Australian conservation workers have started the clean up of the country's east coast beaches.

The coastline has been covered in oil after a cargo ship leaked fuel when it was damaged by falling containers in stormy seas.

Photo taken on March 12, 2009 shows the beach polluted by an oil spill from a cargo ship that was damaged in stormy seas off Australia's east coast in Queensland. [Xinhua]

Birds on the beach were covered in oil.

The spill created a slick reported to span 10 kilometers in waters off Brisbane, on Australia's eastern coast.

Oil from the spill slicked beaches on the east and northern shores of Moreton Island and Marcoola Beach.

Conservation workers are checking for turtle eggs, in the hope of relocating them away from the oil. A veterinary clinic has also been set up to treat wildlife.

(CCTV March 13, 2009)