Record No. 1970
I 55
o
Airphotograph Study of Coastal Changes - Southeast Queensland
by C.J. Simpson
SMR Record 1970/55
c.3
1i't.t;l~~11lil m~G"fllI~~lijJ \Jil!J~~®_~ !il.x!i~®l~~ 1Q_lil!llI!I9_~ toJ
A±.~~RAPH
STUDY OF COASTAL CHANGES .". SOUTHM§'L.S~~§.h.J.llm. ,
by
Records
1970/55
SUll,flMARY
1
IN'rRDDUCTION
1
PHOTO INTERPRETATION
1
RESULTS Noosa Head:' to Skirmish Point North end of Bribie Island ~ Caloundra Head
2
3 3
'!
Moreton Island and Stradbroke Island Discussion
5 6
REFERENCES
APPENDIX
4-
Photographs studied in the coastal erosion proje.ct
7
The, inforrrlation contained in this report has been obtained by the Departmep,t of National Development as part of the policy of the Commonwealth Government to assist in the exploration and development of mineral resources. It may not be published, in any form or used in a company prospectus or statement witl:.... out the permission in writing of the Director, Bureau of Mine:ral Hesources, Geology & Geophysics.
AIRPHOTOGRAPH STUDY OF COASTAL CHANGES
~.
SUMMARY The coast and offshore islands between Porpoise Point and -.-
Noosa Head, Squth Queensland, were studied on all available aeria.l photograp~y
flown between 1940 and 1969, to detect erosional or
deposi tional changes.
The only potential problem area which could·
be identified is on the north end of B:r:-ibie' Island at Caloundra. INTRODUCTION The photogeological study was made to assist the EMR Engineering Geophysics Group investigations into coastal erosion in southeast Queensland. PHOTO INTERPRETATION The aim of the study was to detect areas of coastal or
deposition~
erosion~
over the section of coastline and islands between Porpoise 0
Point 27°56 1S, 152 25' 18 11 E on South Stradbroke Island and Noosa Head 0
26°22: t 36 QP S, 153 7 t E (Fig .. 1).
All available vertical airphotographs
were studi.ed as time sequential records showing shoreline cha.YJ.ges betw'een photographs of di.fferen t dates.
Photographs studied (Appendix:) vary in.
dates from 1940 to 1969 but normally no more than three useful dates of photography were available over
~y
one area.
The coast consists of headlands of indurated Mesozoic rocks separated by Pleistocene? to Recent unconsolidated alluvial and aeolian, deposits (Hails, 1964).
Only the unconsolidat~d deposits have been
consider~d in this study and these have been broadly classified tnto
stabilized or mobile material.
Areas of alluvium or soil which, at the
time of photography, supported ma:ture trees or shrubs are classifiea:' as stabilized.
Areas of loose material (beaches, spits, bars) which at the ,,'
time of photography were in a state of mobilization, or capable of being easily mobilized by water or wind action, are classified as mobile. Photographs were studied to detect measurable changes in the position of the boundary between stabilized and mobile material.
Where significant
changes were noted the position of the boundary on each date of photography was annotated, then replotted at a common scale.
-2~
RESULTS Results are discussed under three area
•
subdivisions~
1.
Noosa Head to Skirmish Point
2.
Moreton Bay
3. Moreton and Stradbroke Islands The accompanying Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 show the position of the boundary between stabilized and mobile material at the date indicated.
}{oosa Head.. to Skirmish Point Maximum time interval for photographs over this section is
27
ye~s.
With the exception of the north end of Bribie Island at
Caloundra (discussed below) there have been virtually no measurable changes in the coastline. This section of coastline is open to the Pacific Ocean and is subject to north-flowing longshore Qurrents.
Localized eddy ourrent;s
form at the headlands at Noosa, Point Cartwright and Caloundra.
The
active longshore current operates between 180-220 m offshore from the waterline. 250-300
III
All photographs show that rip currents (centred between apart) are continually active between the longshore cu.rrl"'.nt
and the waterline. The prevailing SE winds (Hails, 1964) cause blowouts (Bird, 1968)
in sections of the coastal foredune.
Since 1940 there has been gradual
increase in the density of natural vegetation on the foreduneo
Tb.is has
resul ted in stabilization of the aeolian sand, and an overall increase in the foredune height in these areas. No measurable advance or retreat in the position of the stabilized alluvium .. mobile alluvium boundary is apparent.
The overall
change between 1940 and 1967 has been an increase in the size a..'1d d.ens:i ty· of·vegeiation on the stabilized alluvium.
Past geological processes in
this area have caused a general seaward advance of deposited. alluviUJIl.Q It appears that this process is still slowly qoniinQing"
-3... North end of Bribie Island
N
Caloundra Head
The north end of Bribie Island has undergone consid.erable change between
1940
1967.
and
About 550 m of stabilized material has
been' removed from the northern tip of the island and approx:Lrnaiely 50 m from the pfunicestone Channel side (Fig:
..
2).
Erosion has occurred d'u:r.·i~ig
m:Lgra.tion of the main channel ... wi t~Pumicestone Channel - where it meets the open ocean.
If the stabilized material was removed down to
point X on fig. 2, or if
~he
stabilized material was breached in the
vicini ty of X then the main Pumicestone Channel may mainta:i,n ,a perman:erl't . .; '_~j.'!:
,"!..J
...
•-
~
•
,
6.'<:it there. '", T:b..is could result in complete and probably permanent sHti:.rJ.g '_ t"
of
Caloundr~
Harbour. ,!ORETON BAY
The rates of eros:ion and deposition within Moreton Bay are, much slower than in areas open to the, ocean. ~.
: ;.:
'f,
Two areas at the southern end of Bribie Island are undergoi.ug active sediment deposition, and stabilization by vegetation (Figo 3) .. At South Point a strip up to 200 m wide has been stabilized between 1944 an.d
1969.
On the projection between south Point a..'1.d Skirmish Point a
strip of sediment over "125 m wide has been stabilized. is
continQL~g
Sediment deposition
in both these areas, however this is not expected to cause
any major problems. A large sand bar exists in the naturally protected area. bet.ween Shark Spit and Reeders Point at the southern end of Moreton Island. occupies approximately 35 sq. km at low water (Fig.
This
1). Although the area
co\.lld not be accurately studied - due to insufficient photograph covera.ge .,,, it appears th,at this deposit has not appreciably increased or decreased since
1944.
Since
1944
mangrove (Fig.
5)
has established itself and
reclaimed approximately 1 sq km of this area.
The rate of vegetation
6xpa.."l.sion appears to be faster here than in any other part of the bay. the conditions which have operated here since
1944
continue then all of
~.,.
this sand bar wi.ll eventually be reclaimed and stabilized by vegetatim10
If
Co loundro
DEEP WATER POINT
June 1940 May 1958 SCALE
FIG.2
I: 25,000
July
NORTH END
BRIBIE ISLAND
-
1967
Caloundra
SKIRMISH
POINT
~,
h \
\
\\ " ,
SOUTH POI NT
'''.
March SCALE
FIG. 3
1:50,000
SOUTH
BRIBIE
1947
May
1958
AprIl
1969
ISLAND To accompany Record 1970/55
G56/A/6
No obvious changes have occurred in the positions o.I: cb:annels 1 or bars 9 arow'1d the island.s between North Stradbroke Island and Mainland (Fig" 1)"
~;;he
The only notif!eable ch~nge has been slignt i.rwrea.se ':.
l-
in vegetation on some of the bars against existing islan.d.s (as d.,i.sti:~lCt;
from mid,...channel baxs). Planned reclamation is being carried out at the mouth of the Brisbane Ri verG
Long term effects or changes to currents resul ting
from this cannot be predicted at ·this siage.
Bishop Island opposi t(3
the ri.ver mouth is increasing' in size but it is not known if ·this :i.s d'(;.e to natura.l processes.
--
Moreton- . Island and.. Stx'adbroke Island The barrier islaxl.d.s of Moreton, North Stradbroke an.a. Soti.th Stradbroke are subj ecied to north flowing longshore drift on eastern, (open .ocean) side.
~Gheir
Stabilized and mobile depos:Lts on, their
eastern sides have not appreciably .advanced or retreated over the pe:;,:':iod. of pb.otography available (1944-1969) ~ The mobile d.eposi ts at JumpirJ. Pin (F'ig. 1) outlet and 'beitwee:r! Po:r:po:Lse Head and. Nerang Head a:re subject to frequent changeo
For
ex:am.ple,in 1944 two passages were present between North ancl South Stradbroke Island.
One passage occurred oPP?site the channel between
Sti.:nga~ree ayAd Crusoe Islands, (in the position of Jumpic'1 Pin) and the
other opposite the channel on the south side of Crusoe
Isla:nd~
By -1955
the southermnost passage had closed and Jumpin Pin Passage had deepened,o Combo;yuro Point on the' northwest of Moreton Island. (Fig. 4) b.as been eroded over the period 1944 to 19690
A strip
has been. removed from originally ·\~tabi1ized. material e
11p
to 336
III
wide
This appears to
have been caused by a westedy flowing current from North Point past Ccmboyu.ro PoL'Ylto
The mobile material over this' area is subject t.o
frequent changee
The westerly projecting spit (mobile) shown on Figo 'I,
had been' removed by 1958 but there has been increased beach deposit::l.on approximately midway between Comboyuro Point and North PO:LutiQ
,-
.",.-
...".----- .....
,~
_
......... ""
I _ ._ •
........ ~./~;.,. // COMBOYURO POINT
Ro
~
\
Hulks forming anchorage
September SCALE I: 50,000
FIG.4
COMBOYURO POINT
/944
May
1958
April
1969
Moreton Island
\.
\ I
,..A1\ \
\
J ,
,; I ., I . I
,. I
CAMPBELL POINT
-' I II
\.,1
REEDERS POINT SCALE
I: 50,000
REEDERS
/
I
......
September /944
'(.
SOUTH
FIG.5
.I'-,
. 1/ 1/, /
POINT
PASSAGE
May
/958
April
/969
Moreton Island To accompany Record 1970/55
G56/AI5/2
... 5... The southern tip of Moreton Island has also undergone erosion G A strip up to 310 m wide has been removed from the island east of Reeders Point (Fig. 5)6
.. •
This has been caused by a slow westward migrat:l,on of
Rainbow Channel where it exists through South Passage •
.lli:,s cuss ion Within the relatively short time span of the photographs studied only five areas have undergone measurable changes 9 spasmodic erosion is occurring at Comboyuro Point and continual erosion at Reeders Point on Moreton Islando
Periodic erosion due to the random migr'ation of
Pumices tone Channel is occurring on the north end of Bribie
Island~
Continual deposition is OCC1.l!:.Cing on the south end cf Bribie Island,& Vegetation stabilization is active near the south end of Moreton
Island~
Apart from these noticeable changes the coastline and offsho:re islands between Porpoise Point and Noosa Head give the impression of being stable with respect to erosion or deposition. Recent geological
history~interpreted
from such features as
accumulating beach ridges ... indicates that depositional pz'ocesses aI'e more active than eros:l.ona.lo
This situation should continue under the appar:ently
stable weather conditions which may have prevailed since the Pleistocene (Hails, '1964).
Because the coast i.s primarily composed of uneonsolj,dated
deposits i t is sllsceptible to rapid erosion and change b;r abnormal p short-lived, weather conditions (e.g. cyclones)o The results of the study do not iridicat&> any areas which may constitute problems..., either from erosion or deposition ... which would require ilIllllediate action.
However~
a predicta.ble problem a=ea exists at
Calound.ra, where ~ if -through the erosion of stabilized material. Pumic.estone Channel cuts the northem extremity of Bribie Island, '-then the harbour w.i.J.l silt up" It should be emphasized that because of the limited photographic
:overage 9 and nature of the study only the relatively long term effects of sJ:osion or deposition have been detectedo
The effects of loca1ized short
lived abnormal weather conditions have not been predictedo
measured~
nor can they be
-6...
BIRD, E. Ce F 0
7
1968 - COASTS.
AoN. U0 Pres§..
F...AILS, JoB.~ 1964 '" The coastal g.epositional features '~)f Sout,b.-Easter!!. ~
Qu.eensland.
,!ust. Geogr., 9 (4).
p 20'7-2170
Addi t:lona.l J.i terature examined EL... ASHRY, M.Re, WANLESS, H.R., 196'7 .., Shoreline featurel:? and. their changes.
Photogrammetric Eng., 33 (2).
p '184-189.
EL....ASIffiY, M.R. ~ WANLESS, HeR., 1968 .,. Photointerpretation of Shor.eline Changes between Capes Hatteras and Fear (North Caro:;'.~'6).£fJ8~"1.t lliiQ.l..~, 6 (5)..
•
Ii
347... 379 ..
APPEND~
Photographs studied'in the coastal erosion project
..
Laguna Bay Maro0 chydore
•
Galoundra
9
1:18,500
8, 9 July, 1940
1A
1918,200
20 June, 1940
1B
1:18,200
16 .June, -1940
1C, iD
1:18,500
12 .July, 1940
1-6A
1:18,200
20 .June, 1940
7,
8
Ii
31 1:48,500
16
Redcliffe
1,
5, 6
1:30,000
27 27
2, 3
.:
1940 March, 1940 July, 1967 May, 194'7 M8,rC:h, 194'7 '18N..ay, '1958 16 May, 'J958
8 June,
Maro0 chydore
Laguna Bay
4.,.8
Maroocbydore
1'... 7
it
CaJ.oundra
1-8·,,''v
"
5~ 18 May~
Redcliffe
1... 8
II
'16, 4 liTa;v, {958
Re,dcliff't:>-Moreton Is.
1-7
_":_''-;'':
•
\
JuJ.y p
9-11 Coast tie
!
940
1:19,000
8-14 16;"'18, 20-22
- r ' .
.
Brisbane-Moreton Is. r-
..
1
1:25,000
6, 5,
1958
4 May, 1958
"
1.0 t: M_ may, . ~9"8'" 1./,
Brisbane'
1;"4, 6
24f 16 May,"1958
17
Moreton Is.
5 1; 2
;1':0 Se"'tem""e';· . J:J J.;, I
, 1
Moreton Biy and adj oining
2; 3
Mai.nland
4
Brisbane
1... 8
A:p:dl, '1958 .!o.J
....
CH 4 "I ",,'t).
10 AUg'.lst, 196'(
1! .JuJ.y, 196'{ II
1~86,000
30 June, 1967 20, 21, 22 APl:i1,
'1969 Coast tie 1, 2 Brisbape-Nort):1 ,
II
1~4
1 :25,000
1;;'7
1:25,000
-16
May,
1958
Stradbroke Is.
•
Beenleigh Beenl.eigh Tamborine
Mixed numbers 1... 5
6 2, 2A
1:34,000 1:25,000 Ii
1:86,000
27 Apr:i.17 1944 30 July, 1955 1 August, '1955 14 November, 1966
