Climate

Moreton Bay Research Station is one of the world’s few marine stations located in the subtropics.

North Stradbroke Island is off the coast of Brisbane, and is one of the largest sand islands in the world. To its west is the shallow Moreton Bay and to the east is the Pacific Ocean, with the continental shelf 35 kilometres offshore.

The bay is where tropical and temperate marine systems meet, and is the southern and northern limit for many tropical and temperate species, respectively.

With increasingly warm waters – carried by the East Australian Current – flowing into Moreton Bay, the station sits in a hotspot for studying ocean warming and climate change. 

Weather and tides

Moreton Bay has hot, wet summers and mild, dry winters, with average daytime temperatures ranging from 21°C to 29°C year round.

The south-east trade winds dominate most of the year, with occasional westerlies and northerlies in winter and summer, respectively.

The bay has two daily tide cycles, with a maximum range of approximately 2.5 metres.

Check forecasts

We recommend that you check weather forecasts and tide predictions before you book a vessel or organise fieldwork.

Visit the Bureau of Meteorology website for forecasted, current and past information.

Also check local conditions for Moreton Bay Research Station on the UQ weather station.