About the Great Southern Reef Foundation
A national voice for Australia’s kelp forests
The Great Southern Reef Foundation is the national organisation representing Australia’s Great Southern Reef. We connect science, education, community and storytelling to build recognition, stewardship and long-term support for Australia’s kelp forests and temperate reefs.
The Great Southern Reef supports marine life, coastal communities, culture, recreation and regional economies across southern Australia. Yet it receives far less national recognition and coordinated investment than Australia’s tropical reefs.
We are working to change that.
Who we are
The Great Southern Reef Foundation (GSRF) is an independent Australian marine charity led by an independent team with expertise in marine science, education, storytelling, policy and partnerships.
We act as knowledge brokers between science and society. We translate research into stories, films, educational resources, public campaigns and policy conversations that people can understand and act upon.
Much of the Great Southern Reef lies out of sight, so a central part of our role is making it visible.
Through film, photography and public communication, we reveal what is happening beneath the surface, celebrate the species and kelp forests that make this ecosystem distinct, and document the changes affecting it.
Our vision
A thriving Great Southern Reef, recognised and protected as a living system that is central to Australia’s identity and future.
Our mission
To connect, educate and inspire people to become active stewards of Australia’s kelp forests, embedding the Great Southern Reef into Australian culture.
“The Great Southern Reef is immense, but its coastal communities are often separated by hundreds of kilometres. By giving the reef a shared identity, we can unite these communities around a common sense of pride and stewardship.”
-Dr. Scott Bennett
what we do
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We work with researchers and institutions across Australia to make temperate reef science accessible, relevant and useful.
Through our ongoing communications partnership with the Great Southern Reef Research Partnership, we amplify new studies, scientific findings and the people behind the research. Our articles, films, imagery and media resources help research reach communities, educators, journalists and decision-makers.
Our growing Media Hub also provides trusted Great Southern Reef imagery, footage and information for public communication.
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Our Educator Hub gives teachers and students access to curriculum-linked lessons, films and activities grounded in Australia’s temperate marine environments.
These resources help students learn about kelp forests, marine biodiversity, climate change, Sea Country and stewardship through ecosystems found along their own coastline.
Resources developed around our documentary White Rock now support primary and secondary learning, with the film also available to Australian schools through ClickView.
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Film and visual storytelling sit at the centre of our work. We turn scientific evidence and community experience into stories that build understanding, influence behaviour and support practical responses.
Our documentary White Rock examines the spread of longspined sea urchins and the loss of kelp forests along Australia’s east coast. Its impact campaign connects film screenings, school education, community discussion, Indigenous-led advocacy and actions such as supporting the regenerative urchin industry.
The project shows how targeted storytelling can bring a complex ecological problem into classrooms, communities, industry discussions and government decision-making.
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When South Australia’s harmful algal bloom caused widespread marine deaths and damage to coastal ecosystems, GSRF documented what was happening beneath the surface.
We gathered imagery, field observations and community accounts, communicated scientific information and supplied material to journalists and decision-makers. This work helped keep public attention on affected reefs and strengthened calls for transparent reporting, sustained monitoring and a science-led response.
We have continued this work through public education, reef documentation and the Reef Resilience program, which shares stories of impact, recovery and community care.
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The Great Southern Reef crosses state borders, research institutions, marine management systems and Sea Country. Its future requires coordination across all of them.
GSRF brings together researchers, Traditional Owners, educators, communities, industry, conservation groups and government representatives around shared priorities for Australia’s temperate reefs.
We also support the Parliamentary Friends of the Great Southern Reef, a non-partisan forum connecting federal parliamentarians with scientists, First Nations leaders, marine industries, conservation organisations and coastal communities.
Through this work, we help place the Great Southern Reef within national discussions about climate resilience, biodiversity, monitoring and marine investment.
Building the case for coordinated reef monitoring
Australia does not have a coordinated national biodiversity monitoring system for its temperate reefs. Existing monitoring remains divided across states, institutions and short-term projects. This makes it harder to detect ecological decline, understand cumulative impacts and coordinate management responses.
GSRF is building support for the Great Southern Reef Integrated Monitoring Program, known as GSR-IMP.
The proposed program would connect scientific monitoring, Indigenous knowledge and community observations within a shared national framework. It would give governments and communities a clearer picture of how Australia’s kelp forests are changing and support earlier, better-informed responses.
Our role is to align partners, translate the science, document reef change and build the public and government support required to make coordinated monitoring a national priority.
explore further
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The people behind GSRF
Meet the people behind GSRF. Our team and Board bring expertise across marine science, education, storytelling, policy, partnerships and governance, working together to build recognition, stewardship and long-term support for the Great Southern Reef.
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Great Southern Reef questions answered
What is the Great Southern Reef, where is it found and why does it matter? Find clear answers about Australia’s kelp forests, marine life, climate pressures and the work of GSRF.
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Our partners and supporters
Our work is made possible through collaboration with research institutions, foundations, community organisations, educators and conservation partners across Australia. Together, we support education, storytelling, research communication and action for the Great Southern Reef.
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