Join Operation Crayweed as part of the Ocean Lovers Festival for a hands-on ocean adventure celebrating the hidden underwater forest at North Bondi Beach. You will discover what kelp is, what happened to the kelp we call crayweed, and how scientists and community members are working together to bring it back. 

Then - choose your own adventure. 
Prefer dry land? 
Settle in for a morning of story-sharing and ocean wisdom. We’ll demystify the difference between kelp and seagrass, explore the creatures that call crayweed home, and uncover the secrets of the rocky reef ecosystem. 
Keen to get into the water? 
Grab your mask and snorkel and join our scientists for a guided hunt for crayweed. Don’t forget your snorkelling gear!  You’ll help log GPS points to build a community-made map of North Bondi’s underwater forests, to track our restoration progress. 
To snorkel with Operation Crayweed, we will need to induct you as a volunteer snorkeler at UNSW. The induction process involves a supervised 200 m swim and a 5-min water treading exercise, which we will complete ahead of the crayweed snorkel.​

WHEN: Friday 20 March 2026 . This event is WEATHER DEPENDENT. It might be cancelled/postponed to the following Friday if conditions aren't good. Please register for the event with an email address you regularly check, as we will announce whether the event is postponed.
WHO: All welcome! We have capped the event due to limited staffing capacity, so please RSVP.
WHAT TO BRING: There is not a lot of shade at this site. Please wear a hat and sun protection, and water/snacks. There are public toilets nearby. Please bring gardening/working gloves if you want to handle the crayweed, your snorkelling gear if you wish to get in the water, and your camera if you want to participate in the photo competition. We will be on the rocky reef, so please wear appropriate footwear. Handling crayweed may stain your clothes, so it's best to wear dark or work clothes.
WHERE: Meet us on the grass by Ray O'Keefe Reserve car parking

For any questions: please email operation.crayweed@unsw.edu.au or claudia.santori@unsw.edu.au

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