April 2026
Some major developments this month, with the Australian Government releasing responses to both the longspined urchin Senate inquiry and the South Australian harmful algal bloom inquiry. Alongside this, we share new bloom education resources, unpack the National Marine Science Strategy, and highlight new research, restoration efforts and community projects from across the reef.
After more than two years, the Australian Government has released its response to the Senate inquiry into climate-related marine invasive species, addressing the spread of longspined sea urchins across the Great Southern Reef.
The response acknowledges the scale of the problem, but includes no new targeted funding to support industry, First Nations leadership, or a coordinated national response. While the Government says it will continue to engage with the Centro Task Force through existing forums, it has not committed the investment needed to deliver action at the scale recommended by the inquiry.
Federal Response to Urchin Inquiry Falls Short of Action Needed
In this article, we unpack what the response does and does not commit to, with perspectives from processor Ryan Morris, Joonga Land and Water Aboriginal Corporation’s Wally Stewart, and Great Southern Reef Foundation’s Stefan Andrews.
Algal Bloom Inquiry Response
The federal response to the South Australian harmful algal bloom inquiry has now also been released.
It acknowledges that the unprecedented bloom is still active and that recovery will take time. The response highlights the significant work the Commonwealth has both led and contributed to in partnership with the South Australian Government, in response to the bloom. At the same time, only one of 14 specific recommendations made by the inquiry were agreed to by the response.
The 14 recommendations made by the inquiry highlight the need for a coordinated and sustained national response to address slow-onset and significant ecological events such as harmful algal blooms. These recommendations are consistent with the GSRF’s call for an integrated national long-term monitoring program for rocky reefs and kelp forests.
From GSRF’s perspective, one of the biggest unresolved gaps is the absence of a dedicated, long-term commitment to monitoring and recovery for rocky reefs and kelp forests, despite the growing evidence of severe ecological loss across South Australia’s temperate reefs.
The response notes these recommendations, but stops short of committing to a coordinated, publicly reported, multi-year reef monitoring and recovery effort. It also leaves open major questions around how long-term ecosystem recovery will actually be tracked, how affected communities and marine industries will be supported over time, and how First Nations leadership will be properly resourced in monitoring, recovery and Sea Country management.
We’d like to hear your perspective on the government’s response and what should happen next. Your input will help shape our future advocacy and engagement with decision-makers.
New Bloom Resources
The Great Southern Reef Foundation has teamed up with the Marine Discovery Centre to share a new set of clear, accessible resources explaining harmful algal blooms and what they mean for coastal ecosystems and communities.
GSRF's Stefan Andrews and Assoc Prof Zoe Doubleday from Adelaide University answer questions about algal blooms for the school resource. Designed for reception to Year 6, these resources help translate complex science into practical information, supporting schools, communities and anyone trying to understand the ongoing South Australian bloom.
New National Marine Science Strategy
Australia’s new National Marine Science Strategy 2026–36 arrives at a time when pressure on the ocean is rising fast. Climate impacts are accelerating, biodiversity is under strain, coastal risks are growing, and the demand for marine science that can inform real decisions is only becoming more urgent.
Biodiversity in focus: the strategy calls for coordinated ecosystem monitoring and long-term datasetsThe strategy sets a clearer national direction for marine science over the next decade, with a stronger focus on the decisions, systems and partnerships needed to respond. In this article, we look at what the strategy backs, where the gaps still sit, and what it could mean for the Great Southern Reef.
Turning Images Into Insight
Marine scientists are collecting more underwater imagery than ever before. Autonomous vehicles, drop cameras, diver surveys and long-term monitoring programs are producing millions of images each year. The challenge is no longer collecting data. It is turning those images into usable management-ready information.
New research around the Squidle+ platform shows how that bottleneck is starting to shift. In this new research feature, we look at how shared image infrastructure and machine learning are helping scientists organise, interpret and apply underwater imagery at scale.
Join the GSR Community
Thanks for being here and for backing the Great Southern Reef Foundation. Your support helps us deliver education, outreach, advocacy and practical projects for the reef.
The GSRF holds Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status, meaning all donations over $2 are tax-deductible. You can make a one-off donation or become a GSR Friend, Champion or Guardian through our monthly supporter program.
We’re also pleased to invite you to our first GSR Friends meeting on Monday 18 May at 1:00 pm AEST. You’ll hear directly from the GSRF team, get field insights and updates from across the Great Southern Reef, hear what we’re currently working on, and have the chance to ask questions and connect with us more directly.
Tracking Change in King Island Bull Kelp
King Island is a small island in the Bass Strait home to Australia’s largest seaweed harvest industry. Hundreds of tonnes of bull kelp (Durvillaea potatorum) are collected off the island’s windswept beaches by local kelpers. Relatively unchanged for 50 years, this economically and culturally important fishery is now being threatened by changes in bull kelp supply, with the factory output dwindling and locals reporting changes in the amount, condition, and type of kelp available.
To investigate this, a team of IMAS students travelled to the island in March, to conduct in-water surveys of the island’s bull kelp population. By repeating historical experiments and drawing on past data, the team hopes to understand the extent and condition of past and present stocks, and determine whether the distribution, abundance, or size of bull kelp has changed on King Island.
Some individual kelp that reached up to 5 metres in length and 40 kg in weight.With this valuable data collected, the team will now begin to analyse the data to try and resolve the condition and changing status of bull kelp around King Island, and assess what this might mean for the future of the harvest industry.
New research has taken a rare long view of genetic diversity in Scytothalia dorycarpa, a climate-vulnerable seaweed found only on the Great Southern Reef. By combining recently collected samples with historical and herbarium specimens, researchers assessed patterns across roughly 2,700 kilometres of the species’ range. They found that overall genetic diversity has remained surprisingly stable through time. At the same time, the study showed that some populations carry unique genetic signatures, known as haplotypes, that are not found elsewhere.
Rare Genetic Clues from an Iconic Great Southern Reef Seaweed
Lead author Dr. Jane Edgeloe collecting Scytothalia samplesThe clearest hotspot was the Cape Naturaliste-Leeuwin region in Western Australia, where sites such as Hamelin Bay and Canal Rocks consistently showed high and distinct genetic diversity. The study also found that warm-edge populations, including some that are now extinct, carried unique genetic signatures that may already have been lost.
Together, the findings provide an important baseline for tracking change in this iconic fucoid and show why protecting genetically distinct populations matters as marine heatwaves and other climate pressures intensify.
Reef Pods Add New Fish Habitat
Reef pods are now being deployed in Sydney Harbour as part of Project Restore, a seascape restoration program led by the Sydney Institute of Marine Science. Designed by Reef Design Lab to mimic natural temperate rocky reefs, the modules add overhangs, caves and swim-through spaces that give fish and invertebrates more shelter in places where reef habitat has been reduced or degraded.
“When designing these modules we focus on replicating the key habitat features of natural temperate rocky reefs.”
With more than 60% of Sydney Harbour’s foreshore now lined by seawalls and docks, fish have lost much of the habitat complexity they need to breed and grow. The reef pods will be installed in arrays at nearshore sites and monitored through underwater surveys and GoPro footage to track how fish communities respond, while also encouraging algal growth and invertebrate recruitment over time.
New research in People and Nature shows how place-based ocean education can help primary students build a stronger connection to their local marine environment. Led by Cátia Freitas and colleagues, the study followed a 3-month program that combined picture books, beach excursions and creative classroom activities centred on the Great Southern Reef.
Helping Kids See their own Great Southern Reef
Before (above) and after (below) student drawings, showing a stronger sense of local reef lifeBefore the program, many students pictured their local marine environment as something more like a tropical reef. Afterwards, their drawings and discussions reflected a stronger awareness of temperate reef life and a closer connection to the coast around them. The project offers a practical model for helping young people better understand and value the Great Southern Reef through local learning in schools.
We Speak for the Seas
Young people in the Adelaide Hills are using art to speak up for the Great Southern Reef. In response to the recent algal bloom, 80 students aged 5 to 21 from TwiningArts have created We Speak for the Seas, a large-scale 30 metre-long collaborative work that captures both their concern and their connection to the ocean. The project channels what many of them are feeling right now, care for marine life, frustration at what’s happening, and a clear desire to protect it.
Built over several months, the installation brings together hand-printed sea creatures, kelp and seagrass using recycled materials, forming a single reef system shaped by many voices. The piece is a strong reminder that art can cut through and connect people to what matters. The exhibition is now on display at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide, running until the end of May.
“The Great Southern Reef is one of our proud Australian wonders.”
more gsr news
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March 2026
Some major developments this month, with the Australian Government releasing responses to both the longspined urchin Senate inquiry and the South Australian harmful algal bloom inquiry. Alongside this, we share new bloom education resources, unpack the National Marine Science Strategy, and highlight new research, restoration efforts and community projects from across the reef.
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February 2026
This month’s update brings together hands-on action, new learning tools and the latest reef science from across the Great Southern Reef. It’s a packed issue, offering new ways to get involved, fresh resources for classrooms, and timely insights from researchers working across the reef.
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January 2026
As 2026 gets underway, the Great Southern Reef Foundation enters the year with a strengthened Board guiding our work. This group brings experience across science, Indigenous leadership, governance, strategy, and storytelling as we focus on long-term protection of the Great Southern Reef.
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December 2025
This year was also a milestone for the Great Southern Reef Foundation as we secured Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status. Your engagement, advocacy and financial contributions help us grow our programs in education, communications and impact, and strengthen the partnerships that make this work possible. DGR status also makes it easier for new supporters to back the reef in a practical way.
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November 2025
Welcome to the November issue of the Great Southern Reef newsletter. This issue is packed with new stories of action and collaboration, from Sea Country leaders uniting in NSW Parliament, to restoration and research projects across southern Australia, plus exciting announcements for educators and partners.
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OCTOBER 2025
Welcome to the October edition of the Great Southern Reef newsletter. This month features new research from across the GSR, an update on South Australia’s ongoing algal bloom, fresh citizen science opportunities, and two new ocean-themed card games designed to spark curiosity and learning, plus a whole heap more.
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AUGUST 2025
The harmful algal bloom along South Australia’s coast has now attracted widespread national and international attention. This momentum has been driven in no small part by the extraordinary efforts of citizen scientists, fishers, divers, and community members who have documented impacts and shared them widely. Your photos, observations, and stories have helped build a groundswell that decision-makers cannot ignore.
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MAY 2025
Over the past three weeks, White Rock has hit the road with sold-out screenings, passionate conversations and fresh urchin feasts. The Em-Urchin-cy Tour kicked off with a packed premiere at Hobart’s State Cinema. From there, the tour hit the east coast with events in Bendalong, Bawley Point, Melbourne, Torquay, Warrnambool, Narooma, Merimbula, Byron Bay and Manly.
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APRIL 2025
White Rock hits the road! With a sold-out Hobart launch, our Em-urchin-cy Tour is officially underway. Dive into updates on school resources, lobster recovery, sea lion science, climate-fuelled fish kills, and citizen-powered species tracking. Plus, new research reveals not all reef species are heading south. Let’s get into it.
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FEBRUARY 2025
Welcome to the February 2025 Newsletter. Packed with exciting updates, inspiring stories, and opportunities to get involved, this edition has something for everyone passionate about the Great Southern Reef.
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January 2025 news
Packed with exciting updates, inspiring stories, and opportunities to get involved, this edition has something for everyone passionate about the Great Southern Reef.
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december 2024
This issue includes an exclusive look at our collaboration with artist Amok Island, spotlighting a spectacular limited edition print featuring iconic GSR species.
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november 2024
In this issue, we celebrate the long-awaited launch of WA’s South Coast Marine Park, share important updates on the South-east Marine Park Draft Management Plan, and dive into research exploring cancer-fighting compounds in temperate sponges.
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October 2024
In this issue, we celebrate the launch of our new Teacher’s Guide for Ocean Literacy, share major milestones from Project Restore, and highlight recent developments in kelp restoration across Australia.
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september 2024
This month, we're offering a sneak peek into one of the Great Southern Reef’s most unique environments - Bathurst Channel. Plus and an exciting opportunity for teachers to trial some new school resources.
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august 2024
Exciting updates from 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.
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july 2024
This month we are thrilled to share with you Sea Country stories, spider crab science, monitoring updates plus a sneak peek of our new documentary White Rock.
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june 2024
In this month's issue and to celebrate the arrival of the Southern Right whales, we're thrilled to announce the release of our new film, Eye to Eye.
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may 2024
In this issue, we explore some urgent challenges facing the GSR as well as highlight promising developments and opportunities to get actively involved in caring for our precious kelp forests.
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The longspined sea urchin is native to New South Wales and eastern Victoria. But in 1978 the first animal was detected in Tasmania where it has since increased dramatically in numbers. The urchin arrived in Tasmania due to changes in ocean climate and ocean current conditions, specifically an increase in strength of the East Australian Current.
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White Rock is a 45-minute documentary uncovering an overlooked impact of the climate crisis: the explosion of longspined sea urchins which are devastating Australia's kelp forests. With stunning visuals and impactful storytelling, the film captures the urgent threat to these ecosystems and presents tangible solutions to save them.
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Looking to deepen your knowledge on the rich biodiversity found in Australia's temperate reefs? This space is designed for you.
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Australian researchers are working at the global forefront of marine habitat restoration, with projects underway in every state along the Great Southern Reef. Habitat restoration is a resource intensive exercise used as a last resort for areas where vital habitats have been lost or are in decline and natural recovery is not occurring. Currently there are active restoration projects on the GSR working to restore seaweeds, seagrasses, and oyster reefs.
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Every month, we feature a creator from around the Great Southern Reef (GSR), showcasing their unique connection, creative expression, and passion for this extraordinary marine ecosystem. Through photography, art, storytelling, and film, these creators highlight the reef’s beauty, biodiversity, and the critical challenges it faces.
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What is the Great Southern Reef? What is unique about it? and how is climate change affecting it? Find out answers to these questions and more in our FAQ page.
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Associate Professor Ling has been instrumental in discovering the complex factors contributing to the urchin problem, casting new light on how climate change, predatory interactions, and ecological balance play into the crisis.
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The Great Southern Reef Research Partnership is a collaboration between universities, management agencies, and NGOs from across Australia, is taking a whole-of-system approach to safeguard the critical functions, fisheries, and biodiversity of the Great Southern Reef.
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The Great Southern Reef Foundation has partnered with Fremantle-based multidisciplinary artist Amok Island to create a stunning limited edition print, Iconic Species of the Great Southern Reef. This artwork showcases 18 unique species found along this extraordinary marine ecosystem.
