Baby turtle found next to coal lump in Qld

Environmentalists say disturbing photographs of a newborn turtle beside lumps of coal on a central Queensland beach are evidence of toxic spills near the Great Barrier Reef.

WWF-Australia said a concerned citizen had taken the photographs of the turtle hatchling on East Point Beach in Mackay, part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.

"It is simply not good enough for coal to be washing up on beaches in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area", WWF-Australia head of oceans Richard Leck said.

East Point Beach is close to Hay Point, the largest coal port sitting on the Great Barrier Reef.

"There has long been concern about coal and dust spills at Hay Point," Mr Leck said.

He called for a government investigation into potential coal spills.