june 2026
Monthly Reef Update
Cover Image by Thomas MayoAs winter moves in across southern Australia, this month's Great Southern Reef update highlights the people, projects and partnerships helping build a better understanding of our temperate reefs.
Inside, we share new kelp forest research, updates on urchin control and marine planning, restoration genetics, marine protected areas, seafood education, a major student science voyage and more.
As we approach the end of the financial year, thank you to everyone who supports our work. If you're in a position to contribute, your tax-deductible donation will help us continue connecting communities with the science, stories and solutions shaping the future of our reefs.
Tasmania’s Budget backs urchin control and marine planning
The recently announced Tasmanian 2026-27 State Budget brings welcome investment for Tasmania’s reefs, with $1 million for the Abalone Industry Reinvestment Fund (AIRF) and $500,000 to progress consultation and delivery of the proposed Marine Environment Tasmania Act.
The Government has framed the additional AIRF investment as part of ongoing efforts to manage longspined urchin impacts and support the sustainability of Tasmania’s abalone industry. The fund supports a range of projects assessed through its funding process, including work related to urchin monitoring, research, harvest approaches, reef assessments, communications and broader abalone industry sustainability.
The Budget also signals growing recognition that Tasmania needs a stronger plan for its marine environment. Environment Tasmania and marine scientists have long called for a Marine Plan for Tasmania and legislative reform, with better coordination, science-based spatial planning, stronger monitoring, habitat protection and a more ecosystem-based approach to managing the state’s coasts.
Associate Professor Neville Barrett, from IMAS, says Tasmania is well placed to take this next step.
Together, these commitments are a positive step for Tasmania’s changing reefs. The opportunity now is to turn this investment into sustained action that supports kelp forests, reef recovery, fisheries and healthier marine ecosystems across the state.
Why Are Scientists Punching Holes in Kelp?
Researchers across temperate Australia have launched a nation-wide experiment to assess the health and productivity of Australian kelp forests. Led by IMAS PhD candidate Hunter Forbes, the project will closely replicate a study first conducted in 2011/12, allowing the team to compare today’s kelp forests with those from 15 years ago. It is a collaborative effort between members of the Great Southern Reef Research Partnership, especially the Wernberg Lab at UWA, the Operation Crayweed team at UNSW, and the IMAS team.
Throughout autumn, Hunter and local teams revisited 24 sites across Western Australia, New South Wales, and Tasmania, setting up experimental plots and tagging kelp to measure growth and erosion rates. This is done by punching holes at set distances along the main body of each kelp, so that when they are collected a month later, the team can measure how much each kelp has grown based on the new positions of these holes.
The team is also sampling kelp density, cover, morphology, spore release, tissue nutrients, and environmental conditions. Kelp has now been collected from Tasmania and Western Australia, with Hunter currently back in NSW to collect tagged kelp and wrap-up autumn sampling. Teams around the country will repeat this sampling in the coming spring and summer.
Green Gravel and the Genetic Future of Kelp Forests
As marine restoration accelerates across the Great Southern Reef, how do we ensure restoration efforts maintain the genetic diversity species need to survive future climate change?
Many restoration projects now rely on hatcheries and aquaculture to grow large numbers of habitat-forming species before outplanting. But until now, we have known surprisingly little about how these processes affect genetic diversity.
In a new study on the kelp Ecklonia radiata, researchers found that hatchery-grown kelp (also known as “green gravel”) lost substantial genetic diversity in just a single generation, despite using around 100 wild donor individuals. The study also found that growing kelp in a hatchery can favour some kelp over others. For example, kelp that grow well in tanks may not always be the same kelp best suited to survive on the reef. Over time, this could reduce the genetic mix needed to cope with heatwaves and other future changes.
The findings are highly relevant to restoration efforts underway across the Great Southern Reef, including kelp restoration and Green Gravel approaches, and reinforce the importance of incorporating genetics into restoration planning from the outset.
As restoration scales globally, rebuilding habitats will also mean safeguarding the evolutionary resilience that allows ecosystems to adapt to future marine heatwaves and environmental change.
Great Southern Reef Illustrated Poster
To celebrate the Great Southern Reef and help more people connect with Australia’s temperate reefs, we have collaborated with artist Brandon Volbrecht to create a special high-resolution infographic poster.
The poster brings together some of the species, stories and character of the Great Southern Reef in a format designed for public display.
For a limited time, tourism operators, dive shops, visitor centres, schools, community groups, councils, galleries and other organisations can request access to the high-resolution file for local printing and display in public-facing spaces.
All we ask is that organisations use the artwork respectfully, share a photo once it is displayed, and tag the Great Southern Reef Foundation where possible.
national collaboration supporting major research effort in Bremer Bay, WA
Researchers from the University of Western Australia, Flinders University and the University of Sydney came together to resurvey reefs and seagrass meadows in the Bremer Bay region on Western Australia's remote south coast.
Known for its iconic weedy and leafy seadragons, and as a gateway to the Bremer Canyon where killer whales gather, the region is also a marine biodiversity hotspot that remains relatively under-studied due to its remoteness. Many of these ecosystems were last surveyed more than 30 years ago.
The expedition was driven by concerns about excess ocean heat accumulating in the region and the potential impacts on many Great Southern Reef endemic species. In remote areas such as Bremer Bay, limited long-term data makes it difficult to understand ecological change. By revisiting historical survey sites, researchers aim to identify changes over time and establish updated baselines for future monitoring.
Across the expedition, teams surveyed 11 reef sites and seven seagrass sites. The work supported a range of projects, including biodiversity resurveys, macroalgal genetic sampling, and contributions to a global initiative examining the functional traits and diversity of canopy-forming macroalgae. Researchers also collected material for gamete banking, an emerging approach to preserving genetic diversity and supporting future restoration efforts.
The team recorded seven seagrass species across the region and documented high fish diversity, with 38 species observed at a single site and 67 species recorded across all survey locations. Preliminary analysis suggests a consistent 20 to 40 per cent decline in golden kelp cover compared with historical surveys, although researchers are continuing to examine broader ecological trends.
The expedition is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when researchers from different institutions work together, combining expertise and resources to tackle questions that would be difficult for any one team to address alone.
Stopping wakame before it spreads
In Australia, Undaria occurs in Victoria, Tasmania and, more recently, South Australia. While it is a poor competitor against healthy native seaweed forests such as golden kelp, it can exploit disturbed, high-nutrient environments and spread quickly once established, making early detection and rapid response important.
Undaria pinnatifida, also known as wakame, is an annual kelp native to north-east Asia and far east Russia. While it is an important aquaculture species in Japan, Korea and China, outside its native range it has become a successful invasive species across many temperate coastlines.
Image: Kade MillsA new paper by Jacqui Pocklington and colleagues evaluates Parks Victoria’s long-running response to Undaria at Popes Eye in Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park.
The study found that high-effort removal followed by sustained control reduced Undaria abundance, with winter and spring the best time to focus control efforts. The team also showed that removing the reproductive sporophylls reduced handling and disturbance on the reef, while likely reducing reproductive output and spore spread during removal.
The findings point to a clear management lesson for the Great Southern Reef: surveillance, fast response and ongoing maintenance are needed to protect high-value reef sites, while divers, snorkellers, fishers and boaters can help by cleaning gear in freshwater and drying it between locations.
Image: Marcia RiederSeen wakame somewhere new? Photograph it, log the location and report it straight away. Don’t move it, and clean and dry your gear before heading to another site, as microscopic spores can hitchhike in wet equipment.
Contributors: This article draws on contributions from Jacqui Pocklington (RMIT University), Kade Mills (ReefWatch Victoria, Victorian National Parks Association) and Michael Sams (Parks Victoria and Great Southern Reef Research Partnership)
A Closer Look at Kelp Genetics and Climate Resilience
Last month we highlighted three Great Southern Reef projects that secured support through the Revive & Restore Climate Resilience Fund, a global initiative investing in innovative approaches to help ecosystems adapt to climate change.
One of those projects involves NSW DPIRD scientists, including Great Southern Reef Research Partnership collaborator Adj. Prof. Melinda Coleman and molecular biologist Dr Hugh Goold, and is exploring how genetic tools could help improve the climate resilience of Australia's dominant kelp species, golden kelp.
The project aims to identify genes associated with heat tolerance and develop tools that could one day support climate-smart kelp restoration. While the work is still in its early stages, researchers say the focus is on building knowledge and capability now, before these tools may be needed in the future.
Project lead Dr Hugh Goold says advances already being explored in medicine and agriculture could eventually have applications for kelp forests.
The project is also expected to improve understanding of the biology of kelp and other habitat-forming seaweeds that underpin ecosystems across the Great Southern Reef.
Momentum continues to build behind the Eat an Urchin campaign.
Urchins featured prominently at this year's Sea to Shore: Glenelg Seafood Festival in South Australia as part of Tasting Australia. Alongside chef demonstrations and tastings, festival audiences attended a screening of the Great Southern Reef Foundation's documentary White Rock.
Chef Victor Liong with Associate Professor Zoe Doubleday and Associate Professor Alison Turnbull at the event. At the festival's Marine Menu event, University of Tasmania researchers Associate Professor Alison Turnbull and Associate Professor Zoe Doubleday joined chef Victor Liong to discuss seafood sustainability, food safety and marine ecology through a specially curated degustation experience.
Chef Jamie Steele demonstrates how sea urchin can be transformed into a simple urchin butterChef Jamie Steele also presented at the festival, preparing sea urchin for curious festival-goers, many trying it for the first time. Jamie believes chefs have an important role to play in helping people feel comfortable with unfamiliar seafood, with urchin butter offering a simple way to bring its depth and richness into familiar dishes.
Image: Analiese Gregory by Adam Gibson The campaign continues to gain support from leading chefs around Australia.
Acclaimed chef and author Analiese Gregory has recently joined the Eat an Urchin chef collective, contributing a Sea Urchin Farinata recipe to the growing collection of dishes designed to help more Australians experience sea urchin as a sustainable local seafood.
Reef Resilience Exhibition heads to the Yorke Peninsula
South Australians - if you missed the Reef Resilience Photo & Art Exhibition in Adelaide and Port Noarlunga, now is the perfect excuse to plan a winter school holiday trip to the Yorke Peninsula.
From 4 to 19 July, Ardrossan Town Hall will host a curated collection of award-winning photographs and artworks celebrating South Australia's marine life, coastal communities and the Great Southern Reef. The exhibition features works from photographers, artists, divers and ocean enthusiasts from across the state, alongside entries from local students participating in the Reef Resilience School Art Competition.
The free opening night event on Friday 3 July brings together art, science, music and community, with a packed program of speakers, live performances, coastal updates, new cinematic imagery and a community Listening Post. Check out the event page for the full program and to register.
help NAME this Kelp Forest
Last month we shared how Operation Crayweed and the Kelp Forest Alliance were inviting local communities to help name the restored kelp forest off South Coogee as part of the global Forests Without Names campaign.
Following strong community participation and a public voting process, the forest has now officially been named Yanggaa Forest, with "Yanggaa" meaning crayfish in Dharawal language.
Led by Hyundai, the Forests Without Names campaign aims to help people recognise and connect with underwater ecosystems that often remain unseen despite their ecological importance. Beyond giving the forest a name, the initiative highlights ongoing efforts to restore Sydney's underwater forests, support marine biodiversity, and strengthen connections between people, culture and the ocean.
Building on the success of the South Coogee project, Operation Crayweed is now inviting community members to help name another kelp forest, this time just offshore from Freshwater Beach. The community workshop will bring people together to learn about local kelp forests, share connections to the coast, and help develop a shortlist of names for the kelp forest near Freshwater Rockpool.
Exploring Marine Protected Areas Across the GSR
Over the past year, University of Tasmania PhD candidate Thomas Mayo has travelled across Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria, speaking with divers, surfers, fishers, boaters and beachgoers about how marine protected areas shape their lives and communities.
His research explores the social and ecological outcomes of marine protected areas across the Great Southern Reef, capturing the experiences, perspectives and connections people have with these special places.
Along the way, Tom has also made time to get in the water whenever possible. One memorable encounter came during a night dive beneath Rye Pier on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, where he spotted two Southern velvetfish. It was his first time seeing the species.
Every conversation has been different, but Tom says support for marine protected areas has come through clearly. He has been especially struck by locals who have spent years watching their patch of coast change, building deep knowledge of place and doing what they can to look after it for future generations.
As his research continues, Tom hopes to better understand how marine protected areas are experienced by the people who use and care for them, helping inform the future management of these important places.
Uni Students Join Science Voyage
University students from across Australia have been learning what marine science looks like at sea, spending 13 days aboard CSIRO’s RV Investigator as part of the national CAPSTAN sea-training voyage. Travelling from Fremantle to Hobart through remote parts of the Great Australian Bight and southern Australia’s shelf waters, the students worked alongside scientists and technical staff to collect real ocean data relevant to the broader Great Southern Reef.
Image: RV Investigator by CSIROAlong the way, students took part in seafloor mapping, sediment sampling, oceanographic surveys and phytoplankton sampling. One part of the voyage involved collecting data from waters offshore of South Australia’s harmful algal bloom. Students sampled two priority transects extending from areas surveyed by SARDI out towards the shelf break and canyon systems, including one off Kangaroo Island and one near the Bonney Upwelling region.
Using ocean sensors, water samples, phytoplankton filtrations and a continuous plankton recorder, they collected data on nutrients, chlorophyll-a, phytoplankton, oxygen, currents and other ocean conditions. Together with SARDI’s inshore observations, this work will help researchers better understand how deep nutrient-rich water, upwelling and movement between offshore and coastal waters may influence harmful algal bloom development.
Marine Debris Transformed into Reef Support
The Earth. Ocean. Weave. exhibition in Esperance has raised $3,700 for the Great Southern Reef Foundation. Held throughout May, the community art exhibition brought together The 10 Mile Collection, Esperance Community Arts, local artists and community groups to create works using clay and marine debris collected from local beaches.
All artworks were offered for sale, with 100% of profits donated to the Foundation. The project received a strong response from visitors, celebrating creativity, community and the reuse of discarded rope into artworks that support ocean conservation.
The project was made possible through Esperance Community Arts, with support from Healthway WA, Regional Arts WA and the Shire of Esperance.
more gsr news
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may 2026
May's update highlights growing momentum around ocean literacy, kelp restoration and long-term reef monitoring, alongside new resources helping Australians connect with and care for marine ecosystems. We also explore Victoria's latest marine environment report and new educational tools.
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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.
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March 2026
Across the Great Southern Reef, researchers, divers, artists and community groups continue to document, celebrate and care for our vast temperate reef system. This month’s newsletter brings together stories from the field, new research insights and a range of upcoming events 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.
you may also like:
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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.
