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Orpheus Island Research Station

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Ingham, QLD
Orpheus Island Research Station

Orpheus Island is a National Park situated on the Great Barrier Reef, between Townsville and Cairns.

The Island is 12 kilometres long and comprises 1,368 hectares of dry woodlands with Moreton Bay ash and acacias dominating, scattered rainforest gullies featuring figs and Macaranga trees, grasslands, granite outcrops, and beaches and bays surrounded by fringing reefs. Orpheus Island Research Station is located on the western side of the Island with ready access to pristine inshore reefs and islan

ds. A known 1100 species of fish and 340 of the 350 known species of reef coral can be found in the underwater gardens of the surrounding reefs. Day trips or overnight trips can be arranged in conjunction with JCU’s research vessel. Exploring the waters off Orpheus Island reveals a number of different types of submerged historic sites, from Indigenous sites to recent shipwrecks, also providing research training in search and survey techniques. Marine Biology students regularly visit the Island to study the diverse fauna, particularly on the sand and rubble intertidal reef flat, as well as investigating fauna associated with the mangrove community. Postgraduate students have access to a wealth of scientific resources on the Island, including climate-controlled research rooms, wet laboratories, a versatile saltwater aquarium system, and six aquarium raceways.

23/08/2026

This week, our OIRS Science and Education Officer took a trip north to JCU’s Daintree Rainforest Observatory (DRO).

It was a fantastic opportunity to meet with Andrew, Johan, and Bryn to learn more about the research and education happening at the observatory, and to head high into the rainforest canopy on the DRO crane. We’re already looking forward to returning soon and exploring more opportunities for OIRS and DRO to collaborate.

Although rainforests and coral reefs may appear to be very different environments, they are deeply connected. What happens on land - including rainfall, vegetation changes, sediment and nutrient movement - can influence rivers, coastal waters and, ultimately, the Great Barrier Reef.

Connecting rainforest and reef science helps us better understand the link between these two unique environments. We’re excited to continue strengthening the connection between OIRS and DRO and to see where this collaboration takes us!

09/08/2026

Another week, another ! Brought to you by one of our amazing interns Jazmin Thomas!

A new publication has documented rapid changes to the coral community at Pioneer Bay, Orpheus Island, following several overlapping environmental disturbances.

Researchers surveyed six shallow reef sites between 2023 and 2025, monitoring coral colony density, coral diversity, bleaching and changes in the wider benthic community.

During this period, the reef experienced cumulative thermal stress, low salinity and sedimentation. Researchers recorded an 82% decline in coral colony density, a 69% decline in the number of coral genera, and a major community shift from coral-dominated habitat towards greater turt-algae cover.

These findings highlight how multiple disturbances occurring close together can rapidly reshape coral reef communities and reduce their ability to recover.

Long-term monitoring at locations such as OIRS is essential for understanding how inshore reefs respond to increasingly frequent and overlapping environmental pressures.

Research: Waller et al. (2026), Concurrent thermal stress and flood-plume disturbance drive rapid coral community change on an inshore intertidal reef on the Great Barrier Reef, published in Marine Environmental Research.

Figures sourced from Waller et al. (2026).

02/08/2026

2025 Morris Family Trust Student Research Grant - Marine Pablo🪸🐠🌊⛵️🏝️👯🩷🩵

The Morris Family Trust Student Research Grant supported the field component of my PhD, allowing me to conduct coral sampling around Orpheus Island and surrounding reefs to investigate Endozoicomonas communities and Coral-Associated Microbial Aggregates (CAMAs).

The grant enabled a highly efficient field work by allowing me to maximise the scientific value of a single expedition. Alongside coral samples, I collected seawater, sediment and other reef-associated environmental samples to investigate where these bacteria may persist outside their coral hosts and how they are acquired during colonisation. Collecting both datasets during the same expedition substantially expanded the scope of my PhD while minimising additional field costs and logistical requirements. The resulting samples will contribute to two complementary PhD chapters investigating both the environmental drivers of Endozoicomonas communities and the mechanisms by which these important coral symbionts establish within their hosts.

The OIRS staff were incredible throughout the trip, from helping plan the fieldwork to getting us safely out to the reef each day. Their support made the expedition run smoothly from start to finish. We were also incredibly lucky with the weather, allowing us to make the most of every field day.
And I have to admit, spending a week working on the beautiful reefs surrounding Orpheus Island was certainly a nice change from the lab!

26/07/2026

This is a new publication alert!! The paper is a taxonomic revision: it reorganises and clarifies the sponge genus Cliothosa, and Orpheus Island serves as an important field site that provided well-documented examples of these sponges, helping illustrate the new classification rather than being the focus of the study.

The scientists found that the sponge genus Cliothosa had become very confusing because:
* many species were described poorly over 100 years ago,
* some species had been given multiple names,
* some species were placed in the wrong genus,
* and scientists often couldn’t tell one species from another.
So they reviewed old museum specimens, historical descriptions, and newer observations to create a clearer classification.

Why is this important?

- Clarified the confusing taxonomy of the sponge genus Cliothosa.
- Improved the accuracy of identifying Cliothosa species.
- Increased the number of recognised species from about 6 to 18.
- Created a reliable identification key for future research.
- Reduced misidentification and duplicate naming of species.
- Improved understanding of bioeroding sponge biodiversity.
- Provides a stronger foundation for coral reef ecology and climate change research.
- Helps scientists better monitor reef health and bioerosion.

12/07/2026

Happy , we are keen to share this one with you…

Echidnas!

Australia has one living echidna species, the short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus). It is one of the world’s few monotremes-mammals that lay eggs-and is found across mainland Australia, Tasmania and some offshore islands.

And this includes Orpheus Island!
They feed mainly on ants, termites and other soil invertebrates, using strong claws to break into nests and a long, sticky tongue to collect prey. Their digging also disturbs and aerates soil, meaning echidnas can
contribute to nutrient cycling and ecosystem engineering.

Females generally lay one leathery egg, which is carried in a temporary pouch. After hatching, the young-commonly called a puggle-feeds on milk secreted from specialised mammary patches rather than ni***es. Echidnas have relatively slow reproductive rates and can be difficult to survey because they are solitary, cryptic and range over large areas.

Research opportunities …
Because there is very little published information from the Palm Island Group, echidnas represent an excellent opportunity for community-based monitoring. Potential projects include (with ethical and approved permits):
* Camera trap surveys.
* Mapping echidna diggings.
* Recording sightings through citizen science.
* Investigating habitat use across different vegetation communities.

So next time you are on Orpheus, keep your eyes peeled and log your sightings!

05/07/2026

Science Sunday: Life on the Reef Flat

This conch snail was filmed flipping itself over on the shallow reef flat at Orpheus Island — using its own body to push, twist and lever the shell upright again. These are animals with long eye stalks, a strong muscular foot, and a shell built for protection. If waves, currents, tides or other animals roll them over, they can use their body to right themselves and keep moving and feeding along the sand.

By feeding, moving and disturbing the surface sediment, animals like this form part of the everyday life and function of the reef flat.

Even shells that might look empty may be home to a live animal, using it for shelter.

21/06/2026

Happy !!

On May 26th OIRS staff were lucky enough to encounter a large manta ray feeding at the point of Pioneer Bay. After photographing her unique belly pattern and submitting the image to Project Manta, we received some exciting news...

Meet #1316 “Amy Shelly”! 🤗

Amy Shelly is a female manta ray first recorded in June 2019, spotted again in August 2022, and more recently in May 2026 and just yesterday afternoon! Remarkably, all four sightings have been in Pioneer Bay while feeding.

Just like fingerprints in humans, every manta ray has a unique pattern of spots on its underside. Researchers use these patterns to identify individuals and track their movements, behaviour, and habitat use over time.

Through photos captured by citizen scientists and submitted to the Project Manta database, researchers are able to identify both new and previously recorded mantas, allowing them to monitor individual rays across multiple sightings and uncover movement patterns, population sizes, and important aspects of their life history.

Even better, Amy Shelly was originally named by a former OIRS staff member during her first sighting in 2019, making this reunion extra special.

📸 Swipe to see Amy Shelly in 2026 and in 2019!

14/06/2026

Happy !!

This week OIRS has been hosting a group of high school students who have been eager to learn and immerse themselves in all things reef and marine science. 🌊🐠 Throughout their stay, the students have taken part in beach clean-ups, snorkels, and coral biology presentations.

Today, they headed out for an educational low tide walk to explore the intertidal zone. The main highlight for the students was seeing a juvenile black tip reef shark, which for some was the first time seeing a shark in the wild! 🦈 They also saw different species of eels, whiptail rays, and learnt about microatolls.

To capture their experiences, the students have been watercolour painting the reef species and environments that they’ve been learning about, combining science, creativity, and conservation!

31/05/2026

The weather on Goolboddi (Orpheus) this past week has been a dream, so for today’s we headed out on an intertidal walk to soak up the sun and find a little inspiration.

We often see some crazy critters in this zone, but today felt like a David Attenborough moment. We were lucky enough to witness a Dark-shouldered Snake Eel attacking an octopus! The octopus escaped in the video above, although it was a few tentacles short by the end of the encounter.

Such a cool moment to witness, so let’s take a closer look at the Dark-shouldered Snake Eel, also known as the Blacksaddle Snake Eel (Ophichthus cephalozona).

The distinctive head markings, which look like a dark patch or saddle across the back of the head and neck, make this species relatively easy to identify when seen in the intertidal zone.

This species occurs throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific. While specific dietary studies on O. cephalozona are limited, we can take an educated guess from the ecology of related snake and worm eels that its prey likely includes small crustaceans, polychaete worms, small fishes, and other benthic invertebrates. And from on what we saw today, we can add our intertidal octopus to the list as well.

What’s particularly interesting is that most information on this species, and snake eels in general, suggests that they do most of their hunting at night. They are largely nocturnal, spending the day hidden in burrows before emerging after dark to forage and move across reef flats and intertidal areas.

In Pioneer Bay, we have seen many smaller Dark-shouldered Snake Eels during our mid-afternoon tidal walks, but until now we couldn’t be sure whether they were actively foraging or simply moving between burrows. That’s why it was so exciting to see one clearly hunting and feeding during the middle of the day.

30/04/2026

The Morris Family Trust is a funding source for research. The scheme aims to provide support for projects conducted at Orpheus Island Research Station and to promote excellence in research by Ph.D., MPhil, and Honours students. The grant will provide in-kind Station resources (accommodation fees, boat use, OIRS staff hire etc.) valued up to $3,000 to support their research in a manner that has the capacity to enhance research at the OIRS through the production of high-quality publications.
To be eligible, students must be currently enrolled in a Ph.D., MPhil, or Honours program from any university. Successful applicants will be eligible to apply to the scheme in subsequent years, subject to the submission of a suitable grant report and their continued enrolment in post-graduate study.
Applications are open May 1st - 22nd May 11:59pm 2026 - and the successful candidates will be announced in the first week of June 2026.
Find the application on our JCU OIRS website page, under the Research - Grant and Scholarship section.

The signed application form must be submitted via email to [email protected] by 11:59pm Friday 22nd May 2026.
For more information, please contact Orpheus Island Research Station at [email protected].

Address

Ingham, QLD
4850

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm
Saturday	8am - 5pm
Sunday	8am - 5pm

Website

https://www.jcu.edu.au/orpheus-island

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