Word on the Reef – Details, episodes & analysis

What do the world's largest flying bird, with a wingspan of up to 3.5 metres, and the Australian Sea Lion have in common? Both are endangered due to their high risk of entanglement in fishing nets!

Today's guest, Zoologist Alexia Wellbelove gives us a birds-eye view on how changes to fishing practices can help bring Albatrosses and Sea Lions back from the brink. We'll also unpack recent changes to Australia's nature laws which scientists hope will help slow the alarming rate of extinctions in Australia.

AMCS's Threatened Species Campaign:  https://www.marineconservation.org.au/threatened-species/

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Help Keep Word on the Reef Afloat!
Please take 2 minutes to fill out our Word on the Reef Listener Survey to help us apply for funding for the show!

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Tide: ...

What do the Egyptian Pyramids, the Greek Parthenon, the Notre Dame Cathedral and Melbourne's Parliament House all have in common? They are all built out of fossilised reefs, aka limestone!

Today we’re taking a journey through deep lime - I mean time - to answer some of those burning questions like: How old is the Great Barrier Reef? What ancient forces built this coral colossus? Why are there fossilised reefs hundreds of metres above sea level and kilometres inland? And perhaps most importantly... What do these lessons from the ancient karst - I mean past - mean for our future?

To help us dig up the answers, we’re joined by Russell Kelley - a coral geologist, biologist, and author of the acclaimed Be Your Own Guide coral identification book series - who knows corals both living and extinct like the back of his hand.

Check out Russell's Books at www.BYOGUIDES.com

Support the show

Help Keep Word on the Reef Afloat!
Please take 2 minutes to fill out our Word on the Reef Listener Survey to help us apply for funding for the show!

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Tide: ...

First Nations people have been caring for land and sea along the Great Barrier Reef Coast for thousands of years. In this powerful interview, Traditional Owner Gavin Singleton explains the enduring connection First Nations people have with the Reef, what they're doing to help protect it, and how we can all foster a stronger connection with each other and the Reef.

The didgeridoo recording at the end of this episode is from Gavin's 2018 TEDx Talk at JCU.

More information:

• Dawul Wuru Aboriginal Corporation
• Yirrganydji Land and Sea Ranger Program

💸 WIN $100! Fill out our Word on the Reef Listener Survey before 30 September 2025 to go in the draw. ENTER HERE.

Support the show

Help Keep Word on the Reef Afloat!
Please take 2 minutes to fill out our Word on the Reef Listener Survey to help us apply for funding for the show!

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Tide: ...

Scott Reef, Australia’s largest remote offshore reef, is a breathtaking sanctuary for corals, fish, rare sea snakes, nesting turtles, and pygmy blue whales. But this natural wonder is under threat from a mega gas drilling and carbon dumping proposal. Fossil fuel campaigner Louise Morris from the Australian Marine Conservation Society joins us to explain what’s at stake and how we can fight back.

Plus: we unpack Australia’s new 2035 climate target with AMCS Reef Campaigner Lissa Schindler — and why experts say it’s not enough to protect our oceans.

Thumbnail Image Credit: Nush Freedman Photography

• Sign the Petition: Help Save Scott Reef from Woodside's Gas Plans
• Documentary Film: Coral's Last Stand
• Cairns Snap Action: 'Sleep-In For Climate,' Monday 22 September, 4pm
• Read the Australian Government's recently released National Climate Risk Assessment Report Summary & Sign the Petition

Support the show

Help Keep Word on the Reef Afloat!
Please take 2 minutes to fill out our Word on the Reef Listener Survey to help us apply for funding for the show!

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Tide: ...

Cyclones are part of life in the tropics, but climate change is making them stronger and more destructive. On the Great Barrier Reef, their force can pulverise thriving coral gardens into unstable rubble fields where baby corals struggle to grow. But there’s hope! In this week’s episode, we dive into an innovative solution that’s helping damaged reefs bounce back — and discover how you can play a role in bringing them back to life again!

This week's guest: Freda Nicholson, marine biologist and Program Manager for Mars Sustainable Solutions.

Shout-out to our latest Patreon supporter, Dr Sally Gregory --  check out her underwater cleanup project at Tallebudgera Creek on the Gold Coast!

Support the show

Help Keep Word on the Reef Afloat!
Please take 2 minutes to fill out our Word on the Reef Listener Survey to help us apply for funding for the show!

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Tide: ...

Seagrass meadows are the unsung heroes of the Great Barrier Reef – nurseries for fish, food for turtles and dugongs, and a frontline defence against climate change. But after a massive die-off, Dr Tim Smith and the team at JCU TropWATER faced a huge challenge: how do you restore these fragile ecosystems while dealing with crocodiles, stingers, and waist-deep mud?

The answer: helicopters, hovercraft, dugong poo, 2,000 baby seagrass plants – and an army of everyday volunteers.

🎧 In this episode, dive into a world-first tropical seagrass restoration project and discover how you can be part of the solution.

👉 Sign up to volunteer: https://ozfish.org.au/events

Support the show

Help Keep Word on the Reef Afloat!
Please take 2 minutes to fill out our Word on the Reef Listener Survey to help us apply for funding for the show!

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Tide: ...

Ever dreamed of exploring the Great Barrier Reef for free—while making a real difference? With Reef Check Australia, volunteers can join survey dives and help clean up marine debris, all while experiencing the Reef up close. But what does it take to become a qualified reef surveyor? In this episode, Reef Check Australia’s General Manager, Jodi Salmond, shares how you can get involved and play a hands-on role in protecting this natural wonder.

• Sign the Petition: Support Cameras on Trawl Fishing Boats.

Support the show

Help Keep Word on the Reef Afloat!
Please take 2 minutes to fill out our Word on the Reef Listener Survey to help us apply for funding for the show!

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Tide: ...

What has no arms, no legs, and no brain, but can flash like a disco light, help control pests and kill you in minutes? Queensland Museum's mollusc expert Darryl Potter has spent three decades fearlessly tracking down these armoured beasts all along the Great Barrier Reef, and he's here to tell us why they're more than just an ornament for your bathroom. It's one shell of a show!

Support the show

Help Keep Word on the Reef Afloat!
Please take 2 minutes to fill out our Word on the Reef Listener Survey to help us apply for funding for the show!

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Tide: ...

Growing up with ADHD and Dyslexia, Aliah Banchik never thought she could achieve calm focus, let alone become a successful scientist, artist and Netflix star. Then she discovered sharks.

In this inspiring episode, Aliah shares her mission to reshape how we see both sharks and neurodivergence, revealing the beauty in misunderstood animals and people alike.

We’ll also chat about her journey on Netflix’s All The Sharks—no spoilers, we promise!

Support the show

Help Keep Word on the Reef Afloat!
Please take 2 minutes to fill out our Word on the Reef Listener Survey to help us apply for funding for the show!

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Tide: ...

Did you know some of our marine fish are living DOUBLE LIVES? That’s right, they want the best of both worlds, saltwater and freshwater. So one minute they’re living the dream on a beautiful coral reef, next minute they’ve decided they need a tree change, and they’re swimming up into our rivers. What are they doing there? And importantly – what happens when humans build dams, causeways and other watery traffic jams that block these fish from finishing their migration missions?

• This week's guest: Sean Georgeson, Fish Ecologist and founder of www.coralition.org  |  www.instagram.com/coralition_org
• Ring the Fish Doorbell (Livestream where you can open the door for migrating fish): https://visdeurbel.nl/en/ 

Thumbnail Image: Sean and colleague using electrofishing to capture fish for research purposes in New Zealand. Note: Do not attempt this in crocodile inhabited waters in Far North Queensland!

Support the show

Help Keep Word on the Reef Afloat!
Please take 2 minutes to fill out our Word on the Reef Listener Survey to help us apply for funding for the show!

PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now!

• Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action!
• Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement
• Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas!
• Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Tide: ...