There is little data available concerning the extent of rubbish accumulation on Australian beaches, including the northern Queensland coast (Wace 1995; The Australian Marine Debris Status Review 1996). This report summarises data on the quantity and nature of debris contamination of islands and cays in the Far Northern Section of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park north of Lockhart River. Twelve vegetated sand cays and three continental islands were surveyed for stranded debris during June 1996 (Haynes 1997) (figure 1). All visible anthropogenic debris (i.e. that greater than 1-2 cm (Dixon and Dixon 1983; Ribic et al. 1992)) stranded between the low water mark and the vegetation line along the perimeter of the twelve sand cays was recorded. Visible debris (that greater than 1-2 cm) stranded over the same beach height was also recorded on exposed beaches on the three continental islands. Results were recorded as numbers of items of debris by composition (Dixon and Dixon 1983; Ribic et al. 1992). The perimeter of each cay or length of island beach over which debris was recorded was calculated from a computer-based Geographic Information System.

Figure 1. Debris survey locations, Far Northern Section, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park To look at this figure click here

A range of rubber, plastic and glass artefacts were commonly found on far northern sand cays and islands (table 1). The majority of glassware observed consisted of alcoholic drink-bottles and neon and incandescent light globes. Rubber footwear (thongs) comprised the majority of rubber debris and small fishing net floats and fragmented packing cases were the source of most polystyrene debris. The most commonly encountered metal and aluminium debris was aluminium drink cans and aerosol spray-cans. Fishing netting, rope fragments and plastic bags were also found at many sites, but they were present in low densities (tables 1 and 2).

The most common debris on near-shore sand cays were artefacts made from plastics, rubber and glass. Plastic items were the most numerous item recorded on the two outer sand cays, and rubber, plastic and expanded polystyrene artefacts were common on exposed continental island beaches (table 2). The relative importance of plastics, polystyrene and glass in marine debris is typical of littered beaches (Pruter 1987; Corbin and Singh 1993; Garrity and Levings 1993; Wace 1995). Debris on sand cays was concentrated on the windward side of the cays (the south-eastern side) and was usually present only in very low concentrations on the lee side of most cays. Densities of stranded glass and rubber were similar on near-shore and outer sand cays, whereas outer cays had relatively higher densities of metal, plastic, rope and netting and polystyrene debris (table 2). Densities of plastic, rubber and polystyrene debris were much higher per length of beach on continental islands than on sand cays as surveyed island beaches were surrounded by rocky cliffs which tended to concentrate stranded debris and prevent wind driven re-mobilisation.

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