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Tuesday, 7 of September of 2010

Tag » queensland

AROUND THE COAST – As published in Noosa Blue magazine

NoosaBlue2-1December 2009: The charter boat “Friendship” is no longer at Mission Beach doing her once famous day-trips, neither is the live coral shown exposed at low tide on Ellison Reef. Crown of Thorns starfish devastated that reef two years after the above picture was taken.  A pity as good examples of low tide reef are not easily seen in tourist zones today.   Live hard coral would still, hopefully, exist at Beaver Cay which is the key destination for day trips out of Mission Beach. JHH
NoosaBlue1-1The wild dingo was ‘a bit of a worry’ at the time it was encountered.  Eighteen months later many island dingos were shot by park rangers after a young boy died from being mauled by one of these native dogs.  In the north of Fraser Island their strain is considered ‘pure’ as the above picture illustrates.

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COASTAL WILDERNESS OF NORTH QUEENSLAND, pictures

Getting ashore on the island (made-up of Bauxite rock) can be difficult but is worthwhile.

(Above) Bauxite rock galore. Getting ashore on this Tip-of-Cape York island can be difficult but is worthwhile.

Cape York wilderness

Cape York wilderness

spinner dolphinSpinner dolphin, Great Detached Reef.

CROWN OF THORNS STARFISH PLAGUES ENIGMA

See Fathom 5 for more pictures and text "Crown of Thorns starfish"

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Ellison Reef Queensland

Mystery Cay 1974

Triton trumpet shell collection. Murray Island, Queensland.

HUGE AUSTRALIAN SEA SNAKE PHOTOGRAPHED

We encountered this serpent of the sea around Great Keppel Island, off the Queensland coast. It did not bother Christine and I at all. Most sea snakes are very inquisitive - which can be mistaken for aggression, although sometimes they do seem angry. Very potent venom in all sea snakes. Correct name may be Stokesi sea snake.

Tom Allen 1971

giant snake 2giant snake 1

SeaSnakesseas snake

FATHOM ANNUAL 1973 (Not Published)

Fathom Annual was to be a 200-page hard-cover special but was never printed. With this cover featuring a bikini and big sharks strong sales were assured, however the picture wasn't taken until 1975, even then a strong advertising response was still guaranteed when we considered a 200 page once-per-year Fathom magazine.

Fathom proposed annual

AUSTRALIA’S BEST SHARK PICTURES (of 1971)

The two main pictures and two of the smaller ones (baby sharks, Henri Bource on crutches) are from visits to North Stradbroke Island, Queensland. Once the best coastal shark capital of all.

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Henri Bource (on crutches) had his leg bitten off by a white pointer shark while diving in Victoria. Raymond Short was swimming when a recently mated white pointer latched onto his leg.

The Late Henri Bource (on crutches) had his leg bitten off by a white pointer shark while diving in Victoria. Raymond Short was swimming when a recently mated white pointer latched onto his leg.

John C Fairfax and Sandra Greentree assisted in the sharks birth. Photo's by John Harding (1969)

John C Fairfax and Sandra Greentree assisted in the sharks birth. Photo’s by John Harding (1969)
Grey Nurse from Flat Rock (June 1968)

Grey Nurse from Flat Rock (June 1968)

Rodnef Fox with large whaler 1966. (Note: Same shark may appear with different people).

Rodney Fox with large whaler 1966. (Note: Same shark may appear with different people).

Henri Bource - shark victim who became shark film maker with his "Savage Shadows".

The Late Henri Bource - shark victim who became shark film maker with his "Savage Shadows".

Whaler shark killed by Rodney Fox at Flat Rock, North Stradbroke Island (8 August 1965)

Whaler shark killed by Rodney Fox at Flat Rock, North Stradbroke Island (8 August 1965)

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(updated 5 September 2010)

TIGER SHARK (1963) Wally Gibbins shark hunter

Wally Gibbins used a powerful 10 gauge shotgun powerhead on this eleven foot and one inch long tiger shark at Sykes Reef south from Heron Island. This occurred during the November 1963 skin divers convention which consisted of mostly spear fishermen in those days.
Tigers are very common in Hawaiian waters. This was was caught by a tourist shark hunt boat, 10 November 1970. Photo by Richard Ibara

Tigers are very common in Hawaiian waters. This 9 footer was caught by a tourist shark hunt boat, 10 November 1970. Photo by Richard Ibara

Tiger shark feeding upon a stingray bait at Batt Reef, Queensland. Photo by John Harding & Ben Cropp

Tiger shark feeding upon a stingray bait at Batt Reef, Queensland. Photo by John Harding & Ben Cropp

Initially thought to be a tiger shark. When annoyed the 3 meter shark attacked the boat. Photo by John Harding at Batt Reef, Queensland.

Initially thought to be a tiger shark, but may have been a savage Lemon shark. When annoyed this 3 meter shark attacked the inflatable boat, destroying the pontoon. Photo by John Harding and Ben Cropp at Batt Reef, Queensland.

Tiger shark teeth can saw through tough shell of turtles

Tiger shark teeth can saw through tough shell of turtles

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QUEENSLAND GROPER & POTATO COD

The Cod Hole is on the northern Ribbon Reefs, near Lizard Island. Beaver Cay is offshore from Mission Beach. Giant Groper are seen at both locations but the stars of The Cod Hole are smaller Potato cod.
Hand feeding tame giant groper from Perry Harvey's former charter boat "Friendship"

Hand feeding tame giant groper from Perry Harvey's former charter boat "Friendship"

Christine Danaher is a talented underwater model who easily trains sea creatures.

Christine Danaher is a talented underwater model who easily trains sea creatures.

beavercayCaptain Perry Harvey took day-trip visitors to Beaver Cay (Mission Beach, Dunk Island region) for many years. With luck his deckhands would catch a mackerel on the way out – food for the pair of Giant Queensland Groper would would take up residence for several months each year.

The younger groper had sustained a boat propeller injury which had healed well.

Perry Harvey would hand-feed the large fish to the groper, right on the surface. It was a treat for the thousands of visitors who saw this over many years.

Further north at the now internationally known The Cod Hole a family of potato cod make friends with diving visitors – only because they are being offered food by the guides.

Potato cod are not Queensland groper.

It’s an example of how attitudes toward fish have changed. Live fish are worth considerably more than speared and dead ones.

In Taiwan the aquaculture people are testing the breeding of giant groper. These fish mature rapidly to “plate-sized” and may be ideal as breeders for this purpose.

A further example that a live Giant Groper is today far more valuable than a dead one.

GIANT QUEENSLAND GROPER – Pictures Page 1 of 4

Both pictures: The Shag Rock, June 1968 fish, and R.E.G. (Port Hacking Penguins club champion)

REG

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