Great Southern Reef Foundation
@greatsouthernreef.bsky.social
Community | Education | Science.
Building an identity for Australia’s temperate reefs.
8000km network of kelp forests.
#greatsouthernreef
Building an identity for Australia’s temperate reefs.
8000km network of kelp forests.
#greatsouthernreef
After months of devastation across SA's coast, community-driven restoration efforts are underway to help rebuild coastal resilience.
Dr Dominic McAfee's Reviving Lost Oyster Reefs project with conservation non-profit EyreLab, is part of a growing network of community-led restoration initiatives.
Dr Dominic McAfee's Reviving Lost Oyster Reefs project with conservation non-profit EyreLab, is part of a growing network of community-led restoration initiatives.
November 27, 2025 at 1:46 AM
After months of devastation across SA's coast, community-driven restoration efforts are underway to help rebuild coastal resilience.
Dr Dominic McAfee's Reviving Lost Oyster Reefs project with conservation non-profit EyreLab, is part of a growing network of community-led restoration initiatives.
Dr Dominic McAfee's Reviving Lost Oyster Reefs project with conservation non-profit EyreLab, is part of a growing network of community-led restoration initiatives.
Australia’s marine & coastal habitats deliver huge benefits, but we are still selling them short.
A new review reports Australian studies often undervalue habitats like kelp, mangroves & seagrass, especially for provisioning & cultural services.
Paper: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
A new review reports Australian studies often undervalue habitats like kelp, mangroves & seagrass, especially for provisioning & cultural services.
Paper: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
November 25, 2025 at 2:26 AM
Australia’s marine & coastal habitats deliver huge benefits, but we are still selling them short.
A new review reports Australian studies often undervalue habitats like kelp, mangroves & seagrass, especially for provisioning & cultural services.
Paper: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
A new review reports Australian studies often undervalue habitats like kelp, mangroves & seagrass, especially for provisioning & cultural services.
Paper: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Spot the juvenile golden kelp on reef once stripped bare.
Following the dedicated harvest of over 25 tonnes of longspined sea urchins, juvenile golden kelp are starting to grow along shallow rocky reefs within Sydney Harbour.
This rehabilitation work is part of #ProjectRestore
Following the dedicated harvest of over 25 tonnes of longspined sea urchins, juvenile golden kelp are starting to grow along shallow rocky reefs within Sydney Harbour.
This rehabilitation work is part of #ProjectRestore
November 24, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Spot the juvenile golden kelp on reef once stripped bare.
Following the dedicated harvest of over 25 tonnes of longspined sea urchins, juvenile golden kelp are starting to grow along shallow rocky reefs within Sydney Harbour.
This rehabilitation work is part of #ProjectRestore
Following the dedicated harvest of over 25 tonnes of longspined sea urchins, juvenile golden kelp are starting to grow along shallow rocky reefs within Sydney Harbour.
This rehabilitation work is part of #ProjectRestore
Nathan Knott’s research has been instrumental in quantifying shifts in species abundance over time. His team has built time series spanning two decades, covering habitats from deep reefs at 40 metres to intertidal rocky shores. greatsouthernreef.com/nathan-knott
November 18, 2025 at 1:14 AM
Nathan Knott’s research has been instrumental in quantifying shifts in species abundance over time. His team has built time series spanning two decades, covering habitats from deep reefs at 40 metres to intertidal rocky shores. greatsouthernreef.com/nathan-knott
“Even within my working lifetime, the change has been phenomenal,” Principal Research Scientist at NSW DPI Nathan Knott says.
Learn more about Nathan's work in our new feature article on the GSRF website.
greatsouthernreef.com/nathan-knott
Learn more about Nathan's work in our new feature article on the GSRF website.
greatsouthernreef.com/nathan-knott
November 17, 2025 at 1:09 AM
“Even within my working lifetime, the change has been phenomenal,” Principal Research Scientist at NSW DPI Nathan Knott says.
Learn more about Nathan's work in our new feature article on the GSRF website.
greatsouthernreef.com/nathan-knott
Learn more about Nathan's work in our new feature article on the GSRF website.
greatsouthernreef.com/nathan-knott
Saltwater peoples from across NSW have voted unanimously to form a new Aboriginal Sea Country Alliance. The alliance unites coastal Nations to lead the response to the state’s declining reef systems & the erosion of cultural practices tied to them.
Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/nsw-sea-coun...
Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/nsw-sea-coun...
November 13, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Saltwater peoples from across NSW have voted unanimously to form a new Aboriginal Sea Country Alliance. The alliance unites coastal Nations to lead the response to the state’s declining reef systems & the erosion of cultural practices tied to them.
Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/nsw-sea-coun...
Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/nsw-sea-coun...
At NSW Parliament, Aboriginal Sea Country leaders, scientists, and industry came together to call for urgent action on urchin overgrazing and kelp forest loss along the Great Southern Reef.
Read the full story and the Sea Country Alliance’s plan greatsouthernreef.com/nsw-sea-country-alliance
Read the full story and the Sea Country Alliance’s plan greatsouthernreef.com/nsw-sea-country-alliance
November 11, 2025 at 11:20 PM
At NSW Parliament, Aboriginal Sea Country leaders, scientists, and industry came together to call for urgent action on urchin overgrazing and kelp forest loss along the Great Southern Reef.
Read the full story and the Sea Country Alliance’s plan greatsouthernreef.com/nsw-sea-country-alliance
Read the full story and the Sea Country Alliance’s plan greatsouthernreef.com/nsw-sea-country-alliance
New CSIRO survey of 900 Tasmanians shows strong love for the coast, but almost 70 percent worry about rapid change. Ocean warming, plastic waste, and biosecurity top the list. Scientists are the most trusted voices, with strong support for restoration work.
November 5, 2025 at 10:15 PM
New CSIRO survey of 900 Tasmanians shows strong love for the coast, but almost 70 percent worry about rapid change. Ocean warming, plastic waste, and biosecurity top the list. Scientists are the most trusted voices, with strong support for restoration work.
Originally trained as a microbiologist, Vera Möller lives just metres from the Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary in southern Victoria. Her art evolves from field observation, marine immersion drawing inspiration from the Great Southern Reef,
greatsouthernreef.com/vera-moller
greatsouthernreef.com/vera-moller
November 4, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Originally trained as a microbiologist, Vera Möller lives just metres from the Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary in southern Victoria. Her art evolves from field observation, marine immersion drawing inspiration from the Great Southern Reef,
greatsouthernreef.com/vera-moller
greatsouthernreef.com/vera-moller
Hidden beneath Jurien Bay’s seaweed canopies lies a burst of life. From the mighty Turbo jourdani to bright nudibranchs, scientists and volunteers are revealing how rich these reefs are and how you can help protect them.
Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/jurien-bay
Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/jurien-bay
October 29, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Hidden beneath Jurien Bay’s seaweed canopies lies a burst of life. From the mighty Turbo jourdani to bright nudibranchs, scientists and volunteers are revealing how rich these reefs are and how you can help protect them.
Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/jurien-bay
Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/jurien-bay
The Big Fish card game is finally here!
This new game brings sustainable fishing to your table, balancing catch, conservation & chaos.
Perfect for classrooms or game nights, every move means balancing catch, conservation & competition to keep your fishing spot thriving.
bigfishcardgame.com
This new game brings sustainable fishing to your table, balancing catch, conservation & chaos.
Perfect for classrooms or game nights, every move means balancing catch, conservation & competition to keep your fishing spot thriving.
bigfishcardgame.com
October 28, 2025 at 9:33 PM
The Big Fish card game is finally here!
This new game brings sustainable fishing to your table, balancing catch, conservation & chaos.
Perfect for classrooms or game nights, every move means balancing catch, conservation & competition to keep your fishing spot thriving.
bigfishcardgame.com
This new game brings sustainable fishing to your table, balancing catch, conservation & chaos.
Perfect for classrooms or game nights, every move means balancing catch, conservation & competition to keep your fishing spot thriving.
bigfishcardgame.com
Seeds of the Sea is a new citizen science project focused on the flowering and fruiting of Posidonia australis, a long-lived seagrass that underpins healthy ecosystems across the Great Southern Reef.
Learn how to spot flowering seagrass and report your sightings at seedsofthesea.org
Learn how to spot flowering seagrass and report your sightings at seedsofthesea.org
October 26, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Seeds of the Sea is a new citizen science project focused on the flowering and fruiting of Posidonia australis, a long-lived seagrass that underpins healthy ecosystems across the Great Southern Reef.
Learn how to spot flowering seagrass and report your sightings at seedsofthesea.org
Learn how to spot flowering seagrass and report your sightings at seedsofthesea.org
Giant Australian cuttlefish are now hatching in South Australia’s Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park. To mitigate the risk from the harmful algal bloom, the State and Federal governments installed a bubble curtain to protect more than 50,000 eggs.
Footage: DEW / Stefan Andrews
Footage: DEW / Stefan Andrews
October 22, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Giant Australian cuttlefish are now hatching in South Australia’s Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park. To mitigate the risk from the harmful algal bloom, the State and Federal governments installed a bubble curtain to protect more than 50,000 eggs.
Footage: DEW / Stefan Andrews
Footage: DEW / Stefan Andrews
After months of loss, signs of resilience are emerging. Photos of live sand crabs, blue crabs and young reef fishes offer hope for recovery in areas impacted by SA's Harmful Algal Bloom.
Read Janine Baker’s full Spring Situation update:
greatsouthernreef.com/2025-sa-alga...
Images: Troy Johnson
Read Janine Baker’s full Spring Situation update:
greatsouthernreef.com/2025-sa-alga...
Images: Troy Johnson
October 21, 2025 at 9:12 PM
After months of loss, signs of resilience are emerging. Photos of live sand crabs, blue crabs and young reef fishes offer hope for recovery in areas impacted by SA's Harmful Algal Bloom.
Read Janine Baker’s full Spring Situation update:
greatsouthernreef.com/2025-sa-alga...
Images: Troy Johnson
Read Janine Baker’s full Spring Situation update:
greatsouthernreef.com/2025-sa-alga...
Images: Troy Johnson
The extensive harmful algal bloom that wreaked havoc over thousands of kilometres of South Australia’s marine environment has continued into mid-spring in some areas. Read the full Spring Situation update by marine ecologist Janine Baker:
greatsouthernreef.com/2025-sa-alga...
greatsouthernreef.com/2025-sa-alga...
South Australian Algal Bloom Spring Update | Great Southern Reef
The 2025 harmful algal bloom in South Australia has persisted into spring, with mass deaths of fish, abalone, razorfish, and seagrass across Gulf St Vincent, Kangaroo Island, and Spencer Gulf. Marine ...
greatsouthernreef.com
October 20, 2025 at 10:24 PM
The extensive harmful algal bloom that wreaked havoc over thousands of kilometres of South Australia’s marine environment has continued into mid-spring in some areas. Read the full Spring Situation update by marine ecologist Janine Baker:
greatsouthernreef.com/2025-sa-alga...
greatsouthernreef.com/2025-sa-alga...
Eastern blue gropers are protected across NSW, with a full ban on fishing extended until at least 2028. By safeguarding large males, managers are protecting this iconic species and the ecological role it plays in holding back urchin numbers & keeping kelp forests intact.
🎥 by Maya Santangelo
🎥 by Maya Santangelo
October 14, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Eastern blue gropers are protected across NSW, with a full ban on fishing extended until at least 2028. By safeguarding large males, managers are protecting this iconic species and the ecological role it plays in holding back urchin numbers & keeping kelp forests intact.
🎥 by Maya Santangelo
🎥 by Maya Santangelo
In Jess Nguyen’s urchin tethering study, one striking result was the effect of predator diversity.
“Finding that reefs with more predator species had faster urchin predation really showed the importance of predator diversity, not just abundance”
Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/urchin-preda...
“Finding that reefs with more predator species had faster urchin predation really showed the importance of predator diversity, not just abundance”
Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/urchin-preda...
October 13, 2025 at 9:22 PM
In Jess Nguyen’s urchin tethering study, one striking result was the effect of predator diversity.
“Finding that reefs with more predator species had faster urchin predation really showed the importance of predator diversity, not just abundance”
Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/urchin-preda...
“Finding that reefs with more predator species had faster urchin predation really showed the importance of predator diversity, not just abundance”
Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/urchin-preda...
New research from UNSW and the University of Tasmania reveals how predator size and diversity influence urchin predation on New South Wales reefs. Large male blue gropers were responsible for three-quarters of all urchin attacks. Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/urchin-preda...
October 12, 2025 at 9:23 PM
New research from UNSW and the University of Tasmania reveals how predator size and diversity influence urchin predation on New South Wales reefs. Large male blue gropers were responsible for three-quarters of all urchin attacks. Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/urchin-preda...
Sea Urchin documentary 'White Rock' will be screened at the NSW Parliament on 15 Oct. Guest speakers will lead a discussion on the ecological and cultural emergency facing NSW Sea Country.
Limited number of free tickets available here:
events.humanitix.com/whiterock-ns...
Limited number of free tickets available here:
events.humanitix.com/whiterock-ns...
October 9, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Sea Urchin documentary 'White Rock' will be screened at the NSW Parliament on 15 Oct. Guest speakers will lead a discussion on the ecological and cultural emergency facing NSW Sea Country.
Limited number of free tickets available here:
events.humanitix.com/whiterock-ns...
Limited number of free tickets available here:
events.humanitix.com/whiterock-ns...
Scientists have developed a scalable “holdfast-graft” method to reseed Tasmania’s lost giant kelp forests. By binding hatchery kelp to other seaweed stubs, divers achieved 40× higher survival. Within a year, the grafted kelp began reproducing—kick-starting self-sustaining forests. #GreatSouthernReef
October 6, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Scientists have developed a scalable “holdfast-graft” method to reseed Tasmania’s lost giant kelp forests. By binding hatchery kelp to other seaweed stubs, divers achieved 40× higher survival. Within a year, the grafted kelp began reproducing—kick-starting self-sustaining forests. #GreatSouthernReef
In addition to its striking appearance, what makes the longsnout boarfish stand out is its unusual feeding habits.
Along with the worms you’d expect from a bottom-dwelling predator, it also preys on brittle stars.. a rare choice among fishes.
Along with the worms you’d expect from a bottom-dwelling predator, it also preys on brittle stars.. a rare choice among fishes.
September 29, 2025 at 11:14 PM
In addition to its striking appearance, what makes the longsnout boarfish stand out is its unusual feeding habits.
Along with the worms you’d expect from a bottom-dwelling predator, it also preys on brittle stars.. a rare choice among fishes.
Along with the worms you’d expect from a bottom-dwelling predator, it also preys on brittle stars.. a rare choice among fishes.
Pygmy Blue Whale sighting at Bussleton!
Megan Wood who captured the encounter reflected on the experience “we are incredibly lucky to call this place home, and it is our responsibility to care for it and protect it"
Megan Wood who captured the encounter reflected on the experience “we are incredibly lucky to call this place home, and it is our responsibility to care for it and protect it"
September 23, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Pygmy Blue Whale sighting at Bussleton!
Megan Wood who captured the encounter reflected on the experience “we are incredibly lucky to call this place home, and it is our responsibility to care for it and protect it"
Megan Wood who captured the encounter reflected on the experience “we are incredibly lucky to call this place home, and it is our responsibility to care for it and protect it"
Tonight: join marine ecologist Dr. Elodie Camprasse for an online session exploring the incredible life of Australia’s Great Southern Reef. Rego link: tinyurl.com/3vcu8rzr
September 22, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Tonight: join marine ecologist Dr. Elodie Camprasse for an online session exploring the incredible life of Australia’s Great Southern Reef. Rego link: tinyurl.com/3vcu8rzr
New research reveals turban snails (Gugumbal), long harvested across Sea Country, are shifting south as ocean waters warm. The study modelled 3 Gugumbal species and show range contractions in southern Qld, and new populations appearing further south.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
September 22, 2025 at 12:18 AM
New research reveals turban snails (Gugumbal), long harvested across Sea Country, are shifting south as ocean waters warm. The study modelled 3 Gugumbal species and show range contractions in southern Qld, and new populations appearing further south.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
GSR Research Partnership Members Prof. Thomas Wernberg & Prof. Sean Connell have been honoured with the 2025 ITRS Award for ‘Life-long Service & Contributions to Marine Science’. This recognition highlights their decades of leadership and lasting impact on temperate reef science globally.
September 15, 2025 at 10:25 PM
GSR Research Partnership Members Prof. Thomas Wernberg & Prof. Sean Connell have been honoured with the 2025 ITRS Award for ‘Life-long Service & Contributions to Marine Science’. This recognition highlights their decades of leadership and lasting impact on temperate reef science globally.