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Queensland Government
WetlandInfo   —   Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation

Lyngbya Monitoring Program

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Coverage

The map below highlights the areas where sampling has occurred for this program.

Click on the map to view information about the drainage basins in this area.

Download boundary KML (KMZ, 0.1 MB) metadata

 
Large blooms of lyngbya can smother seagrass beds, Photo by DETSI
Large blooms of lyngbya can smother seagrass beds
Photo by DETSI

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Program start date

2000

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Program end date

Ongoing

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Objectives of the program

Monitor the presence of the potentially toxic cyanobacterium Lyngbya in South East Queensland (primarily Moreton Bay) to:

  • provide a warning mechanism for authorities and the community for the presence of potentially toxic Lyngbya
  • provide information to assist understanding of overall ecosystem health and assist research into causes and impacts of Lyngbya.

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Who is involved?

Lead organisation

Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation

Contact details of lead organisation: water.data@qld.gov.au

Partner organisations

Local Governments in South East Queensland (Moreton Bay Regional Council, Sunshine Coast Regional Council, Redland City Council) and South East Queensland Healthy Waterways Partnership

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List of indicators monitored

Lyngbya presence and coverage (by category 0-10 %, 10-40 %, 40-70 % and 70-100 %)

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Scale of program

Regional scale

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Brief description of sampling locations

  • Central Moreton Bay (Amity, Maroon and Moreton Banks)
  • South-west Moreton Island
  • Horseshoe Bay at Peel Island
  • Deception Bay
  • Pumicestone Passage
  • Eastern and Southern Moreton Bay (for example South-west Moreton Island, Peel Island Reef, Pelican Banks, Prices Anchorage, Wangawallen Banks, Deanbilla Bay, Fisherman’s Island and Myora Springs)
  • Targetted foreshores in Moreton Bay Regional Council and Redland City Council areas

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Frequency of monitoring

Monitoring of Central Moreton Bay (Amity, Maroon and Moreton Banks), south-west Moreton Island, Horseshoe Bay at Peel Island and Deception Bay is conducted monthly, but may be increased to fortnightly if large blooms occur. 

Monitoring of Pumicestone Passage occurs every 2 months. 

Opportunistic inspections in eastern and southern Moreton Bay (for example South-west Moreton Island, Peel Island Reef, Pelican Banks, Prices Anchorage, Wangawallen Banks, Deanbilla Bay, Fisherman’s Island and Myora Springs) may occur if Lyngbya is reported. Local governments also opportunistically inspect relevant foreshores for Lyngbya presence.

Information is collated monthly.

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Where is the program reported?

Last updated: 22 March 2013

This page should be cited as:

Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, Queensland (2013) Lyngbya Monitoring Program, WetlandInfo website, accessed 11 April 2025. Available at: https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/assessment/monitoring/current-and-future-monitoring/lyngbya-monitoring-program.html

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