GENERAL
INFORMATION
ABOUT THE
ISLAND

THE SETTING:

One of the granitic, continental Palm Islands, Orpheus provides access to an unusually wide variety of Great Barrier Reef habitats. It is surrounded by well-developed fringing reefs, and a range of mid-shelf reefs are nearby. Sand and mud bottoms separate the reefs. Pioneer Bay's 400m-wide sand and rubble intertidal reef flat, directly in front of the Station, supports a diverse infauna.

The shoreline includes stands of mangrove forest dominated by Rhizophora, sandy beaches backed by strand vegetation, sand, cobble and boulder beaches, and steep rock faces. The 1300 ha island is dominated by eucalypt forest, with patches of other forest types and grassland. The variety of habitats, productive continental shelf waters, and other factors have made the Palm Islands a "hot spot" of biotic diversity on the Great Barrier Reef. Species numbers in such indicator groups as corals and amphipods, for example, are unusually high.

HABITAT STATUS

The area is largely undisturbed. The Marine Park as a whole is managed, and most of the waters around Orpheus itself are zoned as Marine National Park 'B', a "look but don't touch" zone. The island is also a terrestrial National Park. There is little traffic since the Station shares the island only with a small resort.

THE CLIMATE

The summer is hot and humid, with most of the 1680mm annual precipitation falling between January and March. Summer winds are variable, with extended calm periods. Cyclones developing in the Coral Sea may produce strong winds and heavy rains, but rarely threaten the island. Southeast trade winds dominate the cool, sunny, dry season from June to November. The maximum tidal range is approximately 3.5 m.