plastic in from the Timor Sea, which was then dumped onto the islands during dry season winds.
Dr Palmer said she had been also been surprised by the increase of ghost nets washing up, abandoned nets that could stretch for kilometres, snagging fish and other marine life.
"It would be really great to do a review of what is the percentage of the netting, the plastics, to work out where it's from," she said.
"Because it's not just all Asian. It's certainly Australian gear too."
A big, expensive problem
The Gumurr Marthakal Rangers have managed the area around the Wessel Islands since 2016, and Mr Lacey also has a strong family connection to the islands.
"The waste is worse than it has ever been, and its continuing to get worse after every wet season," he said.
But, because of the isolation and limited resources, it's not a problem the rangers can tackle alone and, Dr Palmer says, it will not be an easy fix.
"It's very expensive to try [to] sort out, and requires a really big planning process," she said.
Dr Palmer said the task would be further complicated because most of the work would need to be boat-based, and required cooperation between traditional owners and rangers, scientists, government and non-government organisations.
"It does require good funding and ongoing funding, not just a couple of years. It's actually long-term funding so we can actually maintain this."
Mr Lacey is also calling a permanent ranger station there, after the last permanent settlement was destroyed by Tropical Cyclone Monica in 2006.
"To give people, and traditional owners, a chance to have access to their country, and to care for it," he said.
