The Moreton Bay Research Station is a marine biology research centre located on

North Stradbroke Island North Stradbroke Island ( Jandai: ''Minjerribah''), colloquially ''Straddie'' or ''North Straddie'', is an island that lies within Moreton Bay in the Australian state of Queensland, southeast of the centre of Brisbane. Originally there was onl ...

, off the coast of

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

, Australia, in

Moreton Bay Moreton Bay is a bay located on the eastern coast of Australia from central Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources. The waters of Moreton Bay are a popular destination for recreational anglers and are ...

and the Pacific Ocean.

History

Established in 1949 as the Dunwich Laboratory, the station was a facility established by the Queensland government. It was designed to encourage use and shared research between CSIRO fisheries division, the Queensland Department of Harbours and Marine (Fisheries) and the

University of Queensland , mottoeng = By means of knowledge and hard work , established = , endowment = A$224.3 million , budget = A$2.1 billion , type = Public research university , chancellor = Peter Varghese , vice_chancellor = Deborah Terry , city = B ...

. It was initially run by CSIRO staff, in particular, Dr J.M. Thomson who lived on site from 1949 to 1953.

Location

The station is located on North Stradbroke Island, a 27,700-hectare sand island, 30 minutes from Brisbane by boat. The island lies between the sub-tropical and temperate zones, and its waters feature a wide range of terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems. Mud flats surround the island, providing an estuarine environment which supports worms and bivalves and other tiny organisms. There is also a large

dugong The dugong (; ''Dugong dugon'') is a marine mammal. It is one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees. It is the only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae; its closest m ...

population which feeds off the seagrass.

Coral reef A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups. C ...

s remain close by at

Peel Island Peel Island (Indigenous, Janday: ''Teerk Roo Ra'', also and more phonetically spelled 'Jercuruba' or 'Jercroobai' ) is a small heritage-listed island located in Moreton Bay, east of Brisbane, in South East Queensland, Australia. The island i ...

Early research

Research at the station evolved from the study of

oyster Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but not ...

and sea mullet fisheries in Moreton Bay, to more general marine research. CSIRO abandoned the station in 1959, and it was taken over by the University of Queensland. Prof.

William Stephenson Sir William Samuel Stephenson (23 January 1897 – 31 January 1989), born William Samuel Clouston Stanger, was a Canadian soldier, fighter pilot, businessman and spymaster who served as the senior representative of the British Security Coord ...

, a biologist at the university, had used the station regularly as a teaching destination for undergraduate and postgraduate student field trips. He petitioned the Queensland government to permit the university to take over part of the station, and develop its teaching and research facilities.

Development of the teaching facilities

The laboratory was renamed the Dunwich Marine Station (DMS) in 1961, becoming the first marine station managed by the University of Queensland. It would be joined by the Heron Island Research Station in the 1970s. Facilities were basic, with a bunkhouse, two-storey lab, engine room and kitchen/mess hall. Livestock roamed the streets and foreshore, and students had easy access to Rainbow Channel. In the 1990s, the facilities were showing wear and tear and needed to be upgraded for teaching purposes. Funding was sought from the university in 1997 to demolish the old buildings, and construct a modern, purpose-designed teaching and research facility. This would accommodate 96 students and researchers and provide high-speed internet access and a microwave internet link. The improved boating and diving facilities would attract scientists and researchers from all over the world. The new Moreton Bay Research Station and Study Centre (MBRS) was opened on 23 June 2000, by the Honourable

Peter Beattie Peter Douglas Beattie (born 18 November 1952) is an Australian former politician who served as the 36th Premier of Queensland, in office from 1998 to 2007. He was the state leader of the Australian Labor Party (Queensland Branch), Labor Party ...

, MLA, with funding provided by the University of Queensland, the Port of Brisbane Corporation, the

Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron The Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron is a Squadron (not a club which is reflected in its support for all things sailing) in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. History The Queensland Yacht Squadron was founded in 1885, received royal charter in ...

and Consolidated Rutile Limited (now Sibelco Australia).

References

* * * * {{authority control Research institutes in Queensland