Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
Marine and Coastal Hub offshore wind farm environmental research update, September 2026
Sep 4, 2026
Project 4.7 information release on the horizon Hub Project 4.7 is preparing development scenarios and species distribution, migration and population dynamics models to support a suite of direct impact models for anthropogenic activities in the Bass Strait region. In coming months, the project team will contact parties who have provided data to the project under…
AI is helping to reconstruct Australian sea lion foraging trips
Sep 3, 2026
But the footage can only cover a small fraction of sea lions’ foraging expeditions, due to camera battery, storage and size limitations. University of Tasmania honours student Ruby Fox developed four machine-learning models to predict where and how sea lions forage when the cameras run out of steam. Ms Fox used data from a 2022/23…
Modelling the flow-on effects of offshore wind farms
Sep 3, 2026
Oceanographers are modelling how this wind loss may affect nutrient cycling in Bass Strait under a scenario of wind farm development off Gippsland, Victoria. Dr Clothilde Langlais and Dr Mathieu Mongin of CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, developed the three-dimensional hydrodynamic, biogeochemical and sediment model Bass2 (Bass Strait regional model). The Bass2 model encompasses the…
Port Jackson shark slumber party invites conservation actions
Aug 31, 2026
The seasonal shark aggregation was observed in 2018 and 2024 during surveys funded by the Marine and Coastal Hub and its forerunner, the Marine Biodiversity Hub. The aggregation was considered in the re-zoning of the area as a highly protected National Park Zone in the new South-east Marine Parks Network management plan. It also prompted the identification of an Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) by the…
Southern right whale tracking reveals new calving grounds off South Australia
Aug 28, 2026
The four whales were tagged in June 2024 at Encounter Bay on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula in hub research led by Flinders University. This re-emerging calving ground marks the approximate boundary of Australia’s eastern and western southern right whale populations. Understanding whether the whales head east or west from here is important to correctly defining…
Marine and Coastal Hub offshore wind farm environmental research update, June 2026
Jun 10, 2026
Orchestrating the gigabytes: Project 4.7 update Hub Project 4.7 is developing methods and collating data required to conduct risk assessment for a suite of priority species that could be affected by offshore wind-farm development in Australia. This includes demonstrating the use of whole-of-ecosystem modelling and individual species modelling to estimate the population level impacts and…
‘Western’ southern right whale recovery remains stalled, 2025 survey shows
Jun 3, 2026
The annual aerial survey coincides with the seasonal migration of right whales to these areas where females nurse their young. It began in 1976 and has been supported by the National Environmental Science Program since 2015. In 2025, the survey team counted 646 whales, including 304 female-calf pairs and 38 unaccompanied animals. The number of…
Marine and Coastal Hub offshore wind farm environmental research update, March 2026
Mar 13, 2026
Introducing the Offshore Renewable Energy Research Consultative Group Several environmental research programs aim to support Australia’s offshore renewable energy industry. Many are led or funded by Commonwealth government agencies. Coordination is critical to maximise synergies and avoid duplication. The Offshore Renewable Energy Research Consultative Group was formed in September 2025 to meet this need. The…
Pilots, props and pups: cracking the code of Australian sea lions
Mar 14, 2026
The Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (ETNTAC) and the Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) have been conducting collaborative surveys at the islands since 2024. They’re laying the foundation for ongoing monitoring by aligning their survey methods and timing with the conditions at each island colony. The monitoring will support new population estimates, which have not been…
New projects to advance harmful algal bloom monitoring, ecological understanding and national preparedness
Mar 14, 2026
The HAB has been unprecedented in its scale, longevity and impact, causing massive disruption to the marine ecosystem, coastal communities and the economy. Toxic Karenia dinoflagellates have caused species deaths at all trophic (feeding) levels of the marine food web, from primary producers to top predators. The risk of HABs is increasing due to climate-induced…