Why do we need it?

At present there is very little information available about the rocky intertidal communities of Central Queensland which can be used for conservation planning in coastal and marine park areas. In particular there are no monitoring programs which provide ongoing records of species abundance and distributions.

Such data are essential for the early detection of new introduced species, assessment of pollution impacts due to new coastal developments and identification of human use impacts such as trampling or excessive collection of intertidal organisms for bait or food adjacent to growing urban centres.

Community understanding and appreciation of this habitat as part of our natural heritage are generally low. The rocky intertidal tends to be taken for granted and there is often little sense of stewardship. Its value as an accessible local habitat for ecological and environmental education is often not fully realised due to lack of knowledge.