Join Reef Check Australia and friends on the second Tuesday night of each month in your lounge room/office/comfy chair, for an evening of discovery, inspiration and appreciation of our local marine, coastal and catchment environments.

This month we will hear from Grant Hinner from Noosa Council and Craig Bohm from The Nature Conservancy.

Grant Hinner is the Program Coordinator, Climate Change Adaptation at Noosa Shire Council. Grant has a background in corporate responsibility and sustainability strategy. Prior to coming to Noosa, Grant has worked in program management, performance reporting, and policy development within various corporates in the infrastructure, mining, and real estate sectors. When not working, Grant is either working on re-planting his hinterland property with native species, or listening to whale-song and hoping to see a turtle while surfing along Noosa’s eastern beaches.

Craig is a coastal and marine manager with a deep passion Australia’s coasts and seas. Craig grew up diving, boating and spearfishing with his brothers on Sydney’s northern beaches. In his day job, based in Sydney, Craig worked for over 20 years leading and supporting coastal and marine research, conservation and community-based restoration projects across southern Australia. He also served on many fisheries advisory committees, developed a national sustainable seafood guide and marine project guide for conservation practitioners.

Craig then relocated for over 10 years to the shores of Moreton Bay, in south east Queensland, taking up a role as a national marine conservation advocate. He then took a different path, relocating to Jordan, in the middle east, advising the government on coastal and marine management, and also to Fiji, where he passed an exciting six years delivering coastal projects and eventually managing  15 country, 22 project climate adaptation programme for the German Development Agency (GIZ).

About the talks:

To help the Noosa Shire adapt to potential effects of climate change over time, Noosa Council is undertaking a multi-year project to develop a comprehensive and coordinated adaptation program in response to the risks presented by a changing climate. Grant will be sharing with us the work achieved to date on this important project, and some of the lessons learnt thus far and challenges yet to overcome.

Noosa has a reputation as one of Australia’s most desirable holiday and living destinations. It’s known for its expansive beaches and colourful bays, but not for its once abundant oyster beds. Oyster beds were common throughout the Noosa estuary, but by the early 1900s Noosa’s oyster beds had become functionally extinct through over-harvesting and dredging. Craig will provide insights into work that The Nature Conservancy, Noosa Shire Council and the Noosa community together, with support from the Thomas Foundation and Australian Marine Conservation Society, are doing together to rebuild oyster beds in the Noosa River and why this is so important.

Virtual doors (zoom) opens at 6.25pm for a 6:30 pm start.

Stay after the event for networking and nibbles (BYO obviously!) - get your burning questions answered by Grant and Craig, and continue your thoughts, ideas and sea-minded discussions with your local community, all from the comfort of your couch!

Bring a mate and share in the discovery!


At Reef Check Australia we’re all about inspiring our mates and we love to read your thoughts! So, share your favourite parts about the night and tag us! Reef Check Australia #coasttocoral

This initiative is hosted by Reef Check Australia, and proudly supported by oh so many groups including the City of Gold Coast, Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd, Sunshine Coast Council's Environment Levy partnerships grant, The June Canavan Foundation and Townsville City Council.

Future talks take place on the second Tuesday night of each month, with a new, interesting and engaging speaker.

For more information contact seqevents@reefcheckaustralia.org