Day Schedule:09:30-10:30 Arrival Moreton Bay Research Station on North Stradbroke Island
10:30-10:45 Settle-in to accommodation
10:45-11:10 First general information by Prof. G. Woerheide
11:10-11:30 Get Ready for the day’s activities
11:30-12:00 Information about security and general rules by Dr. William Loh
12:00-12:30 Bus ride to Point Lookout
12:30-13:30 Walk from South-eastern point to Cook’s Seat at Point Lookout – whale and dolphin watching, plants on North Stradbroke Island
13:30-14:05 Lunch break at Cook’s Seat
14:05-14:55 Walk from high-energy shore (Frenchman’s beach) to low-energy shore (Deadman’s beach) with explanations of exogenic processes and fauna
14:55-15:20 Walk to Cylinder Beach
15:20-16:30 Swimming and beach walking at Cylinder Beach
16:30-17:00 Bus ride back to MBRS
17:00-18:15 free-time
18:15-19:15 dinner
19:15-20:15 lecture about sand-islands – North Stradbroke Island (NSI) and Fraser Island , plan for next day
Weather: sunny, around 23°C, wind from south-east
Tides: 07:30 low tide minimum, 14:47 high tide maximum
Details:
After arrival and settle-in the first information about the general procedure of the course and the rules to get a certificate is given by Prof. Gert Woerheide between 10:45 and 11:10. Dr. William Loh then explains the general rules of the Moreton Bay Research Station, emergency procedures, dangerous marine animals, energy conservation, the local Aboriginal community, University of Queensland guidelines and Lab guidelines es well as the communication possibilities until 12 o’clock.
Pick-up by Ozzie the bus driver, 30min bus ride to Point Lookout. The group takes the Gorge Walk from 12:30 to 13:30 around the south-eastern corner on eroded Triassic lava which formed part of the huge Caldera in southern Queensland and now belongs to the North Stradbroke sand island, which was formed by longshore currents in the Pacific. Good views of a group of bottlenose dolphins and two humpback whales travelling South to North are possible.
On the way Dr. Loh talks about the typical vegetation that can be found on NSI like the Coastal Screw-pine Pandanus tectoris, the Coast Banksia - Banksia integrifolia and the Coastal She oak - Casuarina equisetifolia.
After a lunch break at Cook’s Seat in company of a Willy Wigtail we observe the difference between the erosion and fauna of a high-energy and a low-energy shore taking a stroll from 14:15-15:20 from Frenchman’s Beach to Cylinder Beach. Considering the squeaking, clean quartz rich sand on the high-energy shore Frenchman’s Beach the group gets an impression why due to the absence of organic nutrients only little diversity exists here. Some Polychaeta and mussels can be found living in this ‘starvation’ zone.
After a lunch break at Cook’s Seat in company of a Willy Wigtail we observe the difference between the erosion and fauna of a high-energy and a low-energy shore taking a stroll from 14:15-15:20 from Frenchman’s Beach to Cylinder Beach. Considering the squeaking, clean quartz rich sand on the high-energy shore Frenchman’s Beach the group gets an impression why due to the absence of organic nutrients only little diversity exists here. Some Polychaeta and mussels can be found living in this ‘starvation’ zone.
Crossing the volcanic outcrops to Deadman’s Beach a completely different situation can be found on this calm, low-energy shore. Between the rocks in the intertidal there can be found a range of different species like Oysters, Green Zoanthids, Anemones -Actinia tenebrosa, the Constricted Top Snail - Austrocochlea constricta, Granulated Barnacles - Tetraclitella purpurasens, the Mulberry Whelk - Morula marginalba and Polyplacophora like Oakchiton - Onitochiton quercinus. Dr. Mike Reich explains infaunal feeding showing several examples.
After trying some sand boarding at 14:55 and crossing the next volcanic outcrop with good examples of the paleo lava flow the group arrives at Cylinder Beach spending the time from 15:20 to 16:30 with swimming and beach walking. A Sepia backbone with marks of a bite is found.
After another 30 min bus-ride back to the MBRS, free-time and dinner the group joins the class of Dr. Loh from 19:15 to 20:05. General information about Australia is given, followed by the explanation of the formation of sand islands along the coast of New South Wales and Queensland. Fraser Island and NSI are described in a more detailed way concerning the formation and age of sand dunes and the typical vegetation succession. The habitats of NSI are explained along a profile through the island with help of the type of soil, nutrient availability and the groundwater level. Typical types of lakes that can be found as well as the most important fauna is mentioned and environmental problems due to mining, water loss, development and tourism are addressed giving a look into the future. Finally a short outlook to the next day’s activities is given and the first day ends at 20:15.
After trying some sand boarding at 14:55 and crossing the next volcanic outcrop with good examples of the paleo lava flow the group arrives at Cylinder Beach spending the time from 15:20 to 16:30 with swimming and beach walking. A Sepia backbone with marks of a bite is found.
After another 30 min bus-ride back to the MBRS, free-time and dinner the group joins the class of Dr. Loh from 19:15 to 20:05. General information about Australia is given, followed by the explanation of the formation of sand islands along the coast of New South Wales and Queensland. Fraser Island and NSI are described in a more detailed way concerning the formation and age of sand dunes and the typical vegetation succession. The habitats of NSI are explained along a profile through the island with help of the type of soil, nutrient availability and the groundwater level. Typical types of lakes that can be found as well as the most important fauna is mentioned and environmental problems due to mining, water loss, development and tourism are addressed giving a look into the future. Finally a short outlook to the next day’s activities is given and the first day ends at 20:15.
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