Montgomery Island, Northwest Australia
31 March 2004

Note: The area of coverage in this SPOT-4 image is approximately 29.22 km x 29.22 km.
The reduced resolution image on display has undergone compression and so does not represent the true resolution of the original satellite image.

This wonderful reef assemblage is at the mouth of the Collier Bay off the Kimberley coast. It is a horizontal multi-layered structure separated by steep sides. The submerged part of the platform is bluish-green with the vertical steps tinged in green. A higher section of the reef, which is above water, is covered with bright sand and above that is a section under vegetation with clear patches in the centre. More than ten metre high tides race through this area, giving rise to waterfalls off the edge of the reef as the tide drops, sharply marked channels, and strongly etched features around the edge of the sand. Dugongs, sharks, crocodiles, turtles and other sea animals are common.