Written by Alesha Brewer

We seem to hear about it once or twice a year – strange glowing stuff washing up on some of SA’s best-loved beaches. News teams race out to film kids and adults alike excitedly splashing around in water filled with what looks like the inside of a particularly vivid glowstick. But what exactly is this unusual phenomenon?

Bioluminescent algae graced Port Lincoln in August of 2023 (Nine News SA)

It’s best to first understand how this glowing happens. It’s a result of bioluminescence, a chemical tool that evolved numerous times in marine life that is used in a wide range of applications. That giant, creepy, evil-looking anglerfish in Finding Nemo was probably most people’s first introduction to this concept – here we see bioluminescence used as a hunting tactic to lure in unsuspecting prey.

While a great educational moment, I have to question the necessity of making children (and adults) terrified of what might be hiding in the ocean (Walt Disney Studios)

Heaps of other open ocean animals can glow too, to signal to members of the same species, scare off potential threats, or create distractions to throw predators off their trail. Many species, such as the lanternfish, can create specialised chemical compounds that react and glow (just like the inside of a glowstick!). Other species, however, need to rely on a symbiotic relationship with special glowing bacteria.

A firefly squid in the Sea of Japan using bioluminescence to camouflage with light from the surface (National Geographic)

It's the enzyme called luciferase that is responsible for catalysing the reaction of glowing chemical compounds and ultimately creating some strikingly glowing bacteria. There are a number of bacterial groups that can glow, some of which are free-floating throughout the world’s oceans, and many of which form symbiotic relationships with larger organisms. Usually, the bacteria provide the larger species with the ability to glow, and in return, the bacteria have a safe environment to live in and a reliable source of energy.

But it’s not just bacteria that glows. In fact, what we see washed up on our beaches is usually bioluminescent algae. Unlike bacteria, true algae belong to the domain eukaryota, meaning their cells contain a nucleus (amongst other differences). The underlying mechanisms of their bioluminescence are largely the same, however, in algae, it’s almost exclusively used as a defence mechanism.

The tiny, individual cells of algae glow when there is a disturbance in their environment, such as the movement of the waves or of other, larger creatures. That’s why it becomes more visible along the shoreline, where the tide is constantly pushing it up against the sand. It’s also why people kicking and splashing in the water create impressive, glowing splashes.

An abundance of bioluminescent algae washed up on a beach in the Maldives in 2010 (Doug Perrine, Nature Picture Library)

However, the reason why we see such large and concentrated amounts of bioluminescence every now and then is the result of large algal blooms. When the conditions are just right, algae can rapidly multiply and dominate their environment, taking advantage of plentiful energy from waste in the water or stagnant currents. Bioluminescence in this case is believed to be a tool to ward off grazing from predators, but produced alongside this beautiful glow is several kinds of highly toxic compounds. These not only prevent predation but can actively harm marine life, poisoning fish as well as shellfish and important filter feeders. While algae and their defence mechanisms are a natural part of marine ecosystems, in exponentially increasing populations they can cause more harm than good.

That’s why it’s important to note that, despite its beautiful and alluring appearance, it’s best to avoid touching or swimming in glowing waters. Especially important is to keep pets away from the water, lest they drink and ingest harmful toxins. There’s plenty of beautiful photos and videos you can take without being in the water yourself – a well-thrown rock can create some dazzling splashes!

A  little creativity in your photography can help keep yourself and others safe (Hasan Jasim)

As a high school student did you know you wanted to go into marine biology?

Georgie: No, I didn’t - throughout high school I did enjoy science, but in Year 12 I also did well in English, History and Indonesian. This led me to begin a Bachelor of Arts/International Studies with the plan that I would try to get into journalism. When I discovered that I did not enjoy this as much at a university level, I transferred to a Bachelor of Science after a year, and then a major in Marine Biology a year later. I have always loved being at the beach and learning about the environment and all things nature, and my brain seemed to work better in the realm of sciences rather than arts.

Jess: Yes, I have always had a huge love and passion for the ocean and ocean animals. It started with the typical large cetaceans (dolphins and whales) that everyone loves, then my interests grew to all other aspects of the ocean. This is everything from plants, marine algae (seaweed) and all other animals big or small!

Did you have to do any volunteer work or extracurricular activities? How did you begin to start your career in marine biology?

Georgie: I actually got my current job at the Marine Discovery Centre through volunteering here. After I finished my university studies I wanted to gain more local knowledge of our marine environment, and began volunteering at the centre once a week, helping out with school excursions as well as aquarium maintenance and fish feeding. I volunteered for 2.5 years, and when a position became available, I was offered a paid role here as a resident marine scientist. Throughout the years I have also volunteered with the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary Action Group, participated in some dune plantings and restoration, and also completed some workshops and courses including Coastal Ambassadors and Climate Ready Communities. I found all of these experiences to be helpful to compliment my formal education and learn how people and communities can make a difference to help our marine environment.

Jess: Volunteer work was not compulsory within any of my marine studies, although I did complete some small volunteering work with beach clean-up groups and then underwent an internship at the Marine Discovery Centre, where I continued to volunteer once my internship was completed. These experiences were the most beneficial activities I undertook throughout my degree as they provided me with a wealth of extra knowledge as well as providing me experience in the workplace with hands on activities. 

What did you do during university when studying marine science?

Georgie: I completed a Bachelor of Science (Marine Biology) at the University of Adelaide, with an additional Honours project. I liked how the course began with the basics of biology and environmental sciences, with courses in Zoology, Botany, Ecology and Geology. The third year then took what we had learnt and applied it to Marine Sciences. There were various field days and camps which were really great opportunities to see and experience some of these ecological concepts in nature. My honours project also involved a lot of field work taking part in surveys of juvenile fish populations in a variety of coastal habitats around South Australia such as mangrove creeks, mudflats, seagrass meadows and saltmarshes. Throughout my third year and during Honours we did a lot of project creation, experiment proposals and utilising statistics to support our findings. I was also able to gain some extra experience by volunteering my time in laboratory work for PhD students, usually some microscope work and identification of marine invertebrates.

Jess: During university there was some practical experiences out in the field as well as in the lab which I found beneficial to apply my knowledge of marine science.

I also had a part time job in retail while I completed my studies, proving the importance of time management and planning my workload ahead.

Was it hard to find a job in field or with your degree?

Georgie: After completing my studies, I did find that there wasn’t a lot of work advertised that I felt I could apply for. A lot of the roles advertised were senior roles or for people with more experience in the workplace. It was for this reason that I started looking for volunteering opportunities, to try and gain some more practical experience. I was lucky then to gain a paid position after 2.5 years. Other volunteers at the centre have gone on to gain employment in aquariums or eco-tourism in WA and Queensland. It can also be helpful to form connections with a network of people working or volunteering in environmental sciences where you live, to start to get your name out there and build a foundation of contacts you can call on for advice, work experience or job opportunities.

Jess: I was very fortunate to be successful in my application for the Marine Discovery Centre as the first marine science job I applied for. Although in this field I believe it is all about networking and having experience, subsequently having volunteer and internship experience is very beneficial!

What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue marine biology?
 

Georgie: I would tell them to follow their passions – if you have an interest in a particular animal, habitat, or other area, then it can be helpful to hone your expertise. If your university offers an internship program as a part of your studies, then try and take part in these. Try and get out in nature, either the beach, coastal habitats or underwater, and just observe what you see. Take the time to stop and watch or listen to see what is happening in the environment around you, and how this might play a role in the larger ecosystem. By being curious and inquisitive, we can learn so much from the world around us. You can also take other passions and interests and try to integrate these with marine biology – not everyone who studies marine biology will go on to be a “marine scientist” working in the ocean or a lab. You could work in education, community engagement, citizen science groups, tourism or art and still incorporate marine biology into these fields.

Jess: I would say if Marine Biology is something you are passionate about, then absolutely go for it, because it is this passion that will get you places in your future. Take any and every opportunity that comes your way, whether it may be practical experience within your degree, information days, volunteering opportunities, or internships. The best thing you can do is to get your name out into the community, by completing some the previously stated opportunities, this will help put you one step above everyone else.

What would you have done differently to help you with marine biology?

Georgie: There are things I would have liked to have done if the financial barriers weren’t there, such as travelling to more places around South Australia and Australia to explore and experience more marine and coastal environments. I am still on a journey with Marine Biology, as this is my first job in the field, and would like to explore opportunities for different pathways other than environmental education in the future.

Jess: If I could do my degree again, I would have tried to gain more experience in different fields within marine biology, gaining experience with many different companies, organisations to help further my knowledge whilst studying.

On World Environment Day, Wednesday 5 June, the Marine Discovery Centre was acknowledged at the 2024 South Australian Environment Awards.

Marine Discovery Centre team pictured: Georgie Kenning (Marine Scientist), Jess Leopold (Marine Scientist), Carmen Bishop (Director), Karno Martin (Cultural Educator)

The Marine Discovery Centre was a finalist in the 'Working Together Award'

Established in 1997, the Marine Discovery Centre has emerged as a beacon of marine science education in South Australia.  

Today, with an annual visitation of 10,000 individuals through school and community visits, the Centre fosters environmental consciousness and cultural appreciation in South Australians. 

Through engaging marine exhibits and workshops highlighting Indigenous knowledge, the Centre encourages scientific curiosity and instils a profound respect for the ancient wisdom of Australia's First Peoples in managing marine ecosystems.

In addition to a Certificate of Commendation for the Green Adelaide Pelzer Prize.

Carmen Bishop: Certificate of Merit for Marine and Coastal Education

We congratulate all of the winners and finalists who are making a difference - 2024 SA Environment Awards

Aliens in Our Oceans

Imagine encountering an otherworldly creature, seemingly from a distant galaxy, right here on Earth. This scenario may not be as far-fetched as it sounds when we consider the incredible cephalopods—cephalopods, such as octopuses and cuttlefish, possess truly unique and fascinating features that often seem straight out of science fiction.

Masters of Disguise

One of the most mesmerizing abilities of cephalopods is their unmatched talent for changing colours and patterns. Octopuses and cuttlefish can rapidly alter their skin texture and colour, enabling them to blend seamlessly into their surroundings or dazzle with vibrant displays. This remarkable camouflage not only aids in evading predators but also in hunting unsuspecting prey.

Cuttlefish, known for their hypnotic beauty, have been observed using their colour-changing abilities in surprising ways. Some species employ hypnotic colour displays to entrance their prey, momentarily freezing them in place before launching an attack—a tactic that seems straight out of a science fiction thriller. These colour changing abilities are not only used for hunting and camouflage but also communication and even tricking potential mates and rivals.

Alien Bodies

Cephalopods possess a unique copper-based blood pigment called hemocyanin, as a result, their blood is blue. This adaptation allows their blood to transport oxygen efficiently in the cold, oxygen-scarce depths of the ocean. Furthermore, their soft bodies lack the rigid internal skeleton typical of most animals, giving them exceptional flexibility and allowing them to squeeze into tight spaces.

Incredible Intelligence

Cephalopods are renowned for their astonishing intelligence, especially considering they lack a backbone. Octopuses, in particular, have demonstrated problem-solving skills, sophisticated hunting strategies, and even the ability to learn by observation—traits traditionally associated with higher vertebrates.

What's more, cephalopods possess a distributed nervous system, with a significant portion of their neurons located in their arms rather than centralized in their brains. This decentralized setup contributes to their incredible dexterity and allows their arms to exhibit complex behaviours even when severed from the body.

Multiple Hearts:

Adding to their uniqueness, cephalopods have three hearts—one systematic heart that pumps blood around the body and two branchial hearts that pump blood to the gills. This arrangement supports their high metabolic rates and active lifestyles, ensuring that oxygen reaches all parts of their bodies efficiently.

Global Distribution:

Cephalopods inhabit diverse marine environments worldwide, from shallow coastal waters to the deepest ocean trenches. They exhibit remarkable adaptability to different ecosystems and have even managed to thrive in regions affected by human activities, making them intriguing subjects of study for marine biologists.

In summary, cephalopods, especially octopuses and cuttlefish, truly embody the concept of "aliens in our oceans" with their extraordinary features and behaviours. Their ability to change colour and texture, coupled with their intelligence, adaptability, and otherworldly anatomy, make them some of the most fascinating and enigmatic creatures on our planet. Studying these marine marvels not only sheds light on the incredible diversity of life in our oceans but also challenges our understanding of what it means to be intelligent and adaptable in the vastness of the underwater world.

Footage of a cuttlefish hypnotising a crab

By Isaac Duke

Article written by Florbela Morgado

The Marine Discovery Centre, located at Henley Beach SA, provides marine and coastal learning experiences and activities, by direct contact, encouraging children and adults to discover and appreciate the marine life and the importance of its conservation and protection.

The centre is divided in four areas, meticulously prepared to captivate the visitors’ attention and curiosity. Visitors in each area are guided by very passionate educators   turning it into a unique experience of direct contact with marine and freshwater live animals, Aboriginal culture, biodiversity and ecosystems.

Beach exploring experience

Conveniently located close to the beach, visitors experience a guided walking tour through the Henley Beach sandy coast, giving children and adults, the opportunity to explore the diversity of fauna and flora, brought to the shore by the tides, such as shells, sea stars, seaweed, sea snails and many other interesting things, with informative scientific guidance.

Figure 1: Images from the beach walking tours,a) Sea star commonly known as “feather star” found on the sand during low tide; b) Sea snails, Jujubinus polychroma sp., found in small pools during the low tide; c) Sand sculpture of a seahorse made by the children. (Photos: Florbela Morgado 2024)

The Centre

When entering the Marine Discovery Centre, we immediately feel transported into an underwater environment as soon as we walk through the doors, with two large Salmon Catfish, (Neoarius leptaspis sp), welcoming and inspiring curiosity among children and adults, about the diversity of marine ecosystems and about other sea wonders they are about to experience in the Centre.

Figure 2: Two Salmon Catfish, Neoarius leptaspis sp., welcoming visitors at the front door entry of the Marine Discovery Centre. (Photos: Florbela Morgado 2024)

Inside the Marine Discovery Centre, visitors experience interactive exhibitions designed for educating and inspiring conservation, to protect our river systems, to protect the marine environment, and awareness about water conservation.

Live Fish Tanks

The captivating beauty of live fish tanks displaying both, marine and freshwater environments, give visitors a close view of the underwater diverse ecosystems.

These carefully maintained water tanks offer visitors the opportunity to discover the wonders of live aquatic species such as Seahorses, different species of Pufferfish, Ornate Cowfish, Murray River Turtle, native Oysters, Sea Stars and many other local and non-local species. Some of the smallest babies of the sea, the delicate baby seahorses and sea star babies, that can be seen in the water tanks were born in the Marine Discovery Centre.

The virtual reality headsets provide to visitors the sensation of being transported to an underwater world, immersed by images, providing a deeper visual and multisensory connection to the real underwater environment. Visitors also have the opportunity to see an exceptional collection of seashells and whale bones, with information about their different species and sizes.

Figure 3: In water tanks, d) Ornate Cowfish Aracana ornate sp.; e) Pot-Bellied Seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis sp.; f) Common Yabby Cherax destructor sp.; (Photos: Florbela Morgado 2024)

Aboriginal Culture

A Captivating display of ancient aboriginal tools and instruments, with demonstrations of their appropriate techniques, used in traditional fishing, hunting and music playing allow visitors to experience the Kaurna cultural heritage of this region, and the importance of the “sea country” in the aboriginal culture.

Figure 4: g) and h) Ancient aboriginal tools traditionally used for playing music, fishing and hunting. (Photos: Florbela Morgado 2024)

In Conclusion, through the exhibitions, presentations, demonstrations and interactive learning activities, the role of the Marine Discovery Centre is becoming increasingly important in educating, inspiring and protecting our marine and freshwater environment. The experience strongly encourages children to interact with the marine environment and its ecosystems.

References

Edgar GJ (2000) ‘Australia Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters.’ (Reed New Holland: Sydney)

Here at the Marine Discovery Centre, we’re lucky to host a number of aquatic animals from our freshwater rivers as well as from the wilds of the Great Southern Reef (like Porci, our favourite little mascot!)

Porci ready for a snack! Image credit: Alesha Brewer

But making sure these guys have a safe and clean environment to live in isn’t as simple as just dumping some water in a tank. Just like how we need the right composition of chemicals in the air to breathe and keep our lungs healthy, aquatic animals need just the right chemicals in the water to thrive. They need the correct pH and the right amount of salinity, but we especially need to keep an extra close eye on three specific chemicals – ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate – which make up the nitrogen cycle.

So what is the Nitrogen Cycle?

Put simply, it’s the way in which organic waste (such as uneaten food, debris from plants, or animal excretions) breaks down into compounds of nitrogen. Different strains of helpful bacteria in our tanks break this waste from one form to another in 3 main steps.

First, waste is broken down into ammonia (NH₃). We can’t tell it’s there as it’s colourless, but our little critters can, as ammonia can be toxic in large doses. It can inhibit growth and development as well as cause damage to the central nervous system. This is especially true especially at higher pH levels, where a higher concentration of unionised ammonia is present which is much more easily able to penetrate through membranes and cause damage to living tissue.

Luckily, we’ve got a second strain of bacteria up our sleeve! This time, the ammonia is turned into nitrite (NO₂^-). Unluckily, nitrite is even more toxic than ammonia. Even small amounts can damage how well aquatic creatures can move oxygen through their blood. In order to keep our animals safe, we’ve got to rely on one last type of bacteria.

In the final step of the nitrogen cycle, the toxic nitrites are turned into nitrates (NO^-₃). While still not great to have in the tank, nitrates are far less toxic and really only become harmful at very high concentrations. That’s why it’s important for all aquariums to have the right balance of bacteria that can turn waste into nitrates quickly and avoid creating harmful concentrations of ammonia or nitrite.

We can get rid of nitrates by regularly changing the water in our tanks. Replacing just a few buckets a week does the trick and is an important part of our tank maintenance routines. We also make sure to monitor the levels of nitrogen compounds by testing water samples with chemical indicators, which warn us if something is going wrong.

Just a few of the chemical tests we use regularly to keep our tanks healthy. Image Credit: API

While it’s great that we can rely on our helpful bacteria to help us control waste in our tanks, it introduces some aquatic chemistry that all responsible aquarium keepers should be familiar with. If you’ve got your own aquatic animals at home, or if you’re just thinking about setting up your own tanks, it’s important to be familiar with the science of the environment you’re replicating – to keep your new friends happy and healthy!

Article by Alesha Brewer

References

Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh & Marine Water Quality (2000) Ammonia in water and marine water. Available at: https://www.waterquality.gov.au/anz-guidelines/guideline-values/default/water-quality-toxicants/toxicants/ammonia-2000

Camargo, J.A. and Alonso, Á. (2006) ‘Ecological and toxicological effects of inorganic nitrogen pollution in Aquatic Ecosystems: A global assessment’, Environment International, 32(6), pp. 831–849. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2006.05.002.

Randall, D.J. and Tsui, T.K.N. (2002) ‘Ammonia toxicity in fish’, Marine Pollution Bulletin, 45(1–12), pp. 17–23. doi:10.1016/s0025-326x(02)00227-8.

Artcile by Mary Gordon

Article by Mary Gordon

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. 

Our modern consumer society creates a demand for big companies to produce cheap durable packaging in high volumes. Think about it. Nearly every item you see in the grocery store comes in some sort of packaging, and before it was put on the shelf it came out of a box, and that box was on a crate which was wrapped in layers of plastic film.  

So, what happens to all this packaging?

For the most part it is disposable, which creates an issue when it makes its way into the environment and is unable to break down naturally. To prevent household rubbish from entering the environment we have kerbside waste collection that transports general waste into landfill and recyclable goods to recycling facilities. However once in landfill it takes centuries for these materials to break down, it is therefore preferable to recycle as much as possible.

So, what can you do?

As a consumer our habits determine the habits of big companies. By buying plastic-free goods we can show the big companies that there is a demand for more sustainable packaging. In fact, as recycling became more popular major companies began to use materials that are easier to recycle, leading to the introduction of HDSPE and PETE plastics in the 1980s.

Recycling not only minimises what goes into landfill but also allows us to reuse resources again and again, thereby reducing the need to extract new resources which is expensive both economically and for the environment in terms of the huge greenhouse gas emissions associated with production. In recognition of this, government programs and environmental activists have sought to educate people on recycling.

The government continues to offer incentives for citizens to recycle with the goal that all packaging will be 100% recyclable or compostable by 2025.

Under South Australian state legislation bottles, cans and cartons marked with “10c refund” are able to be taken to participating recycling depots to collect 10 cents per eligible item. In addition to this people must pay a fee for disposal of waste into landfill.

It is estimated that between 2017 and 2018 Australia used 3.4 million tonnes of plastic, of which only 9.4% was recycled. Overall, in Australia we recycle approximately 55% of all waste produced from households and industries. Studies also found that approximately 84% of kerbside recycling was recycled whilst the remainder that went into landfill was primarily a result of things going in the wrong bin.

These statistics demonstrate the need for better education on recycling in households and businesses, as well as better access to the recycling of plastics including soft plastics.

The following can be read as a guide to responsible recycling, it also explains the recycling process and some of the uses for recycled goods. Keep reading to find out how you can become a pro recycler and a more ecofriendly citizen…

Aluminium cans and other metals

Aluminium is the second most used metal in the world, there are therefore many benefits to recycling aluminium products from your home. Aluminium can make its way into your house in the form of canned goods, foil wrap, trays and tin cans amongst other things. In south Australia tin cans can be recycled through the 10c recycling scheme meaning you have the chance to get some of your money back. Other aluminium waste can be disposed through kerbside recycling.

It is important to note that small pieces of aluminium such as the lids from glass bottles and jars make me too small to be placed straight into the bins, instead you can place them together in a larger tin and seal is so they may be recycled properly, coffee or milo tins are great for this!

Once collected and sorted aluminium is crushed and melted at a temperature over 700°C then recast into aluminium ingots. These ingots can then be repurposed into a wide range of uses. The malleability of the material makes it valuable in the construction of buildings, engines and aircrafts. Recycling aluminium is said to save 95% of the energy it takes to create new material from bauxite ore.

Other metals can be recycled through recycling depots, many of which will pay in return for scrap metals. The highest paying scrap metal is copper which can fetch around $9 per kg then next is brass, which will fetch around $6.40 per kg. Steel items will also earn you some cash back at varying rates depending on the grade of steel. Other items scrapped for cash include car batteries, electric motors, and white goods including refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers and stoves.

The recycling process is similar to that of aluminium where the item will be disassembled with the metal stripped and separate then remelted and cast into ingots that can be reused for the production of new goods.

Glass bottles and jars

Firstly, in South Australia many glass bottles qualify for the deposit refund scheme, so its worth checking the label to see whether you can get some money back. However, wine and spirit bottles as well as glass jar which don’t qualify for a refund can still be recycled in your yellow lid bin. It is important to ensure the material is clean so that it is able to be recycled as even as little as 25 grams of impurities per tonne of glass can result in it being rejected.

The diagram below outlines the process following the collection of glass recyclables. Glass can be recycled over and over again and it is estimated that recycling glass bottles saves 74% of the energy required to make glass bottles from raw materials.

It is important to note that broken glass cannot be accepted for recycling and neither can glass light bulbs as they contain mercury. Light bulbs can instead be deposited at electronic waste outlets.

E-waste

The advancement of technology through recent decades means people are constantly upgrading to the latest model, and as a result, technology and electrical equipment is becoming more disposable. Unfortunately, as a nation we are lagging behind in terms of e-waste recycling.

Studies found Australia to be one of the top e-waste producing countries in 2019. Furthermore, it has been projected that by 2030 Australia will be generating 461 kilotons of e-waste annually. The majority of this waste comes from people’s homes, making it all the more important that we as consumers make the decision to dispose of e-waste responsibly.

Electronic waste is difficult to manage as it contains a diverse range of elements, however this makes it all the more important as many of these metals can have toxic effects if released into the environment, and cause soil and water pollution when put into landfill.

In addition to reducing environmental pollution, recycling of goods allows us to reclaim precious resources, as up to 95% of electronic waste is reusable.

Examples of electronic waste include televisions, computers, phones, speakers, game consoles, cameras, air conditioners, printers, vacuum cleaners, and electric tools.

There are a number of drop off point in south Australia that accept electronic waste, some of which are Unplug N’ Drop, Electronic Recycling Australia, ECycle SA, Edinburgh North Resource Recovery Centre, and Pooraka Resource Recovery Centre.

Plastics

The first synthetic plastic known as bakelite was introduced in 1907, and since then plastic production has increased at an exponential rate. While low-cost manufacturing and durability increased the popularity of plastic, plastic products became disposable, and once disposed of, non-biodegradable. Unfortunately, the majority of plastic waste ends up in landfill, or worse yet, finds its way into waterways which carry it out into the ocean.

To be a more responsible consumer we can start by shopping plastic free, however if plastics are unavoidable the next step is to check the label.

The Australasian Recycling Label is an Australian government endorsed label that tells consumers which parts of a products packaging can be recycled and which parts need to go to landfill.

The majority of hard plastics are able to go into the yellow bin, the chart below shows just some of the types of plastics that can be recycled.

At the recycling centre plastic are sorted into their respective grades (shown in the chart above). They are then compressed into blocks, crushed into pellets, washed then melted down to produce raw materials ready to be processed into new products.

Soft plastics on the other hand can only be recycled through specialised soft plastic recycling services, collection points can be located at major supermarkets. You can identify soft plastics as those which can be scrunched into a ball or broken by hand.

The video below shows how soft plastics are given a second life.

Paper and Cardboard

The other major waste products you’ll find going into your bin are those made of cardboard and paper.

Paper and cardboard are made from tree fibres, the recycling of such items means less trees need to be chopped down to manufacture new products. Recycling is very simple using the yellow lid bin, the main thing is to ensure that the material is clean and dry. Cardboard is produced from recycled paper and can be recycled again and again giving it many lives and uses. Other items that can be made from recycled paper include office paper, tissues, toilet paper, newspapers, magazines, packaging, kitty litter, plasterboard and insulation. During the recycling process the paper pulp is sterilised which means it is also safe for food items such as coffee filters, egg/fruit cartons and paper plates, bowls and cups

Alternatively, there are many great options to recycle paper and cardboard products within your own home. This is even better as it helps save costs of transporting and processing paper waste. Some people find us for recycled paper in creating art, whether it be collages, beads jewellery, paper mâché or handmade paper. If you’re an avid green thumb you may find that you can recycle paper waste into your garden as food for compost or worm farms, mulch, weed blocking, or plant labels.

Green Waste

This brings us to our next topic: green waste. Green waste can be recycled via kerbside collection in the green lidded bin. This may include all organic waste from garden waste to food scraps, you can identify what goes into the green bin by asking the question “was this once a living thing?”

Examples of green waste include lawn clippings, plant prunings, leaves, weeds, pet waste, certified compostable food packaging, egg cartons and greasy cardboard (ie. Pizza boxes), paper towel, tissues and shredded paper

Like with the paper waste, you may choose to recycle your green waste at home in the garden by adding it to a compost heaps or worm farm in order to turn it into a nutrient rich fertiliser than can be used to enhance your garden soil. Things like leaf debris and lawn clippings can be used directly as mulch.

To Recap…

Hopefully you have found this guide useful and it has enlightened you on how you can reduce your impact on the environment as a consumer. To become a more ecofriendly citizen you can remember the three ‘R’s in your day to day life, “Reduce”, “Reuse” and “Recycle”. Firstly, you can start by reducing the amount of waste you produce and resources you use by shopping plastic free and adopting a minimalistic lifestyle by not buying more than you need. Secondly, you can reuse items where you can within your own home whether it be holding onto those plastic containers and bottles, recycling paper for art projects or returning organic waste into fertiliser. Lastly, when it is necessary to dispose of waste you can ensure you do so responsibly by using the guide above to minimise what you put into landfill.

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?

History of oysters on the Great Southern Reef

In the 1800s Australian flat oysters or Ostrea angasi (pictured above) were spread across 1500 kilometres of Australia’s southern coast and found commonly throughout South Australia’s gulf and bays. However, dredging, pollution and overfishing caused the species to become extinct.

The following timeline lays out the history of oyster fishing in South Australia and the loss of native oysters as a result of overfishing, water pollution and habitat loss.

https://www.natureaustralia.org.au/what-we-do/our-priorities/oceans/ocean-stories/restoring-shellfish-reefs/glenelg/

A study by Alleway and Connell (2015) investigated historical police records to estimate the quantity of angasi oysters caught by commercial fishers from 1836 to 1944 finding a significantly reduced catch rate from 1886 until 1946 when they were mostly eradicated.

Interestingly, until recently there was no contemporary knowledge of their ecological importance and economic value. Alleway and Connell (2015) go on to discuss the concept of a shifted baseline.

Shifting baseline syndrome is where knowledge of the natural environment is lost over time because people do not perceive the changes taking place, and as the next generation is born, they will accept the state of the environment they are born into, resulting in an “intergenerational amnesia”. Alleway & Connell argue this phenomena “not only undermines progress towards their recovery, but also reduces our expectations of these coastal ecosystems.” This provides a challenge for restoration.

After this discovery people began to realise the potential benefits of native oyster reef reintroduction both to the environment and the economy.

The reintroduction of native oysters back to South Australia’s coast

In 2017 construction on Windara reef began as part of a $3.25 million project announced by the South Australian Government in order to boost the tourism economy, improve water quality, prevent coastal erosion and restore habitats crucial to supporting the fishing industry.

The project involved laying out 150 limestone blocks on the sandy seafloor.

Windara reef is located south of Ardrossan, on the Yorke Peninsula. Initially 4 hectares, it was expanded to 20 hectares in 2018, and in 2019, 50 000 Australian flat oysters were reintroduced to the restored reef.  Now over seven million juvenile Australian Flat Oysters have been added to the reef.

Watch the video below to find out more.

Benefits of reintroduction

Firstly, Australian native oysters are an ecologically important species and it would therefore be beneficial for conservation efforts to prioritise the restoration of shellfish reefs.

Oysters have been identified as both a keystone species and an indicator species. 

World Wildlife fund website describes a keystone species as “a species that plays an essential role in the structure, functioning or productivity of a habitat or ecosystem at a defined level… Disappearance of such species may lead to significant ecosystem change or dysfunction which may have knock on effects on a broader scale.”

The WWF definition of indicator species is  “a species or group of species chosen as an indicator of, or proxy for, the state of an ecosystem or of a certain process within that ecosystem.”

Oysters are benthic filter feeders, meaning they get their food by feeding on suspended particles in the water. As a result of this, “Organisms living on sediments are able to bioaccumulate contaminants”

Bioaccumulation describes “the accumulation of contaminants in the tissues of organisms through any route”.

As a result, Native Oysters could be studied in order to detect and monitor the presence of contaminants in ocean sediments. Hence their reintroduction to South Australia’s coastline could inform responsible wastewater management.

Oysters are considered ecosystem engineers their shells provide the structural diversity in their environment and habitat for other species. The reefs they form act as a natural barrier against coastal erosion by reducing the erosivity of waves and stabilising sediments.

Furthermore, their role as filter feeders benefits other marine life as they are able to reduce turbidity and enrich sediments

Photograph (above) shows Australian flat oyster aquariums at the Marine Discovery Centre, Henley Beach. This display is used to demonstrate oysters’ ability to reduce turbidity.

McAfee, Larkin & Connel summarise that “the utility of bivalve–plant interactions in restoration research is predominantly positive across habitats and species “

Oyster reef reintroductions should be a high priority due to the environmental, social and economic benefits they provide.  They have significant ecological value as keystone species, ecosystem engineers and indicator species which can serve the wider marine community and provide ecosystem services for people.

Ecosystem services provided by native oyster reefs include provisioning, regulating and cultural.

Native oysters support the fishing industry through serving marine habitats and enhancing fish recruitment. Through habitat provision, native oyster reefs promote the growth of sought-after species like Snapper and King George Whiting. This creates opportunities for both recreational and commercial fishers.

Furthermore, there is economic value in the farming of native oysters themselves. After the native oysters were fished to extinction, the market turned to the farming of pacific oysters. However, with the first recorded case of POMS (Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome) in Australia in 2018 the oyster industry took a hit and farmers have discussed the benefits of ‘diversifying’ by including angasi oysters into their farms.

This audio clip features an interview with Steve Leslie and Yvonne Young from the Oyster Province, an oyster farm that produces Australian flat oysters.

Through their ability to promote the health of marine ecosystems, oyster reef restoration also generates opportunities for nature-based activities for the locals and tourists to enjoy such as snorkelling, diving, fishing, dolphin/seal/ whale watching.

What can we do?

Would you like to try eating a native oyster one day? or continue to enjoy our states beautiful marine life on the Great Southern Reef? the best way you can help is by being educated. These crucial habitats were lost and forgotten in the past because the public were oblivious of their existence and importance. You can also help by getting involved with citizen science organisations such as the Estuary Care Foundation by offering your time as a volunteer (see photo below), or donating money through their website. Additionally, you can donate to the Nature Conservancy Australia’s shellfish reef restoration project

Plastic pollution is globally recognised as an environmental issue with decades of poor waste management leading to the mass amounts of plastic pollution in the world’s oceans.⁴ In 2010, it was estimated that eight million tons of plastic entered the ocean, a statistic that has now almost doubled, with microplastics making up a large proportion of this pollution.⁵ 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.³

What are Microplastics?

Microplastics are minuscule pieces of plastics which range in size from microscopic to 5mm and can be grouped into three different categories: primary, secondary and microfibres. Primary microplastics, also called nurdles, are manufactured products such as microbeads in toothpastes, skin care scrubs and washing powders.¹ Secondary microplastics are particles that have broken down from larger plastic products such as straws, plastic bags and bottles, through degradation from exposure to UV oxidisation, and fragmentation from rapid water movements and abrasions along substrates.⁵ These secondary microplastics continue to breakdown until they are invisible to the naked eye, yet remain in the environment. Microfibres, which are also invisible plastic particles are synthetic fibres which are shed from synthetic fabrics such as polyester from shirts. ¹

How are Microplastics Entering Oceans?

Research suggests that 80% of all plastic pollution in marine ecosystems begins in terrestrial environments with 1.5 million tons of primary microplastics entering the marine environment globally each year.⁵ In South Australia, microplastics are transported into ocean environments via rivers and freshwater catchments, stormwater runoffs, atmospheric transport, and discharge from wastewaters.⁴ With freshwater streams being one of the main contributors of microplastic pollution entering oceans.⁵ Microplastic pollution is correlated with human population and anthropogenic activities and is expected to increase in highly populated cities. An example of how anthropogenic activities increase the amount of microplastics entering oceans is through greywater from household washing machines which can release up to 1,900 microfibres from a single garment during a single wash cycle. Another example of microplastics entering ocean environments is through sand recycling. When sand is transferred, embedded microplastics from one location are transported to another and due to being upturned can re-enter the coastal waters. ⁴

What is the Harm of Microplastics?

There is an estimate of 5 trillion microplastic particles in the ocean worldwide ranging from sediments in the ocean seafloor to the open waters off the coast of the Great Australian Bight.⁴  As microplastic pollution is associated with the human population, high concentrations of microplastics are generally found near urbanised areas due to the plastics entering oceans from rivers and other land-based sources, yet remote locations can also have high microplastic concentrations.⁵ While the South Australian coastline has a low population density compared to other global coasts the concentrations of microplastics are low to moderate.⁴ The South Australian coast is a global biodiversity hotspot with many endemic species and contains an environment that is sensitive to changes. Coffin Bay supports an ecosystem that is more diverse than the great barrier reef and Point Lowly in Whyalla is the only known breeding ground of the Northern Spencer Gulf subspecies of Giant Cuttlefish (Sepia apama). ⁴ These diverse and endemic ecosystems are likely to see detrimental effects from increasing microplastic concentrations as microplastics directly affect marine life as well as marine environments shown in figures 1 and 2 below. ³

Figure 1: The impacts of microplastics on aquatic organisms once ingested. (Image taken from Gola et al. 2021).

Figure 2: The pathway of plastics and microplastics entering oceans and the adverse effects on aquatic life and how it impacts humans. (Image taken from Gola et al. 2023).

Microplastics are ingested by fish, including zooplankton, the smallest animal, due to the small size of the plastics being hard to see in ocean water. Once ingested, microplastics result in many health problems such as liver damage, blockage of body tracts and reduced fertility. ³ Along with harming fish and small aquatic organisms, microplastics are also ingested by larger aquatic organisms and even humans when we consume contaminated seafood. ²

Are there any Solutions?

Fighting against a microscopic plastic that has already entered the ocean seems impossible, however correct plastic waste management can help with microplastic reduction. Banning single use plastic products and products that contain microplastics such as beauty products with microbeads will also help reduce the amount of plastics produced.¹ Stricter policies on plastic use that apply to large industries and the public can help to implement less plastic ending up as waste which will hopefully result in a healthier ocean environment and improve human health.³

References

1 Australian Marine Conservation Society 2023, Microplastics, Australian Marine Conservation Society, viewed 10 May 2023 https://www.marineconservation.org.au/microplastics/.

2 Cox, KD, Covernton, GA, Davies, HL, Dower, JF, Juanes, F & Dudas, SE 2019, ‘Human Consumption of Microplastics’, Environmental Science & Technology, vol. 53, no. 12, pp. 7068–7074.

3 Gola, D, Tyagi, PK, Arya, A, Chauan, N, Agarwal, M, Sing, SK & Gola, S 2021, ‘The impact of microplastics on marine environment: A review’, Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring & Management, vol. 16, no. 100552.

4 Klein, JR, Beaman, J, Kirkbride, KP, Patten, C & Burke da Silva, K 2022, ‘Microplastics in intertidal water of South Australia and the mussel Mytilus spp.; the contrasting effect of population on concentration’, The Science of the Total Environment, vol. 831, pp. 154875–154875.

5 Leterme, SC, Tuuri, EM, Drummond, WJ, Jones, R & Gascooke, JR 2023, ‘Microplastics in urban freshwater streams in Adelaide, Australia: A source of plastic pollution in the Gulf St Vincent’, The Science of the Total Environment, vol. 856, pp. 158672–158672.

The chemistry behind ocean acidification

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?

Ocean acidification is the rise of ocean acidity due to the absorption of excess carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere. The ocean holds many finely balanced chemical reactions. However, anthropogenic sources of CO₂ puts these reactions out of balance, resulting in adverse effects, such as ocean acidification.

We can use chemistry to explain the process of increased ocean acidity. Specific chemical reactions can shift forward or backwards, like the reactions used to describe ocean acidification. These reactions are called equilibriums and proceed forward or backward depending on the system's concentration, pressure and temperature. When these factors in an equilibrium are out of balance, the reaction will change its direction to maintain balance. You can liken this balance to that of a weighted scale.

In the case of ocean acidification, we start with a balanced system, like so:

The carbon dioxide produced by humans increases the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the water, putting the scale off balance, like so:

So, the amount of hydrogen ions (H⁺) in the system increases to bring the system back to equilibrium.

This increase in hydrogen ions increases the acidity of the water.

Many marine animals combine calcium and carbonate, building their shells and skeletons from the mineral calcium carbonate (CaCO₃). Calcium carbonate also exists in equilibrium in water. As the acidity of the water increases, hydrogen ions react with carbonate to form bicarbonate. The formation of bicarbonate reduces the amount of carbonate available for marine life to form their shells and skeletons. Increased acidity can dissolve calcium carbonate structures because the equilibrium shifts to the right to compensate for the lost carbonate. In fact, in cases of very high acidity, these structures may be dissolving faster than it takes calcifying creatures, such as crabs, sea urchins and coral, to build them.

Suppose these creatures lose the ability to form integral structures. In that case, it can lead to the eventual extinction of the animal and its many associated species. Moreover, species extinction can throw ecological systems out of balance, resulting in substantial trickle-down effects on human food security and livelihood.

The only long-term solution to ocean acidification is decreasing carbon dioxide emissions. Governments have set international targets to keep global warming under check. However, these targets focus on lowering non-CO₂ greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide, which have a higher global warming potential and are less costly to reduce. Ocean acidification, driven by excess CO₂ emissions, has no set target. Instead, this area is left for individual countries to decide on.

The natural world relies heavily upon balance. It is time humans consider their actions and impacts as part of this balance, and governments make policies that support the complex life systems around us.

References

Doney, SC, Busch, DS, Cooley, SR & Kroeker, KJ 2020, 'The Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Marine Ecosystems and Reliant Human Communities', Annual Review of Environment and Resources, vol. 45, no. 1, 2020/10/17, pp. 83-112.

Dupont, S 2013, Ocean acidification is chemistry, not conjecture, viewed 19/03/23, <https://theconversation.com/ocean-acidification-is-chemistry-not-conjecture-15497>.

EPA 2022, Effects of Ocean and Coastal Acidification on Marine Life, viewed 19/03/23, <https://www.epa.gov/ocean-acidification/effects-ocean-and-coastal-acidification-marine-life#:~:text=Many%20ocean%20plants%20and%20animals,calcium%20carbonate%20calcium%20carbonate%203.>.

Harrould-Kolieb, E 2015, Ocean acidification: the forgotten piece of the carbon puzzle, viewed 19/03/23, <https://theconversation.com/ocean-acidification-the-forgotten-piece-of-the-carbon-puzzle-50247>.

Scott, K 2021, COP26 failed to address ocean acidification, but the law of the seas means states must protect the world’s oceans, viewed 19/03/23, < https://theconversation.com/cop26-failed-to-address-ocean-acidification-but-the-law-of-the-seas-means-states-must-protect-the-worlds-oceans-171949>.

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.

Matt Cowdrey MP – member for Colton was our distinguished guest wearing many hats including representing the Minister for Education, Blair Boyer. Councillor Kenzie van den Nieuwelaar represented the City of Charles Sturt.

Professor Chris Daniels, MDC’s esteemed Patron, emceed the event introducing Dr Zoe Doubleday as our special guest speaker, sharing her knowledge and expertise, Heaps Good Productions, Michael Mills provided the wonderful pre speech entertainment. Karno Martin welcomed our guests to Countr,y and Carmen Bishop shared with guests the journey of the MDC of the last 25 years from being the brainchild of the original Director, Tim Hoile to what the future holds and how our dedicated team of staff and volunteers will continue to educate 7,000+ students every year about South Australia’s marine environment and MDC's continued reimagined growth.

Thank you to Green Adelaide for supporting this event their continued support of marine education in South Australia

Thank you Patritti Wines and Adelaide Classic Catering for the quality refreshments and catering

The centre wouldn’t be what it is with thanks to our dedicated team of volunteers who have donated 2,280 hours of their time in the last 2 years. This equates to almost $100,000 of labour.

Thank you for attending and your continued support AAEE SA Chapter, Butterfly Conservation SA, Catholic Education SA, Cleland Wildlife Park, Community Bank West Beach, Conservation Council SA, Conservation Volunteers Australia, Department for Environment and Water, Department for Education SA, Department for Primary Industries and Regions PIRSA, Experiencing Marine Sanctuaries, Fastbreak Films, Friends of Gulf St Vincent, GHD, Visit Henley Beach, Inspiring South Australia, jimloste, Junior Field Naturalists, KESAB, Marine Impressions, Great Southern Reef, Marine Life Society of SA, MOD. UniSA, Monkeystack, National Science Week SA, Nueplex, Ocean Imaging, Outdoors Indoors, Port Environment Centre, Positure, AUSMAP, SA Museum, SA Science Teachers Association, Science Alive!, Seastar Rock Productions, Star of the Sea School, TAFE SA, Tennyson Dunes Group, The Science Collective, University of Adelaide, UniSA, WACRA, and all of our other supporters.

Carmen Bishop speech

Good afternoon everyone,

Welcome to the Marine Discovery Centre and thank you for taking the time to come and visit us this afternoon, especially on this 41 degree day.

I would firstly like to thank Green Adelaide for their continued support, and their assistance with putting this event on. Also to the many other supporters who align with our mission and are here with us today. Without your continued support, the Marine Discovery Centre wouldn’t be the institution in South Australia that it is today.

I would like to make special mention of our patrons Chris Daniels (who has kindly invited you here and is emceeing todays proceedings) and Karl Telfer (who is unable to be with us today, but we are lucky to have Karno, his nephew as a key part of the team at the MDC and is vital in sharing Aboriginal Culture and knowledge to every visitor here). I would also like to acknowledge the first patrons of the MDC, Barbara Hardy and Andrew McLeod. The original visionaries.

From humble beginnings, the story of the MDC.

The Centre was the brainchild of then Star of the Sea - Marine Studies Coordinator, Tim Hoile. Tim had a vision. His love of the marine environment started with two seahorses in an aquarium outside of his classroom. This grew to a few more aquariums and with the support of then Principal Sister Enid when this property came up for sale she purchased with the support of the Henley Beach Parish.

Tim is unable to be here today but those of you that know him, you’ll be happy to know he is enjoying himself overseas with his love of surfing. But I would like to personally welcome Peter Hoskin who is here today and was central to setting up the centre from that very first day with Tim.

The Marine Discovery Centre was officially opened on October 31 1997, with the project being made possible through funding from Coastcare, Fisheries Action Program, Landcare, KESAB and the Marine and Coastal Schools Program.

On Friday 26 March 2010 Senator Penny Wong, Federal Minister for Climate Change and Water, officially opened a newly refurbished MDC.

In 2018, the centre completed another major redevelopment following the Fund My Neighbourhood grant win of $170,000.

In 2020, the centre was able to upgrade its educational interactive resources  thanks to a $95,000 grant from Green Adelaide. And now in 2023, we welcome you to be part of reimagining the Marine Discovery Centre.

As a vital educational facility, one of the main goals of the centre is to raise awareness about the importance of marine conservation. The centre provides visitors with an opportunity to learn about the diverse marine life that can be found in the waters of South Australia and the Great Southern Reef. They not only learn that 90% of our species are endemic to these waters, they also learn about the impacts of human activities on marine life, such as pollution and overfishing, and how we can all take steps to protect our oceans. Our programs also focus on ecological sustainability and Kaurna culture its connection to land and sea country.

The Centre offers a variety of marine conservation and Aboriginal educational programs for schools and community groups, including excursions and incursions.

More than 7,000 students take part of this program every year and become immersed in discoveries about our local environment.

Improving the quality of learning experiences is vital in an ongoing vision to empower students and the community through inspirational and interactive discovery.

Georgie Kenning our resident marine scientist has been instrumental in not only looking after our marine life but educating the student visitors to the MDC. Her delivery is inspiring the minds of the future environmental leaders of South Australia.

Karno Martin is the MDC’s Cultural Educator who leads the cultural education program to the thousands of visitors every year. He runs his program not only from the Meyunna Wodli inside the centre but also outside on Country, introducing students and community members to the medicinal uses of plants and the sustainable living practices our First Nations people lived by. Learnings that are not taught in the every day classroom, but what every person living on Kaurna land should be inspired to know.

While the Marine Discovery Centre is a valuable resource for the community, it would not be possible without the support of our dedicated volunteers. Volunteers, university interns and work experience students have volunteered 2,280 hours of their time in the last 2 years alone which equals almost $100,000 of labour. This is mutually beneficial program as they are able to secure employment in their fields based on quality work experience they have undertaken here.

This centre wouldn’t be what it is today without the continued support of people who want to educate the South Australian community and we thank our donors, supporters and partners. Their time, money, and effort help the centre to continue its mission of educating the public and protecting marine life.

So why are we here today.

We want to inspire you, showcase the centre and take you on the journey with us for how we can reimagine and grow the MDC for the next 25 years.

I can say the word Nemo, and you all know who I mean. Why can’t we do the same to our Porcupinefish, the Port Jackson Shark, the Southern Fidler Ray, the Leafy Sea Dragon and many more of our other local treasures. Did you know that the majority of Australians think the Great Barrier Reef has more species than the Great Southern Reef, you know their wrong, we are to here educate.

As a child who was educated in South Australia, I knew more about the Great Barrier Reef and Pacific Ocean than I did about our local coast. It seems many visitors are the same. Personally, for the 3 years I have been here I have learnt more about our marine environment than I did than my 40 plus years combined before.  Children and adults alike leave here in awe and a with new-found appreciation for our marine environment and the first steps of taking ownership to protect it.

We’ve had children here that have never seen the ocean, or stepped on sand, children that had no idea the amazing marine life that exist in their own backyard. Children who have taken key facts back home to their families about even the basics of using the right bin for their rubbish, recycling or compost waste. Think of the dinner table discussions we are creating.

We are accessible to all schools, all students. We’re not only educating and showing them our local marine life, we are empowering them to protect it.

But we do have challenges.

Sometimes we feel like we are a victim of our own success.

Challenges include our high visitation but minimal space, we can only fit a certain number of students in at any one time. We also have to turn bookings away during our peak season.

With 3 paid staff and a reliance on volunteers we can only open to the public once a month. Every single Open Day sells out, there is a strong demand for this service.

We currently educate 7000 students, we could easily welcome 30,000 plus annually if we had the capacity to open our doors more.

In today’s economy we can’t increase the cost of excursions. A lot of schools can’t pass on these costs on to families, plus the increasing costs of bus hire. Perhaps we need our own bus?

Excursions only cover 20% of our operating costs. But like I said we can’t increase these costs. The people that need to know the steps to actively protect our environment can’t afford it.

We are making a difference. We are all here today with the same love for our environment and also the knowledge of why it’s so important to empower our next generation to not only follow suit but make it better.

We need to grow

We have high visitation. Already this year we have increased excursions by 400% for the January – April period versus the same period for last year

We not only survived Covid, we thrived, the moment we were closed, not by choice, we changed our game plan. We went online, we created online apps, videos, easily accessible curriculum plans. We got people to enjoy and learn about the local SA environment in their own time. We were also able to reach people in regional areas. We saw not only the need but also the want for more information about the South Australian Coastline. We found new resources to create.

We are not only key for education and marine and environmental conservation, we can be a pivotal part of South Australian tourism. We together can share South Australia’s best kept secret. We can continue the discussion with smart partnerships.

I look forward to welcoming you inside, our dedicated team of staff and volunteers are there to answer all of your questions.

We are also excited to announce our new children’s program: Porcis Ocean Patrol a series we are creating with Fastbreak Films. Kylie Claude the producer of Fastbreak Films has kindly donated her time and will be in the Discovery Room sharing the vision we have of educating the world on the big screen

Georgie, Karno and I will be following up over the next week with phone calls and a survey to get your input and your thoughts of the centre and its next steps. We want your opinion for a shared vision on empowering and educating our future about South Australia’s marine environment.

Together we can make a difference.

Thank you.

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.

The last surviving native mud oyster reef in Georges Bay, Tasmania. Credit: Chris Gillies.

Like the rainforests are the lungs of the planet, oysters are the kidneys of our oceans. A single oyster can filter up to 100 litres of water a day. Transfer that to the millions of oysters on a reef and the filtering capacity is incredible! With clearer waters allowing more sunlight as well as a nutrient rich sea floor, thanks to the deposition of oyster faeces, neighbouring seagrass meadows flourish. This in turn, encourages more species to establish in these habitats and ultimately, underpins the coastal food web. The deposition of oyster faeces also promotes the growth of specific bacteria which convert excess nitrogen into nitrogen gas. This helps to prevent algal blooms which can be detrimental to the growth of other species.

What’s more, aggregations of oysters provide a haven for a diversity of small fish and invertebrates. Just a 25cm squared patch of oysters can host more than 1000 individual invertebrates! Not only do these habitats bolster an array of marine life, but oyster shells also cast shade, trap moisture, and provide shelter for semi-aquatic animals like snails and crabs. These animals live on intertidal rocky shores and are particularly susceptible to extreme temperature changes during low tide. The aggregated shells of oysters help counteract these climatic extremes with temperatures up to 10°C cooler than neighbouring habitats during hot days.

The physical structure of oysters also dissipates wave energy which helps to protect saltmarshes and corresponding coastlines from erosion. If that’s not enough, oysters are essentially carbon sinks as well! Their shells made from calcium carbonate are buried and compacted to rock, which helps to prevent carbon dioxide from cycling back into the atmosphere.

If you have ever heard the saying, “the world is your oyster”, well, that is certainly the truth for these temperate marine ecosystems. Unfortunately, though, over 90% of Australia’s oyster reefs have vanished since European settlement. Once forming extensive reefs along more than 1500km of South Australia’s own coastline, the native mud oyster, Ostrea angasi, remains as only one healthy reef in Tasmania.

A healthy oyster reef in Tasmania as South Australian reefs would have been in 1836 (left) compared to the remnant seafloor today (right). Credit: Chris Gilles.

Archaeological research shows that for over 5000 years, the Indigenous people of Australia sustainably harvested oysters and replenished the populations by building reefs from stones and shells. But after colonisation, Europeans harvested oysters for food and burnt their shells to create lime for cement and fertilisers. Although these extensive fishery efforts ended over a century ago, the once abundant oyster populations were never able to recover. Baby oysters rely on the shells of their ancestors as a substrate to settle on and grow, but subsequent dredging of the sea floor and additional sedimentation removed any chances for them to regrow.

However, all was not lost for our ecological superhero oysters. Recent reef restoration projects show a promising future for these precious marine ecosystems. There are currently 46 shellfish reef restorations underway in Australia. One of our very own projects in South Australia, the 20-hectare Windara Reef, is the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. These man-made reefs, which use limestone or old shells to provide substrate for oysters, have been settled by baby oysters within months of construction. The enormous success so far is due to public support, with many coastal communities leading these restoration programs.

Discarded oyster shells from restaurants are being recycled into man-made reef structures as part of a community-led oyster restoration program. Credit: OzFish.

Once at the brink of extinction, oysters are now at the forefront of conservation, and rightfully so. Without these ecological superheroes, we would lose the precious marine life that sustains biodiversity and the livelihoods of many people.

Written by Chelsea Foubister

References

Baczkowski, H 2021, ‘Waste oyster shells getting a second life after being recycled to create artificial reefs’, ABC News, 16 October, viewed 5 October 2022, <https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-16/oyster-shell-waste-artificial-reef/100538272>.

McAfee, D & Connell, S 2017, ‘Huge restored reef aims to bring South Australia’s oysters back from the brink’, The Conversation, 28 June, viewed 4 September 2022, <https://theconversation.com/huge-restored-reef-aims-to-bring-south-australias-oysters-back-from-the-brink-77405>.

McAfee, D 2018, ‘The surprising benefits of oysters (and no, it’s not what you’re thinking)’, The Conversation, 19 February, viewed 4 September 2022, <https://theconversation.com/the-surprising-benefits-of-oysters-and-no-its-not-what-youre-thinking-90697>.

McAfee, D, Gillies, C, Crawford, C, McLeod, I & Connell, S 2022, ‘Once the fish factories and ‘kidneys’ of colder seas, Australia’s decimated shellfish reefs are coming back’, The Conversation, 9 August, viewed 4 September 2022, <https://theconversation.com/once-the-fish-factories-and-kidneys-of-colder-seas-australias-decimated-shellfish-reefs-are-coming-back-184063>.

Preston, J 2019, ‘The world’s most degraded marine ecosystem could be about to make a comeback’, The Conversation, 3 May, viewed 4 September 2022, <https://theconversation.com/the-worlds-most-degraded-marine-ecosystem-could-be-about-to-make-a-comeback-110233>.

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. The region is also known for its wine and food industry (Fleurieu Peninsula National parks visitation snapshot 2021). The tourism industry as a whole has been hit hard by the recent Covid19 pandemic. A paper published by Tourism Research Australia outlines the role of domestic travel in Australia’s tourism recovery. (Australian Tourism in 2020 2021).

Tourist are drawn to the Fleurieu coastline for its unique wildlife, the Fleurieu Peninsula webpage highlights wildlife attractions such as whale watching, dolphins & seals, little penguins, leafy sea dragons and birdlife (Fleurieu Peninsula Tourism 2021). It is therefore highly important that tourism growth in the area has a strong focus on protecting iconic species. In order to guide management plans, it is first important to understand the way in which these animals are impacted by tourism on the Fleurieu Peninsula. With growth of tourism comes increased human traffic which can disturb natural animal behaviour and introduce invasive species and biosecurity risks, plastic pollution, land degradation and erosion.

The following article focusses on the effects of tourism on Leafy Sea-dragons at Rapid Bay, Hooded Plovers on the Fleurieu’s sandy beaches and Little Penguins on Granite Island.

 "Leafy Sea Dragon (Phycodurus eques)" by jeffk42 is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.

Leafy Sea-dragons

The Leafy Sea-dragon (Phycodurus eques) is one of two sea-dragon species (members of the pipefish family Sygnathidae) that are found only along Australia’s Southern coast. Its name is drawn from the leaf-like appendages on the animal’s body that enables it to camouflage against its kelp forest habitat, they are also able to change colour to adapt to their surrounding (Parks and Wildlife Service 2015). The Leafy Seadragon is the marine emblem of South Australia and the best place to find them is at Rapid Bay, particularly in the reef surrounding the old jetty.

In April 2020 a report was published summarising the findings of Leafy Seadragon Population Monitoring in the AMLR (Adelaide & Mt Lofty Ranges) NRM (Natural Resource Management) Region- Pilot Study at Rapid Bay. The report opens by stating that the heavy promotion of Rapid Bay as a dive tourism destination has led to increased visitation over the past couple decades, including from diver training operators. The study involved the identification and monitoring of individuals over a decade. Photographic records were collected with the help of SACReD (South Australian Conservation Research Divers), a community-based citizen science group. It was found that some individuals were long-term residents to the area surrounding the jetty, moving no more than 100 metres from their home base. Most of these were males, responsible for carrying broods during the reproductive season. It was assumed that there were more individuals further offshore than surrounding the old jetty but findings also indicated that Leafy Sea-dragons would move further offshore in response to dive group visitation. It is suggested in the report that this is due to disturbance from tour boats and insensitive practices on behalf of ignorant divers. An experienced diver who participated in the research stated “I’ve seen time and time again people who’ll take photos and then as they finish, kick away straight over the Leafy Seadragon or habitat they were seconds ago admiring” (Baker et al 2020).  In response to an email interview, Ron van der Marel, owner of Diving Adelaide states “In terms of protecting the dragons at our local dive sites, we follow the code of conduct for diving with them and ask our divers to do the same…Leafy Sea-dragons are a unique animal, but thankfully they’re not endangered. I’m confident we can keep it that way by following the code of conduct.”. A copy of these guidelines is shown below.

Though the results showed that numbers have continued to decline in correlation with increasing diving activity, this is thought to be due to a combination of factors, including seagrass habitat degradation and rising ocean temperatures.

 "Hooded Plover" by 0ystercatcher is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Hooded Plovers

Hooded plovers (Thinornis rubricollis) are particularly vulnerable to coastal tourism as they are habitat specialists that breed almost exclusively on sandy ocean beaches, whereas other birds with broader habitat range nest in rocky outcrops, vegetated sand dunes and wetlands. A report published by Birdlife in 2019 outlines the success of 2018/2019 breeding season following the introduction of Birdlife Australia’s national recovery plan for Hooded Plovers on the Fleurieu Peninsula ten years earlier. The study identified and monitored 33 breeding pairs and 86 nesting attempts, the highest since the beginning of the recovery program. The recovery program identified the major threats to plovers being humans and dogs, vehicles on beaches, introduced predators and habitat modification (Mead & Maguire 2019). In an email interview, Wendy Phillips, President of the Fleurieu Birders group, stated “Hooded plovers are easily disturbed at their nesting sites as they breed when humans want to be on the beach during Summer."

Coastal tourism and increased human traffic triggers the plovers to abandon nests, research found that “incubating birds remained on the nest if vehicles passed more than 20 m from them, but occasionally left the nest if they came closer than 20m. People on a beach caused incubating birds to leave the nest on 70% of occasions. Birds leave the nest when a person is 150-200 m away early in the incubation period and when they are 50-60 m away just before hatching” (Baker-Gabb & Weston 2006).

In response to increased human threat, groups of volunteers, such as ‘hoodie helpers’, plover lovers’ and friends of the hooded plover’, have been working together to monitor hooded plovers and protect nests throughout the breeding season. Wendy states “people can join volunteers and assist in protecting them by checking on their nesting success regularly.” Chris Willocks, Vice President of Friends of the Hooded Plover describes effort being taken on the Mornington Peninsula, VIC. “Friends of Hooded Plover Mornington Peninsula is a strong network of volunteers that monitor Hooded Plovers and other Beach-nesting Birds and help protect them with signage and fencing”. He goes on to explain how ability to raise funds through community events has been curtailed due to lockdowns.

"Fairy Penguins" by rumpleteaser is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Little Penguins

Iconic to granite island, the Little Penguin is the smallest species of penguin in the world. In the last few decades penguin numbers have been in decline, where there was once 1600 on the island there is now only 40 (2019). This is still an improvement to the estimated 20 penguins in 2012. These numbers reflect increasing threats to penguins from human disturbance and introduced predators (such as cats foxes and rats), but also the successes of the recent programs put in place to protect little penguins (Campbell 2019). These threats are best outlined in a 2011 report titled Conservation management priorities for little penguin populations in Gulf St Vincent. This paper summarises the threats faced by penguins and includes recommended actions for managing threats. It also identifies anthropogenic disturbance as a problem that can be managed by habitat conservation, management of pets, tourism and development planning and education (Wiebkin 2011). A peer-reviewed article on a long-term study of these penguins concurs, stating “regular disturbances by unrestricted tourists can lead to burrow displacement and little penguins generally avoided burrows close to human traffic”. The paper also mentioned that pairs breeding on the north side of the island produced more chicks than breeding pairs on the south side, where there was more tourist activity (Colombelli-Negrel 2015).

What can we do?

As evidenced throughout this text, iconic species on the Fleurieu Peninsula are threatened by human disturbance and habitat degradation. As this issue grows with increasing tourist traffic, it is important that management involves education, protective policies and active conservation. There is also potential for tourism to aid wildlife conservation.

The study on Leafy Seadragons at Rapid Bay not only identified the threats faced by the species, but also highlighted the potential for monitoring the species through photographs taken by citizen scientists. This study outlined methods that could be used to identify individual animals by their body markings in photos, which then allowed these same individuals to be identified and monitored over time. Tourists can contribute to valuable long-term research by reporting sightings of Seadragons to Dragon Search which is now run by Reef Watch, they can also upload photos from which individuals can be identified (Parks and Wildlife Service 2015). However this program could be further improved by the creation of an online database that allows tourists to compare their photos to images of known jetty residents, so they can know individuals by name and experience a more personal connection. For example, there is a Leafy Sea-dragon that is a resident at the Rapid Bay jetty named “wishbone”. Furthermore, there could be potential to organise further monitoring surveys using coordinated groups of experienced divers in a volunteer tourism program in which the divers could pay for the experience and in return contribute to conservation research and fund further conservation efforts.

Dive operators visiting this site should donate a percentage of profit to conservation efforts at this site, to neutralise their impact. Dive operators are also responsible for educating their instructors and groups properly and in accordance with the code of conduct. Currently there is signage at the jetty advising snorkellers and divers to keep their distance from Sea-dragons, however a full copy of the code of conduct should be available at the site, along with a series of interpretive panels that educate visitors on the significance and conservation of the species, and how they can aid conservation.

Another issue that was discussed as a threat to Sea-dragons was the decline of suitable habitat along South Australia’s coastline. Leafy Sea-dragons inhabit seaweed reefs as well as seagrass meadows. There are currently trials in place along the Adelaide metropolitan coast to identify cost effective and time efficient ways of restoring large areas of seagrass habitat. In future there may be potential for volunteers to take part in this process in order to cover large areas quickly.

Similarly, volunteer tourism could be used in conservation efforts for hooded plovers and other vulnerable bird species. Whilst members of the community are able to join the group and regularly participate in conservation activities that include constructing signage and fences to protect nesting sites, monitoring breeding and revegetating sand dunes, there is currently no opportunities for this kind of work that is directed at tourists. It may be possible to develop a shorter program that provides a wildlife experience on the Fleurieu coastline that targets nature lovers and educates visitors whilst giving them the opportunity to get close to the action. There also should be stricter policies put into place to restrict dogs and cars from beaches that are known nesting sites.

Lastly, greater care needs to be taken in the design and development of Granite Island to protect the Little Penguin colony. Penguin ecologist, Dr Colombelli-Negrel describes the lack of consideration and consultancy regarding the penguin colony in the planning of the causeway renovations that are currently underway. Upon visiting the site, there was no mention of the penguins in the development plan that was on display for the public. Another concern is the lack of clarity on signage informing visitors of the sensitive habitat they are entering. Colombelli-Negrel suggests the island should be closed off to the public at night, and Stephen Hedges, a penguin tour guide agrees that the colony is not as protected as others across Australia as “the access is totally open”. He suggests that a ranger should be present full time to protect the colony (Campbell 2019).

An alternative to reduce the impact of human traffic on the island during breeding season would be to close off the island and instead install hidden cameras in known burrows that allow penguins to be observed virtually. A live feed could be displayed online and perhaps at the whale centre to encourage people to educate themselves about these animals and get behind conservation efforts.

Virtual tourism could also be used for the other species discussed in this paper. Earlier this year AusOcean set up a camera under Rapid Bay Jetty that offered live feed throughout daylight hours (AusOcean 2021). A similar approach could be taken at hooded plover nesting sites.

In summary, tourism will continue to grow and with it, negative impacts of increased human presence on iconic species will be inevitable. However further research into species ecology and the effect of human impacts will be valuable in guiding management plans to minimise threats to wildlife. Volunteer tourism could benefit research through the adoption of citizen science programs. Volunteer tourists could also play an important role in active conservation and habitat restoration projects whilst being educated on conservation issues. Further development of interpretive signage at nature sites could better educate the public and make them aware of their potential impact. Lastly, fragile habitats can benefit from virtual tourism, which can help raise awareness about the species whilst encouraging tourists to watch from a safe distance.

References

Fleurieu Peninsula National parks visitation snapshot 2021, National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia, Government of South Australia

https://d35s2bz2fw949f.cloudfront.net/coinvest/docs/national-parks-visitation-snapshot-fleurieu.pdf?mtime=20210113100740&focal=none

Australian Tourism in 2020 2021, Tourism Research Australia, Australian Trade and Investment Commission

Felurieu Peninsula Tourism 2021, Wildlife on the Fleurieu, Fleurieu Peninsula Toursim

https://fleurieupeninsula.com.au/wildlife

Parks and Wildlife Service 2015, Leafy sea dragon, Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions, Western Australia

https://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/management/marine/marine-parks-wa/fun-facts/423-leafy-sea-dragon

Baker, J., Macdonald, J., Macdoinald, P., Baade, L., Aston, D., Rath, R., Charter, C., Beacon, J., Newton, K., McLean, L., Rapson, C., Battersby, B., Sutcliffe, S., Bishop, D., Fernie, D., Kinasz, D., Savelberg, M., Malkowska, A., Brown, T., Nazimi, L., Andrew, G., Manna, J. 2020, Leafy Seadragon Population Monitoring In The AMLR NRM Region - Pilot Study At Rapid Bay, Adelaide & Mt Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board

Mead, R., Maguire, G. 2019, Monitoring Hooded Plovers on the Fleurieu Peninsula: A summary of breeding success for the 2018/2019 season, BirdLife Australia

https://birdlife.org.au/documents/bnb_Fleurieu_Peninsula_season_report_2018-19_final-sm.pdf

Campbell, C. 2019, ‘SA's Granite Island access should be limited to protect little penguin colonies, experts say’, ABC News, 15 July

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-15/calls-to-protect-little-penguins-by-closing-granite-island/11303474

Baker-Gabb, D., Weston, M. 2006, ‘South Australian Recovery Plan for the Hooded Plover’, Southern Fleurieu Coastal Action Plan and Conservation Priority Study 2007, pp.474

Wiebkin, A. 2011, Conservation management priorities for little penguin populations in Gulf St Vincent, Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board

Colombelli-Negrel, D. 2015, ‘Low survival rather than breeding success explains little penguin population decline on Granite Island’, Marine and Freshwater Research, vol. 66, no. 11, pp. 1057-1065

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283495643_Low_survival_rather_than_breeding_success_explains_little_penguin_population_decline_on_Granite_Island

AusOcean 2021, Rapid Bay Live, May 2021

Article written by Mary Gordon

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.

What are Port Jackson sharks?

The Port Jackson shark, or Heterodontus portusjacksoni, is a species of small shark found in rocky reefs along Australia’s southern coast, they are light grey-brown in colour with black bands and grow up to around 1.5m in length. They are harmless bottom feeders, eating echinoderms (sea stars and urchins), crustaceans and molluscs on the ocean floor.  

They are a nocturnal species that forage for food at night and hide during the day under rocky ledges or in caves. They are known to migrate seasonally between foraging refuges and ovipositional refuges where they deposit their eggs between August and November. In this time females can lay a pair of eggs every ten to fourteen days, depositing up to 16 eggs per season. The embryo develops for 11 months before hatching into what is known as a neonate, 7 to 8 inches long. This lengthy incubation time means eggs are prone to predation, an estimated 89% are predated prior to hatching. Female sharks reach sexual maturity at 70-90cm between 11 and 14 years of age, males reach sexual maturity at 55-70cm at the age of 8-10 years old (Thaler 2018).

"Port Jackson Shark" by PacificKlaus is marked with CC BY-NC 2.0.

Threats to Port Jackson sharks

As well as being prone to predation in the egg and early life stages, this species is threatened by overfishing, climate change and habitat loss.

Though Port Jackson’s are not commonly targeted directly by recreational or commercial fishers they are a common bycatch. Gill nets used by commercial fisheries are not effective in excluding non-targeted species such as Port Jackson sharks and other marine vertebrates. Although studies have found that post-release these sharks are resilient to capture stress and likely to have a high survival rate, mortalities do occur either through prolonged entanglement or when killed by fishermen (Fisheries Research and Development Corporation 2019).

This species is particularly affected by the loss of individuals due to their reproductive strategy in which few eggs are produced, embryonic mortality is high and sexual maturity is reached later in life (Thaler 2018).

An article published in the Australian Geographic in 2014 explored this issue, summarising that “all shark species are susceptible to overfishing due to their slow growth, late maturity and few offspring. And sharks have a top-down influence on ecosystems, so overfishing can affect other species’ survival.” (Gilligan 2014)

Furthermore, as climate change intensifies in coming years, Port Jackson sharks will be under increasing threat from rising ocean temperatures and habitat loss.

Biochronology studies conducted across 15 years have shown that Port Jackson shark growth is sensitive to temperature change. The research showed slower growth rates correlated with higher temperatures (Izzo & Gillanders 2020).

An article in the Conversation further explored this issue, stating “with a rise in water temperature of just 3℃, the energy required to survive is more than twice that of current day temperatures for the Port Jackson sharks in Adelaide. The massive shift in energy demand we observed in the Adelaide sharks means they have to prioritise survival (coping mechanisms) over other processes, such as growth and reproduction.” (Brown & Gervais 2020)

As ocean temperatures rise it is also expected that tropical species will migrate into the temperate waters surrounding South Australia’s coast, as their habitat range is extended. Tropicalisation of the temperate zone is predicted to have a dynamic effect on the current communities of our temperate reefs and will see species being displaced by competition from subtropical immigrants. It is also noted that ecosystems in the rocky reef systems in shallow waters will be more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change than the deeper layers of the ocean.

Day & Walker (2021) state “Sharks and their relatives are an ancient group that have endured extinction events in Earth's history involving high levels of carbon dioxide. But the expected rates of temperature change are much faster now than in these previous events—particularly in south-eastern Australian waters.”

Why do we care?

Although the conservation status of Port Jackson sharks is currently described as “least concern” on the IUCN list, populations are currently in decline in the local area and growing pressures on this species from fishing, climate change and habitat loss mean greater measures are needed to protect them.

Sharks are keystone species in marine environments, meaning they have top-down control over other species in the community through predator-prey interactions. For example, sharks eat urchins, and urchins feed on macroalgae such as kelp forests which provide habitat structure for many other temperate reef species. If Port Jackson numbers were to decline numbers of urchins would increase, leading to the overgrazing of kelp and reduction of species that rely on kelp for food and habitat (Brown & Gervais 2020).

The rocky reef habitats along Adelaide metropolitan coast including Christies Beach, Port Noarlunga and Aldinga, are particularly important to the conservation of this species as they are known breeding grounds where Port Jackson sharks aggregate in large numbers.

In November 2018, conservation groups banded together to stage the first “Sharkfest”, an event that focused on raising awareness about the importance of the Port Jacksons along the Adelaide metropolitan coastline. The event included guided dives, education sessions and pamphlets targeted at educating fishermen, who have been known to kill sharks, viewing them as a pest (Spence 2018).

The aggregation of Port Jackson sharks along our coastlines attracts tourists and local divers alike who describe them as “puppies of the sea”. In this regard, they are also recognised as a tourism attraction and hold economic value for dive operators. Furthermore, they play an important role in regulating the reef community and promoting steady populations of fish that are exploited through recreational and commercial fishing.

What can we do?

The best way we can care for these animals in our waters is to be educated on the matter and encourage the local community to understand the ecological value of sharks. For fisherman information can be found on the PIRSA website that outlines guidelines for the safe handling and release of sharks and rays. See the link below.

https://www.pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/311215/FINAL_Sharks_and_Rays_DL_WEB_FINAL.pdf

Unfortunately, not all people follow these guidelines and there are many reports of fishermen killing or mutilating Port Jackson sharks. There are currently no laws against the killing of these sharks as the only shark species protected by law in this region is the Great White Shark. In an effort to push for stricter laws to protect Port Jackson sharks a petition has been launched. The petition aims to ban the killing or deliberate harm of Port Jackson sharks and rays in Port Noarlunga and surrounding areas with penalties applied, post signage around boat ramps and jetties, educate anglers on current regulations, and increase monitoring and research of this species. This petition will be submitted to the Minister for Environment, PIRSA, Fisheries and all key leaders state government.

The petition currently has almost 15 000 signatures. These are some of the reasons people gave for signing.

“I'm signing because I was with my dive buddy on Saturday at Port Noarlunga. We discovered three juvenile Port Jackson sharks that had been stabbed in the head. They were paralysed but still alive. It was heart breaking. This senseless cruelty needs to stop.”

“Many species are needlessly harmed by a minority of fishers. I have seen species like ornate cow fish, leatherjackets and rough rock crabs left to die on jetties by anglers. A law requiring all by catch to be returned carefully, immediately after capture would be a good way to reduce the incidence of this behaviour by a minority of fishers”

“these lives are worth more alive in our oceans than what a fisherman thinks, just too avoid re catch and not wanting them to take their baits.”

“I love Port Jackson sharks and I was horrified seeing a baby just left on Semaphore Jetty dead, it made me so sad, they are so gorgeous, people don’t protect them”

If you would like to add your voice to this petition, please sign using the link below.

https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-senseless-slaughter-of-baby-sharks?recruiter=1177684856&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=7f894e70-6423-11eb-aa16-4133e2e48dc2

Article written by Mary Gordon

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)

Shark nets were implemented in New South Wales in 1937 and introduced to Queensland in 1962 (Chapman 2019). The nets are 6 metres deep, are 150 metres long in New South Wales and 186 metres long in Queensland, and both sit in around 12 metres of water. These nets never actually touch the surface or the bottom, and do not span the whole length of the beach, giving sharks ample opportunity to swim around these nets (Envoy: Shark Cull 2021). The target species of these nets are Tiger sharks, Bull sharks and Great White sharks. The sharks that are caught in the nets are actually found on the beach side of the net after already visiting the beach and are headed back to the ocean (Sunshine Coast Environment Council n.d.). The government are able to convince the public that these nets are a physical barrier between them and sharks, but in truth, they are only designed to cull.

The removal of apex predators like sharks can have detrimental impacts on our marine systems. In areas like the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, nets are no longer permitted to operate, but are still present in beaches that surround the park, such as in Cairns and Townsville (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority 2019). By removing sharks in areas around the reef, it can cause herbivorous middle level fish numbers to boom, as they are no longer being predated upon. This can cause overgrazing on coral by these herbivores, destroying coral abundance and resulting in a no longer productive system. Sharks are important for keeping systems under control and balanced, and these shark nets are consistently removing these predators, in a time that the reef needs them the most.

Its not only sharks that are being caught in the nets. Majority of animals caught in the nets are by-catch which include rays, turtles, sea birds, dolphins and whales, which are all animals that play vital roles in the ecosystem (Chapman, 2019). In 2014, it was recorded that 84,800 marine animals were killed in the Queensland Shark Control Program (Sunshine Coast Environment Council, n.d.). It is also believed that other animals caught in these nets can attract sharks to the area. To make matters worse, the New South Wales and Queensland government decided to make it illegal to enter exclusion zones around the nets, and if anybody tries to rescue animals that are caught, they will face a $22,000 fine in New South Wales and a $66,725 fine in Queensland (Envoy: Shark Cull 2021).

It is almost impossible to believe that New South Wales and Queensland are still using equipment that was implemented before World War II, even though technology has improved dramatically since then. There is now technology that allows for non-lethal alternatives, such as using drones to spot sharks from above, which is currently being trialled in Queensland, whilst still keeping their nets in place (Sunshine Coast Environment Council, n.d.). There is also technology being trialled in South Africa that mimics the effects of large kelps forests called the Sharksafe Barrier. It has been found that Great White sharks will naturally avoid kelp forests, so these structures that replicate kelp act as a barrier, without the risk of marine life being caught

 Sharksafe barrier that replicates kelp forests (Image: Dr. Sara Andreotti)

The detrimental effects these nets and drumlines have on our ecosystem, as well as the lack of security they actually provide, highlight how important it is that the New South Wales and Queensland government remove these archaic systems immediately. It is clear that there are many other alternatives that can be implemented that do not involve killing our precious marine life. For the love of our oceans, it’s time we respect the locals.

For ways you can make a difference:

-Head to https://www.scec.org.au/shark_nets or https://www.change.org and sign their petition for the removal of shark nets.

-Watch the documentary at https://www.envoyfilm.com.au/ to learn more about the full extent of the ‘Shark Control Program.’

Article written by Tamika Heath

References

Chapman, B 2019, ‘Shark nets: Protecting us or just harming sharks?’, blog post, Australian Geographic, 26 June, viewed 8 October 2021, https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/blogs/shark-blog/2019/06/shark-nets-protecting-us-or-just-harming-sharks/.

Envoy: Shark Cull 2021, documentary, The Hype Project, Australia. Directed by Andre Borell.

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority 2019, Statement: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park – Queensland Shark Control Program, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, viewed 8 October 2021, https://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/news-room/latest-news/latest-news/corporate/2019/statement-great-barrier-reef-marine-park-queensland-shark-control-program.

O’Connell, C & Andreotti, S 2014, ‘Effects of the Sharksafe barrier on white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) behavior and its implications for future conservation technologies’, Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, vol. 460, pp. 37-46.

Sunshine Coast Environment Council n.d., Take action on lethal shark control, Sunshine Coast Environment Council, viewed 8 October 2021, https://www.scec.org.au/shark_nets.

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!

Port Noarlunga Reef is a part of the ‘Great Southern Reef’ which stretches along Australia’s southern coast from Kalbarri in Western Australia all the way to northern New South Wales. Many of the wonderful and slightly unusual species that are found along the ‘Great Southern Reef’ can be spotted right here in Port Noarlunga just out from the end of the jetty!

 Male Ornate Cowfish (Julian Finn, n.d.)

Ornate Cowfish

When you hop into the water from the platform at the end of the jetty, one of the first creatures you spot may be an Ornate Cowfish hanging around the jetty pylons. Their colours allow them to stand out from the others, with females being brown with white stripes, and males having yellow and blue markings. They are curious little creatures, and some may even come up to say hello!

 (Port Jackson Shark (Good Living, 2018)

Port Jackson Sharks

The name may alarm you, but these sharks are definitely not one to be feared. Port Jackson Sharks are harmless and can be found in large numbers at the Port Noarlunga reef around late winter and spring, as this is their breeding season. These sharks are oviparous, meaning that their offspring are laid in eggs. Their eggs are spiral shaped and when laid they are soft-shelled, allowing the females to push the eggs into rock crevices to protect them from predators. These egg cases are often found washed up on the beach.

Port Jackson Sharks are also unusual as they can eat and breathe at the same time, a trick that few sharks can perform due to their reliance on keeping their mouth open to allow water to flow over their gills.

 Decorator Crab (Don Silcock, n.d.)

Decorator Crabs

Have you ever seen a crab playing dress up before? Well, that’s exactly what the Decorator Crabs spend their time doing. These gorgeous little creatures use seaweed, sponges or anything else they can find to decorate their body, which allows them to camouflage against the sea floor. Each individual has a different look depending on their environment, which is what makes them so unique. They are such a delight to spot if you can dive your way to the sea floor.

 Spotted Wobbegong (Erik Schlögl, 2009)

Wobbegongs

These funky looking sharks spend a lot of their time hiding under ledges of the reef and will hunt for prey such as crabs and fish at night, making them a little difficult to spot, but if you’re game enough for a night dive, you may spot one! They are known for their flat bodies, spotted appearance and small outgrowths around their mouth that help them to detect prey.

Port Noarlunga Reef is full of many more beautiful and unique creatures, so if you’re ever looking for a place to experience our wonderful marine life, this is definitely the place to be!

Article written by Tamika Heath

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. There are known to be around 3000 species of nudibranch (Vincent 2011), all with their own unique colours and defence mechanisms. The name nudibranch translates to “naked-gills” because many species of nudibranch have a cluster of gills on their dorsal surface used for respiration, whereas others use tentacle-like outgrowths called cerata that cover their whole dorsal surface (Smithsonian Ocean n.d.).

Evolution of Colouration and Defence

Due to their lack of shell, nudibranchs have evolved many ways to deter predators, creating an enormous array of diversity. Species of chromodorid nudibranchs display many beautiful colour patterns used as aposematism, to warn their predators that they are toxic. Many chromodorids also use Mullerian mimicry, where two unrelated species have evolved to have similar colour patterns to signal their toxicity, in which their predators learn to avoid both species. Chromodorids gain their toxicity by feeding on sponges and redirecting the chemicals found in those sponges into their own tissues, creating a foul taste for those game enough to attack (Rudman 1991).

 Image: Chromodoris willani (Kuang Loh 2021)

Aeolid nudibranchs have a similar process, where they feed on cnidarians, such as sea anemones and Portuguese Man O’ War, and ingest their nematocysts. Nematocysts are minuscule capsules that contain a tightly wound thread and barb, that when exposed to a predator will shoot into their tissue and release venom. The nematocysts that are ingested by the nudibranch are transported through its digestive system and into sacs, called cnidosacs, that are located at the tips of their cerata (Greenwood & Mariscal 1984). Glaucus atlanticus is one species that is well known for this type of defence, often found floating in tropical and subtropical waters showcasing its beautiful blue colouring.

 Image: Glaucus atlanticus (Kippax 2019)

Other families like the dorids have dull colouring and textures that camouflage with the sponges they live and feed on. There are even sea slugs closely related to nudibranchs that can utilise chloroplasts from the algae they feed on. They are known as sacoglossans and use the ingested chloroplasts for photosynthesis, generating an extra supply of energy (Vincent 2011). They are effectively solar-powered slugs!

 Image: Hopkin’s rose nudibranch (Pomeroy 2014)

Indicators of Climate Change

Not only are these amazing creatures’ evolutionary geniuses, but they are also very important in tracking the impacts of climate change. Nudibranchs only have a short life span of less than a year, meaning they can be severely impacted by changes in environmental conditions, like those seen due to climate change. The Sea Slug census that is run annually along the eastern coast of Australia is used to determine whether distributions of nudibranch species have changed, as well as identify new species. Professor Steve Smith, who is involved with the census, suggested that many species are already being found further south than recently observed. This could be due to southern waters increasing in temperature, making it more favourable for tropical species, as well as an increased strength of the East Australian Current caused by climate change. The EAC may be transporting larval stages of nudibranchs further south than normal (Siossian & Marshall 2021).

Scientists in California have also found Hopkin’s rose nudibranchs, that normally inhabit southern Californian waters, are migrating north. Although not detrimental to the northern Californian coastal environment, it provides evidence for a warming climate (Landhuis 2015).

With such a high importance in climate change research, combined with their spectacular adaptations, nudibranchs are certainly not your typical slug.

Article written by Tamika Heath

References

Greenwood, P & Mariscal, R 1984, ‘The utilization of cnidarian nematocysts by aeolid nudibranchs: Nematocyst maintenance and release in spurilla’, Tissue and Cell, vol. 16, no. 5, pp. 719-730.

Kippax, C 2019, Glaucus atlanticus, viewed 27 August, https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/62856433.

Kuang Loh, E 2021, Underwater Photo Gallery: Eu Kuang Loh, viewed 27 August, http://www.divephotoguide.com/user/diverstan/gallery/aug_09/.

Landhuis, E 2015, ‘Bright Pink Sea Slugs Invading New Habitats Due to Global Warming?’, National Geographic, viewed 27 August 2021, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/150206-global-warming-sea-slugs-animals-ocean-science-california.

Pomeroy, D 2014, Photo 1048482, viewed 27 August, https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/1048482. 

Rudman, W 1991, ‘Purpose in Pattern: The Evolution of Colour in Chromodorid Nudibranchs’, Journal of Molluscan Studies, vol. 57, no. 4, pp. 5-21.

Siossian, E & Marshall, C 2021, ‘Nudibranchs help scientists map climate change at the showy sea slugs' annual census’, ABC News, viewed 27 August 2021, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-05/spectacular-sea-slugs-help-track-environmental-health/13118478.

Smithsonian Ocean n.d., A Collage of Nudibranch Colors, Smithsonian Ocean, viewed 27 August 2021, https://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/sites/default/files/docs/harvard-referencing-guide.pdf.

Vincent, K 2011, ‘Color Evolution in Nudibranchs’, KQED, viewed 27 August 2021, https://www.kqed.org/quest/19245/color-evolution-in-nudibranchs.

Conservation biology has a problem.

A big problem.

A beautiful problem.

A majestic problem.

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

The problem, folks, is one of charisma – and you either got it or you ain’t.

It is undeniable that some species exert a magical sway over the collective human psyche, holding some indefinable quality that draws and holds us. Charisma is hard to nail down. There’s no set list of features that will garner public approval, only a gut-deep sense of attraction – a little like falling in love.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with gravitating towards certain creatures more than others – where’s the harm in loving pandas? The issue only comes to the fore when we introduce the looming spectre of global ecosystem destruction and decay. In the face of the worsening biodiversity crisis, which may indeed signal the onset of Earth’s sixth mass extinction event, our bias towards protecting a relatively tiny subset of species is leaving some of our most vulnerable creatures out in the cold. The harsh reality of conservation in the modern age is that funds are limited, needs are many, and we are forced to be selective about who we choose to protect. The most charismatic species receive vastly more research attention, and attract an unbelievably hefty portion of conservation funding. Consider this – endangered marine invertebrates are represented in a full 1000 times fewer research papers than marine turtles. I love turtles as much as anyone, but this figure makes me uncomfortable.

The overwhelming majority of marine creatures simply don’t fit most people’s criteria for charm, and yet they are in need of just as much protection as any other species on Earth. So what can we do to make the public care about the far less glamourous denizens of the deep, in the same way that we ask them to care about pandas, whales and tigers?

Perhaps we need to work harder at uncovering the inherent charm that each and every species on earth possesses – we need to learn to look with new eyes. Here’s my take on some of the ocean’s ugliest species in need of conservation, and why they’re actually utterly charming.

Gulper eel – this non-descript little eel has a wonderfully bizarre party trick – with special hinging jaws, it can open its mouth unbelievably wide and inflate its gullet to look impressive.

And the gulper eel isn’t the only one to have mastered this ballooning act. The black swallower can likewise open its jaws to ridiculous size. It’s believed that this allows these species to take advantage of the rare opportunity afforded by a large meal in the depths, where food is often limited to drifting specks of debris. 

Unfortunately they can sometimes bite off more than they can chew – if their meal is too large it begins to rot in their bellies before it can be digested, and the resulting gas buoys them to the surface where they die. Poignant. 

Blobfish – the most recognizable ugly face in the ocean, this poor creature has repeatedly been voted the most hideous in all the world. This poor guy usually dwells in the abyss, at depths of up to 1100m. The difference in pressure between these depths and the surface is so great that the tissues of this fish begin to disintegrate as we haul him in, and his surface-self is a ruined, gelatinous mush that barely resembles his fine deep-sea form. Seems an unfair position to judge from! Threatened directly by deep-sea trawling, we need to learn to love this smooshy face sooner rather than later.

Goblin shark – what a creature! With a huge, protruding proboscis and extendable, needle-toothed jaws, this shark seems like it would draw considerable attention. Perhaps it would, if only we could find it! Fewer than ten have been observed in the last fifty years.

Spotted handfish – these adorable wee fish are true oddities. They lack a swimbladder, and so have no way of controlling their position in the water column – a real danger for a free-swimming species. Instead, they stick the bottom sediments, where they walk about on their modified fins, which look remarkably like tiny little hands. This means they can’t travel very far, and has left them incredibly vulnerable to environmental threats. They were once so widespread throughout Tasmania’s Derwent estuary that they were the preferred species for lab dissections at the local university; now, they are critically endangered and limited to a tiny handful of localized patches.

Jamie Priest - Author & Illustrator

Every Thursday afternoon, the Marine Discovery Centre holds an after school Kid’s Marine Scientist Club for children who are aged between 7 and 13 and have a keen interest in marine science.

The team at the MDC provide both indoor and outdoor engaging and interactive learning experiences.

Yesterday afternoon, club participants were taught about classification and how to identify marine specimens. They then took their new knowledge to the beach for an interactive learning session.

We are now taking expressions of interest for our term 3 program. Register now>>

This programs proudly supported by SA Water

I’ve always had a fascination with water, particularly the ocean and I’m sure a lot of you have too. I’ve always seemed to be drawn to it as it gives me a sense of calm and often inspires me. Lately, I’ve started to question why.

This interest was sparked by reading ‘Blue Mind’ by Wallace J. Nichols. He explains how water makes us happier, more connected and better at what we do, backed up by credible science. Following this, I hope to inspire you all to spend more time in, by and around South Australia’s beautiful coast.

It is no secret that being out in nature positively increases our psychological, social and emotional wellbeing. However, the ocean seems to have the upper hand in comparison to green landscapes. It has been revealed that everyday visits to the coast, were associated with higher levels of relaxation, calmness and revitalization than urban parks or open country side. Additionally, people living by the coast are actually heathier and happier. This does not come as a shock as the ocean provides a plethora of physical activities to decrease stress and improve mindfulness.

*photo by Hernan Pauccara from Pexels

I’m often blown away by the healing powers of the ocean. I recently came across a study which explained the concept of ‘surf therapy’ and how a 6 week surf program decreased PTSD, anxiety and depression in active duty service members. They also had an overall more positive outlook on life. The ocean really has healing powers.

Furthermore, a group of highly stressed individuals (on the brink of full time sick leave) were subject to a flotation-REST technique. Where they spent time in salt water, for a total of 20 sessions. The outcome of this was quite astonishing, the results showed that all individuals felt full of energy and strength, decimating the need for any sick leave. Following this they also experienced a decrease in body pain, and an increase in optimism towards life. Imagine the wealth of benefits a daily ocean swim could have on your life, as Wallace J. Nichols would say, get ya feet wet!

We are all guilty of spending too much time on technology, however we never really delve deep into how this is affecting our day to day life. Technology has shown to disturb the ‘default mode’ networks of the brain, which is crucial for efficient performance of tasks, such  as problem solving and divergent thinking. On the other hand, being in nature engages the ‘default mode’ sharpening our skills and clarity of thinking. So, maybe before that job interview, busy day at work or exam week, limit the time spent of technology and get amongst nature.

Ok, only one more cool science study I promise….

Research has shown that, a visit to an aquarium helped individuals develop a ‘marine mindset’, which means a willingness and readiness to address marine sustainability issues. This is why the Marine Discovery Centre (MDC) is so important, this same impact is created at the MDC by the use of practical learning. Our awareness and understanding about our coasts, can help generate support to preserve the richness and beauty of our oceans and marine fauna.

I could write about this all day, but we can now all see that the ocean and surrounding natural environment provides such a wealth of benefits, many of which we don’t even realise. By reading this I hope we all do our bit to become stewards in marine conservation, educate others and thank our oceans every day!

By Rebecca Carey

Mangroves might bring to mind smells of stinky mud, images of tangled roots and the sounds of mosquitos buzzing by your face. However, there is so much to love about our mangroves. These seemingly hostile habitats are nationally recognised as major contributors to both primary productivity and carbon storage in coastal marine ecosystems. The mangroves and saltmarshes of St Kilda are currently stressed and under threat from human impact, and they need our help.

Biology and extent of mangroves in SA

Australia has the third largest mangrove area in the world, with 11 000 km of mangrove coastline, while South Australian mangroves are among the most southern occurring in the world. In South Australia these are comprised of one species; the Grey mangrove Avicennia marina and occur along the sheltered shorelines of the Spencer Gulf and Gulf St. Vincent, as well as some bays on the Eyre Peninsula. These incredible trees have developed many adaptations to life in salty water and oxygen-low mud, including breathing roots that act as little snorkels growing upward out of the mud called pneumatophores, and special glands on the underside of leaves which excrete excess salts. Try giving a leaf a lick next time you are out in the mangroves; you can taste the salty crystals. Mangroves often grow in areas in conjunction with other coastal vegetation such as samphire and saltmarsh on the landward side, and seagrass meadows on the seaward side. Along with mudflats, these form a mosaic of interconnected tidal wetlands and important marine habitats for multitudes of animal species.

Importance of both of these ecosystems

The complexity of these habitats forms essential breeding grounds and juvenile nurseries for many estuarine and marine species including fisheries species like King George Whiting, Blue Swimmer Crabs, Western King Prawns and Yellow-Eye Mullet. The young of these critters love to hide away amongst the roots and saltmarshes during the incoming tide, using both the shade and structures to evade predators. Migratory shorebirds fly all the way from Alaska and Siberia to feed in these coastal wetlands, which was named the Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary/Winaityinaityi Pangkara (a place for all birds) in 2016. Both mangroves and saltmarshes play an important role in the mitigation of climate change through carbon storage. This is known as blue carbon, or carbon stored in marine systems; in these two habitats it is stored in the trees and samphires themselves, and through the burying of algal mats in the mud below. Blue carbon ecosystems, including mangroves, saltmarsh and seagrasses, bury carbon at rates 10 times greater than terrestrial forests. Mangroves also aid in the protection of our shorelines by stabilising sediments, preventing tidal and current-induced erosion and maintaining water quality by filtering and trapping sediment and excess nutrients which are recycled within the mangrove system.

The problem in St Kilda

All this information that I have learnt through lectures, talks and field work has nurtured my love for these remarkable ecosystems that do so much for our planet and for us. There has also been a lot of recent interest in the study and recognition of blue carbon, and the stabilisation of shorelines by living structures such as oyster reefs, seagrass meadows and mangrove forests. At a time when we hold on to this progress as glimmers of hope in a difficult year, the ecological disaster that began in mid-2020 comes as even more of a blow.  

In general, mangroves are threatened by sea level rise, if no land is available to colonise on the landward side, as well as agricultural runoff and interruption of both river flow and ocean currents by infrastructure that reduces sediment input, and therefore the area available to be colonised by new saplings.  

Currently, the mangroves and nearby saltmarshes of St Kilda are facing a different threat. Over the past 18 months, Buckland Dry Creek mining company have been moving water around the salt fields in the maintenance of a holding pattern. This involved the refilling of salt ponds with hypersaline brine, water much saltier than seawater. These pans had laid empty for the last 7 years, and due to drying out the gypsum base had cracked, and acid from beneath had been leached. The hypersaline and acidic brine began leaking into surrounding wetlands including saltmarsh and mangrove tidal areas early in 2020 and by May to July 2020, both mangroves along the boardwalk and gardens of houses in St Kilda began showing signs of stress and death. Through aerial imagery and mapping, the effects of the brine on the mangrove trees has even been likened to the effects of a bushfire, with many affected trees showing little sign of life. Through this devastation, approximately 35 hectares of saltmarsh and 10 hectares of mangrove are already dead or stressed. Peri Coleman, an environmentalist and environmental consultant, has led the charge in ensuring the relevant authorities, such as Department for Energy and Mining, Department for Environment and Water and the City of Salisbury, are aware of the issue and that action is taken swiftly to allow the mangroves and saltmarsh to recover. Pumping of the hypersaline brine out of the adjacent salt ponds began in January 2021. As vegetation dies back and waters become more saline, the reduction in bird and fish species present has meant that the mosquito population has exploded, posing a potential health issue in addition to this environmental tragedy.

Unhealthy vs. healthy mangrove habitat

Citizen science survey

In late January, I joined a group of around 40 people in a survey of the St Kilda Wetlands; assessing the health and coverage of the saltmarsh and mangrove systems near the hypersaline brine leakage, as well as some healthier places. I had not walked the boardwalk mangrove trail for a few years, and even though I had been aware of the growing issue, it was still heartbreaking to witness the devastation that awaited us. The leaves on almost every tree in the affected area were either brown and crisp or had already fallen. Similarly, the samphires that mostly make up the saltmarshes nearby looked as if they had been masked with a black and white filter. The usually vivid, motley green and red coloured fingers of the samphires protruding from the mud had lost all vibrancy.

Unhealthy vs. healthy saltmarsh habitats

In separate groups, university students, scientists, budding citizen scientists and concerned locals assessed the density and health of mangrove saplings, the health and size of mangrove trees, and the health and coverage of various plants in the saltmarshes. In the mangroves, transects took place along the boardwalk so as to not tread on any saplings or roots and further the damage. Laying down and peering over the edge of the walkway, we could see the extent of the destruction throughout the forest. Many of the saplings surveyed beneath dead mature trees were also dead or dying, as well as the lifting of algal mats caused by acidic and hypersaline brine that lay at the bottom of the water column. Surveyed areas further along the boardwalk revealed the very sudden lineation between dead and living mangrove trees; an identifiable point of no return. This is where deeper creeks are able to be flushed by the incoming tides, protecting the trees to the seaward side thus far. The good health of the mangroves beyond this point, as well as in the saltmarshes to the North of the playground, provided some hope after an upsetting start to the day. Many of the healthy mangrove trees were flowering, with delicate orange blooms attracting insects. Part of this survey was also capturing the plant and animal life as a record of biodiversity in the area using the iNaturalist application. Images of living things can be uploaded, either identified or unidentified, and added to the global biodiversity database. This not only increases our personal knowledge of the natural world and introduces us to citizen science, but also helps scientists and resource managers understand when and where organisms occur. We spotted some unidentified snails amongst the muddy snorkel roots, a gorgeous tree bug and many, many mosquitoes.

Mangrove flowers, saltmarsh survey and close-up of samphire species Sarcocornia

Hope for the future

It will take some time, but if change occurs now, we can start the slow process of rehabilitation; this species of mangrove tree is slow-growing, a tree up to around waist high takes 5 years to grow and so to replace what has been lost will take many years. But I take solace in the fact that nature will take charge and repair itself if given the right conditions. We have seen amazing concern and support for the wellbeing of these coastal wetlands, that are sure to assist in their recovery. First, in the creation of the St Kilda Mangroves Alliance. This coalition comprises of groups and individuals with backgrounds in science, industry and the community, together ensuring a remediation plan is swiftly put in place for the health and recovery of these globally important habitats. Secondly, weeks later, a vigil was held for the mangroves on the steps of Parliament House, with around 150 people in attendance, many wearing black armbands to express the grief in our loss.

You can also play a part in assessing the biodiversity of this area, or anywhere in South Australia, and become a citizen scientist using the iNaturalist app. The City Nature Challenge is happening from April 30^th until May 3^rd 2021, a global challenge to make the most natural observations possible.

So please, for the love of our mangroves, go and visit them and witness the beauty and magic of where the forest meets the sea. You can find out more about the issue and follow the progress of their revival at www.savestkildamangroves.com

Resources and further information:

https://coastalcarbonsa.wordpress.com/

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255687260_Where_Forests_Meet_the_Sea--Mangroves_in_South_Australia

http://mlssa.org.au/2021/02/03/the-st-kilda-salt-fields-brine-spill-mangrove-disaster-and-a-wake-up-call-for-the-sa-government/

https://www.energymining.sa.gov.au/minerals/mining/mines_and_quarries/dry_creek_salt_field

https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2020-australia

The Marine Discovery Centre is honoured to announce we are the recipient of the Green Adelaide Grassroots grant for the amount of $95,299.00.

Yesterday we welcomed David Speirs MP, Matt Cowdrey MP - Member for Colton and Green Adelaide Board Chair Chris Daniels, and Deputy Chair Dr Felicity-ann Lewis to show them around the centre and detail the improvements that will be made to the centre.

Working in partnership with Moneystack and a number of other local organisations, projects to be completed by December 2021 include:

• An immersive lighting experience in the Kaurna Learning Station
• Interactive Climate Change model in the Catchment to Coast room
• 15 new Luminiation Virtual Reality headsets
• QR coding for displays and specimens in the Discovery Room
• Interactive shoaling and schooling fish floor display
• Sounds of the ocean in the aquaria, giving visitors the opportunity to listen and learn more about marine and coastal wildlife.
• Updating a number of current educational models, making them more user friendly.

The MDC currently educated over 8,000 students per year with the aim of providing the most inspirational discovery learning experiences whilst empowering students and the community to actively protect South Australia's iconic coastal and marine environments.

We will keep you updated on our progress and look forward to welcoming you to the Marine Discovery Centre.

Online bookings>

Landfill and recycling bins are available in most workplace kitchens, but there could be some additional practices we can undertake to better divert our waste from landfill and save valuable resources.

Here is an example of the small set up here at the Marine Discovery Centre on our kitchen bench. Some simple signs can help your colleagues to find the best place for any waste, as it can become confusing!

We have mixed recycling and landfill bins, and we are lucky enough to have access to compost bins in the school garden. We take any food scraps, paper towels, tissues and small scraps of paper that are either added to a compost bin or work farm, which the school can then use on their garden or share worm tea with families from the school.

Many businesses don’t have access to council organics bins for food scraps unless specially ordered. This is unfortunate as food scraps sent to landfill begin to rot and release methane; one of the greenhouse gases that plays a role in climate change.

Food scraps are a fantastic resource as we are able to turn them into compost and add essential nutrients back into the earth that are used when plants are grown and harvested or are lost following rainfall.

An answer to this issue in the workplace kitchen could be to collect food scraps in a container or compostable bag and create a roster system for staff member to take some food scraps home each day to their council green/organics bin at home.

If these become smelly on the benchtop, a simple solution is to store them in the freezer until ready to take home.

Additionally, some items are more difficult to recycle than others in our co-mingled yellow-lidded recycling bins. For example, soft plastics cannot be recycled in this bin, which is why recyclables should always go in loose, not in a plastic bag. However, they can be collected if clean and dry, and taken to Woolworths and Coles as a part of the Redcycle program. These are used to make items such as outdoor benches, playground equipment and bollards.

Find out what can be redcycled here: https://www.redcycle.net.au/what-to-redcycle/

Some other suggestions for workplace benchtop recycle stations include rolling any clean aluminium foil into a ball, adding to it until it reaches tennis ball size, and adding to the recycling bin. Other common workplace waste items could include batteries, stationary or printer cartridges. These can be collected and taken to many Officeworks stores for recycling - https://www.officeworks.com.au/information/about-us/sustainability/environment/recycling

Any small hard plastics such as bread tags, plastic lids and plastic cutlery, are too small on their own and can become lost in the recycling process, then sent to landfill. Simply clean a clear milk or juice bottle and use to collect any hard plastics smaller than a credit card. When full, replace the lid and also add to recycling bin.

You and your workmates might also want to try creating less waste all together, removing the need for as much sorting. Bring food in reusable containers, make delicious homemade meals from scratch, or buy items in bulk to share at work rather than having individually wrapped goods.  So have a chat with your colleagues, discover what kinds of waste are created at your workplace, change some practices so that more resources can be recovered, and we can divert as much as possible from landfill. Some of the items that end up here never really go away.

Welcome to the Marine Discovery Centre family little blenny!

Our new fish, the Tasmainain Horned Blenny (Parablennius tasmanianus), has been getting used to its new surroundings and neighbours, and was hiding way for the first few days at the MDC. But now it's happy to come and say hello to us and our centre visitors.

These small fish grow to 13cm and have eel-like bodies and large eyes with two fringed tentacles above them. They can often be seen poking their heads out from crevices in the rocky reefs around Tasmania and some areas of South Australia such as the Great Australian Bight, so keep an eye out for any blenny friends next time you are snorkelling.

Our dads at the Marine Discovery Centre have been very busy. We were lucky enough to welcome both Pot-Bellied Seahorse babies and Purple-Spotted Gudgeon eggs to the creature family this week. In each of these species of fish, the male is responsible for most of the care of the eggs. As the babies hatch, they are then on their own and begin to swim and feed immediately.

The Purple-Spotted Gudgeon is a critically endangered freshwater species in South Australia, so it is even more exciting that we are seeing their eggs. The female will lay the transparent and sticky eggs on the underside of rocks or logs in their freshwater habitat, or on the glass of the tank in our case. The male then guards the eggs and fans them with his pectoral and pelvic fins to keep them clean and ensure no sediment settles on them. After approximately 8 days the eggs hatch and tiny gudgeon fry are born at around 4mm long.  We are hoping to catch the hatching of our eggs so that we can try and separate juveniles from other hungry freshwater fish in the tank.

Seahorse fathers care for the eggs in a pouch located on their belly; the female will transfer her eggs to his pouch in a mesmerising courtship dance. The male pot-bellied seahorse will incubate the eggs for around 1 month until they hatch, after which he gives birth to hundreds of little seahorse fry. These babies are only around 12mm long and are usually born at night to avoid predators including other hungry seahorses nearby. This means in a tank environment the fry must be separated from the adult seahorses as soon as possible to avoid being confused with the mysis and brine shrimp we feed them.

Our baby seahorses are separated in a clear container covered in fine mesh which floats in the adult seahorse tank. This allows us to observe and feed them, as well as allowing for fresh water circulated within the container. We feed them baby artemia; a type of crustacean that makes up the plankton eaten by seahorses in the ocean and is small enough for the baby seahorse’s tiny snout.

Unfortunately, all fish species have a high mortality rate in the first few weeks of life. This is due to the reproductive strategy of fish in which many eggs are produced, but young are not cared for. This is in contrast to animals including mammals and birds in which fewer eggs are produced but young are cared for by parents. Seahorse fry are susceptible to predation, changes in temperature and salinity, swallowing air into pockets in the body disrupting buoyancy, and being swept away from feeding grounds by ocean currents. It is estimated that less than 0.5% of seahorse fry survive until adulthood, so we are doing all we can to assist in the survival of our beautiful babies.

For more information about baby seahorses read :https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/41335684.pdf

The interactive app is an initiative of Marine Discovery Centre and The Science Collective, and part of this year’s National Science Week theme ‘Deep Blue Innovations for the future of our Oceans’.

It uses mobile technology and hands-on fun activities to help families learn about their local coastlines and teaches them how to look after and protect marine environments. It is a fun and interactive way for children to learn about their marine environment and contribute positively to its future health.

South Australian based families who complete all of the activities within a month will go into a draw to win some fantastic prizes including a short stay at Big 4 West Beach Parks.

Developed to replace a planned marine festival at Henley Beach, which was cancelled due to Covid-19, the app is full of free activities that encourage families to come together and really discover their own backyards.

The Marine Discovery Centre’s, Partnerships and Marketing Manager, Carmen Bishop says “The development of this app is consistent with the Marine Discovery Centre’s vision to provide the most inspirational learning experiences whilst empowering people to actively protect South Australia’s iconic and coastal marine environments.”

In addition to encouraging users to be proactive in improving marine health, the project also teaches children about local Aboriginal culture and promotes the work that environmental groups are currently undertaking, identifying how families can get involved.

“Families will love working on the activities together. There’s beachcombing, recycled art, kite making and coastal walks, just to name a few,” said The Science Collective director, Alison Fenton.

“The advice we hear from marine and coastal experts is that people need to really learn about their local coastlines. The more families who download the Deep Blue Treasure Hunt, the more people will be understand the risks to marine environments,” Ms Fenton said.

“While the app has enough activities to keep the kids occupied for hours, we hope that it will really get young people thinking about what day to day things need to be done to protect coastal areas.”

For example, the app helps identify which types of sunblock ingredients are damaging to our precious reefs.

“We hope that it will teach kids to really love their oceans,” Ms Fenton said. 

The app has received strong support from local Henley Beach traders and marine-based businesses, who recognise that it is a valuable tool to help people not only protect their environments, but also to support local businesses.

A number of prizes have been donated to support would-be marine biologists on their quest for the treasure chest.

The activities in the app can be done along almost any Australian coastline or even around the world, and there is a special marine trail for people who live in the Henley Beach and surrounding areas.

While the competition and marine trail will be open for one month, the app will be live for 3 years, which means there is plenty of time for marine-based learning. The Marine Discovery Centre will incorporate the app into their educational modules which will be accessible to all schools.

Families will need to sign up for the treasure hunt and parental permission will be required to upload photos and videos of coastal discoveries.

The official launch of the Deep Blue Treasure hunt will take place at the Marine Discovery Centre on 8 August, as part of their ‘A Story of the MotherFish’ Art Exhibition and the SALA By the Sea Art Walk. Families can drop in between 10am and 4pm to view the artwork made from rubbish collected along the beach and pick up a treasure sack to get their hunt started and to also participate in the Visit Henley Beach Marine Trail.

The app can be downloaded from at www.deepbluetreasurehunt.com.au.

With thanks to the following sponsors Big 4 West Beach Parks, Experiencing Marine Sanctuaries, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Mega Adventure, Visit Henley Beach, Adventure Kayaking, City of Charles Sturt, Zoos SA,  Naomi Schwartz Jewellery Design Gallery, Foodland Henley Beach, TerryWhite Chemmart Henley Square, Pro Med Health, South Henley Beach Newsagency, Kids Like That and Bunnings.

For more information please contact:

Carmen Bishop
Partnerships and Marketing Manager - Marine Discovery Centre
M. 0422 885 409
E. cbishop@marinediscoverycentre.com.au

Like most people, the global pandemic has meant more time at home for me and my family.  Gardening, home improvement, cooking.  There are two things at my house no longer contained-my waistline and my recycling bin. Loungewear is a comfortable solution for my personal spillover, but the other is a bald-faced testament that I am not as eco-savvy as I like to think. 

To be clear, I use green bags, reusable metal straws, and buy less packaged options.  I spend my free time at the Marine Discovery Centre challenging kids to connect the dots between our day to day activities and the impact it has on the environment.  What better time to reflect on how I can reduce plastics in our household than Plastic Free July.

Plastic Free July is a global challenge to reduce our use of single-use plastics.  The pandemic has made this more challenging.  I want to support my favorite local restaurant during restrictions, but the amount of single-use plastic to deliver a family meal makes dinner less palatable.  As South Australia moves to phase out single-use plastics, we have four voluntarily plastic-free precincts trialing eco- friendly packaging. This is an initiative I am proud to support and has helped us avoid more plastics in our bin and cupboards.     

Thankfully, the bulk of plastics recovered from kerbside recycling bins are processed into new products in South Australia, but contamination can result in a load diverted to landfill. I was surprised to learn that soft plastics are a common contaminant in recycling.  Some Coles and Woolworths supermarkets have designated receptacles for soft plastics collection, so keeping these separate for return will help ensure most of my plastics get recycled.

As the saying goes, all rivers flow to the sea. This includes the river of plastic waste we generate in our homes. At the MDC we are concerned about marine pollution; at least eight million tonnes of plastic makes its way into the ocean each year.  This plastic injures wildlife and eventually accumulates in ocean gyres as massive rubbish islands.  Global initiatives like The Ocean Project provide hope of removing this plastic with specially designed nets. Recovered plastics will be recycled with products available for purchase to help support their ongoing work.   

Until we can reopen safely for open days we encourage you to follow us on Facebook or sign up to our newsletters where we can keep you up-to-date with the latest activities at the MDC.  We are inviting school visits again and look forward to sharing our knowledge and resources to provide a fun outing for primary school children across Adelaide.

By Donna Lehmann
MDC Volunteer

Frayed Fin Goby - Bathygobius krefftii

Our newest additions to the Marine Discovery Centre creature family are two Frayed Fin Gobies. These fish are bottom dwellers and can be found in seagrass beds and shallow sunlit waters of eastern and southern Australia.

They can be recognised by their small size, growing to only around 9 cm in length, as well as their mottled pattern, cup-shaped pelvic fins and frilled pectoral fins which help them to glide along the seafloor. These disc-shaped fins can also act as a sucker when perched on rocks or other substrate. Other Australian goby species can be seen darting around in rockpools along the sandy bottom.

These fish belong to the family Gobiidae, which is the largest family of marine fishes with more than 1700 species representing almost 10% percent of all fish species. There are around 330 described species that can be found in Australian waters. Most of them are relatively small, typically less than 10 cm in length. The goby family includes some of the smallest vertebrates in the world, such as the Midget Dwarf Goby and Dwarf Pygmy Goby, each of which grow only to around 1cm in length. Some large gobies can reach over 30 cm in length, but that is exceptional. Although few are important as food for humans, they are of great significance as prey species for commercially important fish such as cod, haddock, sea bass, and flatfish.

They are abundant worldwide in tropical to temperate marine, estuarine and freshwater environments, mostly on the continental shelf, but also to depths below 1100 m. Some live above the high tide on mudflats, some build elaborate burrows, some live only in caves, others live inside sponges or on corals, and some freshwater species are able to climb waterfalls. On coral reefs, species of gobiids constitute 35% of the total number of fishes and 20% of the species diversity.

Some gobies are hermaphroditic, which means they can change from male to female, or female to male, throughout their life cycle.

Come and look for our Frayed Fin Gobies darting around in one of our temperate tanks, sometimes hiding in burrows under rocks.

The After School Marine Science Club is back in action! The Marine Discovery Centre is proud to announce that we will be hosting the The Kids Marine Scientist Club given strict government restrictions have been lifted.

Commencing Term 3, 2020

Date: Thursday 23 July, 2020

Venue: Marine Discovery Centre, Corner Seaview Road & Marlborough Terrace, Henley Beach, South Australia, 5022

Venue Website: http://marinediscoverycentre.com.au

The Kids Marine Scientist Club is a weekly drop-off club for primary school children aged 7 to 13 years. 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 weekly activities that the children will be participating in, including but not limited to:

• 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 activities
• Junior Dolphin Ranger program
• Secchi Disc recording and understanding ocean transparency
• Ocean currents
• Plastic pollution and storm water
• Learning about South Australian marine creatures up close and personal

Program details

• Thursdays from 4pm to 5pm
• For ages 7 to 13 years
• Cost is $100 (+GST) per child, $80 (+GST) for each additional sibling after the first child is enrolled
• Term length, 10 weeks in line with school terms
• Bookings are essential with the first session commencing on Thursday Week 1 (insert date here) and finishing Week 10 Thursday (insert date here)
• Each child receives a Marine Scientist Club pack including a beachcombing sheet, notebook, ruler and marine creature alphabet poster

What to bring

• Enclosed shoes and sun protective clothing is recommended
• Weatherproof jacket for wet weather days (some sessions will remain indoors)
• Named water bottle

Booking conditions

• Payment in full and completed consent forms are required to secure your booking.
• Cancellations made 5 days prior to the first session of the term will receive a full refund. Cancellations shorter than this period will not be refunded.
• Missed sessions can be credited towards the following term’s fees, upon request.
• Children are to attend Kids Club independent of parent/guardian and may not have siblings or friends accompany them who are not enrolled in the program.
• Instructions given by the Marine Discovery Centre staff must be adhered to by all participants for health and safety reasons.
• Children may not leave the Marine Discovery Centre until an approved parent/guardian signs them out.
• Children must be collected at 5pm – late pick up fee will apply.
• The Marine Discovery Centre does not take responsibility for any injuries received.

Register your interest by emailing cbishop@marinediscoverycentre.com.au

I walk into the centre at 9am, the taste of an apple crumble muffin and iced long black for breakfast still lingering on my lips, to be greeted by three friendly faces. Georgie Kenning, Marine Scientist and caring educator, introduces herself and proceeds to feed the South Australian fish in their tanks. Karno Martin, Cultural Educator and genius with children, immediately strikes up an easy conversation with me. Carmen Bishop, the partnerships and marketing manager passes me a fluorescent vest and laminated sheet full of marine creatures and minerals found on Henley Beach, and welcomes me to the centre. We wait outside and watch as a school bus full of children pours out of the front of the centre. It’s going to be a busy day!

Georgie, Karno and Carmen introduce the children, parents and teachers to the centre, Karno poking his tongue out at giggling group of year 3’s. We are notified that the day consists of ‘beachcombing’ and a tour of the centre itself. My role today is to supervise the children and answer any questions they might have while on the beach and in the centre. We start with a vital aspect of the day; recess. Once the kids have energy to get started, we mosey on over to the beach. The kids buzz with excitement and conversation, and I admit I too am excited. We find our way to the beach, and I take a silent moment of reflection. How lucky am I, that my office for the day is Henley Beach, spending time with new people and participating in educating the future of our society? We potter around, and a confident young boy struts up to me, “This is a crab shell, isn’t it?” I nod my head yes, gesture to a circle drawn in the sand and ask, “Where does that go?” He places it in the top quarter of the bisected circle, along with the other crustacean remnants found on the beach. “Well done!” I exclaim with a smile, giving him a high 5. I have several other interactions like this, kids categorising their findings.

The hour draws to a close, and we head back for lunch. I sip on a cup of peppermint tea and chat with some other volunteers who dropped in today. We then hear that we can explore the inside of the centre. The first room we visit is a science and technology room where there are notable virtual reality devices showing South Australian creatures in an immersive, underwater experience. The second room is focused on sustainability in every aspect; from rubbish sorting to a timeline of how long each piece of trash will take to biodegrade. Another room is comprised of South Australian marine life like the pot-bellied seahorse and puffer fish. Finally, a cultural experience is present where Kaurna speaker Karno talks of dreamtime stories and living off the land. The day reaches its end, and I am thanked for my help before departing. I’m definitely coming back here.

Written by Shona Swart

You may have heard about the Marine Discovery Centre through your children's visits, but did you know that we host corporate functions? You have the opportunity to see the centre with your own eyes, and educate yourself and your co-workers on Kaurna knowledge, marine life and sustainability in the process.

Karno Martin, our cultural educator, can give you a fully immersive experience where you can tap into the roots of Adelaide through learning about the Kaurna People. The Kaurna are the original people of Adelaide and the Adelaide Plains, and before 1836 Adelaide was known as ‘Tarndanya’ or the red kangaroo place, which used to be covered in rich grassy parkland and trees before urbanisation. Watch Karno play the didgeridoo and explain the sustainability in its purest form; through generations of knowledge.

Regarding our marine education, enjoy a guided tour of South Australia’s only marine education facility and see Henley Beach through the lens of our marine biologist, Georgie Kenning. Not only do we have live creatures, but we also have exquisite local artwork, created from washed up sea glass and miscellaneous beach items, giving a whole new meaning to repurposing.

Support our centre’s creatures by participating in our ‘Adopt a Creature’ program and contribute to keeping our creatures alive and thriving. From the Port Jackson Shark to the Pot-bellied Seahorse; find your perfect underwater companion, and know we’re taking good care of it. Visit https://www.marinediscoverycentre.com.au/get-involved/adopt-a-creature for more information.

Opportunities are also available for corporate team building days where our Marine Scientists can provide Dune Care experiences including planting and weeding and/or Marine Debris Surveys.

If we’ve piqued your interest, visit: https://www.marinediscoverycentre.com.au/visit-the-centre/book-online to book a corporate function today, we re-open our centre on Monday 6 July.

I open my sleep crusted eyes, and feel the warm sunshine dripping down my skin. I remember that today is the day our school is going to the beach – and I leap from my bed with excitement. Mum fixes me breakfast and fusses about my uniform like a clucking hen, getting me ready for the day, and drops me off at the school bus with a parting “tell me all about your day later sweetie”. I’m in the school bus and my friends and I buzz with anticipation of the day ahead – we’re finally visiting the Marine Discovery Centre!

On our way to the centre the bus driver takes the scenic route, and we observe Henley Beach in all its wonder, sunlight illuminating the ebb and flow of the bright blue waves. I taste the salt in the air and catch a whiff of seaweed and sand. We arrive at the centre, eyes lit with intrigue. I walk inside and am greeted by a cheery lady named Carmen, a hilarious man named Karno and knowledgeable marine biologist named Georgie. They introduce us to their centre at Henley Beach, which is the only institute in South Australia for guided marine education tours. I look around and see microscopes, artwork, fossilised creatures and games galore.

I haven’t been able to get my mind off the beach since the drive over, and they announce it’s time to go. I’ve been instructed to put my scientist hat on, so I place my theoretical hat, goggles and lab coat on and set toward the sea. While sifting through the sand I find an oval object called a “cuttle bone”, which is the backbone of the soft bodied cuttle. We can tell how the cuttle died based on its engravings; if there are teeth marks, a shark dolphin or sea lion may have had it for lunch. If there are scratch marks, a sea bird may have used it to sharpen their beak. After an hour we are told to return to the centre for lunch, before the exploration of the rooms commences.

A vegemite sandwich and apple juice later, we’re off to see the rooms. The exploring is broken up into four sections; the science exploration room, catchment to coast room, creatures’ room and Kaurna room. My favourite room was the Kaurna room, given Karno played us the didgeridoo, a wind type instrument that has been around for over 1000 years and can only be played by men, so we’re lucky to have witnessed it in person.

I loved the experience to get up close and personal to the South Australian marine creatures, my favourites were the Port Jackson Shark, the Porcupinefish and the Southern Fiddler Ray - but there were so many more. 

I have so much to tell Mum when I get home.

Creative piece written by Shona Swart - University of Adelaide Intern at the Marine Discovery Centre

Spanning across the length of The Pages Islands in South Australia and Houtman Abrolhos off the Western Australian coast, Australian Sea Lions, Neophoca cinereal, are a species to behold. They are one of the rarest species in the world, and 85% of them live herein South Australia, while the other 15% lives in Western Australia. In the entirety of Australia, only 9900 – 12,500 remain, with this number diminishing each year.

In the 19^th century they were historically hunted for their fur, therefore are now categorised as rare in under theSouth Australian Law and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and have received full legal protection under the National Parks and Wildlife Act since 1972 (Australia, 2014). We are very fortunate to be living in a country with this species, and even more fortunate for the countless opportunities to see these creatures in person. Seal Bay, Baird Bay and Adventure Bay are all locations with tours that can be taken to see these gorgeous animals.

Sea Lions are notorious for their sleek mane, beard-like whiskers and big beady eyes. They are a sexually dimorphic species, meaning males and females have distinct differences, with the adult males up to twice the weight and length of the female (Museum, 2019). Sexes can be identified through their coat colour, with the males having dark brown fur with a yellow colour on their necks and heads. Females are silver in colour with cream underneath, and the pups are chocolate, which disappears after their first moult. Breeding season usually occurs between January and June, and given the females love familiarity they always die at the place of their birth. Their diet consists of a myraid of fish and invertebrates like octopus and squid, and the pups are reliant on their mother’s milk for a year and food for a year and a half, making the length of their bond one of the longest in the animal kingdom.

Works Cited

Australia, G. o. (2014, 12 2). About Australian sea lions. Retrieved from National Parks and Wildlife Services South Australia: https://www.sealbay.sa.gov.au/australian-sea-lion/about-australian-sea-lions

Museum, A. (2019, 03 06). Australian Sea Lion. Retrieved from Australian Museum: https://australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/mammals/australian-sea-lion/

The Yorke Peninsula is not only crawling with native South Australian creatures, it is also a magnificent scenic destination. Given COVID-19 restrictions, our closed borders give locals the perfect opportunity to explore our own land. The Encounter Marine Park is located from the southern metropolitan beach of Christies Beach to the northern coast of Kangaroo Island. This park is vital for the preservation of our ocean wilderness and is a spectacular destination to see SA’s thriving marine life. We will focus on three rare species that are delightful to swim with and are habitually found in our waters.

The frightful Harlequin Fish (pictured below), Othos dentex, is uniquely South Australian, can be found among the rocky reed and is a slow mover, meaning they are easy to spot but also vulnerable for capture, which is why there are restrictions on the species. They also maintain a specific male to female ratio; therefore, it is important to maintain the population balance. They can live up to 40 years and grow up to 76cm in length, and are known for their deceitful hunting, wherein they hide from their prey, let them pass and then jump out to attack them.

The southern blue devil, Paraplesiops meleagrisis, can usually be found dwelling in caves, crevices or among shipwrecks. This grumpy beast also ages well, living up to 60 years and growing up to 35cm in length. It is likely that reproductive capacity and dispersal are low, given the habits and population dynamics of this species. Blue devils are known for their slow pace and trusting nature, making them a beloved fish among divers given their close encounters with the fish.

Finally, the Western Blue Groper, Achoerodus gouldii, is a gentle giant, growing up to about 160cm. They usually settle in sheltered macroalgae on shallow rocky bottom. This fish is the eldest of the three, living up to 70 years, and maturing at a slow rate. The Western Blue Groper is absolutely fascinating given it is one of few fish that change sex with age. It is slow-moving and inquisitive and will approach divers and fishing boats.

Now is the perfect time to get out there and explore what we alone have to offer in SA - but remember to leave these species behind for future generations to enjoy their wonder.

Works cited

Baker, J.L. (2011) Reef Fishes of Conservation Concern in South Australia - A Field Guide. Booklet produced with support from the Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board, South Australia.

The mystical leafy sea dragon, Phycodurus eques, is proudly South Australia’s marine emblem and attracts global attention for its iconic camouflage, even by David Attenborough himself, claiming it is his favourite animal in the wild. This rare species is only found on the coast of southern and eastern Australia, and masquerades as seaweed using its slow pace and leaf-like structures to ward off predators.

With a menacing name like the leafy sea dragon, it comes as a surprise the creature is no larger than 35cm (National Geographic, 2020). Leafies are closely related to pipefish and seahorses, and much like seahorses, the males carry and give birth to their young. Given the mating process is quite a spectacle, divers time their visits between October and January to see the elaborate courtship. While mating, the females transfer roughly 250 bright pink eggs into ‘brood-patches’ on the underside of their tails. The eggs are then fertilised and carried by the male for four to six weeks. Given their protective appearance, there is no need for the hatchlings to be raised, so the miniature dragons are left to defend themselves.

Sea dragons survive on microorganisms such as sea lice, using their tubelike snouts. It is unknown if they are preyed upon by other animals. However, the majestic creatures were collected by divers in the early 1990’s to be kept as pets so frequently that the Australian government placed a complete protection on the species. Pollution and habitat loss have also depleted their numbers, and they are now listed as near threatened.

100km South of Adelaide is Rapid Bay, a notorious spot for divers to see the dragon (Buxton-Collins, 2018). Visitors swim between a new jetty created in 2009 to a decayed jetty that is no longer functional for people, but below the surface it is a thriving home for marine life. If you’re considering seeing the elusive creature in person, take caution to avoid stressing the gentle sea dragons while observing them in all their glory.

Works Cited

Buxton-Collins, A. (2018, 4 20). How to track down David Attenborough's favourite animal in the wild. Retrieved from The Upsider: https://theupsider.com.au/leafy-seadragon-snorkelling/7485

National Geographic. (2020). Leafy Sea Dragon. Retrieved from National Geographic: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/l/leafy-sea-dragon/

South Australians have at least heard of minimum sizes of creatures, boat limits and protected species. What we might not know, is why these restrictions are in place. At its core, size, bag, boat and possession limits are enforced by PIRSA to protect aquatic stocks and safeguards that there are enough fish for the future. They ensure the number and correct size of fish are taken, allowing adolescent species to continue to grow and breed.

PIRSA’s fishing limits ensure the long-term health of our fish stocks, whereby it is critical that enough fish of each species remain in the water to reproduce and replace the numbers removed each year. For example, the legal size for the blue swimmer crab is 11cm measured across the carapace from the base of the largest spines. The personal daily bag limit for this species is 20, and the daily boat limit when combined with other people is 60. Moreover, egg bearing female crabs are a protected species and must be returned to the water immediately. If these rules are not followed, a maximum penalty of $20,000 applies. To keep up to date on the latest rules visit www.pir.sa.gov.au/fishing/recreational_fishing.

At the Marine Discovery Centre we educate our visitors on sustainable fishing through interactive and educational fishing games. We have a couple of fishing rods and fish to catch, where they then can be taken to our fish measuring station to see if they’re legal or need to be thrown back.

This is an excellent way to simulate how to approach fishing on a jetty or along the coast, where the fish measuring stations can be found in the area. If there are none, PIRSA has created an app called SA Recreational Fishing Guide, which can be downloaded on the App Store or on Google Play. Next time you’re out fishing, bear these rules in mind to ensure the longevity of our marine life. Happy fishing!

Georgie is our Marine Scientist and her focus at the Marine Discovery Centre is looking after our marine creatures and educating our visitors about the importance of preserving our marine environment.

How long have you been at the Marine Discovery Centre?

I began volunteering once a week at the centre at the beginning of 2017. I loved it so much I started coming in more often in between shifts in retail, and then started working here in the winter of 2019. It’s been really enjoyable taking on new responsibilities and learning the inner workings of the centre and it’s potential into the future.

What is your role here?

My role at the MDC is as the resident marine scientist and an excursion leader. We host school groups, community groups and members of the public and educate these visitors about marine life in South Australia and what we can do to care for it. I also look after the aquariums in the centre, feeding the animals and maintaining the tanks. This year I began teaching Marine Studies classes to the Star of the Sea School students and  I am enjoying creating structured lessons for various age groups.

What is your favourite part of the centre?

My favourite part is definitely the fish and other animals we have in the aquariums. I see them as my own pets and love coming in every morning, greeting them all and feeding them breakfast. Most of our younger visitors are also usually in awe of these beautiful animals, especially the seahorses. It's great to see the wonder on their faces.

What do you hope visitors take with them when they leave?

My hope is that visitors who join us on a beach trail and then explore the centre will form a stronger connection with the coastal and marine environment and with the natural world in general. The more we understand the natural world and its beauty, the more we can appreciate it and therefore do all we can to look after it.

What do you do in your spare time?

I enjoy my downtime away from work, spending time with family and getting outside when the weather permits. I like to explore new natural places, walking in national parks or walking along the beach. At home I’m often cooking or baking which I find quite comforting.

Karno is our standing cultural educator and marine trainee, and his focus while at the Marine Discovery Centre is on the high importance of environmental sustainability. He seamlessly integrates both a western and traditional point of view with a single focus; a sustainable future.

How long have you been at the Marine Discovery Centre?

I have been a part of the centre for 6 years. Through this time, I have seen great changes for the MDC, a pivotal point for the centre being its complete refurbishment. I have also grown many skills working here, and a wealth of knowledge from all other occupants that support and help the centre.

What is your role here?

One of the activities I do for the visiting schools includes a beach trail. This is where we make our way to the beach, spend an hour sifting through the sand and walking along to see what we can find, from whatever has been washed up from the night before. Another main part of my work includes, teaching students and others about aboriginal culture; be it language, stories, songs, fishing techniques, dance, art, hunting techniques and much more.

What is your favourite part of the centre?

One of the greatest things about the centre, is just to see how engaged students and teachers are when they visit us. It's great to see that there are so many young people out there, that share the same passion for the environment as we do. Seeing them leave chatting with their friends about what they learnt and saying things like “that was the best excursion I've ever been on in my life”. That's well worth it.

What do you hope visitors take with them when they leave?

The one thing I hope from this work, is that the people who venture through the centre leave changing the ways they think about day to day activities and what impacts they might have on the environment.

What do you do in your spare time?

I try to keep myself as busy as I can when away from work and do so as a dancer. I have been part of an Adelaide based dance group known as ‘Yellaka’ for over 10 years. We are traditional and contemporary dancers - through Adelaide’s festival season we perform at the Adelaide Fringe Festival. If I'm not dancing, I'm playing guitar, if I'm not doing that, I'm on my Xbox.

Virtual reality headsets, microscopes and more; the science exploration room puts you in control of your learning. The Marine Discovery Centre’s science exploration room gives students access to technology used by marine biologists in their research, as well as an understanding of South Australian creatures and marine life.

Virtual reality is a 3D software that gives the illusion the user is observing a given scenario. These machines have the ability to track a user's motions and correspondingly adjust the images on the user's display to reflect the change in perspective. Through virtual reality, the most popular aspect of the room, kids can deep sea dive with Great White Sharks and float with Leafy Sea Dragons in immersive South Australian landscapes.

“It looks so different on here!” exclaims a third grader, using a microscope, gripping the device with one eye shut. Microscopes are a vital aspect of Marine Biology research, with 3 common types of microscopy used being light microscopy, stereomicroscopy and polarising microscopy (Marine Biology, 2020). Light microscopy is a classic observation and characterisation technique for marine life in living, fixed and fossil organisms, which lays out biochemical, molecular and cell biology. Stereomicroscopy is used in the field to observe organisms in sea water samples. At the Marine Discovery Centre polarising microscopy is used to reveal fine detail in the crystalline structure of organisms through their fossil remains. Shells, seahorses and seaweed can be observed under a microscope to bear intriguing results.

Another noteworthy element of the room is the beachcombing area. Individuals can reveal what lies beneath the sand and identify it immediately. This segment also acts as a tool to describe marine habitats and facts about the seashore. For example, the intertidal zone, or the seashore, is the area above water at low tide and below water at high tide. This area can be home to sea stars, sea urchins and coral. Upwelling is also described, this being the process of bringing sunken nutrients back to the surface, creating “blooms” of algae and zooplankton, which consume said nutrients. This sustains ocean life near the surface, such as fish and plankton.

This room is filled with opportunities to be a marine biologist for an hour, come along and see what else we have waiting for you.

Online bookings

Works Cited

Marine Biology. (2020). Retrieved from Nikon: https://www.nikon.com/products/microscope-solutions/bioscience-applications/life_sciences/marine-biology.htm

“Beachcombing” is an interactive activity where individuals "comb" the beach and the intertidal zone, looking for anything of value. At the Marine Discovery Centre, this is done at Henley Beach, where kids spend an hour sifting through the sand and enjoying the ambiance of our local beach.

The objective of the Henley Beach tour is to mimic Marine Biologists, to categorise the contents of the beach. Children have the opportunity to find items, ask what they are and then sort them into categories of their choosing. This is also an excellent chance to collect any litter found on the beach, which volunteers will keep in a bag to be disposed of appropriately.

An interesting find is a “rock” called fulgurite forged from lightning striking sand. Given the high temperature of lightning (27,700C) and high melting point of sand (1723C), this fusion creates a solid once the sand cools. Fulgurite can be identified by clicking together two suspected pieces and comparing them with two rocks. By hitting together two fulgurite pieces; a light clanging sound is made, whereas in hitting together two rocks a deeper sound is heard. This investigative process is just one of several ways to give children the means to think like a scientist and therefore, develop new skills.

“Can I take this shell home?” a third grader asks, eyes lit with excitement. “You can’t take them home, but do you know why?” Karno Martin replies, an eager group of children huddled around him like penguins. “When these shells or rocks wash up on the beach, it’s a perfect home for new creatures to live. Do you see the squiggly lines on this oyster shell? That means a worm has already chosen this shell to live in. We don’t want to take that away from them, do we?” All the kids shake their heads no, some running off to tell their parents who have volunteered that day the news.

Beachcombing is one of several invaluable experiences kids can have at the centre. Inside there is also a replica of this activity, where anyone can have access to information on commonly found items at the beach.

The Marine Discovery Centre prides itself on educating young minds, in interactive tours, on not only marine life; but sustainability itself. The aforementioned ‘catchment to coast’ room is one of four educational hubs in the centre, and details how we can personally be more sustainable each day.

Litter is a huge hindrance to our climate’s progress, and we explore the consequences of thoughtless rubbish disposal. “I’ve placed a lifespan for rubbish from 2-3 weeks to 1 Million years. I need you guys to tell me which piece of rubbish goes where.” describes Georgie Kenning, resident Marine Scientist and educator. Through this exercise children learn the lifespan of rubbish, and afterward, thoughtful rubbish disposal and low carbon footprint products to purchase in the first place. This activity commences the investigation of the room.

Another stream of the area involves the conservation of water – from shower heads to improving water quality, it’s all connected. A standout is a display where two shower heads are compared; one head uses half of the amount of water the other does per minute. A water efficient showerhead saves more than water; it can also save you money on bills, reduce your energy consumption and result in a personal reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. (Water H. , 2019)

Rain gardens, garden beds that filter stormwater runoff from surrounding areas, are also detailed (Water, 2020). These bioretention systems use soil, plants and microbes to biologically treat stormwater. An easy guide to building your own rain garden can be found here.

At the end of each day, Carmen Bishop, our Partnerships and Marketing Manager, Karno Martin, our Cultural Educator and Georgie Kenning, our Marine Scientist advise students to pass on one thing they learnt that day to a friend and vice versa. This information can then be told to the children’s families, their families pass that on and so on; by the end of the year 8000 new things are learnt by visiting the centre for a single day. We equip our visitors with the knowledge to live a sustainable life for generations to come.

Works Cited

KESAB. (2015, April). Litter Less. Retrieved from http://www.kesab.asn.au/litterless/interactives/

Water, H. (2019). Showerheads. Retrieved from https://www.hunterwater.com.au/Resources/Documents/Fact-Sheets/Saving-Water/showerhead-facts.pdf

Water, M. (2020). Raingardens. Retrieved from https://www.melbournewater.com.au/planning-and-building/stormwater-management/options-treating-stormwater/raingardens

The Marine Discovery Centre comments on how we can further reduce our impact on climate change in the midst of a crisis. From clean canals to a plunge in pollutants; now is the time to realise there is an alternative way of living. Nature has been given a breath of fresh air – and us a new perspective.

At the Marine Discovery Centre, South Australia’s only marine educational facility, our focus is on a sustainable future. While we understand that this dip in the economy may yield only temporary environmental benefits before countries compensate for their losses, now is a good time to reflect on how we can prolong the positives post Covid-19.

Precedented by the 2008 recession global disasters, in particular ones impacting the economy, will result in a temporary decline in carbon emissions. Since Covid-19 began its spread in December 2019 in Wuhan China, simultaneously, greenhouse gas emissions have dropped by 25% (Harvey, 2020). This is due decreased industrial activities in China, the world’s largest carbon emitter, as well as oil demand and air travel.

Figure 1: Comparison between pollutant levels in Wuhan, China in January against February 2020. (McGrath, 2020)

The European Space Agency noted nitrogen dioxide pollution over Northern Italy taper in quarantine. Given the lack of traffic and industrial activities, water in Venice has been crystal clear for the first time in years. “The water now looks clearer given less traffic on the canals, allowing the sediment to stay at the bottom,” a spokesperson for the Venice mayoral office reports (Wright, 2020). As a result of diminished turbidity, populations of fish have reclaimed the waters.

Figure 2: Clear canals in Venice, March 2020 (Footer, 2020).

In New York, emissions of carbon monoxide have reduced by 50% given the lull in traffic, as well as a 5-10% descent in CO2 and a reduction in methane (McGrath, 2020). How can we reduce our impact here, and follow the steps mapped out for us? We change our habits. At the Marine Discovery Centre’s ‘catchment to coast’ room, personal reduction of greenhouse gases and pollution is laid out. Making small changes all add up.

Works Cited:

Footer, M. (2020, March 16). The canals of Venice run clear as coronavirus halts traffic, bringing back ‘lagoon waters of ancient times’. Retrieved from Post Magazine: https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3075397/canals-venice-run-clear-coronavirus-halts-traffic

Harvey, C. (2020). How the Coronavirus Pandemic Is Affecting CO2 Emissions. Scientific American.

McGrath, M. (2020, March 19). Coronavirus: Air pollution and CO2 fall rapidly as virus spreads. Retrieved from BBC News: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-51944780

Wright, R. (2020, March 17). There's an unlikely beneficiary of coronavirus: The planet. Retrieved from CNN: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/16/asia/china-pollution-coronavirus-hnk-intl/index.html

Commences Term 3, 2020

The Kids Marine Scientist Club is a weekly drop-off club for primary school aged children aged 7 to 13 years. The Kids Marine Scientist Club encourages independence and self-growth and allows the student to an array of discoveries.  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.

REGISTER HERE

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

• 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 activities
• Junior Dolphin Ranger program
• Secchi Disc recording and understanding ocean transparency
• Ocean currents
• Plastic pollution and storm water
• Learning about South Australian marine creatures up close and personl

Program details

• Thursdays from 4pm to 5pm
• For ages 7 to 13 years
• Cost is $100 (+GST) per child, $80 (+GST) for each additional sibling after the first child is enrolled
• Term length, 10 weeks in line with school terms
• Bookings are essential with the first session commencing on Thursday 30 April 2020 and finishing Week 10 Thursday 2 July 2020
• Each child receives a Marine Scientist Club pack including a beachcombing sheet, notebook, ruler and marine creature alphabet poster

What to bring

• Enclosed shoes and sun protective clothing is recommended
• Weatherproof jacket for wet weather days (some sessions will remain indoors)
• Named water bottle

Booking conditions

• Payment in full and completed consent forms are required to secure your booking.
• Cancellations made 5 days prior to the first session of the term will receive a full refund. Cancellations shorter than this period will not be refunded.
• Missed sessions can be credited towards the following terms fees upon request
• Children are to attend Kids Club independent of parent/guardian, and may not have siblings or friends accompany them who are not enrolled in the program
• Instructions given by the Marine Discovery Centre staff must be adhered to by all participants for health and safety reasons.
• Children may not leave the Marine Discovery Centre until an approved parent/guardian signs them out
• Children must be collected at 5pm – late pick up fee will apply
• Marine Discovery Centre does not take responsibility for any injuries received.

REGISTER HERE

The Marine Discovery Centre is the new home to a South Australian native marine animal, a Southern Fiddler Ray. Our marine life room features South Australian marine species, which gives our visitors the opportunity to see them up close and learn more about our unique local marine life.

Southern Fidler Ray

Many South Australians are fond of the oddly adorable ray as we often see them on the ocean floor whilst meandering up and down our local jetties. This is often from afar, so we are excited to offer the experience to see these wonderful creatures up close.  Some rays have venomous barbs on their tail for protection, hence the name stingray, however our Fiddler Ray lacks this barb, and instead has a beautiful mottled pattern to blend in with its surroundings.

The Marine Discovery Centre’s passion is to educate people of all ages about the importance of our marine creatures and the environment.

Stingray Facts

Stingrays are not aggressive. They are curious and playful animals when there are divers and snorkellers around, and if they feel threatened their first instinct is to swim away. As with all marine life, people must respect stingrays’ personal space, so take lots of photos and enjoy watching them gliding through the water – but from afar, and never touch the barb at the end of their tail.

Rays and skates are related to sharks and have a similar cartilage-based skeleton, and all these animals have been around longer than dinosaurs.

Rays give birth to live young, and have between two to six babies at one time. Stingrays can breathe while feeding thanks to spiracles or special gill slits behind their eyes, just the same as our Port Jackson Shark.

Our new Southern Fiddler Ray meeting our Port Jackson Shark

When resting, our Fiddler Ray will use its fins to bury itself in the sand, then oscillate its fins to swim around looking for food. Rays are slimy because they are covered in a mucous layer which helps protect them from disease and wound infection.

Quick facts

• The mother gives birth to live young.
• Rays and skates are related to sharks, and have a similar cartilage based skeleton.
• The difference between male and females is their pelvic fins. Males have two elongated appendages known as claspers whereas females don’t have these.
• Stingrays can breathe while feeding thanks to spiracles – vestigial gill slits behind their eyes.
• Some rays swim by oscillating their body to move forward, while others flap their pectoral fins and appear to be flying underwater.
• Some rays have highly adapted eyes and can actually see colour.
• Rays are slimy because they are covered in a mucous layer which helps protect them from disease and wound infection.
• When feeding and resting, stingrays bury their bodies in the sand but leave the barb out to protect themselves from predators.
• Rays usually come in to feed with a rising tide and leave behind a circular footprint once they have finished. This is known as a feeding pit.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map below for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Adopt a Creature today

Being nocturnal along with having not the best swimming ability or eyesight, moray eels such as the zebra and snowflake eel are still very successful top predators. They play a key role in regulating the abundance and behaviour of creatures which reside with them in rocky, coral reefs in warm tropical waters.

Camouflage is essential for survival; the Zebra eel is mainly brown, and the Snowflake eel is yellow and white in colour. This makes it possible for them to hide from their potential predators within the rocks, coral and sand. The mucus they secrete over their scaleless skin, and their mouth can contain poisonous toxins which is another good defence mechanism.

Moray eels are carnivores which hunt and feed on crustaceans, sea urchins and molluscs. They may have poor eyesight but their excellent sense of smell makes them very successful at hunting. Their second set of jawed teeth or pharyngeal jaws (pictured below) at the back of their throat are also an advantage. They are blunt which makes them very suitable for grinding down their food. When hunting, these eels first latch onto their prey with their outer jaws and then push their pharyngeal jaws forward to grasp the prey and bring it back into the stomach. This is a unique process utilised only by these species of eels.

It is becoming apparent through ongoing research having a streamlined, serpentine shape with the dorsal fin running the length of the body gives these eels unusual and useful feeding techniques which are unavailable to conventionally shaped fish. They are known to crawl on land to scavenge for dead fish and even cooperate with other fish to find prey. Recent research and videos have also shown that morays are starting to tie their bodies into a ‘knot’ to extract food from a bait bag, while another moray used its tail as a 'paddle' to dislodge the food item.

Echidna nebulosa, Snowflake moray eel

Gymnomuraena zebra, Zebra moray eel

We are thankful for the continued support from the Minister, empowering us to educate students to actively protect South Australia's iconic coastal and marine environments.

The Marine Discovery Centre is closely aligned with ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority) particularly the Cross-Curriculum priorities of Sustainability and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures.

Just one oyster can clean a bathtub of water every day! Native oysters called the Angasi Oyster are being grown in and are improving the quality of the Port River water.  Volunteers are re-introducing them into the ecosystem to work with the other shellfish to help clean the water and assist with protecting the shores during storms. 

Water that runs off the land via drains, creeks and rivers into the Port River usually contains pollutants in stormwater coming to our roads and homes.  Pollutants from factories and other commercial areas surrounding also contribute.  These oysters do an incredible job, but they need our support!

 If you have been lucky enough to visit the Marine Discovery Centre, then you would know that you can help! Pick up rubbish, put it in the bin.  Make sure you recycle and dispose of green waste properly.  Don’t let it run down the drain and help make our waters cleaner and healthier for marine life as well as for ourselves!

Helen Wallace
Volunteer
Marine Discovery Centre

Australia separated from Gondwanaland approximately 55 million years ago along the southern boundary of what is now the Australian continent. This splitting of Australia from Gondwana caused the sea to flood land areas which had been free of the ocean for hundreds of millions of years.

GONDWANALAND SUPER-CONTINENT

This led to a series of basins being formed and Adelaide was built on the coast of   one of the basins, Gulf St Vincent. This area offered a wide belt of coastal dunes and wide sandy beaches stretching continuously north to south for 30 kilometres in the areas stretching from Seacliff to Outer Harbour, broken only at the Patawalonga Creek.

An excellent example of Adelaide's coastal dunes can be found at Tennyson. These dunes were formed 10,000 years ago when the sea level rose to its current height, creating an extensive dune barrier system 200-300 metres wide and 10-15 high.

What are Sand Dunes?

A dune is a mound of sand formed by the wind, usually along the beach or in a desert. Dunes form when the wind blows sand into a sheltered area behind an obstacle. Dunes grow as the grains of sand accumulate. Dunes can also be formed by strong currents beneath the water moving sand particles onto the beach.

Coastal sand dunes are small ridges or hills of sand found at the top of a beach, above the usual maximum reach of the waves. They are formed by strong onshore winds (greater than 5 m/sec) blowing sand that is deposited against an obstruction such as a bushes, driftwood or rocks or at the base of cliffs and hills.

Plants seeds are blown or transported by fauna onto coastal dunes and grow in a series of stages from the pioneer plants which initially cover the bare sand e.g. spinifex, to the secondary stabilising plants which form the more permanent plant cover.
Dune fields comprise a variety of dune types including transverse and parabolic dunes. They range from relatively small shore-parallel fore-dunes that sit immediately behind the beach, tens of metres wide and a few metres thick to a series of dunes that may extend hundreds of metres to a few kilometres inland, representing long-term accumulation of large volumes of sand.

Where does sand come from?

Sand is a loose granular material blanketing the beaches, riverbeds and deserts of the world.
Earth's landmasses are made up of rocks and minerals, including quartz, feldspar and mica. The most common component of sand is silicon dioxide in the form of quartz. Weathering processes — such as wind, rain and freezing/thawing cycles - break down these rocks and minerals into smaller grains.
Beaches are a common feature of a coastline and are made up of eroded material that has been transported from elsewhere and deposited by the sea.
Beach sand is made mostly of material weathered from inland rocks or sea cliff material and transported to the beach on the wind or in rivers; and/or from shells and the calcium, a mineral in seaweed and other hard fragments of marine organisms originating in the ocean.
Beach sand is composed of different materials that vary depending on location and therefore comes in an array of colors including white, black, green and even pink.

(The Adelaide Metropolitan Coastline - South Australian Coast Protection Board No. 27 April 1993)

What do Coastal Sand Dunes do?

Coastal sand dunes are nature's way of protecting the beaches from erosion. Coastal dunes provide a buffer zone between marine and land environments. They absorb and decrease wave energy and reduce storm damage to our coastline.

Dunes stop the inland flow of seawater but they erode without vegetation cover.

Dune structures support a wide variety of bird, reptile and invertebrate species.

Coastal sand dunes are extremely sensitive to disturbances. They suffer severe damage from pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

When beach sand is washed away by storms, wind or wave movement, it is normally replaced by sand stored in the dune. Human activities can severely reduce this store of dune sand.

Waves approach the beach at an angle. This sets in motion a current which moves up the coast. The sand is carried in the current. Longshore drift is defined as the movement of sand in the surf zone along the coast. It is also known as littoral sediment transportation.

Waves approach the beach at an angle. This sets in motion a current which moves up the coast. The sand is carried in the current. Longshore drift is defined as the movement of sand in the surf zone along the coast. It is also known as littoral sediment transportation.

Natural and Human impacts on Dunes

Prior to European colonization, the Adelaide area (Kaurna Meyunna country) hosted a three-dune system (fore, mid and hind) with two swales (dips or hollows). The dunes had a natural cycle of sand replenishment and supported extensive tidal mangrove, swamp paperbark and samphire wetlands east of the hind dunes. The area supported a rich biodiversity and a resilient ecosystem.

Since 1836, the Adelaide region, including the coastal dunes, offered settlers an abundant source of building materials, grazing land, timber for fuel, and residential land.

However, since European settlement the dunes on Adelaide's coast have suffered disrespect and degradation from cattle and pig grazing, tree felling for building and fuel, sand-mining for building and glass making, WW2 25lb guns test fired into the dunes, housing developments, rubbish dumping, illegal encroachment, deliberately-lit and accidental fires and other destructive actions by humans and feral animals.

Much of the foreshore development occurred in the 1940's, and major storms in the 1940's and 50's highlighted that the metropolitan coastline was far from stable. These storms created widespread damage to properties along the foreshore, and increased public awareness about the need to protect both public and private property due to the effects of the natural coastal processes.

Storm Damage - Glenelg, 1964

The Tennyson Dunes (named after Lord Tennyson, Governor of SA 1899-1902) are 22 hectares of coastal dunes with natural grass and shrub land. They are the last true remnant of the Adelaide metropolitan coastal plains and a coastal conservation reserve. Located 12 kilometres north-west of the city, Tennyson Dunes display a large diversity of native flora and support the presence of rare and regionally significant plants, birds, reptiles and invertebrates.

The plants in the Tennyson Dunes are an insight into what can survive and thrive in our changing climate and the best example of Adelaide's natural coastal biodiversity. For instance: Coastal Spinifex - a grass that is important in stabilising dunes; Coastal Daisy Bush - a good screening plant; Coastal Wattle - excellent shelter and attracts birds and insects; Native Pigface - succulent ground cover and its fruits were a food source for the Kaurna people; Dryland Tea-Tree - a hardy plant providing good shelter, attracting birds and insects.

Native plants are naturally adapted to harsh conditions and attract native fauna.

Tennyson Dunes are extremely significant for reptile life including the regionally threatened Painted Dragon. Although rarely visible (as they try to avoid humans) Brown Snakes can sometimes be seen. They are a vital part of dune ecology because they keep mice and rat populations under control.

Tennyson also provides breeding grounds and habitat for many bird species including birds of prey such as the Nankeen Kestrel and the Black-shouldered Kite.

The Dune Group has recently restored populations of the Coastal Bitterbush which is the only food plant for the endangered Bitterbush Butterfly.

Tennyson Dunes
Adelaide's Living Beaches - A Strategy for 2005-2025. Department for Environment and Heritage

The dunes are being heavily tested by competing factors such as invasive non-native plants, pedestrian traffic, feral and domestic animals and a proposed bike track. The Tennyson Dunes Group are a dedicated volunteer conservation group working to provide a safe sanctuary for flora and fauna and to improve the dunes as a valuable community asset by enhancing the  natural values of the dunes as well as protecting their heritage and educational significance.

(adapted from website: http://www.tennyson.org.au/)

Climate Change and Dunes

Over the last 4,000 years the sediment supply from offshore sources has declined to the point where far less sediment is being transported ashore to Adelaide's beaches. Ongoing sea level rise and subsiding land in Adelaide is also contributing to beach and dune erosion.

In 1993, the South Australian Government's 'Coast Protection Board' recommended that allowance be made for 0.3 metre rise in average sea level from the year 1991 to 2030, and a further 0.7 metre rise from 2030 to 2100.

(The Adelaide Metropolitan Coastline - South Australian Coast Protection Board No. 27 April 1993)

Another way in which sand dunes are eroded is by the wind remobilizing sand and blowing it out of the dune, a process known as deflation. The most common deflation feature is the blowout, a bowl-shaped depression with a flat floor that lies below the elevation of most of the adjacent dunes. Blowouts are flat-floored because the sand is blown away until the sand surface reaches the top of the water table.

As storm and wind events increase in frequency and ferocity due to climate change, the frequency of blowouts in dune systems also increases.

Combined with natural and climate change events, loss of vegetation through the tracks made by pedestrians and vehicles through dunes also increases the chances of blowouts and dune erosion.

Blowouts 
Beach buggy trails through the dunes. Unrestricted vehicular (and pedestrian) traffic is damaging to dune vegetation.
http://coastalcare.org/educate/sand-dunes/

Negative Economic Impacts of Dune Loss

The negative impacts of the loss of coastal sand dunes include:

The huge costs of dredging sand from other areas of the coastline and inland sources or sand pumping activities to replenish and nourish Adelaide beaches where there is insufficient natural supply of sand or degradation of dunes by human activities or feral and domestic animals.

The cost of rock-wall and groyne construction where there is beach erosion is substantial due to human activities such as residential and commercial construction on foreshores and dunes.

A greater threat to coastal properties leading to increased property and business damage, repairs and insurance costs through wave action and storm energy without the natural protection of dunes systems.

Loss of income from recreational and tourism activities associated with eroded beaches and poor quality foreshores and estuaries.

The ripple effect of the loss of dune vegetation causing the destruction of coastal habitat and loss of diversity of dune flora and fauna species that can lead to the eventual loss of dunes through lack of stabilizing vegetation. Bird-watching and other passive nature-tourism activities are contemporary economic drivers heavily affected by dune loss.

Semaphore Park 1999
Adelaide's Living Beaches - A Strategy for 2005-2025. Department for Environment and Heritage

What next for Adelaide's Dunes?

The coastline is dynamic, always shifting in response to the wind and waves. However, human impacts have altered the dynamics of the coast to such an extent that natural processes can no longer sustain the beaches.

In 1972 the Coast Protection Act was passed by State parliament. It established a Coast Protection Board to provide management expertise not only for the metropolitan beaches but for the entire 4,000 kilometres of the South Australian coastline. However, the coastal erosion and encroachment of development within the Adelaide region has meant that the metropolitan beaches continue to require considerable research and management attention.

Today, there is no naturally continuing replenishment source of sand. When this is combined with a net northerly littoral drift and an increasing mean sea level, the long term effect is the need to artificially maintain the beaches, or eventually lose them.

Adelaide's coastline is now a highly managed one. The sand that forms the beaches is a scarce and moving asset. The future management of the beaches needs to be responsive to changing conditions to ensure that future generations are not disadvantaged by decisions today.

The Government's Living Coast Strategy (2004), the beach management strategy for 2005-2025, continues to manage erosion risks to metropolitan coastal assets by replenishing beaches and using structures in critical locations to slow the northerly drift of sand. In addition, the strategy contains three important initiatives.

The first is to recycle sand more effectively using pipeline transfer systems.

The second is to add sand from external sources to the beach system to counter the ongoing loss of dune volume and beach width caused by sea level rise and other factors.

The third is to integrate sand bypassing at harbours with beach management.

These initiatives will contribute to achieving the actions listed in South Australia's Strategic Plan (2004), including maintaining the lifestyle quality of South Australians, seeking creative solutions to environmental issues and increasing investment in strategic areas of infrastructure.

Geotextile groyne at Somerton Park, 2003
Adelaide's Living Beaches - A Strategy for 2005-2025. Department for Environment and Heritage

The main components of the strategy for managing Adelaide's beaches from 2005 to 2025 include:

Continue beach replenishment -

Continue the existing program of beach replenishment, placing 160,000 cubic metres of sand each year at strategic locations on southern and central beaches to maintain the sandy foreshore, build up dune buffers, and protect coastal infrastructure.

Recycle sand more effectively using sand slurry pumping and pipelines -

Existing sand supplies will be recycled more effectively using sand slurry pumping and pipelines, which will minimise the need for trucks to cart sand along beaches and suburban roads.

Add coarse sand from external sources -

Coarser, more stable sand will be added to the system from external sources such as Mount Compass to tackle the ongoing loss of dune volume and beach width caused by sea level rise and other factors.

Build coastal structures in critical locations -

Structures such as groynes and offshore breakwaters may be used in a few critical locations to slow the northerly drift of sand.

Integrate sand bypassing at harbours with beach management -

Integrating sand bypassing requirements at harbours with the beach replenishment program will result in more effective recycling of sand and reduced harbour management costs.

(Adelaide's Living Beaches - A Strategy for 2005-2025. Department for Environment and Heritage, Coastline No. 35 - 2005)

(The Adelaide Metropolitan Coastline - South Australian Coast Protection Board No. 27 April 1993)

One of the new groynes installed at Somerton Park in 2005
Adelaide's Living Beaches - A Strategy for 2005-2025. Department for Environment and Heritage

Dune Conclusions

Dune restoration involves reducing the disturbance of dunes as a method of controlling erosion problems. Land-use planning needs to ensure buildings and infrastructure are positioned behind the dune system.

Land conservation groups recommend the careful retention of vegetation in sensitive areas and re-vegetation activities in cleared areas. This needs to be combined with the restriction of vehicular and human traffic. For this reason damaged and sensitive dunes might need to be fenced and access tracks for vehicles and people provided. This includes drift fencing, dune re-vegetation and access controls, together with the installation of educational signs and viewing areas at some locations

On many beaches, it is legal with the correct permits to bulldoze beaches to form "dunes" or at least to form piles of sand up against buildings for storm protection.

Bulldozed "dunes" have a different shape to natural dunes, and often look like large piles of sand that have been dumped on the beach. These piles of sand contain a lot of shell material which is a rare component of natural dune sand.

However, there are problems with bulldozing sand and artificial dunes. After a few days on the upper beach, wind will blow away the finer sand on the surface, causing a layer of shells or "shell lag" to form on the surface of a bulldozed dune. Because wind often can't blow shells into dunes, the shell lag is a positive indicator that the bulldozer has paid a visit.

Natural dunes, especially those with roots entangled throughout the sand, provide a solid (if temporary) barricade against a minor storm. When attacked by waves, a scarp or small bluff quickly forms. Subsequent waves are at least partly reflected from the scarp, rolling back down the beach and smashing into the next wave coming ashore. Bit by bit, however, the dune scarp moves landward under wave attack.

Helping to reinforce and strengthen natural dunes (in addition to the beneficial effect of plant roots) are electronic forces, or Vanderwaal forces, between the uniform sized sand grains and the water between the grains. In bulldozed "dunes", which are made up of beach sand with a wide size range of quartz grains and shell fragments, neither plant roots nor Vanderwaal forces are at work to stabilize the deposit.

Consequently the artificial dunes erode with much greater ease. The bulldozed sand, minus the animals that once lived there, returns to the beach (usually during the next storm) and the dunes are flattened and washed inland.

Bulldozing sand is not a good thing for beaches. Taking sand from any part of the beach is a form of beach erosion and it kills the organisms in the beach-the crabs, clams etc. and all the microscopic organisms that live between the sand grains.

For days after bulldozing, seagulls have an unexpected bonanza; swooping and grabbing the stranded and struggling critters of the beach that are now high and dry in the bulldozed dune. The odor of rotting organisms during the post-bulldozing time also can provide an unpleasant atmosphere for beach strollers. The process affects the whole food chain including the shorebirds and the near shore fish.

http://coastalcare.org/educate/sand-dunes/

The Tennyson Dunes Group supports a Conservation Reserve Discovery Trail that protects the fragile dune ecosystem, while allowing children and adults to learn about it. A current State Government trail plan is cause for concern over its proposed alignment, width, construction materials, boardwalks and fencing to accommodate cycling on the trail path.

The Tennyson Dune Group recommends the following Coastcare Code:

If you want to help dunes recover to their natural state here are some simple things you can do:

• Stay on paths
• Keep your dogs on leads
• Plant native plants in your garden
  http://www.tennyson.org.au/assets/gardens.pdf
• Keep your cats indoors
• Learn about dunes on the Native Plant Trail

The Adelaide coastline, 1992 (South Australian Tourism Commission)

"The Beach Ecosystem is made up of living and non-living parts. Plants and animals and sand and water influence each other, often amidst breathtaking scenery. Greater than the sum of its parts, beaches sustain major portions of global biodiversity. With over half the world's population living within 50 km of the coast, human influence on that biodiversity is inevitable, making the study of beaches even more important.

- http://coastalcare.org/educate/sand-dunes/

The environmentalist Rachel Carson wrote,

"In every curving beach, in every grain of sand, there is a story of the Earth.

- https://preserveamerica.noaa.gov/week06/carson_pioneer.html

Researched, compiled and composed by Dr Steve Gration, January 2018

References

The Adelaide Metropolitan Coastline - South Australian Coast Protection Board No. 27 April 1993

Adelaide's Living Beaches - A Strategy for 2005-2025. Department for Environment and Heritage, Coastline No. 35 - 2005
https://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/coastal/ecology/beaches-dunes/coastal_dunes.html

http://www.tennyson.org.au/

http://www.tennyson.org.au/assets/gardens.pdf

http://coastalcare.org/educate/sand-dunes/

City of Charles Sturt

https://preserveamerica.noaa.gov/week06/carson_pioneer.html