What better way to celebrate Marine Protected Area Day than getting out on the ocean and exploring the incredible biodiversity of our Byron–Tweed Hope Spot!

In August, we welcomed a fantastic group of enthusiastic Ocean Champions to our Biodiversity Citizen Science Workshop and field trip, which was booked to full capacity! The workshop brought together community members for a hands-on day of marine research, biodiversity discovery and learning about the importance of protecting our oceans.

Exploring life above and below the surface

From observing and recording marine mammals to learning about the importance of long-term monitoring, citizen science teams gained first-hand experience of how scientific observations help us better understand these animals, their habitats and the pressures they face.

The team first completed a cetacean survey on-board the research vessel as we covered different areas of Byron Bay-searching for resident Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins and migrating humpback whales.

Then it was time to explore beneath the surface!

At Nguthungulli (Julian Rocks), one of the region’s most spectacular marine biodiversity hotspots within Cape Byron Marine Park, participants took to the water to discover and document the extraordinary diversity of underwater life.

Armed with underwater cameras and plenty of curiosity, our citizen science Ocean Champions explored the reef environment, photographing and recording marine species to contribute observations to our Byron–Tweed Hope Spot Biodiversity Project on iNaturalist.

From the marine life visible above the surface to the incredible world beneath it, the experience highlighted just how interconnected and diverse our coastal and marine ecosystems are.

Discovering biodiversity beyond what we can see

Our field activities also included collecting environmental DNA (eDNA) samples and underwater sound recordings, introducing participants to additional scientific methods used to investigate marine biodiversity.

Environmental DNA allows researchers to detect genetic material that organisms leave behind in the water, offering another way to investigate which species may be present—even when they aren’t directly observed.

Underwater sound recordings provide valuable insights into the marine soundscape, helping us investigate biological sounds and the acoustic environment experienced by marine wildlife.

By combining visual observations, eDNA sampling and acoustic recordings, our research aims to build a more comprehensive picture of marine biodiversity across the Byron–Tweed Hope Spot.

Turning ocean discovery into conservation action

Our biodiversity project is part of our larger Ocean Champion Program, which empowers communities to take meaningful grassroots action to protect and conserve our oceans.

Citizen science is an important part of this work. By bringing people into the field and providing opportunities to participate in real scientific research, we’re helping build knowledge, develop practical skills and strengthen connections with our marine environment.

And the learning doesn’t stop when the field day ends!

Citizen scientists can continue contributing to our Byron–Tweed Hope Spot Biodiversity Project by photographing and recording the wildlife they encounter in our coastal and marine environments.

Every observation adds another piece to our growing picture of biodiversity across the Hope Spot.

A big thank you to our Ocean Champions!

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for this special day and brought such enthusiasm, curiosity and passion for our oceans!

We also extend our thanks to everyone who helped make the workshop possible.

Together, we’re building knowledge, inspiring ocean stewardship and taking action to help protect the incredible biodiversity of our Byron–Tweed Hope Spot.

Become an Ocean Champion!

Want to get involved in citizen science and help us discover, record and protect marine biodiversity?

Join our Byron–Tweed Hope Spot Biodiversity Project on iNaturalist or explore our free online Ocean Citizen Science Workshop to learn how you can contribute. Also check out our events page and join one of our upcoming field trips.

Discover it. Record it. Help protect it.

More than 60 ocean advocates came together in Byron Bay for a Night of Ocean Action, raising their voices for stronger protection of our extraordinary marine environment.

What an inspiring evening of community action for our ocean! In September, more than 60 passionate community members joined us for Ocean Future Byron Bay – A Night of Ocean Action, coming together to learn, connect and take meaningful action to help shape the future of marine protection in Australia.

With the Australian Government reviewing the Temperate East Marine Parks Network and the NSW 30×30 campaign calling for stronger marine protection in state waters, the evening provided a timely opportunity for our community to speak up and help shape the future of our oceans.

From the shallows to the deep – protecting our connected ocean

Our Byron–Tweed Hope Spot Champions, Dr Liz Hawkins and Alice Forrest, took participants on a journey through our remarkable marine environment, from the shallow estuaries, rocky reefs and coastal habitats of Cape Byron Marine Park to the continental shelf, deep submarine canyons and ancient volcanic seamounts of the Temperate East region.

Our region is a remarkable meeting place for tropical, subtropical and temperate marine life, supporting an extraordinary diversity of species and ecosystems.

But marine life doesn’t recognise marine park boundaries. Whales, dolphins, sharks, turtles and seabirds move between habitats, across jurisdictional boundaries and between protected and unprotected waters.

While marine parks provide important protection, significant gaps remain. Many ecologically important habitats are under-represented in highly protected areas, and some marine park zones continue to allow activities that place pressure on marine ecosystems.

With warming oceans, changing currents, marine heatwaves, pollution and other growing pressures, strengthening marine protection has never been more important.

Turning knowledge into ocean action

The evening wasn’t just about learning — it was about taking action!

With important decisions being made about the future of marine protection in Australia, participants were guided by our guest speakers; Dailan Pugh, James Sherwood (from AMCS) and Danielle Ryan (from NSWNPA) and encouraged and supported to make their voices heard at both state and Commonwealth levels.

At the Commonwealth level, participants were invited to make submissions to the Temperate East Marine Parks Network review, calling for a comprehensive, adequate and representative network of highly protected marine areas that safeguards the extraordinary diversity of habitats, species and ecological processes — from our coastlines to the deep sea.

Closer to home, participants also took action as part of the NSW 30×30 campaign, writing letters to the NSW Premier calling for stronger marine protection and urging the NSW Government to protect 30% of our oceans by 2030.

Together, these actions highlighted the importance of strengthening marine protection across state and Commonwealth waters, improving ecological connectivity, safeguarding critical habitats for threatened and migratory species, and ensuring our marine parks deliver meaningful conservation outcomes.

It was inspiring to see our community turning their passion for the ocean into meaningful action — using their voices to help shape a healthier future for our marine environment.

Our community making waves!

It was fantastic to see a packed room of more than 60 people willing to give their time and lend their voices to protecting our ocean.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, contributed to the discussions, wrote letters and made submissions. Every voice helps demonstrate how much our community values our marine environment and wants to see it protected for future generations.

This is what our Byron–Tweed Region Hope Spot Ocean Champion Program is all about — bringing people together, building knowledge and empowering our community to take meaningful grassroots action for our ocean.

From citizen science and biodiversity monitoring to marine debris clean-ups, habitat restoration and advocating for stronger environmental protection, our Ocean Champions are helping turn awareness into action.

Together, we can help create a healthier, more resilient future for our marine environment.

Huge thanks to Patagonia for supporting the event!

One ocean. Many habitats. One connected future.

Our recent screening of OCEAN with David Attenborough, hosted by Dolphin Research Australia | Ocean Education & Conservation, brought together a passionate audience united by one clear message: our oceans matter — and they need stronger protection.

 From Inspiration to Action

The evening went beyond awareness. Attendees learned how they can be part of the solution — from supporting marine sanctuary campaigns to getting involved in citizen science and local conservation through the Byron Tweed Hope Spot Ocean Champion Program.

Following the screening, our community came together in a powerful show of support — standing side by side holding signs calling to “Save Our Sanctuaries” and backing the urgent need to protect at least 30% of our oceans by 2030 (30×30).

This event formed part of a statewide series of screenings across New South Wales — including at Parliament — calling for stronger marine protection. Together, these events are amplifying a clear and growing public voice for improved and expanded marine sanctuaries.

These grassroots actions are critical to driving real change.

Why It Matters

Marine sanctuaries are one of the most effective tools we have to protect ocean biodiversity, restore ecosystems, and safeguard critical habitats for dolphins, whales and other marine life.

Yet many areas remain under-protected — and community support is essential to drive stronger protections.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us and stood up for our oceans.

Together, we are building momentum for change — and showing that local communities can help shape a healthier future for our blue planet.

Together, we can turn the tide.

Enjoy stalls and information from local ocean protection organisations, be inspired by some incredible films and talks from ocean experts with a Q&A Panel with some very special guests, enjoy music and fun ocean theme activities!

We will have our  marine discovery station set up,where you can learn about the local marine biodiversity of the Byron Bay Hope Spot and help in a citizen science microplastic survey of our local beaches. We will also have a workshop stall where you can turn surfboard manufacturing waste into a usable and personalised object for your home! With more workshops to be announced!

There will be face painting & special kids activities where they can learn about the wonders of nature.

There’s also great prizes to be won! Including your chance to WIN a surfboard from Joel Fitzgerald!

This event is organised and brought to you by:
Dolphin Research Australia, Surfing to Survive & Surfers for Climate

The Hope Spot marine discovery station, Q&A Panel, and surfboard waste to useful household object activity is part of our Byron Bay Hope Spot Ocean Champions Program supported by Patagonia 1% for the Planet program and Splendour in the Grass Community Grants.

For more information & tickets, head to our Humanitix Future Blue Fest page HERE

Read more about our Ocean Champion program.

Over 20 attendees helped to clean-up around the Fishery Creek Boat Harbour in West Ballina, and over 1890 pieces of trash, weighing 174kg! The items were documented to provide important data about sources of waste, with plastic packaging and pieces being the most common, as well as fishing debris, rope and cigarette butts.

The afternoon was spent at Australian Seabird and Turtle Rescue (ASTR) where attendees heard about our Healthy Waterways-Healthy Dolphins project work and progress in the Richmond River from our own Dr Liz Hawkins. We also heard from Professor Kirsten Benkendorff about her fascinating, and slightly terrifying, work on pollutants and oysters and the research findings of her team at Southern Cross University. ASTR’s Amanda Philp also shared some insight into how local wildlife such as seabirds and turtles are impacted by plastic pollution & fishing debris on the river. Attendees learnt about the many generations of bottlenose dolphins who call the Richmond River home, as well as about the 21 potentially harmful chemicals (primarily herbicides and pesticides) found in oysters along the waterway.

Local organisations Ozfish Unlimited (who supported the event through their Keep It Clean campaign) and Richmond Riverkeeper also shared their current projects to restore dolphin and fish habitat and regenerate the river. This involved many exciting community projects such as bringing back local oyster populations using ROBs (Robust Oyster Baskets) and hardy local oyster subspecies, working with traditional custodians, riparian restoration, tackling litter, citizen science and creating river and waterway custodians in our community.

Each one of us can be an Ocean Champion and make a difference to improve the health of our Richmond River. From reducing plastic waste, using earth friendly herbicides, pesticides and cleaning products, to picking up litter, it all makes a difference! Here’s a few ways we can help:

• Support local organisations (volunteer or donate) like Dolphin Research Australia, Ozfish Unlimited & Richmond Riverkeepers
• Shop organic and avoid heavily sprayed foods
• Be mindful of your own chemical use at home, in gardens & agriculture
• Pick up rubbish on our riverbanks & coasts
• Be a custodian for our waterways
• Advocate for better regulation of agricultural chemical use
• Restore riverbanks by planting natives
• Support community projects like oyster reef and saltmarsh restoration that help improve water quality and increase biodiversity.
• Organise community clean up events in your local area

A huge thank you to Professor Kirsten Benkendorff from Southern Cross University, Richmond River Keepers, OzFish Unlimited, Australian Seabird and Turtle Rescue and our Dolphin Research Australia team for sharing your work and helping to shed light on the issues and solutions! Additional thanks to Australian Seabird & Turtle Rescue for providing a meeting space and our funding supporters; Patagonia’s 1% for the Planet program and Splendour In The Grass via FEAT’s ‘Solar Slice’ initiative.

The Richmond River: Pollution & Solutions day was part of a series of workshops running throughout the year as part of the Byron Bay Hope Spot Ocean Champions program organised by Dolphin Research Australia supported by a grant from Patagonia’s 1% for the Planet program. The workshops each address key threats facing our marine wildlife and grass-roots actions to promote positive change and improved protection.

Despite wild weather and raging seas, Byron’s ocean loving community came out in force to document the plants, animals and fungi that inhabit our coastline. From March 8^th -17^th, hundreds of people explored the rock pools, beaches, headlands and estuaries from Brunswick Heads to Ballina in a quest to document as many species as possible. This 10-day community driven survey of marine life along our coastal waterways provides a valuable snapshot of our local biodiversity within the Byron Bay and Ballina region, particularly relevant in the face of changing climate and warming seas.

Over 67 observers made 1700 submissions to iNaturalist, an online citizen science database for flora and fauna. 647 species were identified from the marine bioblitz including 22 threatened species. Incredibly, critically endangered beach stone curlew were seen in two separate locations. Endangered species such as the hawksbill turtle, koala, day waterlily and sooty oystercatcher were also documented. There were also some incredible sightings of unique and fascinating creatures like the blue dragon nudibranch (or sea swallow), fiddler rays, bubble snails, octopus and pineapple fish.

“It was incredible to see the community getting behind this initiative and getting out there to discover different species in our salty backyard,” said Alice Forrest, Byron Bay Hope Spot Coordinator at Dolphin Research Australia, who organised the event.

“This marine bioblitz is the first of its kind here in Northern NSW and provides a much-needed open-access record of marine and coastal biodiversity in our region, the data will help to inform conservation and management decisions into the future,” said Alice.

Citizen science participant, Karin Taylor documented hundreds of sightings and said, “It was wonderful to take part and I’ve learned so much. I think that the highlight of my 10 days must be seeing so many migratory birds resting on our shores who come from faraway places like the Arctic and Shetland, Scotland… We truly must protect our precious wildlife that is under threat and create as much awareness about them as possible.”

Community events involving local organisations and businesses were held as part of the bioblitz and included presentations about local citizen science programs and networking opportunities, dolphin watching, bird watching, and a mangrove walk.

The community can continue to get involved as citizen scientists and record observations of marine life throughout the year via the Byron Bay Hope Spot project on iNaturalist.

The marine bioblitz is the first in a series of workshops running throughout the year as part of the Byron Bay Hope Spot Ocean Champions program organised by Dolphin Research Australia supported by a grant from Patagonia’s 1% for the Planet program. The workshops will each address key threats facing our marine wildlife and grass-roots actions to promote positive change and improved protection.

The Bioblitz was just the beginning, and anyone can be involved in citizen science in the future through the ongoing iNaturalist group Byron Bay Hope Spot. If you’d like to be part of documenting our local marine species and helping us to understand more about our incredible coastal wildlife then just sign up to iNaturalist and join the group to add your submissions!

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