The ocean just off the coast of Brisbane is almost entirely enclosed by three large sand islands: Moreton Island (the world's second largest sand island), North Stradbroke Island and South Stradbroke Island. Together with numerous smaller islets and a maze of narrow channels to the south, they have created one of the largest estuarine bays in Australia where tropical and temperate life forms mix. The bay is home to over 1,000 species of fish, marine turtles, migrating whales and endangered dugongs and grey nurse sharks. Fortunately the area is too far south for salt water crocodiles although enough sharks lurk around to cause the more committed swimmers to mentally check that their will is up to date before going for a dip in the deeper channels. Not surprisingly, in 1993 the area was declared a marine national park, the Moreton Bay Marine Park, to protect the natural diversity within it while still allowing people to use it for controlled recreational and other pursuits. The park covers 3,400 square kilometers and stretches 125km from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast.Several of the smaller Bay islands off the coast of Brisbane are inhabited and it was to the largest of these, Russell Island, that we headed on the Bay Islander vehicle barge after motoring up from the Gold Coast on Sunday. Although there are no sandy beaches here – all of the small channel islands are fringed with fertile mangroves – the area is beautiful and its waters calm and often pond-like. We stayed on the island overnight before returning to the mainland on an early morning barge and continuing up the coast to the small town of Beachmere about 45 minutes north of Brisbane. It’s areas like this that give visible expression to the impact of Australia’s current rapidly increasing population. There were building projects underway all across town including a couple that will each create several hundred new houses. I read somewhere that of all the projected increase in Australia’s population over the next decade, 30% of it will occur in south-east Queensland, presenting a real challenge to the providers of utilities and other essential services.
The warmth and slight balminess of Queensland air at this time of year are very relaxing and combined as it was tonight with a silky-smooth bottle of Selkirk Shiraz, all seemed well with the world as the sun set in dusty red over the Caboolture River.
