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Shark Tourism: Shedding the Stigma The pros and cons of shark tourism

27 September 2023

Is there any better way to spend a hot summers day than floating on your back in the cooling waters of the ocean, being gently rocked by the waves? Enjoying the sea breeze amongst the distant echo of children’s laughter as they play and build sandcastles on the beach. As you breathe in the freshness of the salty ocean air and relax to the soothing rhythm of crashing waves, suddenly a piercing scream jolts you out of your trance, followed by a shout, just one word, “Shark!”

Article by Mary Gordon

Community | Education

Why give a rat’s about recycling? And a guide to getting it right…

26 September 2023

Article by Mary Gordan

The 21^st century has seen increasing pressure to tackle environmental issues that have been exacerbated by climate change, and the increased resource exploitation and pollution that comes with a growing world population.

Community | Education

Mysterious loss and recent reintroduction of the Great Southern Reef’s keystone species- the native oyster

24 September 2023

Article by Mary Gordon

This is the story of how the ignorance and needs of mankind drove an essential ecosystem engineer of the Great Southern Reef to near extinction, and how generations of people forgot they even existed in the first place. How can this be? And what are we doing to fix it?

Community | Education

Microplastics: Minuscule but destructive to our oceans - By Madeline Pope

15 May 2023

Microplastics are one of the largest rising pollutants of the 21^st century as due to their increasing presence in water bodies such as, lakes oceans and seas is growing leading to health risks of marine environments and aquatic organisms.

Community | Education

The chemistry behind ocean acidification

13 April 2023

Written by: Alya Arief Azali

Excessive carbon dioxide emissions are a key driver in global warming, but did you know carbon dioxide also increases ocean acidity?

Education

Reimagining the Marine Discovery Centre

24 February 2023

On Thursday 23 February 2023 the MDC welcomed invited guests to the ‘Reimagining the Marine Discovery Centre’ event. In 41 degree heat we thank the 100 guests who came to see the upgraded centre.

Announcement

The world is your oyster - by Chelsea Foubister

13 October 2022

You may like to pair oysters with a nice glass of champagne or with lemon and tabasco, but have you ever thought about their mysterious lives beneath the sea? There is a reason South Australia is famous for their oysters and not just the ones that end up on your plate at a fine dining restaurant. Oysters are in fact ecological superheroes and form a vital part of our Great Southern Reef here in southern Australia.

Community | Education

The effect of tourism on iconic species of the Fleurieu Peninsula

07 June 2022

In 2018 tourism on the Fleurieu Peninsula contributed $493 million in visitor expenditure with 771 000 overnight visitors per year, 78 % of which being from South Australia (18% interstate, 4% international). The Fleurieu Peninsula encompasses 4 national parks including Granite Island Recreation Park, Encounter Marine Park, Onkaparinga River national Park/ Recreation Park and Deep Creek Conservation Park.

Community | Education

Protecting our "Puppies of the Sea"

28 April 2022

Earlier this month Chanel 10 aired a story describing the killing of juvenile Port Jackson sharks off South Australia’s Metropolitan coast and the subsequent community-driven push for stricter laws protecting this species.

Article written by Mary Gordon

Education | Media

It's time to respect the locals - by Tamika Heath

10 October 2021

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.

Hammerhead shark caught in the shark net (Image Andre Borell).png

Education