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Orpheus Island Research Station
Bookings are now closed
Booking Code |
Arrive |
Depart |
Orpheus1 |
Thursday 5 July |
Sunday 8 July |
Note: ICRS 2012 is Monday 9 July to Friday 13 July 2012 in Cairns
Trip Location
Orpheus Island is part of the Palm Island Group (18 46'S, 146 51'E), which is a group of 12 granite continental islands surrounded by fringing reefs. The island is 12km long and is comprised of 1,368 hectares of rainforest, woodlands, granite outcrops beaches and bays. Orpheus provides access to an unusually wide variety of Great Barrier Reef habitats. Fringing reefs of the group are characterized by a terrace platform formation. Terraces are particularly evident at island tips and become less apparent in the protected bays. The leeward western fringing reefs at Orpheus Island (Iris Point to Harrier Point) and bays (Cattle Bay, Pioneer Bay & Hazard Bay) are generally protected from the prevailing winter SE winds (June - Nov). These habitats support a wide range of marine life with 1,100 species of fish and 340 of the 350 known species of reef coral being found in the underwater gardens of the surrounding fringing reef.
James Cook University's Orpheus Island Research Station (OIRS) is located within Pioneer Bay. This Bay features a narrow mangrove community extending to a sand flat with isolated coral development which transitions into a wide reef flat and drops off abruptly to a small reef slope (approx 10m deep).
Number of People
20 - 40
Cost to Participate in Australian Dollars
$1,650
Full payment to be taken at time of booking.
Cost Inclusions
- Return transport to Orpheus Island Research Station from Cairns
- Share accommodation
- All meals, snacks, non-alcoholic drinks
- Snorkelling expeditions
- Guided tours
- Wireless Internet (Need to bring own computer)
Additional Costs
- Dive trip to mid-shelf reef at $290 pp/day
- Dive trip to local sites at $250 pp/day
- Alcoholic drinks
- Phone calls
Diving Preparation
- All divers must have an open water dive certificate as minimum diving qualification, occupational dive medical to AS2299, log book showing at least 15 hours experience excluding training dives and including at least 2 dives in the past 12 months.
- All paperwork must be completed and submitted to OIRS with all supporting documents before 30 April 2012. The only exception is the AS2299 dive medical which may be obtained in Cairns and presented on arrival at OIRS. Documents may be scanned and emailed or copied and posted. Originals must be presented on arrival at OIRS. Intending divers should contact OIRS directly for more detailed instructions and with any queries.
- Divers will be accepted in order of submission of complying paperwork.
- Mid-shelf reef trips must have a minimum of 15 passengers per day to proceed.
- Local sites dive trip must have a minimum of 10 passengers per day to proceed.
- We strongly encourage you to enrol in the Divers Alert Network (DAN) Insurance program.
Climate and Water Temperature
Orpheus Island has a tropical climate. In July you can expect that south-easterly winds may blow, the weather is pleasantly warm, with reduced humidity. Overnight temperatures can drop to 20° Celsius at times. The average water temperature in July is 23° Celsius (73° Fahrenheit). The maximum tidal range is approximately 3.5 m and reef flats are exposed on spring tides.
Research Activities
People who want to collect specimens or systematically record data should book independent visits directly with the Orpheus Island Research Station as these activities are not scheduled into the ICRS 2012 Field Trip Program.
Field Trip Organiser's Contact Details
Haley Burgess
Orpheus Island Research Station
jcu.orpheus@jcu.edu.au
Telephone +61 (7) 4777 7336
Program Outline for Orpheus Island Research Station (OIRS) Field Trip 1
Day 1 - Thursday 5 July |
0530 |
Bus to Taylors Beach |
0800 & 1000 |
Boat to OIRS (2 trips)
Boat 1: Breakfast, site induction, welcome and tour of facilities upon arrival at OIRS then free time
Boat 2: Breakfast at TB, site induction, welcome and tour of facilities upon arrival at OIRS |
1300 - 1400 |
Lunch |
1430 - 1530 |
Group 1 - Guided walking tour of Pioneer Bay's reef flats and clam gardens at low tide.
Group 2 - Showcase of research conducted at OIRS |
1530 - 1630 |
Group 1 - Showcase of research conducted at OIRS
Group 2 - Guided walking tour of Pioneer Bay's reef flats and clam gardens at low tide. |
1800 |
Dinner |
Days 2 and 3 - Friday 6 July and Saturday 7 July |
0700 - 0900 |
Breakfast |
Option 1 |
Full day dive and/or snorkel trip to two mid shelf reefs (min 15 pax, max 18 pax)
|
Option 2 |
1/2 day snorkelling trip to Fantome/Curocoa /Pelorus Islands (max 18 pax)
- Depart 0800, return 1130
- Depart 1300, return 1630
- No diving available
|
Option 3 |
Full day dive trip to Pelorus/Orpheus/Curocoa Islands (min 10 pax, max 12 pax)
|
Option 4 |
Guided walk and picnic lunch at Rocky Beach on east coast of island
|
Option 5 |
Guided snorkel tour of Pioneer Bay
- Depart 0900, return 1100
- Depart 1300, return 1500
|
1800 |
Pre-dinner nibbles and talk |
1900 |
Dinner |
Day 5 - Sunday 8 July |
0700 - 1000 |
Breakfast
Strip beds, pack, clean |
1030 |
First boat departs OIRS (Picnic lunch at Taylors Beach) |
1230 |
Second boat departs OIRS (Picnic lunch at Taylors Beach) |
1330 |
Bus to Cairns |
1700 |
Arrive at conference Welcome Reception in Cairns |
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