![]() ![]() ![]() Otter trawling is undertaken for prawns, scallops, bugs and sand crabs within the offshore general use zone. Boat-based anglers also target the same species but can also access reef species, and target pelagic species like queenfish, mackerel and golden trevally.Ĭommercial fishers net for mackerel, shark, trevally mullet, tailor, whiting and flathead, particularly in the eastern section of this region, and pot for sand crabs. At these locations, recreational fishers target a range of species such as bream, whiting, flathead, grunter and trevally. The Urangan pier (which is specifically excluded from the marine park), Point Vernon, the shallow reef off Scarness Beach, and the flats around Eli Creek are popular land-based fishing locations. The area is actively used by both land and boat-based recreational fishers. Recreational and commercial fishingįishing is important use of this region of the marine park. Eli Creek and Dundowran Beach are also popular locations for recreational activities such as paddle boarding, canoeing, kayaking, and beach walking. Many tourism activities are undertaken in the nearshore areas including: jet-ski hire, recreational boating, beach going, snorkeling and kayaking. The beaches from Point Vernon to Urangan are the heart of the Hervey Bay tourist area with public parks, restaurants, water sports hire, boat ramps, caravan parks, a surf lifesaving club, marina, and piers on or adjacent to the foreshore. The area west of Point Vernon and the area adjacent to Moon Point are shark nursery habitats 7. Marine turtles and dugong are common in the western section of the region, with turtles often observed resting in the sheltered waters of Eli Creek. The roost sites at Point Vernon and nearby Gables Point Rocks support up to 2000 shorebirds at a time, including endangered eastern curlews and vulnerable beach stone curlews 6. Diverse communities of reef flora and fauna are also present.Ī number of important shorebird roosting and feeding habitats are located within the region, particularly at Moon Point, on the exposed sand bars offshore from Moon Point, and on the western side of Point Vernon. Nine of the 11 species of Turbinaria coral known to occur in the Indo-Pacific region are present in this area, with some individual colonies likely to be more than a century old 2,5. The intertidal and subtidal rocky substrate in the vicinity of Point Vernon supports some of the marine park’s most prolific hard and soft coral communities 2,3,4. Mangrove and saltmarsh habitats are relatively limited within this region and predominantly restricted to O’Reagan and Eli Creeks, and to the tidal inlet on the western side of Moon Point. During that time period, the currently exposed coffee rock was further inland and part of the sand mass soil layers. Coffee rock was formed when sand grains were cemented together by organic matter, and is a remnant of a time of lower sea level when the sand masses of K’gari (Fraser Island) and Cooloola extended further east. Shallow sandbars and coffee rock ledges and outcrops are also common, particularly towards Moon Point. The Hervey Bay Coast region supports extensive seagrass meadows in both its nearshore and offshore areas. In particular, these currents shape the area around Urangan, carrying sediment from the Mary River and depositing it on the large sand spit (Dayman Spit) near the Urangan Pier 1. The tidal currents flowing in to, and out of, the Great Sandy Strait also strongly influence the coastal processes in southeastern parts of this region. Irrespective of this protection, the coastline within the area is still subject to active coastal processes that create ongoing erosion management and beach use/amenity issues along significant parts of the coastline. The region’s location at the southern end of Hervey Bay ensures that it is well protected from ocean swell and wave energy by K’gari (Fraser Island). The large rocky headland of Point Vernon is a significant geological feature of the region and an area of ecological importance. ![]() O’Reagan and Eli Creeks are the main estuarine wetland systems within the region. The coastal foreshore consists primarily of sandy beaches with wide intertidal flats. View larger map showing Hervey Bay Coast region of the Great Sandy Marine Park – Zones and Designated Areas.The southern coastline is fringed by the regional city of Hervey Bay, and is the most intensely developed and populated area adjoining the marine park. The region includes the southern portion of Hervey Bay and spans the northern entrance to the Great Sandy Strait. The Hervey Bay Coast region of the marine park extends from Toogoom in the west to Urangan in the east. ![]() Map showing Hervey Bay Coast region of the Great Sandy Marine Park. ![]()
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