Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 01/10/2026A new open-access article written for young learners in Frontiers For Young Minds explores the importance of kelp forests, the marine life and communities they support, and the growing pressures they face. kids.frontiersin.org/articles/10.... 020
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 30/09/2026New research led by Sheena Chung at Southern Cross University has analysed 43 years of sea surface temperature data across 60 coastal marine regions. More than 95% experienced longer heatwaves between 1982 and 2024. Read the full story: greatsouthernreef.com/marine-heatw... 043
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 28/09/2026For the Great Southern Reef, the review offers an opportunity to strengthen representative and connected protection across Australia’s temperate reef system. consult.dcceew.gov.au/six-draft-mg... 045
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 24/09/2026When H5 bird flu reached Bial-bial on the Limestone Coast, the deaths of Tanitjari, Greater Crested Terns, carried a warning far beyond disease. Professor Irene Watson on Country, culture and the loss of Greater Crested Terns. greatsouthernreef.com/tanitjari-gr...greatsouthernreef.comTanitjari, Greater Crested Terns and H5 Bird Flu | Great Southern ReefIrene Watson reflects on Tanitjari, Greater Crested Terns, H5 bird flu and caring for Meintangk Bunganditj Sea Country at Bial-bial. 010
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 17/09/2026Associate Professor Neville Barrett shares the remarkable ecology of Tasmania’s Bathurst Channel, one of the marine environments he has studied throughout his career. 06520
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 16/09/2026A new Dragon Search South Australia report led by Janine Baker has documented the loss of almost 1,700 seadragons during the state’s prolonged harmful algal bloom, alongside hundreds of pipefish and seahorses. Read more: greatsouthernreef.com/news 06231
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Why do some golden kelp grow faster? In a WA study of 52 individual kelp, blade elongation varied almost fourfold. Eighteen genetic markers predicted about half the variation, suggesting growth may have a genetic component. More testing is needed. Paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41... 030
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 07/09/2026A hidden seed bank for giant kelp? IMAS Researchers detected its DNA in samples from 8 of 13 red seaweed species tested on Tasmanian reefs. Learn more greatsouthernreef.com/news#red-alg... 030
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 06/09/2026Could moving kelp-covered rocks give degraded reef habitat a head start? In south-eastern Tasmania, researchers from the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies moved 48 boulders from an extensive donor reef to a nearby urchin-degraded area. Story 🔗 greatsouthernreef.com/news#boulder... 0102
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 31/08/2026Professor Thomas Wernberg @twernberg is one of three finalists for Scientist of the Year in Western Australia’s 2026 Premier’s Science Awards. We encourage the Great Southern Reef community to support Thomas in the People’s Choice Award. www.wa.gov.au/organisation... 021
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 25/08/2026Deakin University has received funding from The Ian Potter Foundation to map harmful algal bloom risk across southern Australia. Deakin is recruiting a Research Fellow or Associate Research Fellow. Applications close 31 August. www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/44... 030
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 24/08/2026H5 bird flu has now been detected in an Australian mammal for the first time. At this deeply worrying time, we’re thinking of the seals and sea lions across the Great Southern Reef, and everyone working to monitor and protect them. 074
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 23/08/2026The Wernberg & Filbee-Dexter Labs have returned to the Houtman Abrolhos Islands to assess how these communities responded to Western Australia’s severe 2025 marine heatwave. Find out what they saw: ttps://greatsouthernreef.com/abrolhos-expedition-2026 062
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 20/08/2026We’re hiring a Media & Storytelling Officer to help more Australians understand and care about the Great Southern Reef. This role sits at the intersection of marine science, storytelling and journalism. www.ethicaljobs.com.au/members/grea... 020
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 18/08/2026Earlier this week, we shared a glimpse of the deep shelf reefs west of King Island. One fish dominated the footage. Jackass morwong appeared in 94% of 292 baited underwater camera deployments. Read the full article: greatsouthernreef.com/zeehan Footage credit: IMAS, Parks Australia 093
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 17/08/2026The GSR is best known for the kelp forests fringing Australia’s southern coastline. But reef habitat does not end where the kelp disappears. Learn more in our new article greatsouthernreef.com/zeehan Footage Credit: IMAS, Parks Australia 03510
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 13/08/2026For many Aussies, what lies beneath the surface remains out of sight and often out of mind. That is what the Great Southern Reef Foundation is working to change. Listen to the full 25-minute episode of ConnectSci's podcast feat. Dr. Scott Bennett connectsci.au/news/news-pa... 011
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 11/08/2026How do kelp forests help keep coastal waters healthy? Learn all about the Great Southern Reef and Australia's kelp forests in the ConnectSci’s It Starts With podcast, GSRF Chair Dr Scott Bennett. Listen to the full 25-minute episode: connectsci.au/news/news-pa... 063
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 09/08/2026Great Southern Reef Foundation Chair Dr. Scott Bennett recently joined ConnectSci’s It Starts With podcast for a 25-minute conversation about kelp forests and the Great Southern Reef. connectsci.au/news/news-pa... 042
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 07/08/2026Rare grey morph Southern Right Whale spotted in Spencer Gulf. The whale circled a fisherman's drifting 6.2 metre boat for about 10 minutes. 0277
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 04/08/2026A thumb-sized fish collected from about 50m in South Australia has been described as a new species. Researchers gave members of this newly recognised genus the common name “sea muppets”. Full story: greatsouthernreef.com/sea-muppets 0135
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 02/08/2026Some of the pressures affecting reefs are difficult to detect using a single monitoring method. Combining eDNA and diver surveys can provide a more complete understanding of reef ecosystems and improve how we monitor and protect the Great Southern Reef. Learn more: greatsouthernreef.com/edna 081
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 28/07/2026A major upgrade to Reef Life Explorer has launched today, giving marine managers, researchers & the public a new way to examine how reefs are changing. Users can compare ecological trends in & outside protected areas using a standardised approach. Explore Reef Life Explorer: explorer.reeflife.org 021
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 21/07/2026Beneath the kelp forests of the Great Southern Reef, deep sponge gardens form living habitat on the seafloor. These slow-growing animal forests filter water, shelter marine life and hold species science is still working to name. 0185
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 17/07/2026Calling all fish nerds. Can you tell which flathead species this is? Several flathead species found across the Great Southern Reef can look very similar, particularly when their colours and markings help them disappear into seagrass and reef habitat. What’s your call? 0142
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 14/07/2026Southern calamari stocks have declined in parts of Tasmania, prompting scientists and fishers to work together to better understand where & when these iconic squid spawn. A new IMAS-led project is combining environmental data, fishery information & local knowledge to better understand the species. 033
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 12/07/2026A new study has examined a method known as “applied nucleation” - a restoration approach where small patches are established in suitable places. Can it help rebuild marine forests over time? Find out greatsouthernreef.com/small-forests 031
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 10/07/2026A new review brings together decades of research on crown-of-thorns starfish and longspined sea urchins, showing that preventing outbreaks and barrens before they become established is far more effective than responding after widespread reef degradation has occurred. doi.org/10.1071/MF25... 011
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 05/07/2026On Friday we welcomed a strong community turnout to the opening of the Yorke Peninsula Reef Resilience Photo & Art Showcase. Congrats to our People's Choice student award winners: 🏆 Primary Winner: Maeve Tilbrook, Self Portrait (Year 1) 🏆 Secondary Winner: Lauren McIntosh, Ocean Trio (Year 12) 040
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 01/07/2026A new study shows that early detection, rapid response and ongoing control can successfully suppress invasive wakame (Undaria pinnatifida). It now occurs in Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia, where it can spread rapidly in disturbed habitats. greatsouthernreef.com/news?mc_cid=... 📸 Kade Mills 000
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 21/06/2026Why are scientists punching holes in kelp? Find out: greatsouthernreef.com/news?mc_cid=... #greatsouthernreef 020
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 19/06/2026Golden kelp forests underpin huge stretches of the Great Southern Reef, but warming seas are putting them under pressure. Adj. Prof. Mel Coleman & molecular biologist Dr Hugh Goold is exploring how biotechnology could support golden kelp's climate resilience. greatsouthernreef.com/news#kelp-ge... 082
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 18/06/2026The giant cuttlefish aggregation is one of Australia's great wildlife spectacles. By mid-June, it should be in full swing. This year, the reefs are largely empty. 03610
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 16/06/2026With mew support for abalone industry resilience and marine planning reform, Tasmania has an opportunity to turn investment into sustained action for kelp forests, reef recovery, fisheries and healthier marine ecosystems. greatsouthernreef.com/news#tas-bud... 041
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 15/06/2026New study: hatchery-grown golden kelp lost substantial genetic diversity in single generation. Highlights need to build genetics into restoration planning from start, so restored reefs retain adaptive capacity needed to cope with future climate change. greatsouthernreef.com/news?mc_cid=... 031
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 10/06/2026Teachers can access the White Rock documentary as well as primary and high school resources through the Great Southern Reef Educator Hub, with flexible activities that can be used across one lesson, a few lessons or a full unit. greatsouthernreef.com/educator-hub 031
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 02/06/2026Over 400 scientists, young people, Indigenous leaders & conservation experts have signed an open letter calling for stronger, long-term investment in nature. Read the full open letter: biodiversitycouncil.org.au/resources/op... 040
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 29/05/2026A new report from Green Adelaide’s Rocky Reef Program brings together more than 18 years of biodiversity data from over 40 monitoring sites, providing one of the most consistent records of reef condition in South Australia. cdn.environment.sa.gov.au/greenadelaid... 050
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 27/05/2026The Revive & Restore Biodiversity Climate Resilience Fund is backing ambitious high-impact projects that use biotechnology to help marine ecosystems adapt to climate change, including genetic rescue, biobanking and gene editing. 3 of the 10 funded projects are focused on the Great Southern Reef. 130
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 26/05/2026Victoria’s 2024 State of the Marine and Coastal Environment report offers a detailed snapshot of how reefs are changing across the state, from kelp decline and shifting species to habitat restoration and citizen science. Read our breakdown: greatsouthernreef.com/victoria-mar... 143
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 20/05/2026A “living library” at Deakin’s Queenscliff Marine Science Centre is banking at-risk species like golden kelp, native flat oysters and seagrass. The work helps protect genetic diversity now, giving future reef restoration more options. Watch the full video on Deakin’s YouTube. 062
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 18/05/2026Fantastic to see the Great Southern Reef featured on ABC’s Gardening Australia this week, introducing a broad national audience to kelp forest restoration in Port Phillip Bay. The segment (now available on iview) feat. showcases this major collaborative restoration effort of golden kelp. 050
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 14/05/2026The 11th annual Practical Introduction to Temperate Marine Biology course has wrapped up on Maria Island, giving 24 selected Year 11 and 12 students from across Australia a hands-on week of marine science with the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania. 050
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 14/05/2026Using an underwater robot, researchers from the University of Adelaide are retrieving settlement plates. Native oysters have been recorded at all retrieved sites so far. The plates are also recording scallops, cockles, mussels, fish eggs and other marine life. 🤖🎥 Nichole Lindsey (PhD candidate) 082
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 12/05/2026Our latest Great Southern Reef update is out now, including • New White Rock primary school resources • Ocean literacy on the national agenda • Sea Country-led urchin action • SA reef monitoring and settlement plate updates • Heaps more to explore greatsouthernreef.com/newsgreatsouthernreef.comLatest News | Great Southern ReefPacked with exciting updates, inspiring stories, and opportunities to get involved, this edition has something for everyone passionate about the Great Southern Reef. 0111
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 12/05/2026New research on a climate-vulnerable seaweed shows overall genetic diversity stayed surprisingly stable through time, but some populations held unique genetic signatures not found elsewhere. Protecting distinct reef populations matters as marine heatwaves intensify. 041
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 06/05/2026A new paper published in Marine Environmental Research introduces Urchinbot, an open-source machine learning model designed to detect and classify the key sea urchin species responsible for catastrophic kelp loss across northeastern NZ and SE Australia. Learn more greatsouthernreef.com/squidle 030
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 04/05/2026Marine imaging has expanded faster than scientists can efficiently analyse it. Squidle+ was built to deal with that problem. As of April 2026, Squidle+ has grown to 📸 >10.5 million images ⛴️ from 25,998 deployments ✴️ >6.5 million annotations 👩🏾💻 >2,500 registered users 🏫 from 330 affiliations. 062
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 03/05/2026Marine scientists are collecting more underwater imagery than ever before. The challenge is no longer collecting data. It is turning those images into usable management-ready information. That bottleneck is starting to shift with the Squidle+ platform greatsouthernreef.com/squidle 0103
Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 30/04/2026New research shows place-based ocean education can help students build a stronger connection to their local marine environment. Before the program, many students pictured local marine environment as tropical. After, drawings reflected a stronger awareness of temperate reef life. 011