Moreton Bay is a large bay on the eastern coast of Australia 19km from Brisbane, Queensland.

Geography

The bay extends some 160km from Caloundra in the north almost to Surfers Paradise in the south. It is separated from the Pacific Ocean by a chain of three sand islands . Moreton Island in the north, North Stradbroke Island, and South Stradbroke Island in the south. Moreton Island is protected as Moreton Island National Park. The bay itself contains around 360 islands in total.

The bay is generally shallow and sandy, though a substantive channel is maintained to allow access to the Port of Brisbane for international shipping. The Nerang, Coomera , Logan, Brisbane, Pine and Caboolture rivers all empty into Moreton Bay.

Flora and fauna

The bay is home to abundant wildlife, including dolphins, dugong, sharks and turtles. The bay is extremely popular with recreational anglers.

The Moreton Bay Fig, (Ficus macrophylla), is endemic to the east coast of Australia within a range centred on Moreton Bay.

The Moreton Bay Bug , (Thenus orientalis), is a species of slipper lobster found throughout the waters of Australia's north coast.

History

Moreton Bay and its islands were inhabited by Aboriginal tribes. The Bay was named by Captain Cook who sailed past its entrance in 1770. Matthew Flinders was the first recorded European to enter the Bay in 1799. He was followed by John Oxley who discovered the Brisbane River in 1823. On a subsequent visit in the following year Oxley established the first European settlement in the Bay at the present site of Redcliffe.

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