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HIGH TIDE ROOM
BONDI PAVILION
MARCH 16 - 19
FREE
SAVING THE OCEAN WITH SCIENCE
The Sea Science Showcase will bring you awesome interactive experiences, captivating talks, and some of the latest innovation and technology saving our seas.
Dive in and be inspired by world-leading innovations created by Australian marine scientists such as the Living Seawalls (a global Earthshot Prize finalist), Operation Crayweed (restoring Sydney’s coastal habitat) and algae growing for food and fibres.
For more information on the Living SeaWall click HERE!
These incredible research solutions will be showcased by leading scientists and universities such as UNSW, USYD and UTS!
On Thursday March 16 we will be hosting a Future Science Student Expo for secondary school students to explore undergraduate degree options in the ocean science field.
SCIENCE IN YOUR SWIMMERS
MARCH 18 - 19
Our conversation corner offers you free inspirational talks from scientists and innovators, focused on ideas to better protect our oceans. Festival-goers can literally turn-up in their swimmers to hear from experts, uncover innovative technology and learn sustainable solutions. There are also free ocean lab workshops available on site for young ocean lovers.
SEA SCIENCE
Big Friendly Giants of the Sea
Discover what a Snot Bot collector is with whale expert Dr Vanessa Pirotta and researcher Dr Olaf Meynecke.
Seafood: How sustainable is sustainable?
How science is helping us navigate the complexities of sustainable food.
Surviving the Beach
How innovative science is helping to make our beaches safer.
The 30 by 30
How marine protected areas and sanctuary zones help everyone. The 30 by 30 target discussed.
Ancient Wisdom meets Modern Science
Traditional and contemporary Indigenous ocean governance working with science to benefit the ocean.
Sharks - Good, Bad or Ugly?
Learn more about these much-maligned but essential ocean residents and the work being done to protect them.
Descending into the Big Blue
How freediving has advanced in 25 years since the iconic film 'The Big Blue' was released.
Surfing Towards a Sustainable Future
Discover the key players defining the world of sustainable surfing.
Restoring Sydney's Coastlines
Innovative habitat restoration programs that are future-proofing Sydney's coastlines.
Planet Ocean vs Climate Change
A healthy planet depends on a healthy ocean - how climate change is getting in the way.
SATURDAY
11-11:30am
ABC PANEL
Seafood: How sustainable is sustainable?
How science is helping us navigate the complexities of sustainable food.
HOSTED BY
Cassie McCaullagh
ABC: National Radio Presenter
SPEAKER
Tony Worby
Flourishing Oceans, Minderoo Foundation: Director
SPEAKER
Neil Perry
Restaurateur
SPEAKER
Jes Sammut
UNSW: Associate Professor
SATURDAY
11:30-11:45am
TALK
A Titanic Question - our ocean heritage
Our world ocean contains at least three million shipwrecks - as well as submerged heritage sites and aircraft. In 2005, I had the opportunity of a lifetime to accompany James Cameron to the site of the RMS Titanic in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Using personal photographs and stories, I'll tell you about the expedition, the archaeology and what sites like Titanic can tell us about how to care for our ocean heritage now and into the future.
SPEAKER
Emily Jateff
Australian National Maritime Museum
SATURDAY
11:45-12:45pm
ABC PANEL
The 30 by 30 Target
How Marine Protected Areas and Sanctuary Zones help everyone
HOST
Cassie McCaullagh
ABC: National Radio Presenter
SPEAKER
Tony Worby
Flourishing Oceans, Minderoo Foundation: Director
SPEAKER
Captain Gordon Scott
Retired Captain
SPEAKER
Eleanor Bruce
USYD
SPEAKER
John Turnbull
USYD
SATURDAY
12:45-1:00pm
TALK
Soft plastics - Everyone needs to act !
Exploring how soft plastics are contributing to climate change and what the public can do to reduce plastic consumption. Plastic Production is accelerating climate change. By 2050 it will be responsible for 13% of the planets carbon emissions. We need to act.
SPEAKER
Janey Martin
Organised by Ale/Waverley
SATURDAY
1:40-1:50pm
TALK
Coral Watch
Corals of Sydney
SPEAKER
John Sear
Coral Watch Ambassador
SATURDAY
1:55-2:15pm
PANEL
Big Friendly Giants of the Sea
Discover what a Snot Bot collector is and other cool whale facts
HOST
Robin Mellon
SPEAKER
Dr Vanessa Pirrota
OLF Ambassador/Macquarie
SPEAKER
Alex Jones
USYD
SPEAKER
Robert Harcourt
Honorary Professor of Marine Ecology
SATURDAY
2:15-2:25pm
TALK
Sustainable seafood
SPEAKER
Dr Chris Gillies
Seafood Positive/One Fish,Two Fish
SATURDAY
2:25-2:35pm
TALK
Coral Reefs
In a period of unprecedented environmental change, coral reefs globally are being lost. In her talk, Emma will discuss the innovative science being implemented to revive our threatened reefs.
SPEAKER
Dr Emma Camp
UTS: Climate Change Cluster
SATURDAY
3:00-3:25pm
PANEL
SATURDAY
3:30-3:40pm
TALK
BluebottleWatch: Taking the sting out of swimming
With BluebottleWatch, we will shed new light on bluebottle dynamics, pathways, and distribution of bluebottles on our beaches.
SPEAKER
Amandine Schaeffer
UNSW Researcher
SATURDAY
3:40-4:00pm
PANEL
Ancient Wisdom meets Modern Science
Traditional and contemporary Indigenous ocean governance working with science to benefit the ocean.
HOST
Robin Mellon
SPEAKER
Robert Cooley
Gamay Rangers
SPEAKER
Dr Mitch Gibbs
UNSW
SPEAKER
Adriana Verges
SIMS/UNSW
SUNDAY
11:00-11:10am
TALK
Saving our underwater forests needs a global movement
Learn how a team is uniting across the planet to restore and protect critical ecosystems and resources
SPEAKER
Aaron Eger
Kelp Forest Alliance/UNSW
11:00-11:10am
TALK
I get by with a little kelp from friends: Creating a global movement to save our kelp forests
Kelp forests cover 1/3 of our coastlines and sustain cultures and economies, yet are in dramatic decline around the world. Learn how you can join a global movement to protect and restore 4 million hectares of kelp forests by 2040.
SPEAKER
Aaron Eger
Kelp Forest Alliance/UNSW
12:00-12:20pm
PANEL
Sharks - Good, Bad or Ugly
Host Robin Mellon will be joined by legendary shark conservationist, film maker and photographer, Valerie Taylor, Dr Leonardo Guida, shark scientist and conservation lead at the Australian Marine Conservation Society, Captain Gordon Scott and Lawrence Chlebeck from Humane Society International. Make sure to join this exciting talk and learn more about these much-maligned but essential ocean residents and the work being done to protect them.
1:00-1:10pm
TALK
Saving Oceans, One Used Pouch at a time
Single use plastic solutions
SPEAKER
Jack Aubort
Zero Co.
1:50-2:00pm
TALK
Treating corals like patients
In this short presentation I will show you 3D computer topography (CT) scans of coral cores from One Tree Reef, GBR. Similar to an osteopath, reef doctors can examine the skeleton of corals to understand how, why, and when reefs have changed through time.
SPEAKER
Claire Raymond
USYD
2:50-3:00am
TALK
Whales and Carbon - Can whales really save us from Climate Change?
Whales can make a contribution to carbon sequestration, but can they really save us from climate change? Exploring the role that whales play in the global carbon cycle, pathways of their contribution to the carbon capture and how they enhance marine productivity by transforming our oceans.
SPEAKER
Dr Olaf Meynecke
CEO and Founder of Humpbacks and Highrises
11:10-11:30am
TALK
In Search of Mina Wylie: Rediscovering a lost Australian champion in the archives
Mina Wylie of Coogee Wylie's Baths was the first woman to swim for Australia in the 1921 Olympic Games, becoming one of Australia's greatest swimmers. This talk will explore her achievements, the context of women's early competitive swimming, and sexism in female sport.
SPEAKER
Grace Barnes
Author
12:40-1:00pm
TALK
Extreme sailing for Science
Enjoy a thrilling story as Lisa recounts her epic voyages around Antarctica where she regularly faced snowstorms and blizzards, 100 km/h winds and waves the height of a 5 storey building and nearly didn't live to tell the tale.
SPEAKER
Lisa Blair
Ocean Adventurer and Climate Activist
1:10-1:20pm
TALK
Corals, Buckets, and Waves
Have you ever noticed coral reefs like to grow in the shape of buckets? This talk will explore how coral reefs are the greatest wave dissipaters in the world and how that wave dissipation is important to provide a "just right" environment for corals to live on the rim of buckets
SPEAKER
Ana Vila Concejo
USYD
2:00-2:10am
TALK
How ocean warming impacts marine plankton and water quality
Climate change is causing changes in the distribution and abundance of plankton species that naturally produce toxins, and as a result these harmful algal blooms are increasingly damaging fisheries, aquaculture and marine water quailty.
SPEAKER
Prof. Shauna Murray
UTS
SUNDAY
11:10-11:30am
TALK
In Search of Mina Wylie
Rediscovering a lost Australian champion in the archives
SPEAKER
Grace Barnes
Author
SUNDAY
12:00-12:20pm
PANEL
Sharks - Good, Bad or Ugly
more about these much-maligned but essential ocean residents and the work being done to protect them.
HOST
Robin Mellon
SPEAKER
Lawrence Chlebeck
Humane Society International
SPEAKER
Captain Gordon Scott
Retired Captain
SPEAKER
Dr Leonardo Guida
AMCS
SUNDAY
12:30-12:40pm
TALK
Corals, buckets, and waves.
Why coral reef growth mirrors the shape of buckets
SPEAKER
Ana Vila Concejo
USYD
SUNDAY
12:40-1:00pm
TALK
Extreme sailing for Science
Enjoy a thrilling story as Lisa recounts her epic voyages around Antarctica where she regularly faced snowstorms and blizzards, 100 km/h winds and waves the height of a 5 story building and nearly didn't live to tell the tale. Sailing her yacht Climate Action Now Lisa recounts her citizen science efforts along the way and the power of the individual action towards our sustainable futures
SPEAKER
Lisa Blair
SUNDAY
1:00-1:10pm
TALK
Saving Oceans, one used pouch at a time.
Single use plastic solutions
SPEAKER
Jack Aubort
Zero Co.
SUNDAY
2:00-2:10pm
TALK
Toxic algal cultured strains
SPEAKER
Prof. Shauna Murray
UTS
SUNDAY
2:50-3:00pm
TALK
Whales and Carbon - Can whales really save us from Climate Change?
Explore the role whales play in the global carbon cycle, how they enhance marine productivity and transform our oceans, but also how media is mixing up the facts.
SPEAKER
Dr Olaf Meynecke
CEO and Founder of Humpbacks and Highrises
11:00-11:30am
ABC PANEL
Seafood: How sustainable is sustainable?
How science is helping us navigate the complexities of sustainable food.
HOSTED BY
Cassie McCaullagh
ABC: National Radio Presenter
SPEAKERS
Tony Worby
Flourishing Oceans, Minderoo Foundation: Director
Neil Perry
Restaurateur
Jes Sammut
UNSW: Associate Professor
11:45-12:45pm
ABC PANEL
The 30 by 30 Target
How Marine Protected Areas and Sanctuary Zones help everyone
HOSTED BY
Cassie McCaullagh
ABC: National Radio Presenter
SPEAKERS
Tony Worby
Flourishing Oceans, Minderoo Foundation: Director
Captain Gordon Scott
Retired Captain
Eleanor Bruce
USYD
John Turnbull
USYD
12:45-1:00pm
TALK
Soft plastics - Everyone needs to act !
Exploring how soft plastics are contributing to climate change and what the public can do to reduce plastic consumption. We need to act.
SPEAKER
Janey Martin
Organised by Ale/Waverley
1:40-1:50pm
TALK
Coral Watch
Corals of Sydney
SPEAKER
John Sear
Coral Watch Ambassador
2:15-2:25pm
TALK
Sustainable Seafood
SPEAKER
Dr Chris Gillies
Seafood Positive/One Fish,Two Fish
2:25-2:35pm
TALK
Coral Reefs
In a period of unprecedented environmental change, coral reefs globally are being lost. In her talk, Emma will discuss the innovative science being implemented to revive our threatened reefs.
SPEAKER
Dr Emma Camp
UTS: Climate Change Cluster
3:00-3:25pm
PANEL
Surfing into a Sustainable Future
Discover the key players defining the world of sustainable surfing.
HOSTED BY
Josh Kirkman
CEO of Surfers for Climate
SPEAKERS
Amy Low
Brand and Marketing Director of Piping Hot
Damien Cole
National Campaign Director, Surfrider Foundation
Tom Wilson
Founder, Program Director, Wavechanger
3:30-3:40pm
TALK
BluebottleWatch: Taking the sting out of swimming
With BluebottleWatch, we will shed new light on bluebottle dynamics, pathways, and distribution of bluebottles on our beaches.
SPEAKER
Amandine Schaeffer
UNSW Researcher
3:30-4:00pm
PANEL
Ancient Wisdom meets Modern Science
Traditional and contemporary Indigenous ocean governance working with science to benefit the ocean.
HOSTED BY
Robin Mellon
SPEAKERS
Robert Cooley
Gamay Rangers
Dr Mitch Gibbs
UNSW
Adriana Verges
SIMS/UNSW
11:00-11:10am
TALK
Saving our underwater forests needs a global movement
Learn how a team is uniting across the planet to restore and protect critical ecosystems and resources
SPEAKER
Aaron Eger
Kelp Forest Alliance/UNSW
In Search of Mina Wylie
Rediscovering a lost Australian champion in the archives
11:10-11:30am
TALK
SPEAKER
Grace Barnes
Author
12:00-12:20am
PANEL
Sharks - Good, Bad or Ugly
more about these much-maligned but essential ocean residents and the work being done to protect them.
HOSTED BY
Robin Mellon
SPEAKERS
Lawrence Chlebeck
Humane Society International
Captain Gordon Scott
Retired Captain
Dr Leonardo Guida
AMCS
12:30-12:40am
TALK
Corals, Buckets, and Waves
Why coral reef growth mirrors the shape of buckets
SPEAKER
Ana Vila Concejo
USYD
12:40-1:00am
TALK
Extreme sailing for Science
Enjoy a thrilling story as Lisa recounts her epic voyages around Antarctica where she regularly faced snowstorms and blizzards, 100 km/h winds and waves the height of a 5 story building and nearly didn't live to tell the tale.
SPEAKER
Lisa Blair
1:00-1:10am
TALK
Saving Oceans, One Used Pouch at a Time
Single use plastic solutions
SPEAKER
Jack Aubort
Zero Co.
2:00-2:10am
TALK
Toxic Algal Cultured Strains
SPEAKER
Prof. Shauna Murray
UTS
2:50-3:00am
TALK
Whales and Carbon
Can whales really save us from Climate Change? Explore the role whales play in the global carbon cycle, how they enhance marine productivity and transform our oceans, but also how media is mixing up the facts.
SPEAKER
Dr Olaf Meynecke
CEO and Founder of Humpbacks and Highrises
11:00-11:30am
ABC PANEL
Seafood: How sustainable is sustainable?
Hosted by ABC National Radio Presenter Cassie McCullagh - Join legendary chef, author and television presenter Neil Perry AM, Tony Worby, Director - Planet Portfolio & Flourishing Oceans, Minderoo Foundation and Jes Sammut, Associate Professor at UNSW, to delve into how science is helping us navigate the complexities of sustainable food.
11:45-12:45pm
ABC PANEL
The 30 by 30 Target
Hosted by ABC National Radio Presenter Cassie McCullagh - Join Tony Worby, Director - Planet Portfolio & Flourishing Oceans at Minderoo Foundation, Captain Gordon Scott, retired GBR Captain, USYD Associate Professor Eleanor Bruce, and USYD Research Associate John Turnbull, to learn how Marine Protected Areas and Sanctuary Zones play a critical role in protecting our marine environment and safeguarding our planet for future generations.
1:00-1:30pm
ABC PANEL
Surviving the Beach
Hosted by ABC National Radio Presenter Cassie McCullagh - Join Prof Rob Brander, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences at UNSW, Greg Neely from University of Sydney Charles Perkins Center and Dr Jas Lawes, lead researcher at Surf Lifesaving Australia to learn how innovative science is helping to make our beaches safer.
1:55-2:15pm
PANEL
Big Friendly Giants of the Sea
Hosted by Robin Mellon - Join Wildlife scientist and Superstar of STEM Dr Vanessa Pirrota, Macquarie University, Alex Jones, University of Sydney and Robert Harcourt, Honorary Professor of Marine Ecology, Macquarie University to discover what a Snot Bot collector is and other cool facts about these majestic giants of the sea.
2:25-2:35pm
TALK
Reviving Our Coral Reefs
In a period of unprecedented environmental change, coral reefs globally are being lost. In her talk, Emma will discuss the innovative science being implemented to revive our threatened reefs.
SPEAKER
Dr Emma Camp
UTS: Climate Change Cluster
3:30-3:40pm
TALK
BluebottleWatch: Taking the sting out of swimming
Have you ever been stung by a bluebottle? Little is known about bluebottles and when to expect them at the beach. Through exploration of BluebottleWatch, we will shed new light on bluebottle dynamics, pathways, and distribution of bluebottles on our beaches.
SPEAKER
Amandine Schaeffer
UNSW Researcher
11:30-11:45am
TALK
A Titanic Question - our ocean
heritage
Our world ocean contains at least three million shipwrecks including the RMS Titanic, which Emily Jateff, from the Australian National Maritime Museum, was lucky enough to visit with James Cameroon. She will speak on her lifetime opportunity, the archaeology and what sites like Titanic can tell us about how to care for our ocean heritage now and into the future.
SPEAKER
Emily Jateff
Australian National Maritime Museum
12:45-1:00pm
TALK
Soft plastics - Everyone needs
to act !
Exploring how soft plastics are contributing to climate change and what the public can do to reduce plastic consumption. Plastic Production is accelerating climate change. By 2050 it will be responsible for 13% of the planets carbon emissions. We need to act.
SPEAKER
Janey Martin
Organised by Ale/Waverley
1:40-1:50pm
TALK
Using Citizen Science to Save Our Coral Reefs
Providing an overview of the diversity and importance of coral reefs and demonstrate how easily anyone can contribute to citizen science using the CoralWatch coral health monitoring process . With 20 years of data already captured CoralWatch is now focussing on our local temperate corals?
SPEAKER
John Sear
Coral Watch Ambassador
2:15-2:25pm
TALK
Feeling guilty when eating seafood? How to become Seafood Positive.
Dr Chris Gillies, sustainable seafood program, will discuss the ethical dilemma many ocean lovers face when eating seafood, sharing tips on choosing sustainable seafood and helping you overcome that guilty feeling when eating your next fish taco.
SPEAKER
Dr Chris Gillies
Founder and CEO of seafood positive and the OneFishTwoFish sustainable seafood program
3:00-3:25pm
PANEL
Surfing into a Sustainable Future
Hosted by Josh Kirkman, CEO of Surfers for Climate - Join brand and marketing director of Piping Hot Amy Low, National Campaign Director of Surfrider Foundation Damien Cole and Founder/Program Director of Wavechange Tom Wilson, to discover the key players defined the world of sustainable surfing.
3:30-4:00pm
PANEL
Ancient Wisdom meets Modern Science
Hosted by Robin Mellon - Join Professor in marine ecology, Adriana Verges from UNSW, Robert Cooley, Senior Field Officer of the Gamay Rangers and Dr Mitch Gibbs, UNSW.
Hear about traditional and contemporary Indigenous ocean governance working with modern science to benefit the health of our ocean.
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