Moreton Bay Marine Park
In 1993, the Moreton Bay Marine Park was established to protect ecologically significant habitats in Moreton Bay. Coochiemudlo Island is located in the Moreton Bay Marine Park.
Marine parks are established to protect tidal lands and waters and conserve the natural marine environment while allowing for its sustainable use. They protect habitats, including mangrove wetlands, seagrass beds, mudflats, sandbanks, beaches, rocky outcrops and fringing reefs. (Queensland Government: About marine parks)
What area does the marine park cover?
The marine park covers a total of 3,400 km2 (Wikipedia).
This area extends from Caloundra south to the southern tip of South Stradbroke Island. The marine park's shoreline extends up to the highest tidal mark on our beaches.
Why is the Moreton Bay Marine Park important?
The Moreton Bay Marine Park protects a range of marine and coastal environments including rocky shores, internationally significant wetlands, coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass meadows and sandy beaches. These habitats provide important seasonal resources for migratory wading birds, humpback whales and marine turtles. (Queensland Government: Moreton Bay Marine Park)
The natural environment offers value in non-monetary ways. Moreton Bay Marine Park is close to a major metropolitan centre, an easy escape from the city, without travelling too far. Brisbane residents, and those who live around Moreton Bay, are privileged to have this natural jewel on their doorstep.
Ramsar Convention
The Moreton Bay Marine Park is internationally recognised by the Ramsar Convention for its vitally important role as a feeding and roosting site for migratory and resident shore birds. These birds depend on wetlands and foreshores for roosting and feeding while the mangroves, sandy beaches, mudflats and seagrass beds provide habitat for shellfish, crustaceans, fish, turtles, dugong and dolphins.
The Ramsar Convention establishes the importance of wetlands sustaining biological diversity, and therefore integral to the health of our environment, the world's multitude of plants and animal species, including humans.
The Melaleuca Wetlands on Coochiemudlo Island form part of the Moreton Bay Ramsar site recognised as internationally significant under The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance.
Shorebirds and migratory waders
Migratory waders are shorebirds travel many thousands of kilometres to or from breeding grounds located on coastal shores, including beaches and muddy flats, tidal wetlands and lagoons. The migratory waders in our marine park are birds that travel from as far as Siberia and other places in the Northern Hemisphere to feed at Moreton Bay’s extensive mudflats.
Migratory waders in our marine park include the endangered eastern curlew.
Shorebirds in our area include the eastern curlew, beach stone-curlews, bush stone-curlews, plovers, sandpipers and oystercatchers.
Brochure: Shorebirds in Moreton Bay (PDF)
Respecting and looking after our marine park
Since colonalisation, much of our natural environment has been altered or destroyed. Ignoring steps to correct and maintain the health of our ecosystem is short sighted — Australian and international environmental research has informed us about the importance of a healthy ecosystem for all life on Earth. All Australians rely on the environment. Healthy ecosystems and biodiversity are vital for human survival, quality of life and economic prosperity. (Australian Government: 2021 State of the Environment Report)
There are environmental groups on Coochiemudlo Island that work to sustain a healthy, natural environment in our part of the marine park.
Coochiemudlo Island’s community organisations that focus on our environment
