Much of the approximately 560 km of the Gold Coast is sandy but extensive rocky outcrops occur in places. Tidal range varies between 120 cm. at springs and 60 cm. at neaps. Zonation of organisms on the rocks is related to amount of wave exposure. Littorina punctata dominates the supralittoral fringe on all rocks but is accompanied by Tectarius granosus in the west. On exposed rocks the midlittoral zone consists of an upper subzone of Chthamalus dentatus and a lower sub-zone of lithothamnia. With increasing shelter many algae invade the lithothamnia subzone until a complete cover is obtained. It consists mainly of Enteromorpha spp., Pylaiella fulvescens, Ulva fasciata, Centroceras clavulatum, Gigartina acicularis, Gracilaria henriquesiana, Hypnea musciformis and Padina tetrastromatica. On exposed rocks the sublittoral fringe consists of lithothamnia, Echinometra lucunter and patches of Dictyopteris delicatula. With increasing shelter Echinometra becomes less frequent and Dictyopteris is accompanied by Sargassum until two subzones are formed, an upper Sargassum subzone and a lower Dictyopteris subzone. Zonation of plant and animal life on the Gold Coast thus fits the universal scheme of T.A. and A. Stephenson. Differences exist between eastern and western ends of the coast. Ulva fasciata and Sargassum sp. are most abundant in the east; Tectarius granosus and Echinometra lucunter in the west.