In 1997, the Great Barrier Reef Ministerial Council established Clairview (a small beach town approximately 1.5 hours south of Mackay) as a dugong sanctuary. Often dugongs can be spotted when they surface to breathe from the shore, or in the water, when in a kayak, boat or other recreational vessel - so keep an eye out for these majestic creatures! Be sure to slow down your vessel in areas dugongs are known to inhabit, don't litter and help us protect these magnificent animals.
The fully protected dugong is a large herbivorous mammal which spends its entire life at sea. It has paddle-like forelimbs, no hind limbs or dorsal fin, and its tail is broad and horizontally flattened. Adults grow between 2.5-3.5 metres long and weight about 230-240 kilograms. For more information, visit Isaac Regional Council's web site.
