TurtleCare
Turtle tracks on Rainbow Beach
Rainbow Beach and Teewah Beach areas:
Contact email: Turtlecare@CooloolaCoastcare.org.au
Follow our Facebook group TurtleCare Rainbow Beach
Help our Turtles:
Turtle Track Sightings
If you see turtle tracks on the beach (November-April)
Phone or text : 0493 511 207
Sick or injured turtles
To report a sick, injured or dead turtle call
The Strandings Hotline 1300 103 373
Do not touch or try to move the turtle.
A pink "X" on the shell means it was reported already.
Other TurtleCare and Turtle Monitoring and Rescue Groups:
If you aren't in the Rainbow Beach or Teewah Beach area, here's a list of all the other marine turtle groups we know about and we are happy to help you find someone who can help.
Get involved...
Turtle Research Volunteer
Become a highly trained volunteer who can tag turtles, relocate eggs from at-risk nests & dig nests after hatching to record scientific data.
Training: 7 days at Mon Repos Turtle Research Centre every year during turtle nesting season (Dec - March)
Learn how to spot the tracks of a nesting turtle during your beach walks, identify the species from the tracks and take a photo & submit it to TurtleCare.
Training: Free local 30 minute briefing with TurtleCare Trainer.
Interested Bystander
Follow us on Facebook & attend public events like hatchings and information sessions.
Pictured here: Loggerhead nest hatching on Rainbow Beach 2020
Since 2018, Cooloola Coastcare has been monitoring local marine turtle activity in a project called TurtleCare.
Volunteers monitor turtles nesting on the beaches north and south of Rainbow Beach and assist with rescuing stranded and injured turtles.
This project was started during the 2018-2019 turtle season by Joan Burnett with a donation of seed grant funding from the Australian Citizen Science Association by Dr Lindy Orwin. Read more here.
Do you walk along Rainbow Beach in the mornings on a regular basis?
We are always looking for volunteers for TurtleCare on Rainbow Beach and Teewah Beach from October to March. Training is provided at no cost.
While you are walking in the early morning, you can be looking for turtle tracks or hatchlings and reporting them to our project leader. Even sightings of dead turtles or egg shells are useful data for our research.
Spotted a turtle or some tracks?
Phone or text Gary Swanson 0407 034 226 or or Jan Waters 0429 481 490 for urgent notifications
or email her TurtleCare@CooloolaCoastcare.org.au for any queries or if you can join in local turtle monitoring.
A video about the turtle story
Marine Turtle Strandings & Rescues
Hawksbill Rescue
Juvenile transported to the Animal Hospital for treatment.
December 2019
Rescue attempt of nest of turtle eggs during Cyclone Oma
February 2019
Sick floating marine turtle rescue
Taken to Sea Life Mooloolaba for treatment
2019
More information about marine turtles
2019-20 Some photos and the data collected
2020 -21 Planning is in progress. Get in touch if you want to be involved.
Turtle nest model
In the news
In the news
Cooloola Coastcare's TurtleCare article on the Australian Citizen Science Association blog
Supported by
Seed Funding Grant 2018
Wildlife Carer's Grant 2019
Environment Grant 2022
Environment Programs Grant 2024
