Article
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…
Walking shared paths on Tebrakunna Country
Mar 14, 2026
Lately they’ve been joined by researchers from all four hubs of the National Environmental Science Program (NESP). They’re working together on a project led and co-designed by the Melaythenner Teeackana Warrana (Heart of Country) Aboriginal Corporation (MTWAC) and the University of Tasmania (UTAS). MTWAC aims to restore Aboriginal land management practices in north-eastern Tasmania. The…
Building an evidence base for living shorelines: a framework for evaluating monitoring activities
Mar 12, 2026
Living shorelines are gaining favour as a nature-based alternative to conventional engineered coastal protection structures such as seawalls and breakwaters. Typical living shoreline habitats are beaches and dunes, saltmarshes, mangroves, seagrasses and kelp forests, and coral and shellfish reefs. These habitats increase coastal resilience through wave attenuation and sediment stabilisation. They also offer potential co-benefits…
Sea lion camera reveals mother taking pup on educational foraging expedition in the wild
Feb 10, 2026
This article by hub researcher Nathan Angelakis is republished from The Conversation. Australian sea lions are different. They have an 18-month breeding cycle, out of sync with the seasons, which has puzzled scientists for years. So compared to other seals, Australian sea lion mothers spend an extra six months or more nursing their pups. Why this is…
Watching, listening, and carrying forward the understandings shared by Sea-Kin
Dec 5, 2025
Cultural Custodians joined representatives from Aboriginal organisations, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, and Parks Australia. The meeting was convened by Dr Chels Marshall, Dr Jodi Edwards and Natalia Baechtold from the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security at the University of Wollongong. Their project is investigating the relationships that Aboriginal Peoples hold with cetaceans and other marine cultural keystone species across south-eastern Australia. Engaging with Sea-Kin Communities engage with their Sea-Kin – dolphins, humpback whales,…
Sharing science across the flyway to support shorebird conservation
Dec 1, 2025
The flyers support the work of the following two research projects: Project 4.17 addresses the long-term declines of Australia’s migratory shorebirds. It is analysing survival rates and breeding output for multiple populations to identify what factors may support their recovery. Project 4.26 examines how migration timing, routes and connectivity of shorebirds are changing under global…
Developing a toolkit for ranger-led seagrass monitoring across northern Australia’s Sea Country
Dec 1, 2025
The fieldwork took place in the Kimberley, WA, southern Gulf of Carpentaria, NT, central Great Barrier Reef, QLD, and Torres Strait, as part of a hub project that is developing a toolkit for ranger-led seagrass monitoring. It documented how rangers use different techniques to monitor the health of vital seagrass meadows, including drone mapping, underwater…
Hidden reefs of the Gulf of Carpentaria
Dec 1, 2025
Few other people know the riches of these reefs. Some are steep-sided pinnacles that rise sharply from the seafloor, while others are large, submerged shoals or patch reefs. In the Gulf of Carpentaria Marine Park (GOCMP), established in 2018, these reefs support vibrant coral and fish communities that are only now beginning to be understood….
Strengthening Indigenous leadership in environmental research
Sep 5, 2025
Indigenous Australians own, manage, or have rights to nearly 60% of the country, as well as over extensive parts of the coastal waters. These areas are rich in biodiversity and cultural heritage, but research involving Indigenous Estate has too often been shaped without Indigenous leadership and input. Indigenous Knowledge has also historically been undervalued, with…
Developing integrated pest management for feral pigs
Sep 5, 2025
The Marine and Coastal Hub project is led by the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd (NAILSMA). It was co-designed with Daluk Rangers, Juunjuwarra Rangers and Madjaybana Rangers who are also collaborating in the field research. Fieldwork is being conducted at three sites in northern Australia to capture different environments: Kakadu National Park, Cape…