Slade Rock

Hard coral at Slade Island declined after cyclones in 2010 and 2017, and again during the 2020 heat stress event. Since then, both hard and soft coral have started to recover. Macroalgae levels have stayed low, potentially providing greater light penetration and substrate for coral growth.

Over 13 years of monitoring, coral disease has come and gone in the inshore reefs of Mackay and Hay Point. Severe bleaching has been less common — only recorded during the region-wide 2020 marine heatwave. During the 2024 elevated SST event, bleaching was minor in comparison, highlighting the complexity of these reef systems and the measured response to heat stress.