Heron Island Reef


Cartoon showing the geomorphology of reefs of the mid to outer Queensland shelf. NASA satellite image of Heron Reef and the eastern end of Wistari Reef in the southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia. 1992 aerial photograph of the sand cay and reef flat at the western end of Heron Reef (Australian Beach Protection Authority). The sand cay is 800 m long and approximately 300 m wide. The maximum elevation is 3.6 m. The eastern end of the cay remains undeveloped and is a national park. Heron Island Resort and the University of Queensland's Heron Island Research Station are located on the western side of the cay. The boat access channel was blasted open in 1967. Heron Island as viewed from a distance at high tide. The island is located approximately 540 km north of Brisbane. Heron Island as viewed from the boat channel. The wreck in foreground is a decomissioned WWII vessel. Turtle tracks being washed away by the incoming tide. Heron Island is a major nesting site for Green and Loggerhead sea turtles. Turtles climb up above the high tide line at night to lay their eggs. Beach rock along the southern margin of Heron Island. The rock is covered at high tide. Beach rock along the southern margin of Heron Island. The rock is covered at high tide. Beach rock along the southern margin of Heron Island. View shows reworked rip-up clasts of beachrock, which tend to be concentrated on the landward side. Close-up view of reworked clasts of beachrock submerged in a tidal pool. Pisonia grandis (Pisonia) trees form the main part of the forest on the cay. In the summer, the trees generate a sticky fruit that can foul the feathers of birds to such an extent that they are unable to fly. Many befouled birds starve to death. Pandanus tectorius (Screw Pine) is common on the eastern end of the cay. Pisonia grandis (Pisonia) trees form the main part of the forest on the cay. In the summer, the trees generate a sticky fruit that can foul the feathers of birds to such an extent that they are unable to fly. Many befouled birds starve to death. Casaurina (Coastal She-Oak) is often found fringing the sandy shore. Heron Reef lies within the Capricornia Cays Important Bird Area. This image shows Black Noddy terns, which inhabit the cay by the thousands during the nesting season (October-April). The area is macrotidal, with the tidal range great enough to expose the reef flat at low tide. This enables exploration of the area by foot. This image was taken in the Outer Living Coral Zone, which lies inboard of the reef crest. Another view of the Outer Living Coral Zone of the reef flat. Note exposure of thickets of branching coral at low tide. View of the Outer Living Coral Zone of the reef flat during the rising tide. Note coral diversity. Close-up view of the surface of the Outer Living Coral Zone. Much of the surface is covered by encrusting coralline algae. Another close-up view of the surface of the Outer Living Coral Zone. Coral Halimeda in a coral thicket located in the Outer Living Coral Zone. Close up of branching coralline algae on the surface of the Outer Living Coral Zone. Green algae shown here is non-calcareous Chlorodesmis (aka turtle weed). Close-up area of the surface of the Outer Living Coral Zone that is encrusted by coralline algae. Overview of the Rubble Zone at the reef crest. Rubble consists of coral debris redistributed by storms. Overview of the Rubble Zone at the reef crest. Rubble consists of coral debris redistributed by storms. Wreck in the background is a decomissioned WWII vessel. So-called Dead Coral Zone of the inner reef flat. Here, dead corals are colonized by (mainly) noncalcareous algae. A leopard shark hides in the Dead Coral Zone of the inner reef flat. Here, dead corals are colonized by (mainly) noncalcareous algae.

Heron Reef 

This page hosts a gallery of diagrams and photographs from the buildups in the Great Barrier Reef Australia at Heron Reef. Unless otherwise noted, the photographs and diagrams are from Tracy Frank. Photographs of modern reef surfaces were taken between 2000 and 2004, mainly during low spring tides when the reef top was accessible by foot. The gallery also includes aerial photographs from a range of sources that include the Australian Beach Protection Authority, NASA, and the Allied Forces. Where diagrams and photographs have been copied from others, it is intended that these be ascribed to their authors.

Image Gallery

This gallery of images provides an opportunity to compare two disparate settings of reef development in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) Province. Heron Reef (23°26’ S, 151°54’ E) lies in clear blue waters of the mid to outer shelf in the southern part of the GBR and possesses a well-developed reef flat and lagoon. Heron Reef receives little to no terrigenous input.

Relevant References
 
 FAIRBRIDGE, R.W. and TEICHERT, C., 1947. The rampart system at Low Isles 1928–1945. Reports of the Great Barrier Reef Committee, 6, 1–16.

FAIRBRIDGE, R.W. and TEICHERT, C., 1948. The Low Isles of the Great Barrier Reef; a new analysis. Geographical Journal, 111, 67–88.

Frank, T.D., and Jell, 22, 474-486. , J.S., 2006. Recent Developments on a Nearshore, Terrigenous-Influenced Reef: Low Isles Reef, Australia. Journal of Coastal Research

MOORHOUSE, F.W., 1933. The cyclone of 1934 and its effects on Low Isles, with special observations on Porites. Reports of the Great Barrier Reef Committee, 4, 37–44.

MOORHOUSE, F.W., 1936. The recently formed natural breastwork on Low Isles. Reports of the Great Barrier Reef Committee, 4, 35– 36.

STEPHENSON, T.A.; ENDEAN, R., and BENNETT, I., 1958. An ecological survey of the marine fauna of Low Isles, Queensland. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 11, 241–267.

STODDART, D.R.; MCLEAN, R.F.; SCOFFIN, T.P., and GIBBS, P.E., 1978. Forty-five years of change on low wooded islands, Great Barrier Reef. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, B 284, 63–80.

YONGE, C.M., 1930. A Year on the Great Barrier Reef: the Story of Corals and the Greatest of their Creations. London, UK; New York: Putnam. 

Tuesday, September 17, 2013
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