The beaches near Brisbane are usually among the world's most pristine, helping to generate tourism revenue of about A$1.3 billion ($850m) a year for Queensland's capital and Australia's third-largest city. But more than a week after oil gushed from a cargo ship off the city's shoreline, many were still covered in black sludge. Apart from turning into one of Australia's worst environmental disasters, the spillage swamped a state election campaign in Queensland where the economic policies of Kevin Rudd, the prime minister, were under scrutiny. The spill happened on March 11th when the Pacific Adventurer, registered in Hong Kong, sailed into heavy seasrnwhipped up by Cyclone Hamish. Her cargo of containers of ammonium nitrate fertiliser rolled overboard, puncturing the ship and releasing oil. At first Swire Shipping, the owner, thought the leak was small. Australian authorities later estimated it at 250,000 litres. Some oil reached beaches 60km (37.5 miles) north of Brisbane along the Sunshine Coast, a tourist playground and one of Australia's fastest-growing regions. Moreton, a sandy island off Brisbane much prized by ecotourists, has had to contend with oil washing up on its beaches and beating against its cliffs.
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