Please note - this event is only open to our qaulified SCUBA surveyors.

We're heading out to attempt to survey another 2 of our Gold Coast long-term monitoring sites. To get to the sites, we'll be using a small vessel, so there is a limit to how many surveyors we can have come along.

High tide is around 1pm, so we'll aim to dive either side of slack, completing a dive at each site before heading back to shore.

These surveys are obviously weather dependant, so we will assess the forecast and conditions in the lead up to the trip.

Please let Rory know if you're available and keen to come along!

Join Reef Check Australia and friends at The Bearded Lady for an evening of discovery, inspiration and appreciation of our local marine, coastal and catchment environments. Each month we have a new, interesting and engaging speaker.

This month we'll hear from Naomi Green, a PhD student under Dr Karen Cheney and Professor Justin Marshall at the Queensland Brain Institute, UQ.

Naomi is in the final six months of her program, and has been awarded an Endeavour grant to spend next year researching bird vision at Lund University in Sweden.

Many animals can see colours beyond human visible light. In this talk, Naomi will provide an overview of the fascinating research in this area, investigating the colour vision of fish, from the goldfish to coral reef and deep sea fish. She will also describe how we can ‘ask’ other animals, what they can see, using stimuli similar to Ishihara colour plates used to test colour blindness in humans. Finally, Naomi will explain how animals, such as nudibranch molluscs and the blue-ringed octopus use colours and patterns to warn predators that they are venomous, toxic or distasteful.

The talk promises to be an exciting evening of science and discovery!

6pm: Bar opens
6:30: Grab a seat (they go fast!)
6:45: Talk kicks-off
7:30: Pizza & good sea-minded conversation!

Entry is $3 (which gets you pizza at the end).

As the venue is a bar, under 18s are most welcome but must be accompanied by an adult. And a 5-year gap is necessary, ie. 17-yr-olds can not be accompanied by an 18-yr-old.

Please RSVP at our Facebook Event Page

This initiative is hosted by Reef Check Australia, and proudly supported by Queensland Government Community Sustainability Action Grants, with amazing in-kind support from The Bearded Lady.

Want to learn more about your local reefs and reef ecology in your local region?

Reef Check Australia (RCA) is hosting a FREE workshop featuring an interactive training session designed to boost understanding and identification skills for reef ecology, with a specific focus on reef habitats. It provides you with training in Reef Check Australia's (RCA) REEFSearch reef identification and observation program, with a focus on identification and data collection. 

The event will be held on June 1st at Geck House, 139 duringan st Currumbin, on the Gold Coast.

The event will feature key findings from Reef Check Australia volunteer reef health monitoring surveys, an update about coral health in the region, and an introduction to the REEFSearch reef identification and observation program.

Spots are limited so register your interest ASAP at the event page. 

The Reef Check Australia team will once again be part of Brisbane City Council’s biggest FREE bi-annual community and sustainability festival - promoting innovative green living in a fun, family-friendly environment for all community members to come and enjoy.

Come and see us at our stall on the day, have a chat and interact with the team. We'll also have the famous Green Screen to take those awesome pics of you with a turtle! We can't wait to hang out and teach you some cool citizen science stuff along the way.

A few tips from the organiser - please bring along a hat, keep cups, refillable water bottles, go cards and bike locks and of course a smile!

Further information can be found at the Green Heart Fair page

This event is proudly sponsored by Brisbane City Council, Cleanaway, Channel 7, Queensland Urban Utilities, Rocky Point and supported by Reef Check Australia.

Sunshine Coast Environment Council is hosting the World Environment Day Festival on Sunday the 2^nd of June - and Reef Check Australia will be there!

World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated in over 100 countries and looks to build awareness and action for the protection of our environment. The Sunshine Coast Environment Council (SCEC) and local environmental groups have been celebrating World Environment Day since 1979.

The WED Festival is Queensland's largest single day environmental festival and attracts over 8,000 visitors.  Featuring live performances from Z-Star Trinity, Fat Picnic, Mitch King and more, alongside food stalls, a fun kids program, live art and community and environment groups (including the RCA team!) the festival looks set to be an absolute blast.

If you're one of our Ambassadors and want to get involved on the day, give Jodi an email. Otherwise, please come along to this amazing free event and have a chat with the team!

In support of World Oceans Day 2019, we will be running a clean up at Amity Point, on Stradbroke Island (and possibly conducting a sneaky survey as well!).

We'll be running clean ups both along the shore and underwater on the day. So if you are interested in helping out we will appreciate all willing hands! If possible, we may also attempt a survey at one of our long-term monitoring sites there.

High tide is at 12:45pm, so this is when we will attempt to dive, but we will be looking to get there a little earlier to set up. We will head over on the ferry around 10am, and return around 4pm.

Please contact Tamara (tamara@reefcheckaustralia.org) or Jodi (jodi@reefcheckaustralia.org) to get involved or find out more.

If you're a PADI Advanced Open Water diver, or equivalent, and you've always wanted to get more involved in reef research - now is your chance!

As part of our Community Reef Protection Project, funded by the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, Reef Check Australia is running SCUBA Surveyor training in the Whitsundays region.

Reef Check Australia SCUBA Surveyor training is a fun way to meet a tribe of reef-mind people, find out more about our beautiful reefs, boost your dive skills and build your capacity to actively contribute to scientific research. You don't need to have previous science or survey experience--we'll provide you with comprehensive training to safely collect great quality data to help look after reefs. 

When you successfully complete the surveyor course, you will receive a Reef Check EcoDiver certification and a PADI distinctive speciality certification.

The Reef Check EcoDiver qualification is recognised by the International global network of Reef Check programs, which allows you participate in survey expeditions at research sites all over the world! (Some locations may require additional training to learn regional indicators).

Once qualified, you’ll be eligible to join our teams of surveyors in the water collecting Reef health data on long-term sites in the Whitsundays region.

The course will run from 11-12 June, with a compulsory meet and greet and intro session on the evening of 10th June.

If this sounds like something you'd love, get your EOI in before 3^rd June.

APPLY HERE

The Reef Check Australia Coast to Coral Community Lecture series has started on the Gold Coast! Join us and friends at the Greenhouse Canteen and Bar Coolangatta for an evening of discovery, inspiration and appreciation of our local marine, coastal and catchment environments. Each month we have a new, interesting and engaging speaker.

This month whale extraordinaire Dr Olaf Meynecke will be sharing his extensive research and dedication to the protection of the marine environment!

Olaf graduated in Environmental Sciences from the University of Lueneburg, Germany  and began his PhD at Griffith University on the relationship between fish harvest and environmental drivers. During his research he developed advanced short and long term tagging methods.

After completing his PhD he continued his research in Marine Science with the Griffith Centre for Coastal Management on the Gold Coast. He now leads an international research project on the impacts of climate change on whales and also studies the health of humpback whales in south-east Queensland using drones. Olaf is CEO and co-founder of Humpbacks & High-Rises Inc - a not for profit research organisation dedicated to urban marine mammal research and protection.

Every year thousands of whales migrate along our shoreline. One of the most well-known species taking part in this annual migration is the humpback whale. Their migration patterns and behaviours have drastically changed over the years. These changes have been documented by citizen science based research undertaken by volunteer groups such as Humpbacks and Highrises. 

Olaf will present this exciting new research and outline the role that everyone can play to help improve our understanding and protection of the marine environment.

6pm: Event opens
6:30: Grab a seat (will go fast!)
6:45: Talk kicks-off
7:30: Tacos & good conversation!

Entry is $5 including a taco!

Please RSVP at our Facebook Event Page.

This initiative is hosted by Reef Check Australia, and proudly supported by Queensland Government Community Sustainability Action Grants, with amazing in-kind support from The Greenhouse Canteen and Bar Coolangatta!

Future talks will take place on the second Wednesday of each month.

The Reef Ambassador program is a ground-breaking project, training community outreach volunteers to actively inspire, motivate and support their communities to better understand and help protect local marine environments. This program mentors volunteers to develop their knowledge and skills in reef ecology, communications, behaviour change principles, and project planning to support positive locally relevant action for the reef. 

As part of our Community Reef Protection Project, funded by the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, Reef Check Australia is running Reef Ambassador training for Whitsundays’ based volunteers who live locally and wish to stay involved over multiple events, projects and seasons.

These Ambassadors will become enthusiastic community leaders, promoting information about the condition of our coral reefs and educating communities on what they can do to help.

We are currently opening Expressions of Interest for June.

PLEASE NOTE: To participate on a Reef Ambassador training course, you must be able to attend all training dates, and commit to at least 6 months of volunteering. 

The course will run from 13-14 June, with a compulsory meet and greet and intro session on the evening of 10th June.

If this sounds like something you'd love, get your EOI in before 3^rd June.

APPLY HERE

Reef Check Australia will be joining the Coastal Protection Core Science Festival at the Redcliffe Kite Fest this June 15th and 16th as part of the Welcome to the Whales ceremony.

The Science Festival aims to excite families and students about Marine Science and Environmental Science and encourage future careers in these fields. Over 2 huge days, there will be loads of fun activities and displays for the whole family to be entertained and discover the world of science!

Check out the Facebook event page for more information.

Reef Check is excited to be part of this popular event. Thanks to the Gold Coast City Council for supportng our work in this area.