The Turtle Expo was another great success on Saturday, May 9, 2026!
Things got underway at 10 a.m. at Queens Beach North in Scarborough — the same beach where turtle hatchlings emerged from the sand back in February 2010.
The vibe was fantastic, and everyone who came along made the day even better.
And of course, the free sausage BBQ didn’t disappoint either!
The Bribie Island Turtle Trackers (BITTs) had the kids totally hooked, digging in the sand and hunting for “turtle eggs” — or as they like to call them, ping pong balls.
Dianne Oxenford was amazing, walking everyone through the whole process and pointing out the turtle tracks from the water’s edge all the way up to the big sand mounds at the top of the beach — and there were plenty of those!
The kids’ hands-on fun didn’t stop there — they were joined by Auntie June Scobie, matriarch of the Mandandanji people, a mob who maintain a deep cultural connection to the Maranoa and Balonne rivers region. She helped the children to be creative with some beautiful painting.
The morning kicked off with our local Indigenous champion, Michael Connolly. He delivered the Welcome to Country and then wowed the crowd playing the didgeridoo — or “the Dig,” as he calls it. Michael’s incredible circular breathing skills let him play nonstop, and you could feel the whole place come alive.
The morning rolled on with Cr Cath Tonks sharing some fun turtle facts and officially opening the event.
Cr Tonks was joined by the awesome team from Moreton Bay City Council’s environment department, who jumped in to answer all kinds of questions.
Big thanks to Andrew and Amie for chatting about their work protecting turtle habitats and the great projects they’re involved in — really appreciate the support!
The fun facts didn’t stop there — Associate Professor Daryl McPhee from Bond University took things up a notch, sharing updates on his work with the state government to drive real change for our beloved “Ancient Mariners.”
REF Environmental's 'Turtles of Moreton Bay' team was also there lending support.
L-R: Mick Croft (REF Turtles of Moreton Bay), Dr Darryl McPhee (Bond University), Auntie June Scobie (Mandandanji), Susie Bedford (REF Turtles of Moreton Bay), Cr Cath Tonks (Environment Portfolio, City of Moreton Bay Council) , Michael Connolly, ( from Munda- Gutta Kulliwari Mob & Dreamtime Kullilla-Art) and John Kelly, Colin Scobie and Peter Row from (Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group - Rotary Club of Redcliffe Sunrise.
There were also prizes to be won!
Thanks Emma Comer MP, Member for Petrie (Federal).
Winners - Frank and Denise Sauter from Tailor Bridge Rotary.
Thanks Kerrie -Ann Dooley MP, Member for Redcliffe (State).
Winner - Uncle Mick Connolly.
Thanks Cr Cath Tonks.
As the day wound down, everyone gathered for the 5 p.m. screening of 'A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures' — a heartwarming story about Sammy’s journey to find his old friend.
The crowd loved it!
Watching the film right on the edge of Moreton Bay at sunset made it even more special.
It was the perfect way to wrap up an amazing day.
Huge thanks to the Moreton Bay City Council for their ongoing support — we really couldn’t do it without them.
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Protecting Moreton Bay’s Turtles: Community Action for Biodiversity
One of the strongest themes emerging from ESRAG (Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group) is concern about the accelerating loss of biodiversity. Members of the ESRAG team at Redcliffe Sunrise Rotary Club are helping raise awareness of this challenge through annual community events that celebrate and protect one of Moreton Bay’s most remarkable natural treasures — marine turtles.
The loggerhead and green turtle are among six turtle species that nest and thrive in the Moreton Bay Marine Park. According to the Moreton Bay Foundation, the marine park welcomes approximately twice as many visitors as the Great Barrier Reef, making this unique ecosystem one of Australia’s most accessible wildlife experiences. Remarkably, it sits on the doorstep of Brisbane, Queensland — the only major capital city in the world adjacent to such an extraordinary marine habitat.
Each year from November, the turtle nesting season begins. Over approximately six months, turtles return to Queensland’s sandy beaches for nesting, incubation and hatching. During a roughly 60-day cycle, eggs incubate beneath warm coastal sands before hatchlings emerge and begin their journey to sea.
However, climate change is altering this ancient process. Rising temperatures are producing disproportionately more female hatchlings, while nesting activity is gradually shifting south along the Queensland coast as turtles seek more suitable conditions. At the same time, increasing urbanisation is placing pressure on traditional nesting beaches, creating growing competition for coastal space and threatening habitat protection.
Marine turtles possess an extraordinary natural instinct. Hatchlings are believed to imprint on the Earth’s magnetic field — an inbuilt “geo-compass” that guides them back to their birthplace decades later. After a remarkable 30-year journey following ocean currents across the Pacific to South America and back, adult turtles return to Queensland’s beaches to nest and begin the cycle again.
To help build public awareness, this year’s annual event brought together local Indigenous leaders, council environmental representatives, university researchers and community groups in a beachside conservation expo supported by government partners.
The event combined education with family-friendly activities. After community presentations and a raffle draw, children were invited to paint their favourite animal — the turtle — and take part in a simulated nesting activity on the sand using ping pong balls, reflecting the nesting process during the off-season. The morning concluded with a classic Rotary barbecue, bringing families and volunteers together in a relaxed coastal setting.
As dusk settled, the community gathered at the local beachside amphitheatre for a free outdoor movie following the adventures and challenges faced by a turtle family — a fitting end to a day focused on conservation, connection and hope for the future of Moreton Bay’s marine life.
Through awareness, education and community action, initiatives like these remind us that protecting biodiversity begins at home — sometimes right on our own shoreline.
