Great Sandy Strait

Seagrass Watch was established in the Great Sandy in 1999 and remains one of the longest coastal data sets in the region. The data set has been widely use by both the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Primary Industries and Fishers (DPI&F) for planning decisions relating to the area.

The groups operations extend from a line north of the Reef Islands south past Inskip Point/Hook Point, including Kauri Creek and into Tin Can Bay. The area has a total of 21 established Seagrass Watch sites—of which 12 are only accessible by boat. As sites can only be monitored at a low tide there is a limit to the number of sites that can be completed in any one trip.

Given these constraints, it is expected that the group would monitor between 25 and 45 sites per year.

Sites are ideally monitored every three months (in keeping with the other Seagrass Watch locations), however activities are strictly governed by appropriate low tides and prevailing weather conditions (as part of the group’s Risk Management).

Boat patrols on a fixed GPS marked route take about six hours, the information being recorded on a data sheet which includes sightings of dugong, turtles, sea snakes, dolphins and waders. Every type of vessel seen is recorded by category, along with numbers of campers and crab pots.

For more information contact the GSSFFW Project Coordinator, Gordon Cottle.

Ph: (07) 4153 6917 or mob. 0040 322 106.

Email: gco54653@bigpond.net.au

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