From Coochie to the World: Why Our Bay Matters

Coochie, The Island at the Center of the Universe

TL;DR (for the ferry queue readers)

• Coochie is the heart of the Moreton Bay Ramsar site.

• Our mudflats and mangroves aren't just scenery—they’re ecological gold.

• What happens at mainland "gateways" like Weinam Creek flows straight to us.

• The Event: Come talk to the Ranger and the Turtle Team on Sunday, April 26.

There are a few things we know for certain on Coochie. The tide will turn, the curlews will shriek at 2:00 AM, and every conversation eventually drifts back to the impossible battle for a parking spot at Victoria Point.

But while we’re circling the carpark at VP on an infinite loop, there’s a much bigger conversation happening about the water that surrounds us.

We aren't just a speck off the coast; Coochiemudlo Island sits at the dead-center of a globally recognized environmental system.

Coochie: The Crown Jewel of Ramsar

The waters around our island aren't just "the Bay." They are part of a Ramsar site—a global "seal of approval" for the world's most vital wetlands.

While the mainland is busy with concrete and "Priority Development Areas," Coochie is doing the heavy lifting:

• The Engine Room: Our mudflats and mangroves are the nurseries for the Bay’s fish and the filter system for our water.

• The International Hub: Migratory birds fly from Siberia specifically for our shoreline.

• The Sanctuary: Our seagrass beds are the "five-star kitchen" for the Bay’s dugongs and turtles.

The "Moon" and the Mirror

Weinam Creek in Redland Bay might feel like it’s on the moon as far as our daily lives go, but ecologically, it’s a mirror.

The major development plans down there sit right on the edge of the same Ramsar-listed system that cradles Coochie. Runoff, increased boat traffic, and "foreshore activation" don't respect council boundaries. What happens at the mainland's gateways eventually washes up on our red cliffs.

The Bottom Line: We are the Destination

The mainland has a legal and moral obligation: Don't damage the destination to build the gateway. Whether it’s Victoria Point or Weinam Creek, "progress" on the coast cannot come at the expense of the Island’s health.

Join the Conversation 

It’s time we stop seeing ourselves as an "add-on" to the mainland’s plans. We are the reason the Ramsar site exists here.

To understand how we protect our corner of the universe, come along to the Moreton Bay Marine Park Info Session. It’s a chance to hear from the Duty Ranger, the Turtle Stranding Team, and Coastcare about what’s actually happening in our waters.

When: Sunday, April 26

Where: Hosted by the Heritage Society (near the ferry terminal/Main Beach)

Why: Because resilience on Coochie means protecting the system that supports us.

All the details are here...

Oh, and by the way...this article was put together with the help of my AI buddy, along the way I had to teach it the difference between Victoria Point and Weinam Creek, and that parking at WC had no bearing (at least not right now) on what happens at VP. I guess at the end of the day, while WC and Reddy Bay feel like they could be on the moon to us (although not to SMBI folks), what happens there still does impact us.