South : Beach ecology and management

South Stradbroke Island is a barrier sand island that separates the western Broadwater Foreshore from the Pacific Ocean. Much of the sand that has moved north via longshore drift has found its way into the Island’s beach and dune system. Wind, waves, tides and currents continually adjust the highly mobile shoreline. This is particularly evident at the island’s northern and southern ends.

What’s on Straddie? Today, the 1954 hectare island is home to a small resident population and Couran Cove Island Resort. It is also host to an array of vibrant ecosystems, including:

♦ Mangroves ♦ Salt marshes ♦ Mudflats ♦ Sandbanks ♦ Open waters ♦ Coastal woodland ♦ Open forest ♦ Rainforest Aerial shot of looking north A low-energy shore on the western side (Source: Skyepics) ♦ Foredunes of South Stradbroke (Source: GCCC)

An Island is born More information on these ecosystems is available in other sheets within the series Discovering Our Coast. South Stradbroke Island was once connected to This part of the Gold Coast remains relatively . A series of explosions undeveloped and has the largest sand reserve of all (triggered by the abandoned cargo of the Scottish Gold Coast beaches. Except the Gold Coast Seaway and Prince, which ran aground in 1887), followed by a associated infrastructure (the sand bypassing system period of intense storm activity led to the separation and training walls) there is no shoreline development of North and South Stradbroke Island in 1896 and and the beach and dune systems are allowed to respond creation of Jumpinpin Bar. naturally to coastal erosion events. Environmental management on South Stradbroke Island The key management issues for the Island include: ♦ Disturbance from recreation and usage, particularly on weekends ♦ Introduced species (e.g. foxes and weeds) Common Flora: ♦ Waste disposal ♦ Black Wattle ♦ Bushfire ♦ Banksia ♦ Water conservation ♦ Cabbage Tree

Palms South Stradbroke Island comprises National Park, a section of Marine ♦ Park, conservation parks and Council reserves designated ‘Public Open Space’. Its Corkwoods management is a joint effort between the Department of Transport and Main Roads, ♦ Bush Mutton Wood Department of Environment and Resource Management, and Gold Coast City Council. ♦ Dune Cypress Gold Coast City Council is the trustee of the conservation parks on the island. ♦ Swamp Orchid (Endangered) The Gold Coast City Council uses a Local Area Plan (LAP) within the City Planning Scheme to manage development and use of the island. The LAP seeks to ensure that use of the island is sustainable and that open spaces of environmental, ecological, Common Fauna: cultural, recreational or visual significance are conserved. ♦

♦ South Stradbroke Island continues to morph and change. Its ecological value will Water Mouse increase in the future as other areas within South East continue to be (Vulnerable) developed. ♦ Bandicoots ♦ Flying Foxes ♦ Brown Snakes ♦ Green Tree Snakes South Straddie quick ♦ Jabiru ♦ Quail facts ♦ Pheasant ♦ Coucal ♦ Home to two species of vulnerable ♦ Rosella turtles: the green turtle and the ♦ Lorikeet hawksbill turtle, as well as an ♦ Doves endangered species—the ♦ Honey-eaters Figure 1. Little tern on South Stradbroke Island loggerhead turtle (see Figure 2) (Source: GCCC) ♦ Eastern Curlew ♦ Provides at least 43 species of ♦ Little tern (Figure shorebird with valuable nesting 1) habitat, where they can feed, ♦ Crested tern roost and breed, including 30 ♦ Caspian tern migratory species listed by JAMBA, CAMBA and/or ROKAMBA ♦ The adjacent Broadwater is one of the top ten habitats in Queensland, and contains more than 355 species of marine invertebrates Figure 2. Loggerhead turtle hatchling on South Stradbroke Island, making its way to the water ♦ The Golden Swamp Wallaby is (Source: GCCC) only found on North and South Stradbroke Islands