Marine & Coastal Updates

Spot a Groper Competition - Winners Announced - November 11, 2008

Spot a Groper was a fun promotional competition being held in the Fremantle area between July and September - to highlight the need for increased protection of our marine environment. Congratulations to our prize winners, your prizes are being posted out to you! Thank you to everyone who entered the competition.

South Australia’s west coast - a truly remarkable place. - November 09, 2008

Rugged and windswept, SA's west coast contains many spectacular offshore island groups. The giant granite ‘island mountains’ of the Investigator Group rise over 200 metres out of the water.

The future of The Kimberley is being decided right now - October 22, 2008

WA’s unique Kimberley region is now the focus of major state, national and international conservation concern and action. The planned development of the Browse Basin gas field threatens to open the floodgates to other large-scale developments. These development plans could wreak havoc in one of the last large unspoiled marine and coastal environments on earth.

Working together to save the Kimberley's whales - September 05, 2008

Few Australians realise the maternity ward for the group IV population of the endangered Humpback whale is located off the remote wilderness coast of the Kimberley region. Community groups, Scientists and Conservationists are working together to save the Kimberley whales habitat.

Spot a Groper and win! - July 03, 2008

'Spot a Groper' is a competition being held in the Fremantle area between Jul and Sept '08 to highlight the need for increased protection of our marine environment. WA has less than 3 per cent of its marine environment fully protected, yet scientists recommend 20-30 per cent to ensure protection of our marine wildlife. 'Spot a Groper' is free to enter, has great prizes is lots of fun, and keep an eye out for our crazily dressed Blue Groper!

World Ocean Day – what a splash! - June 08, 2008

Despite a rather stormy start to this year’s World Ocean day - Sunday June 8th – the day’s events attracted over 200 people from our Newcastle community who rugged up for the fun.

Global map of human impacts on oceans - June 06, 2008

In February the journal Science published the first global map of human impacts on marine ecosystems. This study suggests that about 41% of oceans bear a serious human "footprint " and few areas remain untouched. Results suggest that coral reefs have been particularly hard hit with other ecosystems such as seagrass beds, mangrove forests in estuaries, seamounts, rocky reefs and continental shelves also in trouble.

WA’s pristine Kimberley marine environment under threat - May 18, 2008

Just as research is shedding more light on the extraordinary natural values of the Kimberley marine and coastal environment, including as a breeding ground for humpback whales and its extensive fringing coral reefs, the threats to the area from the development of massive offshore gas fields ('Browse Basin') are coming to a head.

Exciting times for marine protection in SA - May 21, 2008

Exciting times are ahead for the SA Marine Campaign, with tremendous opportunities to protect large areas of highly significant marine habitat.

Weedy wonder - a reminder of the need for marine safe havens - June 06, 2008

This gentle and gracious marine creature is endemic to NSW waters and can be found from the Newcastle and Port Stephens area southwards. Sadly this mystical creature is an endangered species and is just one good reason for NSW to start taking marine conservation seriously. There are of course many more reasons, including serious environmental threats such as pollution, over fishing and climate change.