Circular Head region physical environment
Arthur River
Rocky outcrops
Forest and scrub Agricultural/pastoral land Intertidal sand flats
Clouds Shallow water
Beach sand
Deep water channels
Dismal Swamp
Marrawah
Catchment boundary Rain water drains off the land into streams and rivers within catchments. The main catchments here are the Duck, Montagu and Welcome.
River inputs Rivers contribute not only water but sediment, organic material and nutrients to the coastal marine system.
Cape Grim Smithton
Saltwater/Freshwater mixing Water runs off the land and mixes with the seawater in the intertidal channels and across the flats. Tidal movements About a billion tonnes of water move in and out over the tidal flats on each tide. The tides are the most powerful force moving sediments, nutrients and living organisms across the intertidal flats and around the shores.
Montagu Point Woolnorth Robbins Island
Boullanger Bay
Hunter Island
Stanley
Natural barriers Sand deposited by the high energy of the ocean swell creates a barrier between the persistent wave energy and the land. Wind The dominant winds come from the West, though strong winds regularly come from the East. Ocean swell Ocean swell waves are generated far away by winds and storms and actively shape and reshape the shores, intertidal and subtidal areas. Wind waves Waves on all the swell-sheltered shores, especially on the intertidal sand flats, are directly generated by local winds.
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Created by Blue Wren Group, University of Tasmania for the Cradle Coast Authority. Illustration by Michael Helman, 2010.
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Three Hummock Island