Reef Check Australia

🌊 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 🐠 Our adventure kicked off in the Research Zone, a shallow, easily accessible reef site on the southern side of Heron Island, right next to the research station. With small coral bommies that are adapted to low-tide exposure, this spot offered the perfect introduction to the island’s stunning reefs and gave us a chance to dive straight into our work. After a quick feed, our team eagerly suited up for our first glimpse beneath the surface. This shallow, near-lagoon reef was ideal for us to adjust to our tasks, test the water temperature, and take in the beauty of Heron Island’s vibrant marine life. Within hours of arriving, we had completed our first Coral Watch surveys and kicked off our Reef Check Australia reef health monitoring. Such an incredible start to the week! 🐢✨ ~ 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙮 𝙅𝙤𝙙𝙞 𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙙, 𝙍𝙚𝙚𝙛 𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠 𝘼𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙖 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙧 To find out more about Reef Check Australia follow us for updates, get involved, and continue being a voice for our reefs. 🌐 www.reefcheckaustralia.org #HeronIsland #ResearchZone #ReefCheckAustralia #CoralWatch #MarineScience #CitizenScience #CoralReefs #OceanConservation

🌊 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁: 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 🥞 Introducing Pancakes, our newest survey site for 2024! Situated on the southern side of Heron Island, this shallow location, only 1-2 metres deep, lies within the scientific research zone. Pancakes is an accessible snorkel site for researchers and tourists alike, and its also sits within a designated area for research and collection to support scientific and educational projects. Pancakes was chosen for its impressive coral cover and the high number of ongoing research projects in the area. This site offers a fascinating comparison to both the shallow Research Zone reef flat and the deeper Coral Gardens reef slope site nearby. With an abundance of healthy hard coral, minimal signs of bleaching or scarring, and sightings of sharks and rays darting past our transects, Pancakes is already proving to be a vibrant and promising addition to our monitoring efforts. We’re excited to see how this new data will contribute to our understanding of reef resilience amidst ongoing environmental changes. ~ 𝙒𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙮 𝙅𝙤𝙙𝙞 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙙, 𝙍𝙚𝙚𝙛 𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠 𝘼𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙖 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙧 To find out more about Reef Check Australia follow us for updates, get involved, and continue being a voice for our reefs. 🌐 www.reefcheckaustralia.org #HeronIsland #ReefCheckAustralia #PancakesSite #CitizenScience #MarineConservation #CoralReefs #ProtectOurReefs

🌅 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗼 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 ☕ Welcome to Cappuccino Express, a unique snorkel site on the reef flat, known for its small coral atolls, sandy patches, and strong currents. Situated close to the resort, this shallow site is a favourite among both tourists and researchers — and it’s easy to see why! We hit the water early to catch the rising tide and those breathtaking sunrays streaming through. Cappuccino Express is filled with life: turtles, stingrays, and even the occasional eagle ray or reef shark zip past as we survey the area. Despite being shallow and often exposed at low tide, this spot is bursting with marine activity. Named for the fast-moving waters (and its proximity to the coffee shop), this site has become a personal favourite. There’s something special about being joined by curious turtles and graceful rays, before, during, and after the survey. ~ 𝙒𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙮 𝙅𝙤𝙙𝙞 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙙, 𝙍𝘾𝘼 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙧. To find out more about Reef Check Australia follow us for updates, get involved, and continue being a voice for our reefs. 🌐 www.reefcheckaustralia.org #HeronIsland #CappuccinoExpress #ReefCheckAustralia #MarineConservation #OceanLife #CitizenScience #CoralReefs #TurtleTales

𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗲, 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 🐙🌊 Located on the southwest edge of Heron Island’s fringing reef, Heron Bommie is a sight to behold. Known for its high hard coral cover and beautiful branching formations, this massive coral bommie is a favourite among divers, and it’s easy to see why. Established in 2011, Heron Bommie offers a rich underwater landscape close to the island, making it both accessible and unforgettable. During our dive, we encountered turtles and even spotted a few eagle rays! Just below the surface, we swam through a thin layer of tiny jellies. Among the bommies, we found colourful giant clams, and an unusual Medusa worm that added to the vibrant life here. Our survey revealed mixed findings: while coral health was generally good, we did record up to 60% bleaching on the coral surface in a quarter of the transects. Fortunately, this accounted for less than 3% of the total coral observed across the entire site. We also saw substantial coral scarring, with 43 scars directly linked to Drupella snails found on the corals themselves and 34 additional scars with no clear cause. These findings are critical for understanding the reef’s resilience and stressors. Heron Bommie’s bommies stand out against the sandy seafloor, with countless nooks and crannies hiding assessor fish and bursts of colourful corals. This dive site captures the beauty and challenges of Heron Island’s reefs, and it’s a privilege to document these changes with Reef Check Australia. ~ 𝙒𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙮 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙍𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨, 𝙍𝙚𝙚𝙛 𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠 𝘼𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙖 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧 To find out more about Reef Check Australia follow us for updates, get involved, and continue being a voice for our reefs. 🌐 www.reefcheckaustralia.org #HeronBommie #HeronIsland #ReefCheckAustralia #CitizenScience #MarineConservation #CoralReefs #ProtectOurReefs #UnderwaterWorld

𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 🐙🌊 During our time at Heron Island, we had the chance to explore the popular White Wedding snorkel site, established as an RCA reef health monitoring site in 2014. Located just off the resort’s restaurant and bar, this site offers easy access and an unforgettable underwater experience. The adventure started with an abrupt temperature change from warm to freezing as we swam out to the site, which was an interesting and refreshing shift in the water. It was a great reminder of how dynamic and varied marine environments can be! We were greeted by a stunning display of Black-tipped Sharks cruising the reef as we set up our transect. The reef at White Wedding is predominantly made up of hard corals, many of which were still vibrant and full of life. However, like many places, we also observed bleached hard coral in some areas, a stark reminder of the ongoing impacts of climate change. We also noticed an increase in Nutrient Indicating Algae (NIA) in various forms, along with some macroalgae like Turbinaria. Despite these signs of change, White Wedding remains a popular and accessible spot for snorkelers, offering an up-close look at the beauty of Heron Island’s marine life. It’s a great place to connect with the reef, reflect on the changes, and think about what we can do to help protect it for future generations. ~ 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗘𝗺𝗺𝗮 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗳, 𝗥𝗲𝗲𝗳 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝘀𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗹 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿 To find out more about Reef Check Australia follow us for updates, get involved, and continue being a voice for our reefs. 🌐 www.reefcheckaustralia.org #WhiteWedding #HeronIsland #BlackTippedSharks #HardCorals #Bleaching #NutrientIndicatingAlgae #Turbinaria #MarineConservation #ReefHealth #SnorkelingAdventure #GreatBarrierReef #SaveTheReef

𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼, 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 🐠🪸 Our recent dive and snorkel at survey at Coral Grotto was an unforgettable experience, packed with both stunning beauty and important reef health insights. Established in 2011 as a Reef Check Australia reef health monitoring site, this dive site never fails to impress, offering an up-close look at the thriving and fragile ecosystem of the Great Barrier Reef. Here’s a recap of the highlights: We began the dive with incredible surface conditions, making the entry smooth and the visibility crystal clear. We spotted a Hawksbill turtle resting peacefully in the coral — a rare and magical moment to witness. It’s always such a privilege to encounter these ancient mariners in their natural habitat, and this turtle seemed completely at ease in the vibrant surroundings. As we ventured further into the site, we were surprised by the stealthy presence of a white-tip reef shark, which swam right through our group, curious about what we were doing. The shark's calm approach was a reminder of how much we still have to learn about the behaviours of these incredible creatures. We also encountered an array of nudibranchs, with their colourful, intricate bodies adding a pop of brightness. Seeing so many variations in species of these little creatures was an unanticipated excitement. The reef was teeming with life, from anemones and their fish inhabitants to large patches of hard coral and massive encrusting coral that gave the site its robust, textured beauty. However, not everything was thriving. We observed clear evidence of coral bleaching, a reminder of the ongoing challenges our reefs face with rising ocean temperatures. We also noticed Drupella snails munching on the coral, and the scars of past damage were visible in some areas — these marks speak to the long-term effects of environmental stress on the reef ecosystem. At Coral Grotto, the mix of beauty and fragility was on full display. The health of the reef is something we cannot take for granted, but seeing the resilience of the wildlife and the ecosystem as a whole keeps us motivated to continue monitoring and protecting these underwater wonders. ~ 𝙗𝙮 𝙚𝙢𝙢𝙖 𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙛𝙛, 𝙍𝘾𝘼 𝙨𝙣𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙡 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙧 #CoralGrotto #HeronIsland #CoralBleaching #MarineConservation #ReefHealth #CitizenScience

𝗛𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗨𝗽 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 🐠🪸 Our team took advantage of some lovely conditions and headed out to Hook Island in the northern section of the Whitsundays. Our aim was to conduct an underwater and beach clean up at Luncheon Bay as part of Tangaroa Blue Foundation’s ReefClean project. Our underwater team were happy to find no rubbish underwater impacting the stunning reef and diverse fish life in this area. Once we went ashore however, we did find a few items of plastic, including a couple of foreign labelled bottles and discarded small plastic oil containers. The lower tide enabled us to access slightly further along the foreshore as well, but the good news is that there was very little debris caught amongst the rocks. Most of the debris was weathered and thus likely to have been in the ocean for some time. Thanks to John at Whitsunday Paradise Explorer for his flexibility and getting us to site. These surveys were conducted on the traditional lands and sea country of the Ngaro People of the Whitsundays. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians and their Elders past, present and emerging. This project is supported by Tangaroa Blue through ReefClean; a project funded by the Australian Government’s Reef Trust. ReefClean is a project to remove and reduce marine debris impacting the Great Barrier Reef. 🌐 www.reefcheckaustralia.org 🌐 To find out more about Reef Check Australia and how you can get involved check out the website, and sign up for our enews letter to stay up to date! #reefcheckaustralia #volunteertoprotect #allhandsondeck #togetherforouroceans #ReefClean #ReefTrust #TangaroaBlue #AMDI #everybitcounts #dive #whitsundays

𝙃𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙄𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙, 𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣𝙨 𝘽𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝘾𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙐𝙥 🐠🪸 With good weather on our side, our team were interested to see how much debris was at Steens Beach, Hook Island after having collected 15kg of rubbish off the beach 12 months ago. This island is located in the northern section of the Whitsundays, with this beach facing north and open to windswept debris brought in by recent northerly winds. Our team of four, plus our skipper John, collected 10kgs of rubbish which included 107 pieces of polystyrene which was only slightly lower than last year, 123 pieces of hard plastic, some of which were very large, 36 small rope fragments and 12.5m of rope. Bottle tops, strapping band scraps, buckets, a plastic drum and an assortment of miscellaneous items brought the total up to 395 items, the strangest being a complete lifejacket and 2 items we can’t identify. All data was uploaded to the Australian Marine Debris Initiative database. Thanks to John at Whitsunday Paradise Explorer for his flexibility and getting us to site. These surveys were conducted on the traditional lands and sea country of the Ngaro People of the Whitsundays. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians and their Elders past, present and emerging. To find out more about Reef Check Australia follow us for updates, get involved, and continue being a voice for our reefs. 🌐 www.reefcheckaustralia.org #reefcheckaustralia #volunteertoprotect #allhandsondeck #togetherforouroceans #whitsundayparadiseexplorer #AMDI #everybitcounts #whitsundays

𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁. 🙌✨ On Saturday, November 16th, I had the pleasure of participating as a Reef Check Australia volunteer at the Gold Coast Environmental Volunteers Celebration held at HOTA. The event was a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow volunteers, exchange ideas, and share experiences. The celebration was designed to honour the dedication of volunteers, providing a chance to socialize and reflect on the year’s achievements in a relaxed and joyful atmosphere. The event featured a delightful catering with a variety of food options and drinks, complemented by live music that added to the festive mood. After enjoying the social part of the day, we listened to speeches from local council members, who took the time to thank all volunteers and non-profit organizations for their hard work and the positive impact they've had throughout the year. The day concluded with group photos, capturing the spirit of community and collaboration. It was a truly enjoyable experience—not only did I have the chance to engage with like-minded individuals passionate about environmental advocacy, but I also got to enjoy a delicious lunch, which was the perfect way to top off a memorable day! ~ 𝙀𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙧𝙖 𝙕𝙖, 𝙍𝙚𝙚𝙛 𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠 𝘼𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙖 𝘼𝙢𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙧. Thank you to Renee and Eleanora for joining the festivities, and to the City of the Gold Coast for the invitation, and for supporting regional volunteerism. None of what we do is possible without the amazing dedication of our volunteers, so thank you for supporting and celebrating them. To find out more about Reef Check Australia follow us for updates, get involved, and continue being a voice for our reefs. 🌐 www.reefcheckaustralia.org #ReefCheckAustralia #TogetherForOurOceans #PortOfBrisbane #MoretonBay #MarineScience #VolunteerToProtect

𝙎𝙪𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝘽𝙞𝙤𝘽𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙯 – 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙣 𝙄𝙣𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩! A huge thank you to all the amazing volunteers, participants, and partners who made the first-ever Sunshine Coast Marine BioBlitz such a remarkable success earlier in the year! Your energy, enthusiasm, and passion truly brought this event to life, creating memories that will inspire us all to keep protecting our precious marine environments. There were so many standout moments, with so many volunteers helping across a variety of boats, land activities, Reef Check Australia stall, ID of photos as they came pouring in on Inaturalist, and speaking in the speakers tent. One standout moment was the photo ID of humpback whale ‘HW-MN1100092’ on the Happy Whale platform! This remarkable female whale was first spotted in Hervey Bay in 2004 and has since been seen along Australia’s east coast, including Eden, NSW, and Hervey Bay in 2010, 2017, and now in 2024 on the Sunshine Coast. Other memorable finds: 📷👀 ‘Jasper’ the Grey Nurse Shark – identified via photo by the talented Ste Everington. 📷👀 A stunning cuttlefish observed near Mudjimba Island, also captured by Ste Everington. Event by the numbers: 🚶♀️ Total participants (workshops, dives, snorkels, students): 839 ⚓ Boat-based participants with commercial operators: 522 📝 Land-based workshops, tours, and surveys: 277 🎓 School students engaged: 40 ⛺ BaseCamp attendance at Mooloolaba: Approx. 500 over two days and one evening. 🌳 iNaturalist observations: 2,103 🐟 Species recorded: 593 (with ongoing refinements). 👬 Local observers (recording data): 113 🚶♀️ Global identifiers (refining species data): 223 🙂 Project members: 144 The level of involvement in this event showcased just how many thalassophiles (ocean lovers) call the Sunshine Coast home. It’s heartening to see so many people committed to understanding and preserving the incredible biodiversity of our UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. This initiative wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of the Sunshine Coast Council’s Environment Levy. 📷 Special thanks to photographers Ste Everington and Adriana Watson for capturing the magic. And for the hundreds of other people adding their photos online as well! Let’s continue to explore, learn, and protect the marine treasures that make the Sunshine Coast so unique. 🌊💙 #SunshineCoastMarineBioBlitz #OceanConservation #MarineBiodiversity #Thalassophiles #TogetherForOurOceans #UNESCOBiosphere #CitizenScience