aUGUST 2026
Monthly Reef Update
From microscopic giant kelp stages found within red seaweeds to fish communities living more than 200 metres below the surface, welcome to this month’s GSR update! We also share our urgent call for a threatened species assessment of Upper Spencer Gulf giant cuttlefish, new funding to advance coordinated national monitoring, two opportunities to work with the GSR, and much more.
New limited edition Great Southern Reef tees
We’ve just released a limited edition Great Southern Reef long-sleeve tee featuring custom artwork by Tasmanian artist Tom Davidson.
Created specifically for this release, the design combines watercolour painting with a hand-pressed lino print. It celebrates the kelp, seaweeds and smaller reef creatures that often miss the spotlight.
We printed only 50 shirts for this first release, and just 33 remain.
Podcast Pick: It Starts With… kelp!
Great Southern Reef Foundation Chair Dr Scott Bennett recently joined David Bolderman on ConnectSci’s It Starts With podcast for a 25-minute conversation about kelp forests and the Great Southern Reef.
It Starts With is a science podcast that breaks down big ideas by starting with the basics. In this episode, the starting point is kelp: what it is, how it grows, and why it's just so important.
Scott explains what the Great Southern Reef is, why it stretches across more than 8,000 kilometres of Australia’s southern coastline, and why so many Australians live close to kelp forests without knowing the name of the reef system beneath the surface. The episode also explores what makes kelp forests so productive and how climate change and marine heatwaves are reshaping these ecosystems.
We’re hiring: Media & Storytelling Officer
The Great Southern Reef Foundation is seeking a Media & Storytelling Officer to identify and share stories emerging from marine science, expeditions, communities and policy.
This part-time role is remote from anywhere in Australia. We’re looking for someone with strong editorial skills and experience in science communication, journalism or media who can turn complex research into engaging stories and media opportunities.
Deakin University has received funding from The Ian Potter Foundation for the project Harmful algal blooms: where to act and what to do, led by Dr Kay Critchell. The project will develop a predictive risk framework for harmful algal blooms across southern Australia.
By combining machine learning and ecological models with satellite, oceanographic and biogeochemical data, the research team will produce forward-looking maps showing where blooms are more likely to occur, and which species and habitats may be most exposed.
Harmful Algal Blooms: Mapping Risk, Shaping Response
Harmful algal blooms can develop quickly and have serious effects on marine ecosystems, fisheries, aquaculture and coastal communities. Better information will help direct monitoring and early warning efforts, while supporting a more coordinated approach across states and sectors.
Researchers will also work with government agencies, industry and communities to turn the modelling into practical management and response actions.
The Great Southern Reef Foundation is a supporting project partner. Our role will focus on communication and outreach, helping translate the research into accessible information for governments, industry and coastal communities.
The project Deakin is recruiting a full-time Research Fellow or Associate Research Fellow in Harmful Algal Bloom Modelling. The three-year position is based at the Queenscliff Marine Centre, with hybrid arrangements available. View the position and apply. Applications close 31 August 2026.
New funding advances national Great Southern Reef monitoring
Strong monitoring programs already operate across the Great Southern Reef, but they sit across different states, organisations, methods and funding cycles. Australia does not currently have a coordinated national system for tracking the health of its temperate reefs, which makes it harder to compare results, detect major changes early and understand impacts or recovery after events such as South Australia’s harmful algal bloom.
The Great Southern Reef Foundation has received funding from PMF Foundation to advance the Great Southern Reef Integrated Monitoring Program, known as GSR-IMP. The program aims to connect and strengthen existing work to establish a shared national framework. This would give governments, managers and communities a clearer picture of how Australia’s kelp forests are changing and where action is needed.
The first phase supported by PMF will focus on:
Forming a nationally representative steering committee.
Building Traditional Owner leadership and co-design into the program from the outset.
Developing an agreed national roadmap for governance, priorities and implementation.
GSRF will work with the Great Southern Reef Research Partnership and wider partners to shape this next phase. The program is intended to be shared and nationally owned, rather than led or controlled by any single organisation. We thank PMF Foundation for backing this early work and recognising the need for coordinated national action for Australia’s temperate reefs.
GSRF seeks urgent EPBC assessment for giant cuttlefish
Following the collapse of the 2026 breeding aggregation in Upper Spencer Gulf, the Great Southern Reef Foundation has written to Environment Minister Murray Watt requesting urgent consideration of this genetically distinct population for threatened species assessment under the EPBC Act.
The letter asks the minister to consider adding the population to the 2026 Finalised Priority Assessment List and recognising it as a distinct entity under section 517 of the Act.
Recent reporting in The Guardian and The Conversation explains the scale of the breeding failure and the growing scientific concern surrounding this population.
Cameras Reveal Life on Tasmania’s Deep Shelf Reefs
To find out what lives there, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies researchers lowered baited underwater cameras from their vessel, sending them through more than 200 metres of water to the seafloor.
The Great Southern Reef is best known for the kelp forests fringing Australia’s southern coastline. But reef habitat does not end where the kelp disappears.
Far offshore, low limestone reefs and large rocky blocks rise from broad plains of sand and mud. West of King Island, this rarely seen terrain stretches across Tasmania’s continental shelf and through Zeehan Marine Park.
Abrolhos: After the Heatwave
The Houtman Abrolhos Islands bring coral reefs, seaweed forests and seagrass meadows together within just a few kilometres. Earlier this year, researchers returned to assess how these communities responded to Western Australia’s severe 2025 marine heatwave.
They also recovered temperature loggers containing six years of bottom-water records, with preliminary observations showing temperatures reached approximately 26°C.
A Hidden Seed Bank for Giant Kelp?
Microscopic stages of giant kelp may be present in an unexpected place: within red seaweeds growing on Tasmanian reefs.
Using a genetic test designed specifically to detect giant kelp, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies-led researchers found its DNA in samples from eight of the 13 red seaweed species tested across four reefs.
Researchers compared cleaned and uncleaned red seaweed samples. Cleaning did not reduce giant kelp DNA detections, providing evidence consistent with microscopic kelp gametophytes occurring within the tissue rather than only on the surface.
Earlier studies in other kelp species have shown that kelp spores can settle on red seaweeds and develop into microscopic gametophytes within their tissue.
The branching red seaweed Ballia callitricha recorded the highest detection rate, with giant kelp DNA detected in eight of the 12 samples tested.
Researchers also detected giant kelp DNA at Bicheno, where giant kelp forests have been absent for over 30 years. Spores released by drifting kelp may provide one explanation.
These red seaweeds may act as a propagule bank, similar to a seed bank on land, potentially sheltering microscopic kelp stages until conditions support reproduction and growth. Further research must test if these gametophytes are alive, how long they persist and if they can reproduce to form new kelp.
Why Do Some Golden Kelp Grow Faster?
Growth rates varied almost fourfold between individual kelp. The researchers identified 18 genetic markers that together predicted around half of this variation, providing the first evidence of a genetic component underlying growth rate in a natural kelp population.
Most of these genetic markers were found within or near genes known to be used by golden kelp. Two of the strongest were close to genes with possible roles in cell-wall processes and signalling within cells. However, researchers have not shown that these genes directly affect growth.
The findings suggest that growth rate may have a genetic component. With further research, this could help guide selective breeding for kelp aquaculture and the choice of donor kelp for restoration and assisted adaptation.
Golden kelp growing on the same reef can have very different growth rates. New research suggests part of the explanation may lie in their DNA.
Western Australian researchers monitored 52 adult golden kelp (Ecklonia radiata) at three sites within Marmion Marine Park. Using tags and small holes punched into each kelp’s main blade, they measured how far the holes moved as the kelp grew over 79 days during spring. They then compared the growth rates with thousands of genetic markers.
Faster growth may not always benefit kelp. The researchers propose that rapid spring growth could be linked to trade-offs such as reduced heat tolerance or a greater risk of storm dislodgement, but the study did not test these possibilities.
The study involved 52 kelp from one small geographic area during a single season. Larger studies, controlled breeding experiments and research across different environments and generations are needed before these genetic markers can guide restoration or breeding programs.
Kelp-Bearing Boulders Give Degraded Reef Habitat a Local Boost
Could moving kelp-covered rocks give degraded reef habitat a head start?
At Primrose Sands in south-eastern Tasmania, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies researchers moved 48 boulders from an extensive donor reef to a nearby urchin-degraded area. Each boulder measured approximately 25 to 35 centimetres across and already supported canopy-forming brown algae, known as fucoids, and other seaweeds. Researchers arranged the boulders in clusters of three.
The trial also included grazing control. Before transplantation, the team moved approximately 200 native Heliocidaris erythrogramma sea urchins from the experimental area. They then managed urchin abundance below approximately two animals per square metre throughout the 12-month study.
After 12 months, canopy-forming algae covered an average of 29 per cent of the transplanted plots, compared with 8 per cent in neighbouring plots and 6 per cent in more distant plots. Turf algae cover was also significantly lower in the transplanted plots.
These habitat changes, however, remained highly localised. Researchers found little evidence of spill-over beyond the transplant footprint and no detectable effect of the treatment on cryptic fish or macroinvertebrate communities during the study.
The authors describe the research as a small-scale proof of concept at a single site, rather than evidence of ecosystem-scale reef restoration. Nevertheless, it suggests kelp-bearing boulders could provide a rapid habitat-enhancement tool for small, high-priority areas when combined with threat management such as urchin control.
Thanks For Supporting Us
Thanks for reading this month’s issue and for supporting the Great Southern Reef Foundation. From our research and community partners to our Friends, Champions, Guardians and individual donors, your support helps us share stories, connect people with marine science and grow appreciation for Australia's Great Southern Reef.
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June 2026
As winter moves in across southern Australia, this month's GSR update highlights the people, projects and partnerships helping build a better understanding of our temperate reefs.
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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.
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July 2026
This month has been another reminder of both the challenges and momentum across the Great Southern Reef. From seaweed science to the disappearance of South Australia's giant Australian cuttlefish from their famous breeding aggregation, this edition highlights some of the latest stories from across the GSR.
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