FREA

FREA page updated:  20 December 2021

UniDive FREA project won Award

It is a good news story, as Flinders has lots of life, good healthy coral cover, and relatively low level of impacts compared to other South East Queensland Reefs.

UniDive FREA members trained, surveyed, photographed, mapped, analysed on the Flinders Reef Ecological Assessment of the dive sites resulting in photo book, report, video, maps, and scientiifc paper while conducting hundreds of dives and ten thousand hours of volunteer time.

 See scientific paper : title: Conservation value of a subtropical reef in south-eastern Queensland, Australia, highlighted by citizen-science efforts

The photo book titled "Finders. Flora and Fauna of Flinders Reef Dive sites" will be available at the UniDive gear shed, or online via www.coralwatch.org or www.reefcheckaustralia.org costing $30,-.

About the Flinders Reef Ecological Assessment project

Flinders Reef (Australia’s second best dive site) is a sub-tropical reef located just off Moreton Island. It has a special place in Australia’s marine ecosystem, being the most southerly true coral reef, yet baseline ecological data and detailed maps for Flinders Reef has not been collected.

The aim of the FREA project was for UniDive to conduct an ecological assessment and mapping of Flinders Reef marine environment using a community based, cost effective, scientifically sound survey program.

The survey program assess the flora and fauna at Flinders Reef using globally recognised approaches from ReefCheck, Coral Watch methods and mapping methods used in previous UniDive projects (e.g. PLEA).

The results assisted with reporting on the health of Brisbane waterways and how they impact the local coastal environment. Project findings were made publicly accessible through a report, maps and data sets. It provided a basis to understand and track changes supporting management plans for waterway and coastal health, particularly East Moreton Bay. Next to that it supported the local dive industry with maps and raise public awareness of the local reef environment.

FREA Science Team - A group of volunteers from UniDive that came together to form the "FREA science team" which worked on writing a paper and giving presentations using the data gathered from FREA.

View the FREA science team folder HERE

See the presentations (members access only)

Contains references and meeting notes. This link is view-only. For editing access, please come along to one of our team meetings!

Contact  conservation@unidive.org for more information or the FREA project poster.