25. CROWN OF THORNS STARFISH - Mission Beach area

Corals at Beaver Reef were 'planted' or relocated to form a lush garden  after starfish had ruined some sections allocated for tourist boats, and glass bottom boat visitors. Therefore the reef is not perfectly natural.

Dunk Island - offshore from Mission Beach, Queensland.

March 1968 - the first news picture story in any popular or large circulation magazine showing Crown-of-Thorns starfish.  The missing title page is titled "The Thing that's killing )ur Reef".  These pictures were at Otter Reef, south of Townsville and made possible by participation with the Belgian Expedition of 1967.
 STARFISH EXPEDITION IN MICRONESIA

Stranded by the low tide.

A good time to visit the barrier reef is during the extra low tides for a couple of days in winter. If you score no breeze and a sunny blue sky then it's going to be an even better day. Finally, try and be at a good location.

Dr Robert Endean was the Reader in Zoology, University of Queensland.  He campaigned for a better understanding of Crown-of-thorns starfish and Great Barrier Reef ecology - at a time when Queensland was a virtual 'police state' and the state premier seemingly ignorant of marine ecology but well aware of the potential costs of saving coral reefs.

 South Mission Beach - Dunk Island offshore

Starfish plague example

Helmet shells