About the book: Aqua-Clare's Ocean Adventure

Plastic straws, bottles and cans…what to do with all this stuff from the land? So how do you tackle the problem of rubbish in the Ocean? You do it with your friends of course!

The worlds growing plastic problem is a huge and daunting subject as well as the task to bring about change. So how do we inspire our children and bring awareness to this subject?

With the aid of her friend Aqua-Clare, author Elizabeth Solich has found a way, by making connections with fun and interesting Ocean characters. All of which have their story to tell of the Oceans unwanted artefacts.

Elizabeth and Aqua-Clare bring a message that is simple, passionate and heart felt whilst introducing some of South Australia’s most iconic marine species, making powerful connections for the future advocates of our planet.

Who wouldn’t’ want to help Cedric the Old Wife out and then hang around for more adventures with a sleepy Squid or Cyril the Seahorse?? Aqua-Clare helps and takes it all in her stride, as she goes on a scuba diving adventure to help her new-found friends.

Through this story and adventure, author Elizabeth Solich brings two big worlds together to deliver one simple message about just what you can do to help make a difference to the world around you and the often-unseen world of the Ocean.

Elizabeth challenges boundaries and beautifully captures a mostly unknown underwater world through her art. Utilizing an environmentally aware story, she shares her passion for the underwater world and all its weird and wonderful creations.

This is a beautiful and creative book that advocates for environmental conservation, change and preservation while striving to increase awareness amongst a young audience. And big problems are always better solved with the help of your friends.

About the Author - Elizabeth Solich

Adelaide based artist and photographer, Elizabeth Solich, has been honing her skills in underwater photography for the past seven years. She has dived extensively throughout South Australia and her favourite dive sites include Port Hughes, Edithburgh and Rapid Bay jetties. Solich has also dived in the Phillipines, Fiji and Indonesia and makes regular tips to Amed and Tulamben. Originally an architecture student, Solich blended her photography skills and underwater observations of the fauna and flora with her drawing and painting experience, bringing about a perfect marriage of her two passions. Elizabeth’s evolution into underwater photography allowed her to introduce another element to this union and extend the range of her talent even further. Her observations of marine fauna and flora allows Elizabeth to challenge boundaries, capturing the underwater world utilising environmentally aware story telling in the exploration of movement and composition. Elizabeth shares her passion for everything underwater with the world. Through her artwork she expresses her never ending admiration for the weird and wonderful underwater creations of nature. Her works have been displayed at various exhibitions in Australia and overseas. Elizabeth is a member of the Royal South Australian Society of Arts.

Book purchases available on the day - $15 (signing included)

Followed by activities in the Marine Discovery Centre

* Aquariums featuring local South Australian marine creatures such as the Port Jackson Shark, Goby's, Big-Bellied Seahorses, Southern Fiddler Ray, Porcupine Fish, Murray River Turtle and more

* Brand new Virtual Reality Headsets giving you the opportunity to explore under the sea without getting wet. Underwater virtual reality experiences include Australian Sea Lions, Leafy Seadragons, swimming under the Henley Beach Jetty, and Google Expeditions to the Great Barrier Reef

* Kaurna education Room (The Wodli) is an interactive room which highlights the relationship that Kaurna people have with the Adelaide Plains and the coast.

* Interactive models featuring our brand new diving games, brand new beachcombing game plus oceanography, climate change, marine debris, marine habitats, touchscreens, sustainable fishing, stormwater, beachcombing, and get hands-on with our microscopes.

* Each person will receive a free beachcombing sheet to take home

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/170110106909

When thinking about going snorkelling in Australia, the first location that usually comes to mind is the Great Barrier Reef, but did you know that right here in South Australia, just out of Adelaide, we have our own reef teaming with fish and other marine life, known as the Port Noarlunga Reef!

The Kids Marine Scientist Club is aimed at primary school children aged 7 to 13 years. In Term 4, 2021 we will hold 3 sessions. Each session will have a different focus. Come to one or come to them all. The club will run all term in 2022

The Kids Marine Scientist Club encourages independence and self-growth and allows the students to discover a love and appreciation for the marine world around us. 

The team at the Marine Discovery Centre will provide both indoor and outdoor setting for children to engage in interactive learning experiences, while empowering them to actively protect South Australia’s iconic coastal and marine environments.

There will be activities that the children will be participating in, including but not limited to:

• Interactive and hands-on games and activities in the centre
• Henley Beach Marine Trail
• Marine Debris Survey Program
• Learning how to feed marine and freshwater creatures and aquarium tank maintenance
• Aboriginal Cultural knowledge and understanding
• STEM activities – making / collecting / building
• Recycled art & craft activities
• Understanding Climate Change
• Secchi Disc recording and understanding ocean transparency
• Ocean currents
• Plastic pollution and stormwater

Each week will be a different experience. Numbers are strictly limited

Term 4 dates:

Thursday 28 October - 4pm - 5.30pm https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/188033101067

Wednesday 10 November - 4pm - 5.30pm https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/188035929527

Thursday 30 November - 4pm - 5.30pm https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/188036751987

Feel free to book for 1 session or book for all 3.

For further enquiries, please email Carmen via info@marinediscoverycentre.com.au.

The full term kids club will recommence in Term 1, 2022

The term ‘sea slug’ may not create excitement in the minds of some, but these colourful creatures are definitely something to marvel at. Nudibranchs are gastropod molluscs that lack a shell and can be found in many marine habitats around the world, including the South Australian coastline.

Students are expected to make subject selections for years 11 & 12 based on their career aspirations. However, how can students aspire to a specific career if they have only limited access to career mentoring and guidance?

Our presentation provides career advice to high school students considering a career in the marine industry, and is delivered by marine professionals from a variety of marine industries.

The presentation is led by Nathan Janetzki (COOE)

A tour of the Marine Discovery Centre with industry professionals will follow after the presentation.

This presentation is aimed at high school students.

Parents of students are free of charge, you are more than welcome to stay for the presentation but you must also register your attendance.

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/167686367439

Conservation biology has a problem.

A big problem.

A beautiful problem.

A majestic problem.

A charming, fearsome, cute-as-a-button problem.

Sharks are an extremely important part of keeping our oceans healthy and thriving, but still, all around Australia, sharks are being caught and killed in significant numbers. A major area of concern is the Shark Control Program in both New South Wales and Queensland. These programs involve the implementation of shark mesh nets, as well as the addition of baited drumlines in Queensland. The government claim the reasons for these processes are to protect people from sharks, when in fact it just creates a false sense of security for swimmers and harms our beautiful marine life in the process.

During a difficult year with forced closures and cancellations, the Marine Discovery Centre is proud to present our 2021 year in review to date.

The generous support from Green Adelaide has given us the opportunity to upgrade the interactive and educational experience in the centre. These projects will be completed by the end of the year and we look forward to unveiling the new additions.

We thank our dedicated volunteers who have donated so much of their time to make sure every visitor to the MDC leaves empowered to actively protect South Australia's iconic coastal and marine environments.

Have a question and need to contact us?

Email us via info@marinediscoverycentre.com.au or call us on 08 8115 7402.

We'd love to hear from you.

An email dedicated to educators will be sent in November outlining the Marine Discovery Centre 2022 program for excursions, incursions. If you would like to make a booking now, please complete the online booking form.