Explore every episode of the podcast Ocean Ideas

Have you thought about whether animals have feelings? 🐙

The octopus , one of the ocean’s deepest thinkers, is challenging how we understand intelligence and emotion in the natural world. From recognising curiosity and compassion in these incredible creatures, to questioning what consciousness really means, scientists and storytellers are revealing just how sentient sea life can be.
💭 Dive into the full Ocean Ideas episode to explore how empathy might just be the key to ocean conservation.

Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

Thanks to ⁠⁠ @IMPRESSIVEIMMERSIVEMEDIA ⁠⁠ for the stellar content!

🌊 Join the Ocean Rescue. Your Photos, Your Power!
You don’t have to be a scientist to make a real impact for our ocean. From diving with sharks to snapping sea slugs or uploading your beach finds to iNaturalist, every observation counts!
In this episode of Ocean Ideas we learn about how citizens science can be the force for good for conservation. And you can get involved yourself at this year’s Sydney Coast Marine BioBlitz with the Hope Spot movement. Sign up to iNaturalist now as we’re calling on ocean lovers, snorkellers, and citizen scientists to help protect our coast. 📸🐠
Together, we can map biodiversity, track species, and build the data that drives marine conservation, one photo at a time. Tune into this episode to learn more!
💙 Dive in, get curious, and join the movement: oceanloversfestival.com

Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

Thanks to ⁠⁠ @IMPRESSIVEIMMERSIVEMEDIA ⁠⁠ for the stellar content!

What’s with the weather? From record heat to rising seas, experts reveal how our warming oceans are driving extreme storms, floods, and coastal change and what it means for our future.Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠ @IMPRESSIVEIMMERSIVEMEDIA ⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the stellar content!

One in every two breaths we take comes from the ocean but rising nitrogen pollution is creating dead zones, fuelling algal blooms, and draining oxygen from our seas.
In this episode of the Ocean Ideas Podcast, recorded live at Ocean Lovers Festival, seaweed scientist and entrepreneur Pia Winberg explains the hidden oxygen crisis, and how solutions like seaweed farming can help our oceans, and us, breathe again.

Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠ @IMPRESSIVEIMMERSIVEMEDIA ⁠⁠⁠ for the stellar content!

She sailed solo around Antarctica, became the fastest in the world, and now holds 8 world records.
For Lisa Blair, extreme sailing isn’t just about adventure, it’s about turning the world’s wildest oceans into a platform for science and a call for climate action.

Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

Thanks to ⁠⁠ @IMPRESSIVEIMMERSIVEMEDIA ⁠⁠ for the stellar content!

Making the Invisible Visible. Why the Deep ocean matters. 

In this Ocean Ideas Podcast James Bradley reveals how the Ocean holds the key to humanity's urgent future. As we sink 5 hiroshima bombs worth of energy every second into the ocean, Bradley calls on us all to reframe our ‘out of sight, out of mind’ thinking as we pollute and plunder the ocean. 

His talk at the Ocean Lovers Festival draws on his Award winning book Deep Water: The World in the Ocean to explain our interconnectedness with the ocean and how integral it is to our very existence. 

Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

Thanks to ⁠ @IMPRESSIVEIMMERSIVEMEDIA ⁠ for the stellar content!

The planet is out of balance - and so are we.In this powerful episode of the Ocean Ideas Podcast, Mark Rowland explores how human systems have disrupted Earth’s natural rhythms - and why restoring balance means shifting how we live, lead, and connect.From climate and biodiversity to economics and culture, he introduces the 7 GAIA Imperatives - a bold call to align with the living systems that sustain us.Dive in and be inspired!Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.Thanks to  @IMPRESSIVEIMMERSIVEMEDIA  for the stellar content!

Whales, wisdom & the warming sea 🌊

What happens when science, Indigenous knowledge, and ocean reverence collide?

Dive into this episode of the Ocean Ideas Podcast where three incredible minds - Dr. Vanessa Pirotta, Dr. Jodi Edwards, and Dr. Olaf Meynecke - explore the deep connections between whales, culture, climate, and conservation.

From whale songlines to citizen science, cruise ships to climate shifts, this panel was a powerful call to listen to Country, to each other, and to the ocean’s biggest voices.

📍Humpbacks are migrating right now along the east coast - reminding us the time to protect is now.

Thank you to the incredible speakers:

- Dr. Vanessa Pirotta,  ⁨@macquarieuniversity⁩ 

- Dr. Olaf Meynecke,  ⁨@griffithuniversity⁩ 

- Dr. Jodi Edwards,  ⁨@UOWAustralia⁩ 

Filmed at the Bondi Pavilion.

Thank you to  ⁨@IMPRESSIVEIMMERSIVEMEDIA⁩  for the stellar content!

Why are plastics still on our shelves if we know the damage they cause? Profit? Lack of alternatives? Or something deeper?This Plastic Free July dive into 'Crashing through the Trash' - a powerful Ocean Ideas Podcast unpacking the ocean litter crisis and what we can do about it. From microplastics in our clothes to major policy wins, this episode is packed with practical actions that drive real change.What you can do:🧼 Swap pump bottles for bar soap👕 Wash clothes on cold and low spin to reduce microplastic shedding♻️ Recycle the unrecyclables with BRAD🧴 Return eligible bottles through Return and Earn📚 Educate your community + support a circular economyThis July, don’t just talk trash - take action.Big thanks to host James Dorney from TOMRA Cleanaway and panellists:- Lottie Dalziel – Banish- Dr. Scott Wilson – AUSMAP- Rupert Saville – NSW EPAFilmed at Bondi PavilionThanks to Impressive Immersive Media for the content.

🌊 Unbroken Whispers: The Kinship Between Sea and Story

🐋What if whales weren’t just wildlife - but family?

In this powerful Ocean Ideas Podcast episode, Dr. Jodi Edwards shares deep cultural stories of Sea Country, orcas as kin, and the matriarchal knowledge systems that have cared for Australia’s oceans for thousands of years.

Featuring:

👣 Dr. Jodi Edwards - Walbunja woman, artist, educator & Indigenous Research Fellow, University of Wollongong  @UOWAustralia 

✨ Learn more through Unbroken Whispers: The Ripples Connecting Sea Kin - a project by Jodi and co-led by Gumbaynggirr ecologist Dr. Chels Marshall. See here.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube.

📻 This episode also featured on ABC Radio National’s Big Ideas! See here.

Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

Thank you Impressive Immersive Media for the visuals and audio.

A shark bite happened. But public opinion shifted in a totally unexpected direction…

And it wasn’t what researchers predicted.

In this episode of Ocean Ideas: Tooth or Dare, Dr. Chris Pepin-Neff of the University of Sydney shares a surprising discovery from a real-world study in Cape Town - and what it reveals about how we assign blame after predator encounters.

From orcas to polar bears to sharks, this episode explores:

🔍 Why perception matters more than danger

🌡️ How climate change is reshaping predator behaviour

🧠 And how one simple question at an aquarium reduced shark fear by 30%

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube or Apple Podcasts to find out what the Cape Town study uncovered - and why it changes everything we think we know about “shark attacks.”

Speaker: Dr. Chris Pepin-Neff, Associate Professor of Public Policy in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Sydney.

Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

Thank you Impressive Immersive Media for the visuals and audio.

Fast fashion is flooding Australia - and we’re leading the world in the worst way.

Aussies buy more new clothes per person than any other country. Most of it is made from fossil fuels. Bad for the planet, our oceans, and our health. But there’s hope.

In this week’s Ocean Ideas Podcast, four trailblazers share real solutions - from circular design to AI and Aussie science breakthroughs. 👗

Featuring:

- Lisa Lake, UTS

- Kit Willow, Fashion Designer

- Christopher Hurren, Deakin University

- Danielle Haj-Moussa, Main Sequence

Filmed at the beautiful Bondi Pavilion.

🎥 Brought to life by Impressive Immersive.

✨ Dive into the world of Supernatural Seadragons and Seahorses! ✨

These magical marine creatures captivate us with their otherworldly beauty - but did you know they’re also at the heart of vital conservation work in Sydney Harbour?

🎧 Tune in to hear from the passionate scientists working to study and protect them. Described here as some of the most unique and charismatic creatures in the ocean - find out the best place in Sydney to spot them in the wild!

Huge thanks to Mitchell Brennan from SIMS for hosting this inspiring panel with:

🌊 Peter McGee, Underwater Research Group & UTS Fish Ecology Lab

🌿 Jillian Chambers, SIMS/UTS

🐠 Professor David Booth, UTS

Filmed at the beautiful Bondi Pavilion.

🎥 Brought to life by Impressive Immersive.

🌊 Meet the young leaders fighting for our ocean's future! 🌍✨

“The youth represent 100% of the future.” - Sophia Skarparis (AKA PlasticFreeSophia)

In this powerful episode of Ocean Ideas, hear from passionate young changemakers who are standing up, speaking out, and taking action to protect our blue planet.

🎙️ From launching national programs to taking the government to court in a groundbreaking climate case - these inspiring voices are proving that youth activism matters. 💪

🔹 Kal Glanznig, Blue Minds

🔹 Jessica Lane, Miss Earth 2024

🔹 Daisy Jeffrey, Duty of Care Campaigner

Hosted by the ever-inspiring PlasticFreeSophia, this episode is a must-watch for anyone who believes in the power of young people to make waves.

Special thanks to Impressive Immersive for the stellar audio and video quality. Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

What does a future without shark nets look like? 🦈 In this episode, we dive deep into shark-smart strategies that are making our beaches safer—for people and marine life.

🎙️ Hear real stories, expert insights, and the urgent steps we need to take to drive political change.

Plus, ever wondered what to do if you come face to face with a shark? Stick around for a hot tip from Jason! 

🎧 Hosted by Robin Mellon, CEO of Better Sydney

With special guests:

🔹 Lawrence Chlebeck, Humane World for Animals

🔹 Jason Iggleden, Drone Shark App

🔹 Brylee Robinson, Nets Out Now Coalition

Special thanks to Impressive Immersive for the stellar audio and video quality. Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

Sea urchin populations are exploding along the south-eastern corner of the Great Southern Reef—devouring kelp forests, disrupting ecosystems, and accelerating marine decline. But what if the solution lies not just in science… but on our plates?🎧 In the latest Ocean Ideas Podcast, we explore how innovation, sustainability, and cuisine are coming together to turn this ocean threat into a culinary opportunity.Join host Tessa de Josselin and a powerhouse panel:🌊 Dr. Sahira Bell – Co-founder & Director, Great Southern Reef Foundation🌊 Emily McLaren – University of Sydney🍽️ Chef Johnson – Head Chef at Melbourne’s The Roe, a restaurant redefining sea urchin as a delicacy✨ Dive into the discussion and discover how eating urchins might just help restore ocean balance.Special thanks to Impressive Immersive for the stellar audio and video quality.Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

🌊 The time to act is now—our reef ecosystems need us.

As climate change and extreme heating events threaten coral reefs around the world, scientists are racing to understand how these incredible ecosystems can survive—and how we can help.

In the latest episode of the Ocean Ideas Podcast, leading researchers Dr. Elliot Scanes, Dr. Emma Camp, and Dr. Cheng Chen dive into the evolutionary traits and survival strategies reefs use to adapt, and what science and conservation efforts must do next.

Special thanks to Impressive Immersive for the stellar audio and video quality.

Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

The Grey Nurse Shark is critically endangered, and it needs your help! 🦈💔

Catch the latest episode of the Ocean Ideas Podcast to discover incredible citizen science projects you can join to support the conservation of this iconic species. 🌊 

You'll learn about their behaviours, population, and breeding habits, plus how Valerie Taylor’s “String of Pearls” initiative is creating a network of Marine Sanctuaries to ensure these sharks have safe migration, resting and breeding grounds. 🌟

Featured Speakers:

• Valerie Taylor

• Prof. Adam Stow (Macquarie University)

• Capt. Gordon Scott

• Sarah Han-De-Beaux (Spot a Shark)

  
  

Special thanks to Impressive Immersive for the stellar audio and video quality.Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

Could algae be the new gold? 🏆 In this episode, ABC's Natasha Mitchell sits down with leading researchers and innovators to explore why algae is being hailed as a game-changer for a sustainable planet. From reducing methane in animal feed to replacing plastics and even helping with beer production, algae is proving to be more valuable than we ever imagined!🎙 Featured Guests:Dr. Alexandra Thomson, UTSDr. Pia Winberg, PsychoHealthDr. Michael Askew, AlgaeCo, Macquarie UniversitySpecial thanks to Impressive Immersive for the stellar audio and video quality.Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

What’s really happening in the high seas? 🌊🌍 Join ABC's Natasha Mitchell and a panel of experts as they explore who owns the ocean, who gets to exploit it, and how we can balance preservation with exploitation for future generations. ⚖️Speakers:- Captain Peter Hammarstedt, Sea Shepherd- Matthieu Rytz, Deep Rising- A/Prof. Aline Jaekel, University of WollongongSpecial thanks to Impressive Immersive for the stellar audio and video quality.Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

Marine Stewardship Council campaigner Alex Webb dives deep into the myths and facts surrounding sustainable seafood in this latest episode of the Ocean Ideas Podcast - Demystifying Sustainable Seafood. From the truth behind the claim that all big boats are bad, to misconceptions about imported seafood and which species are truly sustainable—Alex sets the record straight. 🎙 Speaker:Alex Webb, Marine Stewardship CouncilSpecial thanks to Impressive Immersive for the stellar audio and video quality.Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

Take a deep dive into the world of whales with the latest episode of the Ocean Ideas podcast: What Are Whales Telling Us? 🎙️

Listen as experts discuss everything from current threats and population changes to fascinating behaviours of these majestic creatures.Speakers:

• Dr. Vanessa Pirotta, Macquarie University
• Dr. Olaf Meynecke, Griffith University

Special thanks to Impressive Immersive for the stellar audio and video quality.Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

Dive into an innovative talk with Australian National Maritime Museum Archaeologist James Hunter to hear how he is using Virtual Reality to invite the public to explore shipwrecks and discover their mysteries. 🛳 Speaker: - James Hunter, Australian National Maritime Museum Special thanks to Impressive Immersive for the stellar audio and video quality. Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

The NSW Government is considering phasing out shark nets in NSW, a massive step to update this heritage solution that many say is no longer fit for purpose.

Tune in to the latest episode of Ocean Ideas - Shark Nets, What’s Next? to hear from experts about the politics, psychology, history and future for shark nets. Hear the outrageous facts distilled from the real ones, and learn more about the alternatives.

This conversation is one not to be missed!

Speakers:

- Dr Chis Pepin-Neff, USYD

- Steven Pearce, Surf Life Saving NSW

- Hannah Tait, Action for Dolphins

- Lawrence Chlebeck, Humane Society International (HSI)

Special thanks to Impressive Immersive for the stellar audio and video quality.

Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

Do you know what the 30 by 30 target is? Find out from expert Jason Peers of Marinas Guardian during this week’s Ocean Ideas Podcast! Guess how much of the ocean is currently protected? You’ll be shocked!! Find out about global ambitions and some hope for success. The time to act is NOW! Speaker: Jason Peers, Marinas Guardian Special thanks to Impressive Immersive for the stellar audio and video quality. Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

This week we hear from University of Sydney researcher Tristan Salle, who sheds new light on how river systems over hundreds of millions of years have driven life on the planet

Speakers: Tristan Salle, USYD

Special thanks to Impressive Immersive for the stellar audio and video quality. Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

Hear from our experts to find out how science and innovation are helping us navigate the complexities of sustainable seafood and how you, the consumer, can make more informed choices around seafood.

Speakers:

Mat Goddard, AquaCultr

Dr Adrain Gutteridge, MSC

Special thanks to Impressive Immersive for the stellar audio and video quality.

Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

Do you want to learn about traditional and contemporary Indigenous ocean conservation?

Tune in to this week's Ocean Ideas Podcast - Ancient Wisdom, Modern Science, to hear an interesting discussion about Indigenous ocean governance working with modern science to benefit the health of our ocean.

Speakers:

- Dr Mitch Gibbs, USYD

- Kataya Barret, Country Needs People

- Sarah Gorst, South Coast Seaweed

Special thanks to Impressive Immersive for the stellar audio and video quality.

Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

We are joined by Professor David Booth to discover how artificial fish pods and new coral habitats can boost fish biodiversity in Sydney. Listen in to learn about how ocean restoration projects are taking place right under the Sydney Opera House!

Speakers: David Booth, UTS/SIMS

Special thanks to Impressive Immersive for the stellar audio and video quality.

Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

We know our oceans are literally drowning in our plastic waste. This discussion ranges from innovative solutions to collective action - tune in to gain valuable insights, inspiration and tips on reducing the use of plastics, allowing you to be a greater part of the solution! Speakers: Naomi Tarszisz from RePlated Sondra Beram from BRU Coffee James Dorney from TOMRA Cleanaway Hosted by Lottie Dalziel from Banish. Special thanks to Impressive Immersive for the stellar audio and video quality. Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

A Blueprint for Global Seascape Restoration! Find out about about this exciting world first approach to seascape restoration. Project Restore focuses not only on individual habitats but also on fostering connections between habitats. This innovative approach aims to provide a blueprint for future seascape restoration globally. Speakers: Assoc Prof. Ziggy Marzinelli, Mitchell Brennan, Dr Paco Martinez-Baena and Professor Melanie Bishop.

Special thanks to Impressive Immersive for the stellar audio and video quality. Filmed at Bondi Pavilion.

So much is impacting our much loved (megafauna) marine creatures – sharks, dolphins seals, sea lions and turtles. Be enlightened by all the positive actions being done to help preserve their environments and populations. Robin Mellon (Better Sydney) hosts this panel of superstar megafauna scientists and conservationists. He is joined by Laura Simmons (SEALIFE), Hannah Tait (Action for Dolphins) and Assoc Prof. Rachael Gray (University of Sydney) in front of a live audience as part of the Ocean Lovers Festival 2024 at the amazing Bondi Pavilion. Special thanks to Impressive Immersive for the stellar audio and video quality.