Muddy waters for Reef tourism

Herald Sun: Muddy waters for Reef tourism
QUEENSLAND'S precious coral reefs face devastation after being polluted by murky flood waters with 90 per cent set to be wiped out off the central coast.

Scientists have warned it may take up to 15 years for much of the vegetation and fish stock to recover as the deluge starts to encroach on the crystal blue waters of the Great Barrier Reef.

Hardest hit include reefs off the bloated Burdekin and Fitzroy Rivers and tourism havens such as the Great Keppel islands.

"It is frightening to think that if 90 per cent of the coral dies, then all the sea life and tropical fish will also die with it or disappear,'' one tourism operator said yesterday.

"It is like we have gone from living on a tropical island to living in the middle of a lake.''

Debris, trees, household items, a fridge and even a cow have washed up on nearby shores.


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It comes as the flooding heads towards the southeast with the front now bearing down on Maryborough, Gympie and the Sunshine Coast forcing several rescues on roads and rivers.

Brisbane is also on flash flood alert with up to 90mm falling at Samford, Geebung, Dayboro and Everton Hills yesterday.

Laureth Craggs is heartbroken to think entire coral reefs, giant clams and swathes of other sea life might be killed off by the state's massive flood disaster.

Queensland's flood plume stretches 2300km along the coast from Cooktown to Grafton and up to 120km out into the Coral Sea.

But in one of the likely disaster hot spots, the Keppel Island group near the Fitzroy River delta where the 1991 floods wiped out vast swathes of coral the true impact is yet to be seen.

"Visibility is down to 1m,'' said Ms Craggs, 29, co-owner of Pumpkin Island resort, 8km off Yeppoon.

"It is usually 25-30m under water, but the usually crystal-clear turquoise water is a murky mud brown.

"You can't see a thing.''

Ms Craggs, who owns the five-cottage eco-island with partner Wayne Rumble, said: "It is frightening to think that if 90 per cent of the coral dies, then all the sea life and tropical fish will also die with it or disappear.''

"It is like we have gone from living on a tropical island to living in the middle of a lake,'' Mr Rumble said.

Hydrologists estimate the equivalent of three Sydney Harbours of floodwater is flowing out to sea through nearby Rockhampton and into the Great Barrier Reef lagoon every day.

World-respected marine scientist Dr Ian Poiner, head of the Australian Institute of Marine Science, said the huge layer of fresh water was stressing corals and fish, which would lead to a high mortality rate.

He said it was dumping sediment, chemicals, rubbish and other contaminants onto the reef, effectively smothering the fragile eco-system.

Fellow researcher and coral expert Dr Peter Doherty said the huge flood plume was likely to lead to coral bleaching, particularly in vulnerable fringing reefs in a 30km-wide band along the east coast.

Scientists, however, are divided on whether it will take a year or as many as 15 years for the coral reefs and fish stocks to recover.

There are also fears for the tourist trade.

Capricorn Tourism and Economic Development CEO Mary Carroll said the floods had had a "monumental effect'' on the tourism industry.

"We've got stunning summer weather here, but the irony is people can't access the area from the south, where most of our business comes from, because it's cut off,'' she said.

Ms Carroll said the the tourism industry had seen a 50 per cent decline in holiday-makers during the 10 days over the Christmas and New Year period.

"We've also seen a 70-80 per cent drop for the rest of January because of lack of access by road or air,'' she said.