Moreton
Bay is home to a vast array of marine habitats, plants and animals and includes
some of Australia’s premier wetlands. Extensive mangroves and tidal flats
support and shelter fish, birds and other wildlife. Sandflats provide roosting
sites for migratory birds and seagrass beds nurture fish, shellfish, dugongs and
turtles. Tropical, subtropical and temperate wildlife species are all supported
within the bay. In 1993 this location was recognised as a Ramsar site of international significance for the conservation and sustainable use of
wetlands.
For
thousands of years the Quandamooka people have lived here and cared for this
place. In the past 200 years Moreton Bay has seen significant changes due to
land clearing in the catchment, increasing urbanisation, dredging and
increasing fishing pressure. Despite this, it remains an amazing place on the
edge of a population of nearly 2 million people.
The
Moreton Bay Environmental Education Centre is one of a network across
Queensland. Our centre began as the St Helena Island Education Unit in 1986, a
joint venture between the Department of Education and Queensland National Parks
and Wildlife Service. The Education Unit was later upgraded to the 'St Helena
Island Environmental Education Centre' as part of the Environmental Education
branch. In July 1989, Fort Lytton National Park was added to the centre's area
of responsibility and in 1994 became the Moreton Bay Environmental Education
Centre.
Today the
centre offers programs across sectors including primary, secondary and special,
as well as tertiary institutions, community organisations and other Government
departments. The centre is fortunate to have a 6 star, Greenstar designed
sustainable centre with learnscaped outdoor areas, Inspiration, a 12 metre
aluminium catamaran and Janjari, a 5.8 metre rigid inflatable.
