The rezoning of the South-east Marine Park network has now come into effect, with several new sanctuary zones added across key parts of the Great Southern Reef. Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/south-east

Giant kelp restoration increases primary production far beyond Ecklonia reefs. New modelling using Tasmanian field data shows ~40× higher production, increasing energy flow to abalone, reef fish and lobsters. Paper: Predicting the Impact of Giant Kelp Restoration on Food Webs & Fisheries Production.

At Jurien Bay, long term monitoring shows warming waters reshaping the Great Southern Reef. Kelp loss, rising coral cover, tropical species surging. A rare Scytothalia seaweed sighting hint at possible recovery, but signals remain mixed. Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/jurien-bay-m...

Jurien Bay Marine Park stretches for over 80 km along a unique stretch of coastline where temperate & tropical species converge on limestone reefs dominated by golden kelp. Find out what researchers saw on their recent expedition: greatsouthernreef.com/jurien-bay-m...

Researchers have been in Jurien Bay Marine Park continuing a long running survey program that began in 1999. This represents the 13th year in which these surveys have been conducted. Find out what the team found in the new field journal write up greatsouthernreef.com/jurien-bay-m...

Nicolas Horniblow likes to draw attention to the quiet majority the invertebrates and tiny reef dwellers most people never hear about. When these species stay invisible, they slip out of conversations about the reef and stay vulnerable. greatsouthernreef.com/nicolas-horn...

Some of Nicolas Horniblow’s most profound experiences happen on night dives. Once the light drops, the reef shifts. Species that hide during the day move out, and the whole community runs on a different rhythm. greatsouthernreef.com/nicolas-horn...

For photographer Nicolas Horniblow, the Great Southern Reef rewards slow looking. Years of diving in Tasmania has led him toward the small, cryptic invertebrates most people miss. These tiny residents influence how reef communities work at small scales, & Nicolas wants you to see them.

Australian marine scientists have released a major new white paper calling for coordinated national action to advance ocean literacy. The paper positions ocean literacy as a foundation for ocean stewardship. Read the full paper: www.marinescience.net.au/wp-content/u...

World Heritage for the Nullarbor and Great Australian Bight is about protecting an intact ecosystem of global biodiversity significance. This clip is from one of the 'Voices of Our Ocean films' which were showcased throughout #COP30 in Brazil last month.

The momentum is here, the timing is now. Together we can show our support for World Heritage for the Nullarbor and the Great Australian Bight. Let’s make history.

Teachers are invited to join our White Rock Educator Masterclass (Years 7–12) on the 22nd of January, to explore how this new doco can be integrated into the classroom. The session will walk you through the new curriculum-linked resource kit and offer an exclusive preview of a new urchin board game.

Are these Tasmanian barrens now more like NSW barrens than the kelp beds beside them? New research shows urchin-affected reefs on Tasmania’s east coast now function much like those further north in New South Wales, with similar species and grazing patterns. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

After months of devastation across SA's coast, community-driven restoration efforts are underway to help rebuild coastal resilience.  Dr Dominic McAfee's Reviving Lost Oyster Reefs project with conservation non-profit EyreLab, is part of a growing network of community-led restoration initiatives.

Australia’s marine & coastal habitats deliver huge benefits, but we are still selling them short. A new review reports Australian studies often undervalue habitats like kelp, mangroves & seagrass, especially for provisioning & cultural services. Paper: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Spot the juvenile golden kelp on reef once stripped bare. Following the dedicated harvest of over 25 tonnes of longspined sea urchins, juvenile golden kelp are starting to grow along shallow rocky reefs within Sydney Harbour. This rehabilitation work is part of #ProjectRestore

Nathan Knott’s research has been instrumental in quantifying shifts in species abundance over time. His team has built time series spanning two decades, covering habitats from deep reefs at 40 metres to intertidal rocky shores. greatsouthernreef.com/nathan-knott

“Even within my working lifetime, the change has been phenomenal,”  Principal Research Scientist at NSW DPI Nathan Knott says. Learn more about Nathan's work in our new feature article on the GSRF website. greatsouthernreef.com/nathan-knott

Saltwater peoples from across NSW have voted unanimously to form a new Aboriginal Sea Country Alliance. The alliance unites coastal Nations to lead the response to the state’s declining reef systems & the erosion of cultural practices tied to them. Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/nsw-sea-coun...

At NSW Parliament, Aboriginal Sea Country leaders, scientists, and industry came together to call for urgent action on urchin overgrazing and kelp forest loss along the Great Southern Reef. Read the full story and the Sea Country Alliance’s plan greatsouthernreef.com/nsw-sea-country-alliance

New CSIRO survey of 900 Tasmanians shows strong love for the coast, but almost 70 percent worry about rapid change. Ocean warming, plastic waste, and biosecurity top the list. Scientists are the most trusted voices, with strong support for restoration work.

Originally trained as a microbiologist, Vera Möller lives just metres from the Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary in southern Victoria. Her art evolves from field observation, marine immersion drawing inspiration from the Great Southern Reef, greatsouthernreef.com/vera-moller

Hidden beneath Jurien Bay’s seaweed canopies lies a burst of life. From the mighty Turbo jourdani to bright nudibranchs, scientists and volunteers are revealing how rich these reefs are and how you can help protect them. Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/jurien-bay

The Big Fish card game is finally here! This new game brings sustainable fishing to your table, balancing catch, conservation & chaos. Perfect for classrooms or game nights, every move means balancing catch, conservation & competition to keep your fishing spot thriving. bigfishcardgame.com

Seeds of the Sea is a new citizen science project focused on the flowering and fruiting of Posidonia australis, a long-lived seagrass that underpins healthy ecosystems across the Great Southern Reef. Learn how to spot flowering seagrass and report your sightings at seedsofthesea.org

Giant Australian cuttlefish are now hatching in South Australia’s Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park. To mitigate the risk from the harmful algal bloom, the State and Federal governments installed a bubble curtain to protect more than 50,000 eggs. Footage: DEW / Stefan Andrews

After months of loss, signs of resilience are emerging. Photos of live sand crabs, blue crabs and young reef fishes offer hope for recovery in areas impacted by SA's Harmful Algal Bloom. Read Janine Baker’s full Spring Situation update: greatsouthernreef.com/2025-sa-alga... Images: Troy Johnson

The extensive harmful algal bloom that wreaked havoc over thousands of kilometres of South Australia’s marine environment has continued into mid-spring in some areas. Read the full Spring Situation update by marine ecologist Janine Baker: greatsouthernreef.com/2025-sa-alga...

Eastern blue gropers are protected across NSW, with a full ban on fishing extended until at least 2028. By safeguarding large males, managers are protecting this iconic species and the ecological role it plays in holding back urchin numbers & keeping kelp forests intact. 🎥 by Maya Santangelo

In Jess Nguyen’s urchin tethering study, one striking result was the effect of predator diversity. “Finding that reefs with more predator species had faster urchin predation really showed the importance of predator diversity, not just abundance” Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/urchin-preda...

New research from UNSW and the University of Tasmania reveals how predator size and diversity influence urchin predation on New South Wales reefs. Large male blue gropers were responsible for three-quarters of all urchin attacks. Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/urchin-preda...

Sea Urchin documentary 'White Rock' will be screened at the NSW Parliament on 15 Oct. Guest speakers will lead a discussion on the ecological and cultural emergency facing NSW Sea Country. Limited number of free tickets available here: events.humanitix.com/whiterock-ns...

Scientists have developed a scalable “holdfast-graft” method to reseed Tasmania’s lost giant kelp forests. By binding hatchery kelp to other seaweed stubs, divers achieved 40× higher survival. Within a year, the grafted kelp began reproducing—kick-starting self-sustaining forests. #GreatSouthernReef

In addition to its striking appearance, what makes the longsnout boarfish stand out is its unusual feeding habits. Along with the worms you’d expect from a bottom-dwelling predator, it also preys on brittle stars.. a rare choice among fishes.

Pygmy Blue Whale sighting at Bussleton! Megan Wood who captured the encounter reflected on the experience “we are incredibly lucky to call this place home, and it is our responsibility to care for it and protect it"

Tonight: join marine ecologist Dr. Elodie Camprasse for an online session exploring the incredible life of Australia’s Great Southern Reef. Rego link: tinyurl.com/3vcu8rzr

New research reveals turban snails (Gugumbal), long harvested across Sea Country, are shifting south as ocean waters warm. The study modelled 3 Gugumbal species and show range contractions in southern Qld, and new populations appearing further south. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

GSR Research Partnership Members Prof. Thomas Wernberg & Prof. Sean Connell have been honoured with the 2025 ITRS Award for ‘Life-long Service & Contributions to Marine Science’. This recognition highlights their decades of leadership and lasting impact on temperate reef science globally.

Meet the humble ascidian, a.k.a. sea squirt. New research suggests one species could alter the role of reefs in a warming ocean. At Solitary Islands they increased 4x. The microbes within produce N₂O, a greenhouse gas about 300x more potent than carbon dioxide.

For Dominic Buyers, every dive begins long before he enters the water. From tides to topographical maps, preparation shapes every image he creates. He prefers diving between slack high and outgoing tide, when visibility improves and marine life appears more active.

The Hippolyte Rocks, off the Tasman Peninsula, is challenging to access due to rough weather, but when conditions align, the visibility, colours, and marine life are unmatched. Video by our latest feature creator Dominic Buyers.

Shaun de Bruyn is the CEO of the Tourism Industry Council of SA and was part of the GSR HAB delegation to Canberra. “From a scientific perspective, the GSR which supports $11.5 billion in jobs, seafood and tourism, deserves long-term funding to track ecosystem change on a level similar to the GBR”

The GSR HAB Delegation has returned from meeting with PM Albanese, federal ministers, senators & senior officials to call for enhanced & coordinated national action. The science ask was clear: an immediate $6M, 2yr investment to deliver the GSR’s first cross-state biodiversity health check.

New global review warns that marine heatwaves are becoming longer, stronger & more frequent, with far-reaching impacts. For the GSR, these findings highlight the urgency of coordinated monitoring to understand impacts & guide timely, effective management responses. www.nature.com/articles/s44...

New research published in Science warns that ocean-based climate interventions are moving faster than our ability to regulate, monitor, and evaluate them. One of their key messages is that monitoring must be comprehensive & connected. theconversation.com/marine-clima...

Giant Australian Cuttlefish are still gathering in large numbers and currently laying plenty of eggs, with the waters around Point Lowly remaining clean. Today, the SA Government is holding an emergency meeting to plan for risks from the harmful algal bloom spreading to the upper Spencer Gulf.

ABC News has highlighted our seven urgent actions to tackle SA’s toxic algal bloom and prepare for future climate-driven disasters. Priorities include cutting emissions, reducing pollution, monitoring the Great Southern Reef, and boosting research to prevent and recover from future crises.

“Labor questioned on funding for Great Southern Reef amid algal bloom in SA Rebekha Sharkie gets the next crossbench question, and asks whether the government will increase funding for the monitoring of Great Southern Reef, as the algal bloom affects South Australia.”

Scientists release 7 point action plan to tackle SA's catastrophic algal bloom, emphasising urgent, strategic responses. Among the key recommendations is establishing long-term monitoring for the Great Southern Reef. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...

Footage captured yesterday at Ardrossan, Yorke Peninsula, reveals more underwater impacts of SA's Harmful Algal Bloom. With neon green water, the seabed was littered with dead and dying animals. There were also hundreds, if not thousands, of garfish on the seabed, some still alive.