Marine Studies - Heron Island

Thirty two Marine Studies students have just returned from an extraordinary week of diving and exploring the reefs and ecosystems of Heron Island, near Gladstone.

Each day started at 6, with staff and students snorkeling out to the wreck to swim with an abundance of sharks, rays, turtles and a myriad of other amazing creatures and organisms. After breakfast, we would then load up the boats and head out to the reef rim to see more of the incredible coral habitats found on the Great Barrier Reef.

The students were blessed with reasonable weather this year and we made the most of it. Keen divers also opted into the bonus wreck dive in the last hour of the day, with some kids getting 7 dives in per day! Most students this year swam with several manta rays - an experience that brought some to tears of joy. Our nights were spent in the lab completing research tasks or taking a guided reef walk.

I am very proud of how this group behaved during this trip. They were polite, well behaved and as keen as mustard. I am also very grateful to our wonderful staff, Matt Currie, Louis Van Dartel and Tanya Slaverio who worked very long hours to ensure that this expedition was safely and successfully conducted. The reef is an amazing place. It has been an incredible privilege to show it to our kids.