Dear {{recipient.first_name_or_friend}}  It's autumn already and the weather is starting to cool down. We have been out and about doing clean ups (above and below water), hosting stalls, getting in a couple of surveys and doing some fundraising. This months email includes: Action of the Month: Mindful in May News from the Field Brain Food Current Coral Affairs Get With the Program Mindful in May  Friday, May 20th is World Meditation day. The tiny but mighty team at Reef Check Australia believe in each and every one of you, and that together we can and will make a difference for ourselves, each other and the planet. We want to support every individual to become their very best selves. That's why the action of this month is all about mindfulness and meditation. Put simply, mindfulness is the practice of being present. It means sitting in and being aware of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment. It involves acceptance; paying attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them—without believing, for instance, that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment. When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune into what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future. One way to practice mindfulness is through meditation. Just ten minutes a day can help you offset the impact our technology-driven culture has on our emotional and physical well-being, allowing more relaxation and calm (and less anxiety). Meditation can also be done anywhere, anytime, and needs no equipment. There are plenty of meditation apps out there, including Omvana and Headspace . Or, check out Youtube for one that suits you. World Meditation Day is on May 20th, 2022. Its a call to the world to take time to participate in this millennia-old practice and clear our minds, remembering that we are people first, and workers second. News from the field Stories and updates from our teams out & about. Check out some of these regional stories on our website! South East Queensland Castaways Clean Up Reef Check Australia joined local community group representatives, locals, and passers-by in late March for an early morning start in an effort to tackle the ongoing marine debris issue, weeks after flooding events sent hundreds of pontoons and other debris out into the ocean, and north onto beaches. Ten volunteers over the span of four hours removed 210kg of polystyrene and concrete found along the beach at Castaways, within the Noosa Regional Council region. The site was selected after feedback from locals walking the beaches every day noticed a large amount of polystyrene accumulating on their beloved beach. Bucket after bucket was filled as volunteers sifted sand, chased waves to remove polystyrene as it washed out to sea, and walked the high tide line to remove each and every bit they could find. Dog walkers returned to our main site with bags filled, making use of the walk to also collect debris along the way. With this huge community support, huge amounts of debris was removed from the beach. Then a few days later, building on the weeks mammoth clean up efforts in the region, Reef Check Australia once again joined local community group representatives, locals, and a myriad of volunteers in an attempt to tackle the ongoing marine debris issue in the region. 13 volunteers over two days worked tirelessly to remove polystyrene pieces along the length of Castaways beach, and along and up to the closest creek. Polystyrene was found along the high tide mark, caught amongst the grass of the dunes, and floating in amongst the pumice stone, making the task harder for volunteers as they sifted and sorted to remove two bags of polystyrene over the course of the two days. Much less in weight than removed the days prior, however no less important, as these small fragments break up into smaller and smaller pieces, becoming a serious ingestion issue for animals. This project has received funding support from the Queensland Government’s Community Sustainability Action grant program.   Clean Up Bulcock Beach Although the visibility was still not amazing, our team was keen to find out how this popular angling location was holding up following the recent intense rainfall and localised flooding. Fishing line dominated the haul again with approximately 500m of fishing line removed, along with a complete rod and reel set up. Fortunately, the amount of general litter was low, although a large stainless-steel table, shopping trolley and A frame sign were observed. These items were too large for our divers to remove and have been left in-situ and reported to local Council. A thick layer of silt covered the substrate and it may be that more items are found once the silt layer disperses. This project has received funding support from the Queensland Government’s Community Sustainability Action grant program. Main Beach and Amity Point Clean Up and Survey The team took our chances with the weather and kept our fingers crossed that the visibility at Amity Point would be good. Arriving onto Stradbroke Island early we had time to undertake a clean up on Main Beach, and so glad we did. There was so much hard plastic. We had just over an hour but only covered 100m of beach and collected 1226 pieces of hard plastic, along with other bits and pieces including polystyrene, bottle tops, confectionery sticks and cigarette butts. Underwater at Amity Point, fishing line still dominates, with much of it tangled around the corals and sponges, making extraction time consuming. It was great to see lots of urchins, healthy corals, lots of fish and big wobbegong sharks all thriving despite the recent floods. Two of our team had never dived at Amity Point before and were amazed at the diversity of marine life. This project has received funding support from the Queensland Government’s Community Sustainability Action grant program.   Underwater Clean Up - Outrigger Club Another day, another clean up. With visibility not so amazing, a small team braved the conditions in the Pumicestone Passage at Caloundra. The site contains an incredible amount of glass bottles, however many of them are currently home to marine organisms which are having a tough time finding a solid substate to cling to. The site is very heavily silted at the moment, with the opening of the new bar appearing to have impacted the current flows in this area. The team did however collect a large number of glass bottles with no organisms growing on them, along with hundreds of metres of fishing line. This project has received funding support from the Queensland Government’s Community Sustainability Action grant program. Survey Dive - Inner Gneerings On a day when we wished the weather had read the forecast, we headed out to the Inner Gneerings in an attempt to finally get some surveys done. After enduring lumpy surface conditions the team descended into green water, but at least it was nicer down there than up on the surface. It was lovely to see that the corals were largely healthy, with only some minor disease and the site was free from asparagopsis. Unfortunately surface conditions worsened and we were forced back to port after only one dive. These surveys are made possible thanks to the Sunshine Coast Council Environment Levy Grant. UQ Biodiversity Roadshow Our team joined the UQ Biodiversity Roadshow at Manly on a less than ideal day. The frequent downpours meant that the public numbers were low, but those that were in attendance made up for it with enthusiasm about all things marine. The UQ centre for Marine Science hosted a mud flat walk and a large group of people ventured out onto Moreton Bay in the Moreton Bay Education Centre boat to conduct some plankton netting and inspect the results. Attendance at this project is thanks to funding from the Port of Brisbane.   Brain Food Reviews and details on books, documentaries, and podcasts that we have come across, & wanted to share. The Future We Choose - Surviving the Climate Crisis by Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac An interesting read on the development of the Paris Agreement and insights into what we all can do to help the world reduce emissions. Chapter three is an awesome Utopian look at the world in 2050 if we take action and halve our emissions every decade.   Current Coral Affairs Check out some of the latest news and research about our ocean and waste reduction innovations: Coral Finder Book Launch - May 20 Colleagues, Comrades and Coral Reeferers in the vicinity of Townsville! Please join us for a brief celebration and refreshments as we launch the 2022 edition of Coral Finder (it tracks the science!) and the Coral Reefs: A Natural History hosted by Mary Who? Bookshop. Having been some months in preparation, a splendid time is guaranteed for all. Russell How seahorses are a fish but also so un-fish-like "The seahorse is a very unusual animal. Sure, it's a fish, but it's also so un-fish-like. Along with its horse-shaped head, it has eyes like a chameleon that can move independently and a prehensile tail that, similar to a hand, can grip objects. But as we grow our understanding of these unique creatures, the data is also making us realize that seahorses need our help. Leading to a fact for certain, it's time we start paying more attention to seahorses".Read in National Geographic: Did you know there could be endangered sharks in your pet food? Check it out on facebook Get with the Program Here's what we've got coming up in the next few weeks, keep checking the website for more updates.  May 7 | Nurture Festival A fun festival of music, creativity and activities for families and kids of all ages to connect with community organisations on the Sunshine Coast. Reef Check Australia are one of those community groups who will be there. Visit https://www.nurturefestival.com.au to get your tickets, which by the way are only $5.00, what a bargain. Tuesday 10 May | Coast to Corals This month Vicki Bennion will be talking about the effects of climate change induced sea level rise on mangrove forests. Head on over to our website to register so that you get the zoom link. May 27-29 | Pranafest Once again Reef Check Australia is the Charity of Choice for this event. Head on over to https://www.pranafest.com.au/ to find out more and book your tickets. Sunday June 12 | Sundays with Your Mates Our friends at Your Mates Brewery are running Sundays with Your Mates. Come along for some great food (who doesn't love a chicken snitty), tasty beverages, awesome local tunes and pick up a raffle ticket to win some great prizes and support Reef Check.   If you missed any of our Coast to Coral online events, remember you can always catch-up by taking a look at our YouTube Channel here     Thanks for reading! If you want to help our work to empower more people to protect Australian reefs, please consider making a monthly tax-deductible donation.    Make a Donation   Copyright © 2022 Reef Check Australia, All rights reserved.You have received this newsletter because you have given Reef Check Australia your email address. If you would prefer not to receive any further emails, please click the unsubscribe link in your email.Our mailing address is: Reef Check Australia1/377 Montague RdWest End, QLD 4101Australia    

Dear {{recipient.first_name_or_friend}}  The rains continue for some but we have been able to get out and do some much needed beach clean ups in SEQ and have many more activities planned. Our GBR team have been busy surveying our sites around Magnetic Island and were happy to report that there were low levels of coral bleaching observed. This months email includes: Action of the Month: Make Someone Smile News from the Field Brain Food Current Coral Affairs Get With the Program Make Someone Smile  They say laughter is the best medicine, and after months and months of limited travel and exploration coupled with fires, floods, and everything in between, we felt like April seemed like a great spot to start. It is April fools that kicks off the month after all. For this month's action of the month, we want to encourage you to make someone smile :) There are plenty of small scale pranks that you might have tried out on the 1st to varying arrays of enjoyment, and although we 100% condone the ongoing use of funny memes and dad jokes to lift the spirits of those around you, we want to encourage you to think outside the square a little, and see if you can make someone smile.. without them ever knowing who it is. There is goodness in the ability to do something for another without having to be acknowledged. We are all so quick to capture the moments rather than being present in it, so this month, let's flip that around. We don't want to see any evidence of any of the things you did to make someone else smile. You will know you did it. And who knows, maybe we will start an anonymous movement of laughter when we most need it yet. #smilelikeyoumeanit #makethemsmile #whatwillyoudo News from the field Stories and updates from our teams out & about. Check out some of these regional stories on our website! Ocean Film Festival Townsville, Cairns and Noosa We recently had the pleasure to attend the Ocean Film Festival during their tour travelling around Australia and overseas inspiring, educating and entertaining ocean enthusiasts with independent ocean films about conservation, education, sport and so much more. These events are great opportunities for our ambassadors and surveyors to connect with other thalassophiles and spread the word about Reef Check Australia events, activities and initiatives. Thanks to Julia, Jenni, Nathan and Jules for running the Cairns and Townsville desks and Jodi and Julie for running the Noosa desk. Brisbane, you're next! South East Queensland Vacuuming a Beach Sucks! By Kane James. Envirotech Vocational Officer and RCA volunteer. The contents pluming out of Brisbane river and all the way up and down our coastlines since the recent floods is absolutely shocking! Entire pontoons of concrete combined with kilograms of polystyrene have been washing up (among many other things) on northern beaches from the Sunshine Coast all the way up to Fraser Island. Seeing such beautiful beaches contaminated with waste is an eye-opener to our contribution to pollution and environmental impact. It’s hard not to get mad, especially when alternatives exist. Cranes, trucks, and maybe Helicopters are having to get involved to clean this up, contributing huge costs to clean up efforts everywhere. On ground however, It’s been awesome to see the community get involved to help out with the clean-up. An attempt to collect the exploded dusty array of tiny Styrofoam balls rolling across kilometres of beach is no easy feat. Volunteers and companies like Reef Check Australia and Ocean Crusaders have been stepping up and doing some amazing work (amongst so many other groups!) After a call out to RCA volunteers, I found myself on a giant vacuum with Andy from Ocean Crusaders in an attempt to rid Perigean beach of its Styrofoam problem, whilst others hit the beach with sieves and bags and plenty of sunscreen. With the vacuum attached to the trailer of a Surf Life Saving buggy we drove up and down the high tide line sucking up as much of the devilish substance as we could. It felt amazing to play a part in restoring a local beach, however, it was hard to not let the reality of the situation hit me too deep. It was a small role to conserve, but humanity has really got to step it up and start making some significant changes to the way we operate as a whole. Maybe this can be some motivation. There are beach clean-ups organised by the community almost every week. If you have the time and energy to assist, please do so. Remember, you don't have to wait to join an organised clean up. Next time you go for a walk, take a bag and see what debris you can remove from your local patch. If you want to donate to Reef Check Australia, to help them clean up our beaches, oceans and waterways, head on over to: www.reefcheckaustralia.org/donate   Clean Up Australia Day on Straddie A group of 50 amazing humans got together for a delayed Clean Up Australia Day event on Stradbroke Island in late March. They collected around 230kgs of rubbish plus an animal hutch, but a lot of that rubbish was weightless polystyrene and lots of plastic bottles and caps. Thanks to everyone for making this day a success #Hutchinsons builders, #Straddie Brewing Co #SeaLink Stradbroke Island #Point Lookout Surf Life Saving Club #Allure Stradbroke Resort #CleanupAustraliaday #Sea Sisters of Minjerribah #SIMO Beach Clean Up - Stumers Creek As part of the "Great Coastal Cleanup" that is happening at the moment in SEQ, we sent a small team off to the beach north of Stumers Creek. Whilst the weight of rubbish collected was not huge, there was so many tiny plastic fragments and polystyrene balls. To make the problem worse, the polystyrene was interspersed with small bits of pumice stone. In water, both of these float, making it an arduous process to collect the polystyrene.    Beach Clean Up - Alex Heads We also headed off to Alex Headlands to check out this area. The volume of rubbish in this area was not enormous which makes us wonder if the reported rubbish has washed back out to sea and further up the coast. Disappointingly we collected a large number of cigarette butts that had been carelessly disposed of, along with lots of small bits of plastic. And Dog Poo bags containing dog poo! We don't understand why people pick it up then leave the plastic bag on the beach! Raffles with Your Mates Brewery Reef Check hosted our first Charity Group raffle in partnership with the awesome Your Mates Brewery this month. We had wonderful support from the crowd enjoying live music and amazing food. Three lucky winners took home great prizes, with the lady winning the $100 gift voucher saying it was the first time she had won anything - so congratulations to all our winners and thank you so much to all those people who supported us at this event. Great Barrier Reef Geoffrey and Alma Bay Surveys Low winds and a full team available meant last weekend Reef Check Australia GBR team were out surveying the coral reefs around Magnetic Island again monitoring for signs of bleaching and other impacts and biodiversity of coral, fish, and invertebrates. On Sunday our team were joined by Joan and Troy from @Geonadir who assisted with surface watch ensuring our team in the water were safe whilst also collecting above water drone imagery data to map Geoffrey Bay. Monday we then surveyed Alma Bay with the assistance of Magnetic Island residents Kaspa and Lawrence. The conditions were excellent. We recorded low levels of bleaching and were visited by turtles, coral trout, and up to 10 meters visibility allowing us to appreciate the excellent coral cover Magnetic Island has to offer. This survey was made possible by a team of dedicated volunteers who donated their time, support from @Pleasure Divers providing equipment, Heath for providing our team accommodation and the @Townsville City Council through their Creek to Coral program. #reefcheckaustralia #volunteertoprotect #allhandsondeck #townsvilleshines #townsvillecity #magneticisland #allthedata #citizenscience New Partnership with Intrepid Travel to inspire domestic travellers Reef Check Australia is ​trialing an exciting new partnership with @IntrepidTravel, the world's largest travel B Corp and the leader in responsible small group adventures, to inspire local travellers to #volunteertoprotect. Our Great Barrier Reef Project Coordinator, Jenni Calcraft, took a team from @IntrepidTravel out to Geoffrey Bay, Magnetic Island, for a day of underwater adventures at one of our long-term reef monitoring sites. The group snorkeled along the marked trail, visited the giant clams, admired the impressive amount of coral cover, and even explored the old Moltke shipwreck (home to many species, like the large sweetlips, batfish, tusk fish, and barramundi cod!). On this particular trip, the group even spotted a small Epaulette shark. With this new potential partnership, we hope to inspire our travellers to become citizen scientists, contribute to monitoring the health of our reefs, and spread the word about why protecting them is so important. Brain Food Reviews and details on books, documentaries, and podcasts that we have come across, & wanted to share. Cephalopods: of Australia and Sub-Antarctic Territories by Amanda Reid This amazing identification guide contains colour photos and drawings to aid in identifying those amazing cephalopods we see when diving and snorkelling. It also includes maps showing where you are likely to observe the species.    Current Coral Affairs Check out some of the latest news and research about our ocean and waste reduction innovations: Marine Park for Christmas and Cocos Islands This is exciting news, two new marine parks will be established off Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands encompassing an area of  744,000 square kilometres providing protection for the amazing array of marine life in this area.Check out more details on ABC News. Fish are smarter than we think Check out this fish "driving" to get treats.    Do you think pink, purple and blue corals are pretty - think again! Check out this video from our friends at Grumpy Turtle;Stressed Corals Get with the Program Here's what we've got coming up in the next few weeks, keep checking the website for more updates.  Tuesday 12 April | Coast to Corals This month Dr Christopher Henderson will be talking about human impacts on biodiversity. Head on over to our website to register so that you get the zoom link. Sunday May 1 | Sundays with Your Mates Our friends at Your Mates Brewery are running Sundays with Your Mates. Come along for some great food (who doesn't love a chicken snitty), tasty beverages, awesome local tunes and pick up a raffle ticket to win some great prizes and support Reef Check. May 7 | Nurture Festival A fun festival of music, creativity and activities for families and kids of all ages to connect with community organisations on the Sunshine Coast. Reef Check Australia are one of those community groups who will be there. Visit https://www.nurturefestival.com.au to get your tickets, which by the way are only $5.00, what a bargain. May 27-29 | Pranafest Once again Reef Check Australia is the Charity of Choice for this event. Head on over to https://www.pranafest.com.au/ to find out more and book your tickets.   If you missed any of our Coast to Coral online events, remember you can always catch-up by taking a look at our YouTube Channel here     Thanks for reading! If you want to help our work to empower more people to protect Australian reefs, please consider making a monthly tax-deductible donation.    Make a Donation   Copyright © 2022 Reef Check Australia, All rights reserved.You have received this newsletter because you have given Reef Check Australia your email address. If you would prefer not to receive any further emails, please click the unsubscribe link in your email.Our mailing address is: Reef Check Australia1/377 Montague RdWest End, QLD 4101Australia    

In it to win it; CALOUNDRA MUSIC FESTIVAL Caloundra Music Festival Family pass up for grabs!   Reef Check Australia and the Caloundra Music Festival have had a beautiful friendship over the past ten years, celebrating our beautiful Sunshine Coast and sharing information and images of our glorious local reefs with community, musicians, and visitors alike. This year, Caloundra Music Festival is supporting Reef Check Australia with an amazing prize; a family pass for two adults and two children for the full three days, valued at $850!!! Enjoy THREE days of Sun, Surf and Soul at the beautiful Kings Beach on the Sunshine Coast as it comes alive to the sounds of a diverse line-up of entertainment featuring the best of the Australian music industry as well as incredible international artists. 'The Caloundra Music Festival aims to bring a broad audience of locals and visitors together in celebration, to enjoy world-class music, food, arts and local culture, and to showcase the natural beauty, creative talents and unique character of the Sunshine Coast' This not for profit family-friendly community event celebrates the environment, cultural achievements and community pride of the Caloundra area. To be in it to win it, simply make a donation to Reef Check Australia of $25 or more from now until September 26. Get in quick!  Each donation counts as a separate entry.  September 27th will see one lucky winner drawn.  So pencil the festival dates into your calendar (Friday 30 September to Sunday October 2, 2022) make a donation, and stay tuned! Good luck! 

Despite the continuing challenges brought by the pandemic that won't go away, our awesome teams of volunteers monitored a total of 32 locations on 18 different reefs, ranging from Mudjimba Island on the Sunshine Coast to Cook Island south of the Gold Coast. We covered 12,800 square metres of reef, collecting over 700 pieces of data and noted that none of the areas surveyed have shown significant loss of coral cover, so that is good news. To find out more information about what we recorded check out our 2020-2021 SEQ Season Summary Report. This project is supported by Reef Check Australia, through funding from City of Gold Coast, Port or Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast Council. Reef Check Australia 2020-2021 South East Queensland Season Summary Report

Dear {{recipient.first_name_or_friend}}  The summer weather is playing havoc with activities in SEQ, fortunately the GBR is fairing better. We have been constantly scheduling and rescheduling our in-water activities due to wind, swell and now copious amounts of rain. Our waterways, bays and oceans are going to be severely affected and we are interested to see what impacts it has had on our marine life (once it is safe to get out there). Meanwhile our thoughts go out to the people whose homes and businesses have been affected by this phenomenal weather event we have just experienced. We urge everyone to lend a hand to those in need. This months email includes: Action of the Month: Lend a hand this March News from the Field Brain Food Current Coral Affairs Get With the Program Lend a hand this March!  Whilst North Qld stays dry at this point in time, South East QLD has been smashed with flash flooding and riverine flooding. This month is full of feel good look after the planet activities planned, and whilst we start to plan our Clean Up Australia Day event along with the rest of Australia for this weekend, we thought that maybe its a great chance to reach out to those around you and lend a hand. Reach out to the beach; so much debris has been washed downstream and onto our beaches. Reach out to your local park, playground or nature reserve; many areas will need a hand clearing such communal areas. And reach out to your neighbours. With so many people spending the next days, weeks and maybe months cleaning up their homes, yards and businesses let's not wait for clean up Australia day, and instead get started early. And for those of you with the capacity to do so; lock in a couple of extra dates this month. March for Earth (all month) and Earth Hour; March 26th. Let's focus this month on lending a hand to those around us; the people and the planet. And if you need a hand; please, reach out. We are here to support you. News from the field Stories and updates from our teams out & about. Check out some of these regional stories on our website! South East Queensland Clean Up for the Hatchlings continues.. Clean up for the hatchlings took a deconstructed approach this year, heading back to our roots from when we first kicked off this event 8 years ago, yep 2014. The spicy cough meant smaller teams of people were encouraged to clean up their local patch, and whilst one team of volunteers hit the water to clean up Mooloolah river, other teams chose local beaches to remove debris, and document their findings. This year, assisted with rough seas and big storms, there were millions of tiny pieces of hard plastic washing up. With four people, in an hour and a half, we picked up 14.5kg; not including the chairs, geotextiles or chunks of wood (add another 15kg for all of that!) That might not seem like much, but of this, over 430 pieces of small plastic were removed. And as we walked back to where we started, there was more washing up again. Items included; t shirts, one rubber thong, heaps of cigarette butts (IN THE WASHED UP SEAGRASS!!), two single-use masks, cans, plastic water bottles and so many lollipop sticks. Heaps of pieces of foam, and some weird hard plastic elements.. see pic for details. Also, the highest number of small pieces of twine and/or plastic rope. As we celebrate the hatching of our turtle hatchlings along the sunshine coast, in a format a little different than our usual large event, it acts as a nice reminder that you can make a difference every single day. If we all picked up just a few pieces every time we went to the beach... How much cleaner might it be???   MBMP Habitat Restoration Event ESRAG [Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group] invited Reef Check to be a part of MBMP Habitat restoration event. [6th Feb 2022 at low tide] This event was attended by UQ MS , TMBF, OzFish , HL & W, REF, RC and others to interact with the rich natural environment at this location in Scarborough. Prof Ian Tibbetts took tours of the rich environment at low tide, Josh Wilson PhD student demonstrated Drone technology for research into migratory birds and the Eastern Asian Flyway. Jack Hill took groups of tour about the mangroves, and all highlighted the rich habitat there is at this location. This included OzFish and the potential for Oyster reef restoration at this site. BBQ breakfast lead the way for nourishment, and everybody gained extensively from the experience of the tour guides. There was a lot of interaction and a busy morning was had by all. By Colin Scobie, RCA Ambassador Ocean Youth We were pleased to once again be part of the Sealife Ocean Youth program this year. The constant rain meant our favourite place to visit (the rock pools) was out but we do have an amazing backup option - Sealife Mooloolaba!. We explored the touch tank and the critters that live there, visited the coral tank and the jellyfish tanks and got a behind the scenes look at the turtle "rehabilitation" area and the baby jellyfish. These young people are the future of marine conservation and we are always excited to share our knowledge and inform them of ways to become involved in marine science. Great Barrier Reef GBR Team kicks off the 2022 survey season Reef Check Australia's Great Barrier Reef team kicked off the 2022 survey season recently with a trip out to Middle Reef and Florence Bay at Magnetic Island to conduct reef health surveys. We didn't realise until after the trip that our team of divers were all female and due to last-minute changes it just so happened to occur on Friday 11th February which is International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2022! How serendipitous! In addition, we were treated to a beautiful and sunny day at the fringing reefs on our doorstep collecting lots of invaluable data on the state of our local reef ecosystem! This survey was made possible by a team of dedicated volunteers, support from Affordable Charters, and the Townsville City Council through their Creek to Coral program.   Brain Food Reviews and details on books, documentaries, and podcasts that we have come across, & wanted to share. Ocean: A visual odyssey by Dr Sylvia Earle "This comprehensive reference explains the fundamental science of the ocean--from plate tectonics to seawater makeup, including a fascinating illustrated guide to marine life, from sponges, kelp, and zooplankton to whales, sharks, and sea turtles. More than 100 maps and diagrams, including seafloor and political maps of all Earth's seas and oceans, elucidate Dr. Earle's authoritative text."   Current Coral Affairs Check out some of the latest news and research about our ocean and waste reduction innovations: Sculpted Sea Slugs Many of our team have a fascination with sea slugs which are often very tiny. A very talented man, Gar Waterman has taken to making large stone sculptures. Read more about Gar and his work in DAN magazine . Rare Baby Ghost Shark Photo by Brit Finucci New Zealand scientists have discovered this really cool baby ghost shark. Read more about it in BBC news. Get with the Program Here's what we've got coming up in the next few weeks, keep checking the website for more updates.  Sunday March 13 | Moreton Bay Kids Fest Bring the kids along and say Hi to our team. This is a great day with lots of activities for the kids. Follow this link for more information.    Reduce your carbon footprint in March 2022, while raising funds for environmental organisations (think Reef Check Australia). March 4 Earth is working to connect and empower Aussies to live more sustainably and support climate action. Find out how you can get involved by checking out their website.   Sunday March 20 | Sundays with Your Mates Our friends at Your Mates Brewery are running Sundays with Your Mates. Come along for some great food (who doesn't love a chicken snitty), tasty beverages, awesome local tunes and pick up a raffle ticket to win some great prizes and support Reef Check. Saturday March 26 | Earth Hour Switch off and #ShapeOurFuture this Earth Hour at 8.30 pm local time, Saturday 26 March. Earth hours in on again, March 26th 2022, and this year, people are being called on from all nations to sign up and join a worldwide community of millions supporting stronger action on climate change. Everyone has the power to Shape Our Future this Earth Hour. Earth Hour is a global movement that turns individuals, schools, businesses and communities into a millions-strong movement. And it’s never been more critical to come together to protect our world than at this moment. Climate change is causing biodiversity loss at a frightening scale, threatening the health of some of our most important and iconic ecosystems, like the Great Barrier Reef. We cannot ignore the impacts of climate change and species loss any longer. Sign up, switch off and spread the word - you have the power to Shape Our Future this Earth Hour. Oh... and you might just win a trip to the Great Barrier Reef for your efforts! How will you celebrate your earth hour? https://www.earthhour.org.au/   If you missed any of our Coast to Coral online events, remember you can always catch-up by taking a look at our YouTube Channel here     Thanks for reading! If you want to help our work to empower more people to protect Australian reefs, please consider making a monthly tax-deductible donation.    Make a Donation   Copyright © 2022 Reef Check Australia, All rights reserved.You have received this newsletter because you have given Reef Check Australia your email address. If you would prefer not to receive any further emails, please click the unsubscribe link in your email.Our mailing address is: Reef Check Australia1/377 Montague RdWest End, QLD 4101Australia

Dear {{recipient.first_name_or_friend}}  Wow it's 2022 already and February! Our team had a well earned break but were back into the action by mid January. So much happened towards the end of last year that we could not fit it all in the December news, so we have included some in this months newsletter. We have lots of activities coming up in the next few months so we have a busy time ahead.  This months email includes: Action of the Month: Love is in the air News from the Field Brain Food Current Coral Affairs Get With the Program Love is in the air!  It's February, which means Love is in the air! To celebrate, Februarys Action of the month is to bring more HEART into your life. This month, we want to take a deep dive into looking at ways to bring more heart into everything we do, which means starting with yourself. It's been said time and time again; it's important to look after yourself, and with the world around us changing as often as it is, we want to make sure we really take that to heart. This month, let's make sure we all practice self-care first and foremost; fuelling our bodies, getting enough sleep, doing things that make us happy, connecting with nature, or reaching out to friends and family if we need support. The past days, weeks, months have been hard on many of us, so remember to be kind; to each other, and ourselves. There are plenty of ways to bring more heart into all our lives; a heartfelt message, or note of appreciation is a beautiful way to show you care. Or a hug, some home baked goodies, a coffee, or even a walk with a friend who needs a friendly shoulder all encourages connection. So, let's bring more heart into our lives this month; for yourself, those around you, and the planet. What will you do?   News from the field Stories and updates from our teams out & about. Check out some of these regional stories on our website! South East Queensland Mooloolah River Survey Our team managed to sneak in a survey at La Balsa Park before the impending holiday crowds descended upon this popular location. We were greeted by good visibility and kept company by an assortment of fish, including lots of butterflyfish, bream and fan bellied leatherjackets. It was encouraging to see some small hard coral recruits attaching to the rocks. Whilst there, our team also collected a significant amount of debris during the survey, including a large sheet of disintegrating black plastic and hundreds of metres of fishing line. This survey is sponsored by the Sunshine Coast Council Environment Levy Partnership. Mud Island Survey A small team got out on the beautiful Moreton Bay with our friends from River to Bay. Surface conditions were magical and although the underwater visibility was low, it was still enough to allow us to complete our 2 surveys at Mud Island. Once again, as happens every summer, we were greeted by large amounts of Sargassum algae, but we did find some small soft corals hiding amongst it. We look forward to our winter surveys when this algae has gone and we can see the amazing corals in this area. This project has received funding support from the Port of Brisbane. Clean up for the Hatchlings Unfortunately due to Omicron the annual Clean-up-for-the-Hatchlings was not able to be run in it's normal format. We missed the interaction with all the community groups that get involved in this activity and the people who come along and help out with the snorkel. We did however still manage to get a team in the water to collect rubbish on behalf of this event. Great Barrier Reef Alma Bay, Magnetic Island, Clean Up Participation in marine conservation activities is a fantastic way for the local community to connect with nature, learn about threats to its ongoing health and do something that can ‘make a difference’. Over the weekend Reef Check Australia in partnership with Tangaroa Blue hosted 24 enthusiastic volunteers at Alma Bay, Magnetic Island as part of the Great Barrier Reef ReefClean project. Participants completed an underwater and beach clean up. The dive team of four explored the seabed of Alma Bay looking for trash discarded or washed into the sheltered bay. Aluminium cans and broken glass along with a couple of hair ties dominated the limited debris located underwater. 18 Students from the local Pimlico State High School’s Global Studies program joined in the land based activities assisting Reef Check team leader, Nathan Cook in completing a thorough scour of the beach for debris. ‘I am amazed at how much rubbish we found’ said Pimlico student Satya Cook. “When we arrived the beach looked pretty clean so I am surprised we found so much rubbish’. The students completed an AUSMAP microplastics survey and a beach clean up. All rubbish found was sorted, categorised and uploaded to Tangaroa Blue’s Australian Marine Debris Initiative. Since 2004 more than 7 million pieces of data have been inputted into the Australian Marine Debris Database, creating a comprehensive overview of what amounts and types of marine debris are impacting beaches around the country. Among the debris found at Alma Bay on the weekend the rubbish was dominated by broken glass and plastic bits and pieces. The @reefclean project is funded by the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and delivered by @tangaroablue Foundation and a number of partner organisations including Reef Check Australia   Nelly Bay, Magnetic Island, Clean Up Despite the grey skies, a small team of Reef Check Australia volunteers ventured out to Nelly Bay at Magnetic Island in search of marine debris. We conducted a beach cleanup and an underwater cleanup, targeting around the backpackers and along the beach. We found 208 pieces of hard plastic remnants amongst other items like plastic cutlery, bottle lids, cigarette butts and aluminium cans and removed this from the area in time for the turtle hatchlings due to emerge in a months time! Thanks to our fantastic team of volunteers who weathered the rain and change of plans and made a day of it, we simply could not have done it without them! The ReefClean project funded by the Australian Government’s Reef Trust, delivered by Tangaroa Blue Foundation and a number of partner organisations including Reef Check Australia.     Brain Food Reviews and details on books, documentaries, and podcasts that we have come across, & wanted to share. Whale Sharks Biology, Ecology and Conservation. Edited by Alistair D.M. Dove and Simon J. Pierce Want to know all about whale sharks? Did you know they are bigger than Megalodon? I have only read an excerpt from this book and it is amazing. They have brought together the world's leading experts on whale sharks to discuss the lives of these magnificent creatures. Breath The New Science of a lost Art by James Nestor If you're looking for an interesting read, this was one of the most popular books from the 2021 Mindlife Project Bookclub. There is nothing more essential to our health and well-being than breathing: take air in, let it out, repeat twenty-five thousand times a day. Yet, as a species, humans have lost the ability to breathe correctly, with grave consequences. Journalist James Nestor travels the world to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it. Current Coral Affairs Check out some of the latest news and research about our ocean and waste reduction innovations: "New" Coral Reef found off Tahiti A huge, “pristine” coral reef has been discovered off the coast of Tahiti, French Polynesia. Stretching 3 kilometers (nearly 2 miles) – that’s around 27 football fields – it is thought to be one of the biggest coral reefs in the world. Read more about this amazing discovery in IFLScience: https://apple.news Blast from the Past We were recently sent these photos by one of our RCA supporters. These photos were taken at Heron Island in 1977, at Heron Bommie (one of RCA's survey sites). Apparently the year of these photos was a big update on the equipment required for diving there - a CO2 inflated surface vest! They still had no SPG, depth gauge, watch or octopus (all of which were considered unnecessary). You knew it was time to head back when it got hard to breathe and you had to pull a j-valve for some extra air, depth was read from the boat's sounder and the dive time supplied by the boat skipper. I must admit I am glad equipment has improved somewhat since then.   Get with the Program Here's what we've got coming up in the next few weeks, keep checking the website for more updates.    Sunday 6 Feb | Moreton Bay Habitat Restoration, come and chat to our team. 6.30am for BBQ followed by a tour of the local ecological habitat . This will have representatives of UQ Marine Society, Ozfish, Reef Check etc to take tours of the under water environment. Mangroves, Migratory birds oyster reef restoration projects and more. Come and be a citizen science participant for a couple of hours and join our experts and be a tourist, for a brief encounter with the wild side of the world. Bring your camera, your children, grandparents etc and your wellies/ gumboots for a walk on the wild side of nature.Meet you at the cnr of Endeavour Esplanade & Oyster Point Parade Scarborough.6.30am to 11am SundayContact [email protected] for more details   Reduce your carbon footprint in March 2022, while raising funds for environmental organisations (think Reef Check Australia). March 4 Earth is working to connect and empower Aussies to live more sustainably and support climate action. Find out how you can get involved by checking out their website.     If you missed any of our Coast to Coral online events, remember you can always catch-up by taking a look at our YouTube Channel here     Thanks for reading! If you want to help our work to empower more people to protect Australian reefs, please consider making a monthly tax-deductible donation.    Make a Donation   Copyright © 2021 Reef Check Australia, All rights reserved.You have received this newsletter because you have given Reef Check Australia your email address. If you would prefer not to receive any further emails, please click the unsubscribe link in your email.Our mailing address is: Reef Check Australia1/377 Montague RdWest End, QLD 4101Australia    

Dear {{recipient.first_name_or_friend}}  T'is the season to be jolly, and who doesn't want to be? With borders reopening (kinda) it means we can get together with loved ones and enjoy this festive season together. Our team will be taking a well earned short break over the Christmas/New Year period but will be back into all the activities we have lined up starting in mid January. Keep an eye out to see what events we have planned in the new year that you can be involved in. In the meantime our team wishes you, your family and loved ones an awesome festive season! This months email includes: Action of the Month: Presence not Presents News from the Field Brain Food Current Coral Affairs Get With the Program Presence not Presents  We often talk about giving experiences rather than gifts. This is because an experience and the joy it brings far outweighs any moments of joy created from stuff; regardless of what that 'stuff' is. This Action of the Month is about presence not presents. But we also realise that some of you might still be looking for the ultimate experience to give someone... so just in case.. how about thinking about adopting a reef this celebration season? You might even like to visit your adopted reef for a truly unique experience!   News from the field Stories and updates from our teams out & about. Check out some of these regional stories on our website! South East Queensland Gold Coast Seaway Written by Anna Fransson: Fishing line and sinkers! That was the majority of our catch during a scuba dive clean-up of the Gold Coast Seaway on Saturday. Our group of volunteers picked up as much as we could during our hour dive, and got back up with frozen hands and high spirits. Knowing that we are protecting ocean life from getting tangled up in the fishing lines and hooks we collected, makes the work feel so important and meaningful. Whilst we removed over 100m of fishing line, the good news was that we only collected 2 pieces of soft plastics, hopefully an indication that the community is becoming more responsible with their waste disposal. This project has received funding support from the Queensland Government’s Community Sustainability Action grant program. Clean up with Suncoast Christian College Early November we were delighted to be joined by a small but enthusiastic group of students from Suncoast Christian College for a quick clean up on Buddina Beach. Whilst the overall number of items found was not huge, they did find a large chunk of polystyrene, which as we all know breaks down into millions of tiny pieces. The students were all very aware of the importance of removing rubbish and the harmful effects it has on our marine life so they are all great ambassadors for our planet. Great Barrier Reef Sustainable House Day - Townsville Written by Chris Hopper:On 17th September the Reef Check GBR team hosted a stall at @Townsville City Council's Sustainable House Day in Rowes Bay, Townsville. Julia (RCA Surveyor) and Chris (RCA Ambassador) engaged with anyone interesting in learning about Reef Check Australia's activities in this area and how they can be more sustainable at home. Julia took the opportunity to set up a transect to allow kids visiting the stall to practise their reef health surveying skills with Reef Check Reef Search field kits. Check out the cutest photo of our youngest surveyor yet! Chris had a great time talking to visitors on how to be part of the Reef Check Australia GBR chapter. This event was only foundations for future Townsville City Council sustainability events and Reef Check Australia are excited to continue to attend to spread the word of citizen science and empowering people to look after their local reef and oceans. Thanks to our awesome Reef Check team and to Townsville City Council for holding and supporting sustainability and citizen science initiatives like ours in this region! #volunteertoprotect   Fitzroy Island Clean Up As part of Tangaroa Blue’s Great Barrier Reef wide ReefClean project, a team from Reef Check Australia completed a beach and underwater cleanup at Fitzroy Island over the weekend. In the past we have targeted searching for marine debris under the public moorings to the north of the jetty, however this visit our search under the public moorings to the south proved more successful collecting 4.5kg of debris. We had a busy dive finding cans, bottles, snorkelling equipment, boat parts and clothing hangers that had fallen off visiting vessels. We also found a considerable amount of fishing line in this area that had been around for a while so it was rewarding for our team to remove this from the marine environment. During our beach cleanup the majority of the items we found were food and recreational items leftover from visitors. We counted only a few cigarette butts which was very pleasing! The ReefClean project funded by the Australian Government’s Reef Trust, delivered by Tangaroa Blue Foundation and a number of partner organisations including Reef Check Australia. Mackay Marine Classroom Reef Check Australia visited the Mackay region this month to assist not for profit, natural resource management group Reef Catchments with their second Marine Classroom aboard SV Whitehaven for students from Mackay North State High School. We delivered in-water snorkel safety and training followed by an introduction to reef health monitoring methods including Reef Check's ReefSearch, Coral Watch Bleaching Surveys and Eye on the Reef Rapid Monitoring. It's always so inspiring to meet young, engaged students interested in learning about and looking after the environment and we hope that we inspired you in turn to #volunteertoprotect This Reef Catchments project received grant funding from the Australian Government through the Australian Heritage Grants Program. The charter vessel component of the Marine Classroom project is funded through the Queensland Government's Reef Assist Program and delivered by Reef Catchments and SV Whitehaven. Check out what the students and scientists had to say in the video here! Forrest Beach Cleanup A few weekends ago a group of volunteers from the Forrest Beach, Hinchinbrook and Townsville regions collected almost 650kg of marine debris and illegally dumped items across over 11km of Forrest Beach. We had almost 20 attendees roll their sleeves up and collect 1659 items! This included 149 cigarette butts/filters, 75 plastic lids, 58 pieces of footwear (mostly single flip flops) and 675 pieces of hard plastic remnants. Larger items included parts of a fibreglass boat, abandoned white goods and even car parts! The smallest were a few pieces of microplastics after an @ausmap microplastic survey was conducted. All data has been logged with @reefclean @tangaroablue's Australian marine debris initiative database. Huge thankyou to our legendary group of volunteers, the fantastic @Forrest Beach Hotel for hosting our campers and providing a BBQ lunch for our crew and of course the team from @Hinchinbrook Shire Council who were instrumental in helping us put this together. This project has received funding support from the Queensland Government’s Community Sustainability Action grant program.   Brain Food Reviews and details on books, documentaries, and podcasts that we have come across, & wanted to share. Below the edge of darkness by Edith Widder A fascinating insight into the exploration of bioluminescence using deep sea submersibles and the challenges of observing mid water species in their natural environment. Jellyfish A Natural History by Lisa-Ann Gershwin Some of you may remember the amazing Coast to Corals talk on Jellyfish by Lisa- Ann. In this book she presents fifty unique species of jellyfish with stunning colour photographs and information on their anatomy, history, distribution, position in the water and environmental status. Current Coral Affairs Check out some of the latest news and research about our ocean and waste reduction innovations: So you thought all whales migrated south for summer? Check out this latest research on Southern Right Whales. It's here! the annual coral spawning event is underway again. This is something definitely worth checking out if you are a keen diver. Get with the Program Here's what we've got coming up in the next few weeks, keep checking the website for more updates.  31 December 2021: Thrive. This year, Reef Check Australia is once again the charity of choice for THRIVE festival, held on the Sunshine Coast. Its a beautiful festival full of goodness; from music, to art, to acrobatics and massage to reflective practice and connection. RCA strives to create connections with our natural marine environment, and THRIVE is all about creating human connections with self and each other, so the partnership is perfect! If you are interested in joining us this December 31 to bring in the new year, head on over to humanitix for your ticket! 22 January 2022: Get your tickets here   Don't forget Coast to Corals is taking a short break. If you missed any of our Coast to Coral online events, remember you can always catch-up by taking a look at our YouTube Channel here     Thanks for reading! If you want to help our work to empower more people to protect Australian reefs, please consider making a monthly tax-deductible donation.    Make a Donation   Copyright © 2021 Reef Check Australia, All rights reserved.You have received this newsletter because you have given Reef Check Australia your email address. If you would prefer not to receive any further emails, please click the unsubscribe link in your email.Our mailing address is: Reef Check Australia1/377 Montague RdWest End, QLD 4101Australia

Dear {{recipient.first_name_or_friend}}  Boom. Its November! Once again, we blinked and another month passed by. What did you get up to this last month? Despite the weather continuing to try its best to foil our plans, our teams have been busy, out and about in the community above and below the water, cleaning up our coastlines and waterways, engaging the community and getting ready for the silly season. We have plenty of events coming up in the next few weeks, so don’t forget to check out what's coming up. This months email includes: Action of the Month: Conscious shopping News from the Field Brain Food Current Coral Affairs Get With the Program Conscious Shopping. Think about your purchases!  Last month, we promised to share some of our favourite local businesses with you, whom you can support when ticking off that Christmas shopping list.  We love giving the gift of experiences, allowing people to connect with the world around them, so where possible; think about unique ways to check out your local areas this Christmas.  If however, you are shopping for someone out of town/interstate, why not gift them something from your local area. Your community will appreciate you for it. Clayed Coral Handcrafted on the Sunshine Coast this amazing reef inspired jewellery brand has been a HUGE support to @reefcheckaustralia the past year. Donating 10% of all profits to our cause, buying from @clayedcoral this Christmas is a great way to support a local business and #saveourreefs They will not only make you look fabulous but also feel fabulous! 🥰🥰 This beautiful, handcrafted, reef inspired, all round epic jewellery is the perfect little something for your friends and family members for Chrissy! Oh and did we mention they do sustainable shipping?! Head over to www.clayedcoral.com to get your hands on a pair of these beautiful, sustainable earrings. Lush Mala Beads Lush mala beads have been a long term supporter of Reef Check Australia, and we collaborated for some mermaid malas! The Mermaid Mala was born from the acknowledgement that we are all connected to the planet, and that what we do above the water directly affects what happens below it. Over 8 million tonnes of rubbish from our daily lives make its way into the ocean each and every year. Most of this will remain in the ocean, causing ingestion and entanglement issues for a myriad of animals. But a small portion of this debris will be removed. An even smaller portion will be recycled and given a second life. With an idea to truly turn trash into treasure, Reef Check Australia and Lush Mala Beads teamed up to celebrate the amazing underwater wonderland, and to support the action agents dedicated to understanding and protecting our precious reef resources by creating something truly unique and beautiful. The Mermaid Mala series is the result of this collaboration. For each item you purchase from the series, 20% of the profits will go to Reef Check Australia to further support on ground (and underwater!) efforts. Made from recycled glass beads, silk, sterling silver charms and a whole lot of love, these gorgeous pieces won’t last long. So rise and shine. Embrace your inner mermaid and speak up for our oceans –and look damn good doing it. Want your own mermaid mala? Head on over to Lush Mala Beads Your Mates Brewery Based on the Sunnycoast @yourmatesbrewing sells epics beers with a simple vision in mind - mateship, inclusiveness, and sustainability. @yourmatesbrewing has been a HUGE supporter of Reef Check Australia by lending out their space to us every month for our epic Beer Yoga Event. Make sure this Christmas you stock up on this epic beer (or ginger beer) made by epic people - supporting them supports us and many other organisations! P.s while you’re there grab a bite to eat - the food is just as good as the beer. They also have some epic merch! 😍 Check out some cool merchandise from our supporter Lawrence here. In the market for some unique candles? Check out repurposed wine bottles at Unwined Candle Co. Goodwill Wines will donate half of the profit to Reef Check Australia from each bottle of wine sold, so make sure you select us as your charity of choice when ordering. News from the field Stories and updates from our teams out & about. Check out some of these regional stories on our website! South East Queensland Late News - National Science Week Along with oh so many fabulous humans absolutely SMASHING IT in their field, our General Manager was invited to be part of a National Science Week Q&A, where year 10 school students from regional schools across Queensland ask STEMM leaders to answer them. It’s aimed at inspiring an interest in science in the next generation, so it was a great opportunity to talk all things marine biology, volunteering and science. Check out the page to read all about insights from fellow Homeward Bound Cohort 5 members; Amelia Maree, Bernie-Anne Freeman, and Karen Joyce amongst oh so many other awesome people here: Stem experts Beer Yoga - Last one for the Year The last Beer Yoga for 2021 was held this month. Our wonderful yogi, Lisa,  tested everyone's balancing, beer drinking, burping, swimming and boat rowing abilities. Do you have any idea how difficult these moves are to achieve when you are in constant hysterics? Stay tuned for 2022 dates. You don't want to miss these epic events. Great Barrier Reef Surveys at Hayman Island As we move out of the winter and headlong towards another warm summer, the water is warming and spring is in the air and under water. Reef Check Australia team leader Nathan Cook, was joined by Aimee Brown and Whitsunday locals and Reef Check surveyors Laura Oates and Ben Corbishley to a recent survey at Blue Pearl Bay, Hayman Island. The team completed an ecological survey on the fringing reef in front of the beach at Hayman Island. The reef experienced significant degradation as a result of ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie in 2017 and since then has shown only limited recovery in the ensuing 4 years. The site is dominated by massive Porites species coral bommies and an abundance of boring giant clams (Tridacna crocea), herbivores (rabbit and parrotfish) and the occasional sweetlips. Recovery is coming in the way of many new coral recruits evident on the relatively barren landscape, but recovery from this disturbance seems to be a bit of a slow burn on the nearshore reef environments of the Whitsundays. We were blessed with fantastic weather and calm seas. Big Thanks to our volunteers for helping collect important data to help contribute to management to help support the health and resilience of the Great Barrier Reef. Photos by Jenni Calcraft and Ben Corbishley Luncheon Bay, Hook Island just a little bit cleaner As part of Tangaroa Blue’s Great Barrier Reef wide ReefClean project, volunteers from Reef Check Australia headed to Luncheon Bay, Hook Island to do some good for our local environment. Over the last two years Reef Check have been conducting underwater and beach clean-ups at Luncheon Bay as one of multiple target sites as part of the project. Volunteers Ben Corbishley, Laura Oates, Kara Coulter-Mae and Aimee Brown joined team leader Nathan Cook. We conducted 1 underwater clean up dive and also did a sweep of the beach looking for any washed up debris. We are happy to report that each visit we appear to be finding less debris on each visit. A good sign that marine debris is likely not an ongoing issue at this site. By collecting data we will be able to see this trend and redirect resources in the future to more needy locations. But for now it is good to know this location is not presenting as a major issue. Thanks to everyone who helped out as part of this event. Photos by Aimee Brown and Nathan Cook. The ReefClean project funded by the Australian Government’s Reef Trust, delivered by Tangaroa Blue Foundation and a number of partner organisations including Reef Check Australia. Bowen Litter Clean Up 562 items. That was the total number of pieces of litter a group of volunteers collected during our latest cleanup event at the northern end of Kings Beach in Bowen, sponsored by DES (Department of Environment and Science). Sometimes it can be disheartening the amount of rubbish we collect from these cleans, especially when items include sanitary products, nappies, cigarettes and plastic bits and pieces. Oh, so many plastic bits and pieces. But...the reason we do this is we believe it's better out than in and for this particular cleanup it all came full circle when local Bowen resident, Meg, found an old turtles' egg that had hatched from a previous nesting season. We do it for the health of our beaches, our oceans, for our community and residents including marine animals like our turtles! We were also pleased to report that no microplastics (smaller than 5mm) were found in the @ausmap surveys we conducted. All data will be logged with @tangaroablue's Australian marine debris initiative database and we encourage you to do the same with your cleanups! Want to join in the next event? Sign up to receive our Enews letter and follow us on socials for regular updates and event locations! This project has received funding support from the Queensland Government’s Community Sustainability Action grant program.   Brain Food Reviews and details on books, documentaries, and podcasts that we have come across, & wanted to share. Dreamy - Having trouble getting to sleep? Indigenous creatives have put together a series of sleep stories "to help us hit that brain Snooze button".  Check them out here Some of you may remember our Coast to Corals talk on crabs by Peter Davie. Check out his new book which is "A richly illustrated natural history of the world's crabs that examines their diversity, ecology, anatomy, behaviour and more."   Current Coral Affairs Check out some of the latest news and research about our ocean and waste reduction innovations: Could this little fish really be the key to saving coral reefs? Read more here   You know what it's like, you take photos of fish then leaf through countless ID books trying to pinpoint the species. This new tool (still in development) could solve your problems. Right now though you have the option of submitting your awesome photos to train the AI's algorithm. Follow this link for more info. Get with the Program Here's what we've got coming up in the next few weeks, keep checking the website for more updates.  9 November 2021: Don't miss the last one for 2021! Coast to Corals - Engaging tourists as citizens scientists in marine tourism 31 December 2021: Thrive. Reef Check Australia are the charity of choice again this year, so you can support Reef Check and have an awesome night out (or weekend). Get in early to get your tickets. 22 January 2022: Get your tickets here   If you missed any of our Coast to Coral online events, remember you can always catch-up by taking a look at our YouTube Channel here     Thanks for reading! If you want to help our work to empower more people to protect Australian reefs, please consider making a monthly tax-deductible donation.    Make a Donation   Copyright © 2021 Reef Check Australia, All rights reserved.You have received this newsletter because you have given Reef Check Australia your email address. If you would prefer not to receive any further emails, please click the unsubscribe link in your email.Our mailing address is: Reef Check Australia1/377 Montague RdWest End, QLD 4101Australia