Our Work

The Great Southern Reef Foundation is a passionate Australian charity with a vision to inspire society to become active stewards of Australia’s kelp forests. We rely on the generous support of individuals and organisations to fuel our initiatives, power our outreach, and make a tangible difference in the future of the GSR.

Together, we can build a future where the rich biodiversity of our kelp forests thrives and serves as a source of pride for all Australians.

Education

We strive to forge a strong connection between Australian students and their local marine environments. Our focus is on creating original content that emphasises the uniqueness of the Great Southern Reef (GSR), coupled with comprehensive teacher training.

Our education hub is packed full of a growing collection of resources designed in accordance with Ocean Literacy principles and the Australian curriculum, offering place-based learning tailored to every year level.

Image: Operation Crayweed

• Developing a schools kit for our latest film - Reviving Giants

• Developing our teachers portal

• Collaborating on teacher PD workshops

Current education Initiatives

Community

By producing and sharing original visual media content, we highlight the magnificence of the Great Southern Reef, inspiring grassroots engagement and nurturing a sense of ownership and stewardship. Our efforts are aimed at enhancing community connections to the GSR, thereby encouraging participation across a diverse array of environmental, social, and cultural activities.

• Film screenings events

Feature creator series

GSR documentary

• GSR photo competition (coming soon)

Current Community Initiatives

Science

Guided by a committee of Australia's leading scientists, we endeavour to synthesise knowledge about the Great Southern Reef ensuring a holistic and integrated understanding of the GSR's complex social-ecological system. We actively promote communication, collaboration, and the sharing of ideas across various jurisdictions.

It's a cooperative effort aimed at forging stronger bonds between research and real-world applications, bridging gaps, and encouraging a unified approach towards the conservation, restoration and appreciation of our temperate reefs.

Current Science Initiatives

Urchin Documentary

The Great Southern Reef Foundation are currently in production on a feature documentary. ‘White Rock’ explores the urchin crisis affecting the east coast of Australia and presents solutions to save the reef before it’s too late. [Learn more]

The GSRF have partnered with Grassrootz, Australia's leading community event fundraising platform to to support our initiatives.

Fundraise through Grassrootz

The events we are currently affiliated with are listed here, but if you find another event you would like to raise money by participating in, please get in touch.

1% For the PLanet

The GSRF are proud to announce our registration as an environmental partner of 1% for the Planet. 1% for the Planet members pledge to donate 1% of their revenue each year to environmental partner organisations that meet a range of eligibility criteria. For more information on becoming a member (individuals and organisations can join), click here