Heron Island is a coral cay (island or key) in the southern Great Barrier Reef, 80 kilometres offshore from the Queensland city of Gladstone.
It is fringed by a large platform, and reef sharks, rays and reef fish abound in the surrounding shallow waters. Green turtles and thousands of seabirds also nest here.
UQ Heron Island Research Station
Owned and operated by the University, the UQ Heron Island Research Station is internationally renowned for marine and climate change research and student training in marine sciences.
Facilities and equipment rarely found in an offshore facility combined with the station's unique location on the world's largest reef make it an innovative hub for marine and climate change research.
Our researchers, full-time technical staff and students have access to sophisticated equipment, a very large research aquarium system, and a fleet of fast boats.
HIRS is the oldest and largest marine research station on the reef.
Accommodation is on site.