Fraser Island Sand Dunes and Beaches
The sandblows along the eastern coast of the island today are mobile and are not being replaced by sand from the beach, but from sand excavated by the prevailing south-easterly winds from deflation corridors.
These dunes progress across the island often burying forests and other plant communities. The rate of movement of the dunes each year depends on factors such as wind strength, the amount of moisture in the sand and plant colonisation. These dunes will gradually stop moving when they reach areas protected from the winds.
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The young dunes behind the eastern beaches are colonised and stabilised by spinifex grass and other coastal plants adapted to harsh salt and wind conditions. In the sheltered central regions of the island, where the dunes are stable and there are more nutrients for growth, diverse plant communities and rainforests are found. |
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