Our Facilities - Marine Vertebrate Ecology Research Group Site

Our Facilities

Facilities that we use in the course of our research include:

Moreton Bay Research Station (MBRS)

Moreton Bay Research Station is located at Dunwich on North Stradbroke Island, which is 30 minutes from the mainland by water taxi. The research station has accommodation for up to 96 researchers and students in a range of accommodation types from share rooms to a fully furnished house. Boats stationed at this research facility are available to researchers. Moreton Bay Marine Park, home to dugongs, dolphins, turtles and sharks is a short 20-30 min boat ride away.
Link: http://www.cms.uq.edu.au/mbrs/

Heron Island Research Station

Heron Island Research Station is operated by the University of Queensland and is located on Heron Island, a beautiful jewel of a coral cay right on the Great Barrier Reef and 80 km offshore from Gladstone. The research station can accommodate up to 120 researchers and the reef is right on the doorstep - perfect!
Link: http://www.cms.uq.edu.au/hirs/

Boats

The University of Queensland owns a fleet of research boats ideal for fieldwork within the Moreton Bay region. Our principal dugong-catching vessel is a 5.8 m semi-rigid inflatable, Pelagia There is a number of other boats available for student use including aluminium and inflatable hulls.
Link: http://www.cms.uq.edu.au/mbrs/bandd.htm

Sea World

We also conduct research collaboratively with Sea World on the Gold Coast. Sea World makes their vessels available on an annual basis for week-long intensive dugong tagging trips in Moreton, Hervey and Shoalwater Bays. They also make research vessels and captive facilities available for student projects. Link: http://www.seaworld.com.au/research_rescue/research_rescue.cfm

MARine Vertebrate Ecology Research Laboratory

We have a spacious and modern laboratory on the ground floor of the Goddard Building, University of Queensland. This laboratory has basic scientific equipment including fridges, freezers, drying ovens, balances, centrifuges and water baths. We also have access to specialised endocrine laboratories, genetic laboratories, necropsy rooms and wet labs.
Link: http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb/11629.html

Aircraft

Surveys of marine vertebrates are often conducted from aircraft. We charter small aircraft on a regular basis for survey and tracking work both in Moreton Bay and elsewhere.