Myora Reef, on the bay side of North Stradbroke Island north of Dunwich, is one of the most unusual habitats in Moreton Bay. marinelife.org.au describes it as a small natural reef that is unusually rich in corals for an embayment: surveys have found around 46 per cent hard coral cover, mostly Acropora plate coral, with the rock surfaces otherwise dominated by turf algae grazed by long-spined Diadema urchins. It sits in a no-fishing zone and is surrounded by fringing mangroves, intertidal flats and extensive seagrass beds of Zostera, Halophila and Syringodium, making it a key habitat for turtles and dugongs. The area around the reef supports a rich estuarine community: bream, flathead, cobia, snapper, garfish, school mackerel, sea mullet, tailor and whiting, along with banana, eastern king and bay prawns, mud crabs and sand crabs.

Wobbegongs and bamboo sharks shelter around the reef, and oysters encrust hard surfaces. For snorkellers, Myora offers the rare sight of healthy plate coral in only a couple of metres of water inside Moreton Bay, together with the chance of turtles or a dugong over the surrounding seagrass. Visibility is modest and the site is tidal, so it is best on a calm high tide in dry weather.

It is not a commercial dive site and there is limited published access information; treat it as a sensitive, protected area and a snorkel rather than a scuba destination. Anchoring and finning must avoid damaging coral and seagrass. Anyone visiting should check the current zoning map, since protected-area boundaries in this part of the bay are strictly enforced.

Take the SeaLink vehicle ferry or water taxi from Cleveland to Dunwich (Gorompi) on North Stradbroke Island, then drive a few kilometres north along the East Coast Road/Myora area towards Amity. Access to the water is through low-lying foreshore with mangroves and tidal flats, so go at high tide. Boats can reach the reef from Dunwich or Cleveland in 10-20 minutes; anchor on sand outside the reef and seagrass.

The reef is within a protected no-fishing zone.

Very shallow and tidal – only worthwhile around high tide; low tide exposes the tidal flats. Tidal currents run through the channels between Stradbroke and the bay islands, so plan around slack water. Westerly winds put chop onto this shore.

Visibility is generally poor to moderate and drops after rain.

Snorkel over the reef around high-tide slack, working along the plate-coral patches and over the seagrass edge. Stay shallow and avoid touching coral; scuba is rarely needed.

No commercial operator; visited by researchers, local snorkellers and occasional club trips.