Victor Island

Victor Island had stable hard coral cover around 30% until TC Debbie in 2017, after which it saw a sharp drop accompanied by a rise in macroalgae. Further losses occurred following the 2020 mass bleaching due to the region-wide accumulated heat stress event.  The most recent surveys show a positive trend in hard coral, a hopeful indication of recovery that will be documented through the semi-annual monitoring program.

Presence of disease in the inshore coral communities of Mackay and Hay Point has fluctuated over 13 years of monitoring. Severe bleaching, however, has only been recorded alongside the region-wide accumulated sea surface temperature peak in 2020.