Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation

Despite the massive scale of the Great Southern Reef, which hugs the coastline from New South Wales to Western Australia, many residents are unaware of its existence. Even fewer residents understand the large amount of biodiversity found in this interconnected temperate system characterized by kelp forests and rocky reefs. Efforts to publicize the area and gain traction for funding and conservation are in their infancy. Conservation funding remains disproportionately low compared to the Great Southern Reef’s counterpart, the Great Barrier Reef. Visibility is a tool that can be used to generate greater awareness, and by extension, balance funding and protection for the Great Southern Reef. To raise awareness, this project uses science communication tools and engages with local communities across the Great Southern Reef. By utilizing illustrative storytelling through film, this project looks through SeadragonSearch, a specific community that has come together to protect the endemic seadragon through photography. The goal in documenting this community is to enhance understanding of the Great Southern Reef while also encouraging the public to find their own community science action that can spark a movement of change.