Turtle at Burrum Heads

Just near the Boat Ramp, the turtle came to see who was there.
Roz was there with her camera and she caught these awesome photos..

The Golden Sea at Rainbow

Golden Sea, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

The storm clouds reflected from above made the sea golden.
It was an amazing sight

Turtle Hatchlings at Mon Repos

hatchlings at Mon Repos, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

One day old turtles, called hatchlings, were rescued from a nest that had hatched. The hatchlings were displayed to the tourists, and released to walk the beach to the water, where they swam off....to swim around the world until they reach the age of 30 years, when they mature, and if female, return to this very beach to lay their eggs.

This is a fascinating story, as researchers really have not been able to exactly know where the turtles have gone and whether they survive.
One turtle, tagged and released 30 years ago, returned and laid her eggs, giving the researchers their first information about the maturity age, as well as the information that they return to their birthplace to lay their eggs.

Survival rate is estimated to be 1 in 1,000, which holds little hope for this tiny turtle who started his massive life journey right here. He will have to avoid being dinner for birds and fish, as well as other dangers that lie ahead.

We wish him well in his great trip around the world.

 

I touched his flipper...and he is very strong.

Those tiny flippers walk him down the beach, into the sea and then he has to swim the currents and battle his way to Coffs Harbor where they know they will go.

The hatchlings are all tagged and labeled.

Turtle at Mon Repos

Leatherback turtle, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

Display turtle at the Information Centre at Mon Repos.

The information Centre at Mon Repos was informative and interesting.
Details of the turtles and examples were on display
This was a real turtle displayed laying eggs.

 

Turtles mature around 30 years of age.

They have multiple partners and mate a few times. They store the sperm until they are ready to lay their eggs.

When they are ready, they return to their birthplace and lay up to 200 eggs.

The eggs are from the multiple partners, so the hatchlings from one nest can have more than one father.

 

This was a tagged turtle released from here that has returned to lay her eggs at her birthplace.

Bargara Turtle Viewing at Mon Repos and Kelly's Beach Resort

Kellys Beach Resort Bargara Beach Coral Coast Bundaberg Queensland Australia

That is our motto at Kelly's Beach Resort. A stroll along the beach could be an ideal start. With kilometres of sandy beaches to explore and your entire holiday ahead of you, there's plenty of time to discover how wonderful life can be away from the everyday hustle & bustle of office & home.

Kellys Beach Resort on Channel 9's Weekend Extra.

Kellys Beach, a short stroll from resort

Views at Bargara

Kelly's Beach Resort is wonderfully located just one block from Kelly's Beach, the main swimming beach in Bargara, so you have the benefit of being close to the beach and being off the main road, so you are not listening to cars screaming past while you are trying to unwind.

High Tide

High tide, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

I stayed on Moon River and this was the view at High tide.
The sandbanks are all under water and across is Burrum Heads
All you can see is water.

Green Sea Turtle comes for Air

Turtle comes for Air, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

There is a turtle that lives near the first beacon.
At low tide you can see him as he lives below the ledge of rock

He has to come up for air

The Green Sea Turtle is found in Australian waters. In fact, there are only seven species of marine turtles in the world, and six of these are found in Australian waters. Unfortunately their population is on the decline (due to factors such as pollution and illegal fishing or tangled in fishing nets).

The turtles consume seagrass and other sea plants. They male sea turtle spend all of their life at sea, the females only come to land to lay eggs. They do this on a sandy beach, and crawl to the top of the sand to dig a hole. They lay about 100 eggs and then cover them with sand.

Amazing Animal Fact: The female green sea turtle lays it eggs in the same place as it was born.

Amazing Animal Fact: The female green sea turtle returns to the same place each year to lay eggs.

Did you know?: The correct terminology for a turtles shell is a carapace.

These amazing creatures are on average 45-120 cms in size.

http://www.australianfauna.com/greenseaturtle.php  

 

 

Green Sea Turtle shell

Turtle shell, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

The turtle shell was on the beach.
Someone had smashed it.