Pre-Conference Field Trip

UQ’s Moreton Bay Research Station (MBRS)

Begin your conference experience with a field trip to UQ’s Moreton Bay Research Station (MBRS) on Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island), just 40 minutes by car east of Brisbane and a 25-minute ferry ride from Cleveland.

Located in Quandamooka (Moreton Bay), where tropical and temperate ecosystems meet, MBRS gives you access to diverse habitats and species. In late spring, you may spot tropical arrivals from the north and catch the end of the whale migration season.

You’ll have access to lab, aquarium, and field facilities, and can explore habitats on the world’s second-largest sand island, including coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangroves. Individual research activities can also be arranged on request.

Questions?

Recommended Itinerary

Sat 22 – Mon 24 Nov 2025
(Accommodation not available on Mon 24 Nov)

Cost:

  • AUD $271 (Economy)
  • AUD $322 (Premium Economy)
REGISTER HERE: moreton bay FIELD TRIP

Registration and payment must be completed no later than 14 November 2025 at 23:59 (AEST).

Includes:

Getting there:

  • Arrive in Brisbane on Saturday 22 November
  • Travel to Cleveland (train, car, or taxi/Uber)
  • Take an hourly ferry to Minjerribah (5AM to 8.45PM; return tickets AUD $24–30). Book via Sealink or purchase from Stradbroke Flyer on the day
  • Return to Brisbane on Monday afternoon
  • Train from Cleveland to Brisbane runs every 30 minutes; driving/taxi takes about 40 minutes

The Symposium begins in Brisbane at midday on Tuesday 25 November.

Optional activities

  • Guided marine invertebrate ID session including destructive sampling of benthic communities on ARMS and modular shellfish reef restoration structures: FREE (min. 10 participants)
  • Self-guided visit to North Stradbroke Island Museum: entry AUD 10
  • 4-hour guided boat tour of Quandamooka with snorkelling: AUD $145 (min. 8 participants, weather dependent)
  • Guided walks (FREE): mudflats, rocky shores, mangroves
  • Hike to Brown Lake (FREE)
  • Self-guided whale watch at Point Lookout: AUD 1 bus fare
  • Swim or surf at Main Beach or Cylinder Beach: AUD 1 bus fare
  • Scuba dive (on request, weather dependent)

Questions?

Contact: Benjamin Mos

Post-Conference Field Trip

UQ’s Heron Island Research Station (HIRS)

Extend your conference experience with a visit to UQ’s Heron Island Research Station (HIRS), located on a tiny coral cay in the Great Barrier Reef.

Right outside your door, you’ll find one of the world’s most iconic marine ecosystems, home to thousands of species of invertebrates, fish, plants, and algae. In early summer, you’ll also see nesting sea turtles and seabirds.

You’ll have access to lab, aquarium, and field facilities, and can explore island and reef habitats on foot, by snorkel, or by boat. Individual research activities can be arranged on request.

Questions?

Recommended Itinerary

Sat 29 – Wed 3 Dec 2025

Cost: AUD 901.50

REGISTER HERE: HERON ISLAND FIELD TRIP

Registration and payment must be completed no later than 14 November 2025 at 23:59 (AEST). Cancellations will incur a penalty after this date.

Includes:

  • 4 nights’ accommodation at HIRS
  • 4 days of fully catered meals
  • Access to HIRS facilities
  • Return catamaran transfers between Gladstone and Heron Island

Getting there:

  • Fly from Brisbane to Gladstone on Friday 28 November and stay overnight
  • On Saturday morning (29 Nov), take the catamaran from Gladstone Marina to Heron Island.
  • Visit HIRS and the reef from Saturday to Wednesday (3 Dec)
    • There is no catamaran service on Tuesday. Helicopter transfers are available daily if needed (extra cost).
  • Return to Gladstone Marina on Wednesday at ~3:30 pm.
  • Fly back to Brisbane or continue your travels elsewhere in Australia.

Questions?

Contact: Bernie Degnan

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