Moreton Bay

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Moreton Bay is a large bay on the eastern coast of Australia 19 km from Brisbane, Queensland. The Port of Brisbane coordinates large traffic along the shipping channel which straddles the northern waters of the bay.

The Middle Banks area close to Moreton Island has been used in the past as a source of sand for large projects such as the nearby Brisbane Airport. The bay serves as a safe approach to the airport and reduces noise pollution over the city to the west of the runway.

1 Geography
2 Sandbanks
3 Flora and fauna
4 History
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Geography

The bay extends some 160 km from Caloundra in the north almost to Surfers Paradise in the south. The bay's southern navigation entrance is the Gold Coast Seaway.

It is separated from the Pacific Ocean by a chain of three sand islands - Moreton Island in the north, North Stradbroke Island, and South Stradbroke Island in the south. Moreton Island is protected as Moreton Island National Park. The bay itself contains around 360 islands in total.

Moreton Bay is generally shallow and sandy, though a substantive channel is maintained to allow access to the Port of Brisbane for international shipping. The Nerang River, Coomera River, Pimpama River, Logan River, Brisbane River, North Pine River, South Pine River and the Caboolture River all empty into Moreton Bay.

The bay contains a number of island villages such as Tangalooma, Dunwich, Coochiemudlo Island and other developments on Bribie Island, the various isles of the Bay Islands and the industrial Fisherman's Island. Prominent coastal communities and suburbs situated on the bay include Deception Bay, Scarborough, Redcliffe, Brighton, Sandgate, Cleveland, Raby Bay and Victoria Point. Other attractions in the bay include Pumicestone Passage, St Helena Island National Park and numerous boat ramps, marinas and jetties.

[edit] Sandbanks

Moreton Bay is filled with sandbanks. Between Tangalooma and Skirmish Point on Bribie Island are the Middle Banks, Central Banks and Western Banks. From north of Moreton Island towards Caloundra are the Yulle Road, Spitfire Bank, and the Salamander Bank, amongst others.

Amity Banks are found just west of Amity Point, while the Moreton Banks lie to the west of the southern tip of Moreton Island. These banks can be hazard for marine navigation because they are constantly changing due to tidal currents.

[edit] Flora and fauna

The bay is home to abundant wildlife, including dolphins, dugong, sharks and turtles. Dugongs and turtles are threatened due to being prone to boat strike impacts<ref>Boat strike impact on turtle and dugong in Moreton Bay, Queensland Government, Environmental Protection Agency Marine Parks</ref>. The bay is extremely popular with recreational anglers. The Moreton Bay Fig (Ficus macrophylla) is endemic to the east coast of Australia within a range centred on Moreton Bay.

The Moreton Bay bug (Thenus orientalis) is a species of slipper lobster found throughout the waters of Australia's north coast. The Bug is a relatively expensive delicacy served in many restaurants in Queensland.

[edit] History

The Bay was formed roughly 6000 years ago as the sea level rose and inundated what was then the floodplains of the Brisbane River.

Moreton Bay and its islands were inhabited by Aboriginal tribes. The name Morton's Bay was given by Captain Cook when he passed the area on 15 May 1770, honouring Lord Morton, president of the Royal Society. The spelling Moreton was an error in the first published account of Cook's voyage<ref>Ray Parkin, H. M. Bark Endeavour, Miegunyah Press, second edition 2003, ISBN 0-522-85093-6, page 226.</ref> (Hawkesworth's Voyages<ref>Voyages in the Southern Hemisphere, John Hawkesworth, 1773, volumes II-III, page 513 (online at the National Library of Australia).</ref>). Cook gave the name only to the bight formed by the northern end of North Stradbroke Island and the eastern side of Moreton Island. He may have been unaware of the South Passage (as it's now called) between the two islands, and in any case didn't sail into what is the present Moreton Bay.

Matthew Flinders was the first recorded European to enter the Bay in 1799 touching down at the Pumicestone Passage, Redcliffe and Coochiemudlo Island. He was followed by John Oxley who explored the Brisbane River in 1823. On a subsequent visit in the following year, Oxley established the first European settlement in the Bay at the present site of Redcliffe.