Word on the Reef
Diving into marine science and conservation on the Great Barrier Reef and beyond!
Episodes
Scientists are developing powerful cannons which can spray a fine mist of seawater off the back of a boat into the sky, helping clouds form to shade and cool sections of the Great Barrier Reef.
But does it work? Are there any side effects? And is this futuristic technology going to be enough to save the reef in the face of worsening climate change?
To help answer these questions, our guest on this episode of W...
What do bananas have to do with protecting the Great Barrier Reef? More than you might think!
In this episode of Word on the Reef, we meet Frank and Dianne Sciacca from Pacific Coast Eco Bananas in Innisfail, who more than 25 years ago took a radical approach to banana farming. By ditching synthetic pesticides and fertilisers and working with nature instead, they’ve been showing that growing delicious bananas a...
In this episode we sit down with fish vet Matt Landos to unpack the case that pushed him into becoming a vocal advocate for stronger pesticide regulation in Australia. What starts as an investigation into mysterious fish health problems quickly turns into a revelation of how chemical exposure can move through water, air, food webs, and even into our bodies.
Thumbnail Image: Two headed bass embryo, by G. Gilso...
The whale was bellowing out for help - so Brenton Owens weighed up the risks, and acted. A few days later, he received an infringement notice.
In 2024, diver and environmental scientist Brenton Owens and a group of neighbours paddle-boarded out to rescue a humpback whale entangled in a shark net, risking legal action and fines of more than $30,000.
Moved by that experience, he recently kayaked more than 1,300 kilometr...
Tyá Dynevor has always felt a special connection with animals, which has led her to becoming an ethnozoologist - someone who studies the relationship between humans and animals. It's something Traditional Owners have known about for millennia. We sat down with Tyá for a powerful discussion about how Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Western science can work together to keep Country and people healthy. W...
Now available in video format on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! In this episode we sit down with Australian diving legend Ben Cropp AM to trace a life that swings from shark hunting fame to conservation, shipwreck discovery, and hard-won lessons from 70 years of diving on the Great Barrier Reef. He tells us what it really takes to stay alive underwater, think like a skipper, and keep chasing purpose into one's 90s.
Alon...
A group of Magnetic Island residents believes the annual dumping of maintenance dredge spoil by the Port of Townsville may be creating sediment plumes that smother some of the island's pristine bays, coral reefs, and marine life.
And with the port now applying for a 10-year permit to continue the dumping at its current site, they're calling for community members to have their say.
In this episode of Word on the ...
Twenty years ago, the Belize Barrier Reef was in serious trouble, and nobody could quite figure out why. Then Professor Pete Mumby helped uncover the surprising role of an unlikely reef hero: the parrotfish. Today, we’re diving into the incredible world of these colourful fish and discovering how they can help protect coral reefs.
PLUS… if you only have limited time, people and resources to protect some ...
They’ve claimed the lives of thousands of marine animals along Australia’s east coast, including turtles, whales, dolphins, rays and dugongs. No, we’re not talking about sharks. We’re talking about the shark nets and baited drum lines deployed by the Queensland and New South Wales governments.
But do these programs actually protect swimmers? Does the evidence support shark culling? And what al...
Join us aboard the luxury liveaboard boat Mikumba Dua for a journey into one of the world's most incredible destinations! We'll explore local culture with our guide Filan, climb mountains, and enjoy some of the top rated scuba diving in the world. This episode includes an interview with local dive instructor Wili, and along the way we'll answer all your questions:
- How do I get to Komodo and what can I see there?
- W...
Sawfish, the extraordinary relatives of sharks and rays, once roamed tropical and subtropical waters around the globe. Today they've vanished from much of their former range, with Northern Australia remaining one of their last global strongholds. All five sawfish species are now listed as critically endangered, yet most Australians know surprisingly little about these remarkable animals.
So, what exactly ARE these cr...
Beyond the Great Barrier Reef lies one of the world's largest marine protected areas: the Coral Sea Marine Park. Home to spectacular reefs, abundant marine life and some of the planet's best dive sites, it's one of Australia's last great ocean wildernesses.
But is it getting the protection it deserves?
On today's show, hosts Tanya Murphy and Brett Goodban are joined by Dive Queensland Principal Terry Cummins and Save ...
Reef and Rainforest tour guide Steven Gill is on a mission to bug you... in the best possible way. Armed with a camera, a handful of LEGO bricks and an infectious love for the tiny creatures we usually overlook, he's proving that the smallest critters often have the biggest personalities.
Along the way we'll meet Katy Perry, get business advice from a cleaner wrasse, and explore the surprising connection between the ...
Fifty shades of coral? Not quite... but those colours tell an incredible story. This week we're diving into CoralWatch, the world's longest-running DIY reef science project. Discover how anyone with a mask, a colour chart and a love of coral can help scientists monitor reef health. Diana Kleine from the University of Queensland (pictured in the episode thumbnail image) joins us to prove that citizen science is anyth...
Scientists have discovered that marine species are migrating away from the equator at a rate of 40 to 70 kilometres per decade to get to cooler waters as climate change heats up our ocean.
But far from being a viable escape plan, this mass poleward relocation of marine life is opening up a sea of problems.
On this week's episode of Word on the Reef, hosts Tanya Murphy and Brett Goodban are joined by James Cook Univers...
Every year up to 7,000 tons of seafood is caught on the Great Barrier Reef, while up to 190 tons of coral is collected for the international aquarium trade. But how sustainable are these fisheries? And as consumers, how can we make sure we're making Reef-friendly choices?
In this episode of Word on the Reef, Simon Miller from the Australian Marine Conservation Society joins hosts Tanya Murphy and Brett Goodba...
Did you know that some Great Barrier Reef fish species are spending part of their life cycle in the middle of our city? That's right, marine fish species could be as close as your nearest concrete storm water drain, swimming among abandoned shopping trolleys and discarded beer bottles. In fact, recent research has found more than 60 species of native fish in these waterways.
For 65,000 years before computers, satellites, and scientific journals, Australia's first peoples were reading tides, stars, seasons, animal behaviour, currents, and ecosystems with extraordinary precision. Yet until recently, their knowledge was not formally considered alongside Western Science.
Now, more research and conservation organisations are recognising that in order to protect places like the Great Barrier R...
In 2022, a mass stranding of more than 600 sick turtles devastated Hervey Bay in South East Queensland. As volunteers worked tirelessly to rescue them, scientists got to work on solving the puzzle: what caused this disaster?
Dr Caitlin Smith is one of the scientists racing to unravel the threats facing our sea turtles before it’s too late.
Her work has seen her fearlessly leaning out of helicopters to survey sea...
Professor Kathy Townsend knew she wanted to be a marine biologist from the age of five, and completed her very first dive in a frozen Canadian lake. But it was the moment a five-metre manta ray draped its tail over her shoulder like an affectionate cat that she knew she had truly found her calling.
Since then, Kathy has followed manta rays around the world, appeared in a documentary with Sir David Attenborough, and e...
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