The bay extends some from
Caloundra in the north almost to
Surfers Paradise in the south.
Residential development has also occurred on
Coochiemudlo Island and
Bribie Island. In the past
Peel Island has been used as a sisal plantation, quarantine station, asylum and a leper colony. Moreton Bay is generally shallow and sandy, though a substantive channel is maintained to allow access to the Port of Brisbane at Fisherman Islands at the mouth of the Brisbane River, for international shipping. Channels in the south of the bay are only rarely deep. however parts of the bay are deeper than . This relatively shallow depth lets light filter through to the seafloor, allowing an array of marine plants to grow which support a diverse range of fauna. The bay itself covers and has a catchment area 14 times larger, covering . As well as the Brisbane River, the
Pimpama River,
Logan River,
Albert River,
Pine River,
Tingalpa Creek and the
Schulz Canal all empty into Moreton Bay. Within Moreton Bay are the smaller bays of
Waterloo Bay, Redland Bay,
Raby Bay,
Deception Bay and
Bramble Bay. The bay contains a number of island villages such as the settlement on the bayside of Moreton Island,
Tangalooma and on North Stradbroke,
Dunwich and
Amity Point. Prominent coastal communities and mainland suburbs situated on the bay include
Deception Bay,
Scarborough,
Redcliffe,
Margate,
Woody Point,
Brighton,
Sandgate,
Cleveland,
Victoria Point and
Redland Bay. Other attractions in the bay include
Pumicestone Passage and numerous boat ramps,
marinas and
jetties, including the
Shorncliffe pier.
Sandbanks Moreton Bay is filled with
sandbanks from sand supplied via littoral drift along the coast of Moreton Island. The field of sandbanks extends across the entrance to Moreton Bay and evolved after sea level reached its present position, about 6,500 years ago after the last ice age Past dredging has removed 18 million metres3 and the removal of another 40 million metres3 is planned. Future sand extraction is expected to aid a major shipping channel straightening project. To ensure the shipping channel remains open, several areas of the bay have been allocated for dredged material dumping sites. These sites have been selected to provide
beach nourishment, aiding the natural long shore transport of sand along ocean beaches.
Flora and fauna The bay's heritage protected wetlands, mudflats, and waterways are some of the healthiest in the region, supporting seasonally up to 25% of Australia's bird species. The combination of muddy habitats on the western side of the bay and sandy habitats on the eastern side of the bay together with coral and
seagrass beds support more than 43 species of shorebird. Seven species of seagrass live in Moreton Bay. Collectively, around 50,000 wading birds visit the Moreton Bay each year, and its wetlands are classified by
BirdLife International as an
Important Bird Area (IBA). In its Shorebird Management Strategy, the Queensland Government notes that: "Moreton Bay's extensive intertidal areas are essential for shorebirds as they provide roosting, feeding and, in some cases, breeding habitat." The bay is also home to other abundant wildlife, including whales, dolphins,
dugong,
sharks and turtles. From 1824 to 1950 turtles were hunted for commercial purposes. The
loggerhead turtle population in the bay is the most significant in the country. The bay is ranked among the top ten dugong habitats in Australia and together with the Gulf of Carpentaria and Torres Strait is considered one of the most important areas for dugong in Queensland. In 2009, there were just between 600 and 800 remaining. Under Australia's
EPBC Act the southern right whale is listed as endangered and the humpback whale is listed as vulnerable. Commercial tour operators offer
whale watching cruises between June and September each year. Most of larger cetaceans observed in the bay are humpbacks, and several smaller dolphins live or regularly visit the bay. The
Moreton Bay bug (
Thenus orientalis) is a species of
slipper lobster found throughout the waters of Australia's north coast. The bug is a relatively expensive delicacy served in many restaurants in Queensland. The
Moreton Bay fig (
Ficus macrophylla) is a large tree endemic to the east coast of Australia within a range centred on the shores and surrounds of Moreton Bay. The southern and western parts of the bay contain shallow mud-layered waters that are protected from strong wave action by the barrier islands. This has provided excellent habitat for
mangroves of which seven different species thrive within the bay, particularly in the sheltered, southern sections of the bay. About 1% of the bay is coral reef. Land clearing and settlement in the catchment has led to unfavourable conditions for coral growth. Climate change is expected to raise sea levels and produce warmer waters that will aid coral growth in the bay. The
eastern shovelnose ray is found in high abundance in Moreton Bay and has an important role in the
trophic structure of the area.
Ship strikes to marine megafauna One of serious threats to marine animals in Moreton Bay is ship-strikes. Dugongs and turtles in Moreton Bay are often killed or injured when struck by speeding boats.
Southern right whales Unlike the southern and south-western population of Australia,
southern right whales off the east coast of Australia, along with the west coast,
Tasmania, and eastern
Victoria, are critically endangered, consisting of only 10 or more individuals. Whales have not been seen on the east coast for many years (unlike humpbacks) as the first whale came back to both Australia and
New Zealand in the early 1960s, largely due to mass illegal hunts by the Soviet Union as well as Japan, although at first it was reported to take only four whales. Recent increases in sightings along the east coast indicate very slow but certain recovery of the species in that area, and Moreton Bay was probably a prominent calving ground for these coast-loving whales. Very small but steady appearances of southern rights have been confirmed in Moreton Bay, Gold Coast, and
Hervey Bay. Seasonal presences of right whales have been recorded in Moreton Bay at least in the late 1990s, and small family groups of whales have been observed visiting the southern bay each year since 2002, especially around
Toondah Harbour. However, there was an instance of a southern right whale being fatally struck by a ferry in August 2014. This whale was a calf, and her mother was also seriously injured by the accident and her fate is still unknown. Another southern right whale, possibly with a calf was also hit few days prior to the incident with a sighting of possibly the same whales near
Victoria Point. These ship-strikes and entanglements in fishing gear may contribute severely to preventing the future re-establishment of the species in the former habitats. ==Environment==