The former Quarantine Station was not built to last forever. The site is rugged, the buildings are lightweight, and the landscape is continually changing.

The site comprises 65 buildings, several archaeological sites, and some spectacular vantage points from which to look out over Sydney Harbour and native bushland. A number of the timber buildings on the site sit on hill slopes that receive wild weather and gusty, salty winds. Much of the landscape contains ancient dune systems that are easily eroded, and bushland eager to move back into the former cultural landscape.

These factors, together with the obvious cultural and historical significance of the site, mean that maintaining the former Quarantine Station is a constant and very expensive exercise. In view of this, the site is operated as a truly sustainable tourism operation: 20 per cent of money spent at Q Station is reinvested directly back into the long term conservation of this very special site.