August 2024 news
This month, we're thrilled to bring you some exciting updates from the Great Southern Reef. From the final days of filming our urchin documentary White Rock, to the latest research, sealion mounted camera footage and insights from our GSR Research Partnership meeting in Hobart, there’s plenty to share. We’ve also got some fantastic GSR-themed podcast episodes lined up, new mesopohtic reef school resources, photo competition award winners and new opportunities for you to get involved.
White Rock: Doco Update
Last week GSRF cofounders Scott Bennett and Stefan Andrews met with Damon Gameau and Uncle Wally Stewart to conduct the final filming days for the production of their documentary White Rock.
During the shoot, Damon, who will be narrating the film, saw for the first time with his own eyes the severity of the longspined urchin issue around Barunguba / Montague Island. The team is now moving into the post production phase with the documentary release anticipated for later this year.
Parliamentary Friends of the GSR
Thanks to the initial support of 17 Members of Parliament, we are thrilled to announce the establishment of the Parliamentary Friends of the Great Southern Reef. The group will provide a non-partisan forum for parliamentarians to meet and interact with commercial and recreational fishers, seafood processors, scientists and academics, conservationists, environmental and cultural groups, and others, on matters relating to the protection of and preservation of the environmental, cultural, and economic significance of the Great Southern Reef.
If you have any important issues you would like us to discuss at the next meeting, or would like to be involved, please get in touch with us by emailing info@greatsouthernreef.com.
Australian Sea Lions: Habitats & Vulnerabilities
Many of us know about the delight and playfulness of the rare Australian sea lion, but how much do you know about their habitats and vulnerabilities?
In this video, Chandra Salgado Kent, Associate Professor for the Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia, shares insights in Australian sea lion population numbers, behaviours, threats and more!
Sea Lions Help Map GSR
University of Adelaide and SARDI PhD candidate Nathan Angelakis has been using cameras attached to Australian sea lions, to capture movement and dive data to identify and map critical habitats and foraging behaviours. The videos also allowed scientists to map these unexplored areas along the Great Southern Reef.
Since posting on GSR socials a few weeks ago, this research and footage has blown up, being dubbed "best slow TV ever"
Underwater Drones Reveal Rich Biodiversity in Apollo Marine Park
The Apollo Marine Park is a place of huge south-westerly swells and strong tidal flows. The sea floor has many rocky reef patches interspersed with areas of sediment, and in places has rich seafloor fauna dominated by slow growing sponge gardens. Recently, Deakin University's Marine Mapping Group have used underwater drones and baited cameras to reveal the incredible biodiversity of this Commonwealth Marine Park.
“Like coral reefs found in warmer waters, the sponge gardens of Australia’s cooler waters provide essential habitat and foraging grounds for marine species. ”
The underwater footage also captured species of significant conservation concern such as the Melbourne Skate, Mako shark, Broadnose Sevengill shark all listed as Vulnerable by IUCN, as well as the critically endangered school shark (Galeorhinus galeus).
New Teacher Resources: Mesophotic Reefs
Leveraging the technology of Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS), in this new resource and video students will get an up-close look at the mesophotic zones' inhabitants through recently captured video footage by researchers from the Department for Environment and Water in South Australia.
This resource is designed to be used alongside the new BRUVS sharks and rays resource (year 7) as well as marine park teacher resources (year 5-6) and (year 7-10). For more lesson ideas check out the GSRF Educator Hub.
Podcast Picks
'Let's Dive In' is a new podcast by Dekota Mark that takes listeners on a journey into the world of marine conservation. In the latest episode, Dekota speaks with GSR ocean literacy specialist Dr. Prue Francis about creating an ocean literate society and seaweed cultivation in Port Phillip Bay.
The Seaweed People podcast is now up to its 12th episode. If you’re into craft beer, you like dreaming up side hustles with your mates, you’re a chef wanting to experiment with kelpy umami or if you’re an aspiring seaweed farmer - this latest episode featuring Cam Hines and Brent “Bert” Cross from Southern Seaweeds is for you.
Matt Testoni's Seacreatures Podcast has had some cracking new episodes too! In a recent episode, Matt sat down with Gretta Pecl to learn about the amazing world of squid!
Feature Creator
As a marine scientist, Joel Williams likes to incorporate his knowledge to share the scientific details alongside his imagery on social media posts, sharing facts about a fish, invertebrate, algae - that most people wouldn't know and showcase how special the Great Southern Reef is.
Joel also uses his passion for underwater imagery in his research. Through surveys in his previous role with NSW fisheries, Joel used ROV’s extensively to survey deeper, rarely seen reefs of the GSR.
Kelp Forest Alliance Photo Awards
The Kelp Forest Alliance celebrated these 'forgotten forests' at the first ever Kelp Forest Photo Awards hosted at the North Sydney Coal Loader from July 13-28th. Visitors discovered a wild and wonderful world just off their local beach. Featuring more than 350 submissions from 17 countries around the world, the awards showcased these incredible ecosystems, the life they support, and the people who depend on them for their wellbeing.
Check out the 2024 Photo Award Finalists here.
5 Minute Survey Opportunity
By contributing a small amount of time you can help inform important research about people and climate change. The data from this survey will be published as part of a student thesis - however all the information you provide will be de-identified to protect your privacy. Click here to participate now.
Vote: Seeds for Snapper
Seeds for Snapper. Australia’s largest community driven seagrass restoration project has been nominated for the Science Engagement Initiative of the Year in the WA Premier's Science Awards. The project is the result of a collaboration between not-for-profit OzFish Unlimited, seagrass researchers from UWA and hundreds of community volunteers. Support the project by voting now!
Learn about other citizen science initiatives operating across the GSR and more ways to get involved by visiting our website.