Gold Coast

The Gold Coast is famous for being an ocean loving community, but many locals may be unaware of the amazing underwater world lurking off their coastline.

Gold Coast reefs represent a transition between tropical and temperate waters. Sites vary from artificial reefs with a wide variety of fish life to extensive rocky reefs with high numbers of benthic invertebrates.

Our waterways are under growing pressure from a rapidly increasing human presence. Reef face increasing consequences from stressors such as overfishing, marine debris and climate change. And the Gold Coast is a tourist hot spot - meaning human impacts from coastal development and other factors are substantial.

As such, long-term monitoring of these habitats is critical - as is sharing our data and other information with the local community and involving them in coral reef conservation, reef monitoring and management.

 

Regional Updates

Survey Says.....That's a Wrap!

October 02, 2019
  Reef Check's Gold coast surveys are now complete for the 2018-2019 season! The weather put on a show, allowing our reef health monitoring team to get out and complete the last survey of the Gold Coast survey season.       Narrowneck is an artificial reef off the northern end of the Gold Coast. The site is characterised by high cover of macro algae and lots of fish life. The site is sensitive to wave action due to its proximity to the shore and the surf zone, but forms an important part of the reef structures within the Gold Coast area, so is super interesting to monitor as a part of our long term reef health monitoring in the area!   Again the team found themslves surrounded by dolphins and whales - what a day to be out and about! On the way out to the site they also came across a balloon just floating out to sea. They managed to get it and dispose of it safely. It was however a reminder that there are alternatives to balloons, and that we can all choose to look after our wildlife and say no to balloons!         Thanks to Gold Coast Dive Adventures for getting us to the site. The Gold Coast reef health monitoring program is made possible through support from the City of Gold Coast.
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RCA Get Active in the Gold Coast Region!

July 02, 2019
  We've been picking up our Gold Coast educational activities recently with the launch of our Coast to Coral talk series there. Thanks to everyone who came along to our second Gold Coast C2C talk to hear the wonderful Dr. Olaf Meynecke talk passionately about his research on humpback whale migration, human impacts and also how to get involved in his citizen science project.  Thank you to Greenhouse Canteen + Bar Coolangatta for hosting this event.     But our team out in the field aren't to be outdone! Reef Check Australia was delighted to be invited to the Silkwood School’s Youth Ambassadors Conservation Event on South Stradbroke Island on 19th June, along with Gold Coast Seagrass, the Gold Coast Catchment Association and the Panamuna Project. The day saw everyone working alongside the Jacob’s Well Environmental Education Centre to undertake a marine debris audit on the northern side of the island. It was a beautiful day to be outside, and wonderful to see so many young people empowered to take care of our amazing marine environment.     And to round off a busy month, the team recently joined Beach Care and Dune Watch at Tugan Beach to participate in planting native dune species, aiming to rejuvenate surrounding sand dunes.  Gold Coast City Council leave sections of dune areas for the community to join in and get planting, clearing and weeding their local beaches. This important work aids in reducing beach erosion and helps sustain native flora and fauna.  The team at Beach Care regularly conduct beach care and clean up days with all members of the community welcome. Keep an eye out on their Facebook page for upcoming events.  This initiative is proudly supported by Gold Coast City Council, Griffith Centre for Coastal Management and RCA.    Thank you to the City of Gold Coast Council for supporting our work in this region.  
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RCA Ambassadors Join Seagrass Survey at Wave Break Island!

April 24, 2019
  Over the (slightly damp) Easter Long Weekend, 2 of our amazing ambassadors put on their raincoats and joined the Gold Coast Seagrass team to conduct the last of the surveys for the current season at Wave Break Island. This all sand, man-made island was constructed as part of the Gold Coast Seaway in 1985. Seagrass has become a vital inclusion to the waterways providing food to the local turtles, sea wrass and even dugongs.         Check out the run down below from Tamara: "We learnt a lot about the importance of seagrass and its role and how fragile it can be. Even kite surfing can be a threat. Despite the rain, we all had a lot of fun with seagrass, transect lines, Easter eggs and even a rainbow thrown in!"     Thanks to the City of Gold Coast Council for supporting Reef Check Ambassadors and events and of course to our awesome ambassadors for getting involved!
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