Wind Effects
Environmental Factors

Deep ocean swells tend to be bigger and more powerful along southern shores. Strong daily winds create waves on top of that swell. Southern, south-eastern and south-western coastlines are continually barraged by waves as they come ashore.

In Northern Australia, wave-energy levels are dissipated by a number of geographic effects.

Australia bulges near Fraser Island in the east and Shark Bay in the west.

So northern shores run in the same direction as the southern waves approach.

Also, most of Queensland's coast is protected in an estuary-like situation sheltered behind the Great Barrier Reef.

References

Bennett, I. (1987) W. J. Dakin's classic study: Australian Seashores. p. 3-12, Angus & Robertson, Sydney.

Davey, K. (1998) A Photographic Guide to Seashore Life of Australia. p.8, New Holland, Sydney.

Environmental Factors
Latitude
Currents
Wind Effects
Wave Strength
Tidal Effects
Desiccation
Substrate
Turbidity
Salinity

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