HERON ISLAND, a Jewel in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

 52 Places to Go: Week 32

Heron Island lies fifty miles east of the city of Gladstone in Queensland.  Part of the island is the Heron Island Resort; the other houses a scientific research institute.

If you could choose to be stranded on a desert island, what would you look for?  A source of shelter?  A ready supply of food? The white-capped noddy tern, a sea-going bird that lives on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, needs just such an island for nesting, and Heron Island fills the bill.  Hundreds of noddy terns breed on Heron Island, located almost exactly on the Tropic of Capricorn off the Queensland coast.

Brittle Star

In August 1983 (winter in the southern hemisphere) our family visited Heron Island and saw noddy terns, herons, and a host of other fascinating wildlife.  It is one of our most memorable vacations.  During our stay we walked the island and watched the birds, explored the reef at low tide, snorkeled at high tide, observed sea turtles and deep water fish from a glass bottomed boat, and enjoyed the amenities of the resort.  Art’s hundreds of photos from this trip inspired my book A Walk on the Great Barrier Reef.

Noddy Tern

Unlike most of the other small coral islands of the Great Barrier Reef, which are rocky and barren, Heron Island is covered with lush vegetation, including pandanus palms and pinsonia trees, which make ideal nest sites protected from the weather and predators. Huge flocks of noddy terns make virtual apartment houses out of the trees. Each pair of birds claims one horizontal branch where they build their nest with seaweed and leaves.

The Great Barrier Reef stretches for 1250 miles along the northeast coast of Australia.  It is an undersea wilderness of coral, colorful fish, and thousands of unusual sea creatures–some of which are poisonous, and all fascinating. At low tide, the top of the reef is revealed. To protect the reef and its wildlife, the Australian government declared it a national park in 1979.

Like other reef islands, Heron Island is surrounded by a large “reef flat” which extends nearly a quarter of a mile into the sea.  Fish and sea animals that live on and around the surrounding reef provide food for both migrating and nesting birds.Where the reef flat drops off, the water is about thirty feet deep, and there, from a boat or with diving gear, you can see large formations of coral and groups of colored fish.  But at low tide the water on the flat itself is only a few inches deep and in many places the coral rises above the water.  Wearing canvas shoes as protection against sharp pieces of coral, and carrying a stick for balance, we went out each day to discover the wonders of the reef for ourselves.

Giant clam embedded in brain coral

Despite its plant-like forms, coral is actually clusters of tiny animals that live inside hard calcium skeletons.  Live coral varies in color from purple, green and yellow to bright red.  When coral dies, it loses its color, revealing its brilliant white skeleton.
The ideal temperature for coral growth is 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit.  As the oceans grow warmer with climate change, many corals are dying and reefs are being destroyed.

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most wondrous places on earth.  Our visit to Heron Island was a chance to spend a few days immersed in its beauty and richness.

For more information about visiting Heron Island, click HERE. 

Learn more about Heron Island and the Great Barrier Reef in my book A Walk on the Great Barrier Reef, available as an e-book on Amazon.

All text and photos copyright Caroline Arnold

THE GREAT BARRIER REEF: Australia's Underwater Wonderland

Heron Island on Australia's Great Barrier Reef rises above the surrounding reef.

The Great Barrier Reef, stretching for 1250 miles along Australia’s northwestern coast, is one of the world’s most remarkable places. I have visited the Great Barrier Reef twice, first in 1983 when I went with my family to Heron Island (see my blog post for September 23, 2013) and again in 2002 when I stayed at an eco-resort in the Whitsunday Passage. Both times I had a chance to experience the wealth of wildlife that lives on and around the reef, both at low tide on the reef flat and by snorkeling in deep water. Not surprisingly, we took hundreds of photos!  Here are a few from our visit to Heron Island when we went out to explore the reef at low tide.

Herons

Heron Island is one of the few islands on the outer reef with trees. The trees and plants on Heron Island provide a rare refuge for ocean going birds, including the herons after which the island is named. Many nest in the tall pandanus trees. Small crabs, fish, and other sea life are plentiful on the reef and provide food for growing chicks.

Staghorn Coral

Despite its plant-like form, coral is actually clusters of tiny animals that live inside hard calcium skeletons. Staghorn coral gets its name from its antler-like projections.

Cone Shell

Beware of cone shells! A sting from some species of cone shell can kill a person.

Sea Cucumber

Sea cucumbers are also known as beche-de-mer. Hundreds of years ago, Chinese sailors came to the Great Barrier Reef to harvest sea cucumbers, still considered a delicacy. Sea cucumbers are in the scientific group Echinodermata and are related to starfish, sea urchins, sand dollars, as well as the sea lilies or "stone lilies"

Underside of a reef rock

Like a colorful abstract painting, tiny sponges and algae grow on the underside of a reef rock. Reef rock forms from compressed calcium carbonate.

Sea Hare (Aplesia)

Inching along like a giant slug, a sea hare is so well camouflaged that it can hardly be seen.

Sea Star

A variety of sea stars live on the Great Barrier Reef. Their arms break off easily, helping them to escape predators. Gradually a new arm grows and replaces the old one.

The Great Barrier Reef is one Earth's richest environments. These are just a few of the millions of amazing creatures that live there.

HERON ISLAND, a Jewel in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

Heron Island lies fifty miles east of the city of Gladstone in Queensland.  Part of the island is the Heron Island Resort; the other houses a scientific research institute.

If you could choose to be stranded on a desert island, what would you look for?  A source of shelter?  A ready supply of food? The white-capped noddy tern, a sea-going bird that lives on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, needs just such an island for nesting, and Heron Island fills the bill.  Hundreds of noddy terns breed on Heron Island, located almost exactly on the Tropic of Capricorn off the Queensland coast.

Brittle Star

Thirty years ago, in August 1983 (winter in the southern hemisphere) our family visited Heron Island and saw noddy terns, herons, and a host of other fascinating wildlife.  It is one of our most memorable vacations.  During our stay we walked the island and watched the birds, explored the reef at low tide, snorkeled at high tide, observed sea turtles and deep water fish from a glass bottomed boat, and enjoyed the amenities of the resort.  Art’s hundreds of photos from this trip inspired my book A Walk on the Great Barrier Reef.

Noddy Tern

Unlike most of the other small coral islands of the Great Barrier Reef, which are rocky and barren, Heron Island is covered with lush vegetation, including pandanus palms and pinsonia trees, which make ideal nest sites protected from the weather and predators. Huge flocks of noddy terns make virtual apartment houses out of the trees. Each pair of birds claims one horizontal branch where they build their nest with seaweed and leaves.

The Great Barrier Reef stretches for 1250 miles along the northeast coast of Australia.  It is an undersea wilderness of coral, colorful fish, and thousands of unusual sea creatures–some of which are poisonous, and all fascinating. At low tide, the top of the reef is revealed. To protect the reef and its wildlife, the Australian government declared it a national park in 1979.

Like other reef islands, Heron Island is surrounded by a large “reef flat” which extends nearly a quarter of a mile into the sea.  Fish and sea animals that live on and around the surrounding reef provide food for both migrating and nesting birds.Where the reef flat drops off, the water is about thirty feet deep, and there, from a boat or with diving gear, you can see large formations of coral and groups of colored fish.  But at low tide the water on the flat itself is only a few inches deep and in many places the coral rises above the water.  Wearing canvas shoes as protection against sharp pieces of coral, and carrying a stick for balance, we went out each day to discover the wonders of the reef for ourselves.

Giant clam embedded in brain coral

Despite its plant-like forms, coral is actually clusters of tiny animals that live inside hard calcium skeletons.  Live coral varies in color from purple, green and yellow to bright red.  When coral dies, it loses its color, revealing its brilliant white skeleton.
The ideal temperature for coral growth is 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit.  As the oceans grow warmer with climate change, many corals are dying and reefs are being destroyed.

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most wondrous places on earth.  Our visit to Heron Island was a chance to spend a few days immersed in its beauty and richness.