Article
Tropical shellfish reefs mapped across northern Australia
Jun 10, 2025
Until recently, little was known about the distribution of tropical shellfish reefs, and very little is known about these reefs globally. Researchers from Griffith University have now developed a method to locate them using satellite imagery, ground-truthing their findings during field visits. In the field they confirmed the accuracy of the remote sensing method and…
Improving sea snake monitoring in Western Australia’s prawn fisheries
Jun 10, 2025
That is changing in Western Australia’s Shark Bay and Exmouth Gulf fisheries. Researchers and commercial fisheries have teamed up in a project funded by the Marine and Coastal Hub to improve sea snake bycatch reporting. This work is now showing impressive results. Since 2022, the rate of photo-verified sea snake records in Shark Bay has…
Drones trialled for seagrass monitoring at Thursday Island
Jun 10, 2025
In April, researchers from James Cook University’s TropWATER tested drone surveys over a large seagrass meadow on Thursday Island. The selected site offered an excellent opportunity to capture high-resolution images of coastal seagrass from above. Flights were timed to coincide with low tides on the 4th and 5th of April, when the seagrass beds were…
Seagrass comeback: protecting vital habitats at Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Apr 3, 2025
Early results from this trial are promising. After three months, protected seagrass area in the first of four barriers to be installed had already reached 20% coverage and 8cm in height, compared to just 2% coverage and 3cm height outside these areas. These results suggest a positive future trajectory for both the seagrass ecosystems and…
A hub of opportunity for Australia’s new generation of marine scientists
Mar 27, 2025
Eloise Wilson-Mayne: readying data for decisions about windfarm development In 2015, when it was time for Eloise Wilson-Mayne to decide what to study for her bachelor’s degree, a passion for understanding things at their fundamental level led her to choose mathematics and physics at the University of Tasmania. There, she became engaged with the problem-solving…
Gathering knowledge to assess windfarm development off Gippsland
Mar 26, 2025
Environmental information is needed for effective planning and assessments. The Marine and Coastal Hub is collating and reviewing existing environmental information for Australian offshore wind declaration areas. Hub researchers are identifying datasets on ecosystems, habitats, oceanography and priority species at a regional scale for declared areas. They are recommending ways to make the information more…
Catchment development in northern Australia may pose risks to coastal and marine ecosystems
Mar 26, 2025
The report highlights that increased development, especially for irrigated agriculture, along with climate change, could pose significant risks to the region’s unique ecosystems. Focus river systems include the Flinders (QLD), Gilbert (QLD), Daly, and Keep Rivers (NT). Hydrological and satellite data spanning 20 years reveal that larger flood events and river flood plumes – large…
Indigenous-led feral ungulate control offers new pathways for biodiversity and cultural conservation
Mar 26, 2025
The project was led by the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA). Its findings emphasise the need for a coordinated, Indigenous-driven approach to control feral ungulate species such as pigs, buffalo and wild cattle that threaten sensitive ecosystems and cultural sites in northern Australia. Indigenous organisations are uniquely positioned to manage these…
Research Plan 2025 projects ready to launch
Mar 26, 2025
The projects focus on priorities such as improved monitoring of threatened biodiversity values, protected places management, and providing comprehensive data for environmental assessments. They will also address pressing challenges such as assessing the impacts of extreme weather events, updating knowledge on white sharks, and crown-of-thorns starfish control. 2025 Marine and Coastal Hub projects
Healthy turnout for 2025 Marine and Coastal Hub Research Showcase
Mar 26, 2025
The event featured presentations on key research themes, including Indigenous knowledge and partnerships, threatened and migratory species, coastal restoration, protected places, and regional planning. The first day started with talks focused on ‘Indigenous knowledge and partnerships’. These talks highlighted how Traditional ecological knowledge and successful collaborations help conserve marine environments. A session on ‘Protected places’…