Word on the Reef
S3 E26: The Human-Nature Connection with Tyá Dynevor
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Tyá Dynevor has always felt a special connection with animals, which has led her to becoming an ethnozoologist - someone who studies the relationship between humans and animals. It's something Traditional Owners have known about for millennia. We sat down with Tyá for a powerful discussion about how Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Western science can work together to keep Country and people healthy. We dig into reciprocity with nature, the spiritual side of Indigenous science, and practical ways to reconnect with Country through observation, community action, and food sovereignty.
Plus we honou...
Meet Legendary 90-Year-Old Shipwreck-Hunter Ben Cropp
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Now available in video format on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! In this episode we sit down with Australian diving legend Ben Cropp AM to trace a life that swings from shark hunting fame to conservation, shipwreck discovery, and hard-won lessons from 70 years of diving on the Great Barrier Reef. He tells us what it really takes to stay alive underwater, think like a skipper, and keep chasing purpose into one's 90s.
Along the way we'll learn about the whale shark encounter that changed him from a hunter to a conservationist, close...
S3 E24: Magnetic Island Residents Fight Dredge Spoil Dumping
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A group of Magnetic Island residents believes the annual dumping of maintenance dredge spoil by the Port of Townsville may be creating sediment plumes that smother some of the island's pristine bays, coral reefs, and marine life.
And with the port now applying for a 10-year permit to continue the dumping at its current site, they're calling for community members to have their say.
In this episode of Word on the Reef, we're joined by one of those residents, Gethin Morgan, president of the Magnetic Island Nature Care A...
S3 E23: The Power of Parrotfish PLUS Priority Reefs with Professor Pete Mumby
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Twenty years ago, the Belize Barrier Reef was in serious trouble, and nobody could quite figure out why. Then Professor Pete Mumby helped uncover the surprising role of an unlikely reef hero: the parrotfish. Today, we’re diving into the incredible world of these colourful fish and discovering how they can help protect coral reefs.
PLUS… if you only have limited time, people and resources to protect some of the Great Barrier Reef’s 3,000 individual reefs, which ones would you choose?
As ocean temperatures continue to rise, scientists are workin...
S3 E22: Fear vs Facts: Australia's Shark Culling Debate
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They’ve claimed the lives of thousands of marine animals along Australia’s east coast, including turtles, whales, dolphins, rays and dugongs. No, we’re not talking about sharks. We’re talking about the shark nets and baited drum lines deployed by the Queensland and New South Wales governments.
But do these programs actually protect swimmers? Does the evidence support shark culling? And what alternatives could keep both people and marine life safe?
This week, hosts Tanya Murphy and Brett Goodban sink their teeth into these questions, and plenty more, wi...
S3 E21: Diving Indonesia's Incredible Komodo Islands
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Join us aboard the luxury liveaboard boat Mikumba Dua for a journey into one of the world's most incredible destinations! We'll explore local culture with our guide Filan, climb mountains, and enjoy some of the top rated scuba diving in the world. This episode includes an interview with local dive instructor Wili, and along the way we'll answer all your questions:
How do I get to Komodo and what can I see there?Which are the best dive sites to visit?When's the best time to see manta rays?Can I visit...S3 E20: The Last Saw: Saving Sawfish with Dr Barbara Wueringer
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Sawfish, the extraordinary relatives of sharks and rays, once roamed tropical and subtropical waters around the globe. Today they've vanished from much of their former range, with Northern Australia remaining one of their last global strongholds. All five sawfish species are now listed as critically endangered, yet most Australians know surprisingly little about these remarkable animals.
So, what exactly ARE these crazy-looking critters? Are they really as scary as they look? What can we do to help ensure they continue to survive in our rivers, estuaries and coastal waters? And perhaps...
S3 E19: Protecting Paradise: The Future of the Coral Sea Marine Park
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Beyond the Great Barrier Reef lies one of the world's largest marine protected areas: the Coral Sea Marine Park. Home to spectacular reefs, abundant marine life and some of the planet's best dive sites, it's one of Australia's last great ocean wildernesses.
But is it getting the protection it deserves?
On today's show, hosts Tanya Murphy and Brett Goodban are joined by Dive Queensland Principal Terry Cummins and Save Our Marine Life Coral Sea Campaigner Steve Ryan to explore what makes the Coral Sea so extraordinary, why the Australian...
S3 E18: Gone Buggo: Tiny Animals of the Reef and Rainforest with Steven Gill
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Reef and Rainforest tour guide Steven Gill is on a mission to bug you... in the best possible way. Armed with a camera, a handful of LEGO bricks and an infectious love for the tiny creatures we usually overlook, he's proving that the smallest critters often have the biggest personalities.
Along the way we'll meet Katy Perry, get business advice from a cleaner wrasse, and explore the surprising connection between the world's oldest surviving rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. We'll discover why eels don't have genitals, why a clean car...
S3 E17: CoralWatch: Citizen Science in Full Colour
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Fifty shades of coral? Not quite... but those colours tell an incredible story. This week we're diving into CoralWatch, the world's longest-running DIY reef science project. Discover how anyone with a mask, a colour chart and a love of coral can help scientists monitor reef health. Diana Kleine from the University of Queensland (pictured in the episode thumbnail image) joins us to prove that citizen science is anything but black and white. She also shares insights on the 'What Can I Do' project, revealing surprising data about how people engage with...
S3 E16: Fish out of their (Usual) Waters: Why Marine Life are Moving Poleward
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Scientists have discovered that marine species are migrating away from the equator at a rate of 40 to 70 kilometres per decade to get to cooler waters as climate change heats up our ocean.
But far from being a viable escape plan, this mass poleward relocation of marine life is opening up a sea of problems.
On this week's episode of Word on the Reef, hosts Tanya Murphy and Brett Goodban are joined by James Cook University's Professor Jan Strugnell for a deep dive into climate-driven marine species redistribution...
S3 E15: Seafood Fishing and Aquarium Harvesting on the Great Barrier Reef: Are they Sustainable?
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Every year up to 7,000 tons of seafood is caught on the Great Barrier Reef, while up to 190 tons of coral is collected for the international aquarium trade. But how sustainable are these fisheries? And as consumers, how can we make sure we're making Reef-friendly choices?
In this episode of Word on the Reef, Simon Miller from the Australian Marine Conservation Society joins hosts Tanya Murphy and Brett Goodban for a deep dive into the world of commercial fishing on the Great Barrier Reef.
Don't worry - you...
S3 E14: Reef Fish Beneath our City: Restoring Cairns' Urban Waterways and Oyster Reefs with Phil Laycock
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Did you know that some Great Barrier Reef fish species are spending part of their life cycle in the middle of our city? That's right, marine fish species could be as close as your nearest concrete storm water drain, swimming among abandoned shopping trolleys and discarded beer bottles. In fact, recent research has found more than 60 species of native fish in these waterways.
On todays' episode of Word on the Reef, host Tanya Murphy is joined by Phil Laycock from OzFish Unlimited, to explore the amazing biodiversity of our urban waterways...
S3 E13: The First Scientists: How Indigenous Knowledge can Help Protect our Oceans
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For 65,000 years before computers, satellites, and scientific journals, Australia's first peoples were reading tides, stars, seasons, animal behaviour, currents, and ecosystems with extraordinary precision. Yet until recently, their knowledge was not formally considered alongside Western Science.
Now, more research and conservation organisations are recognising that in order to protect places like the Great Barrier Reef, not only do we need better technology and data, but we also need to listen more carefully to the voices of the world's oldest continuous living cultures.
This week we're joined by Libby Evans-Illidge...
S3 E12: Mud, Blood and Sea Turtles: Caitlin's Quest to Give Turtles a Future
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In 2022, a mass stranding of more than 600 sick turtles devastated Hervey Bay in South East Queensland. As volunteers worked tirelessly to rescue them, scientists got to work on solving the puzzle: what caused this disaster?
Dr Caitlin Smith is one of the scientists racing to unravel the threats facing our sea turtles before it’s too late.
Her work has seen her fearlessly leaning out of helicopters to survey seagrass, slip-sliding across stinky mud bogs to rescue half-ton turtles, studying turtle blood samples, and putting baby turtles through fitness te...
S3 E11: Project Manta: The Secret Lives of Gentle Giants
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Professor Kathy Townsend knew she wanted to be a marine biologist from the age of five, and completed her very first dive in a frozen Canadian lake. But it was the moment a five-metre manta ray draped its tail over her shoulder like an affectionate cat that she knew she had truly found her calling.
Since then, Kathy has followed manta rays around the world, appeared in a documentary with Sir David Attenborough, and even been swept into a swirling manta-ray feeding vortex. She greets her favourite mantas with a wink...
S3 E10: Dugong Wars: The Fight to Save Mermaids with Professor Helene Marsh
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When Professor Helene Marsh first began researching dugongs on the Great Barrier Reef, the only ones she encountered were dead - tangled in fishing nets.
Then, in the 1990s, Queensland became the centre of a fierce conservation battle known as the “Dugong Wars”. No torpedoes were fired, but the conflict between marine scientists, industry groups and governments was intense, as researchers like Professor Marsh fought to remove nets from critical dugong habitat.
Today, dugongs face even greater threats, from climate change and habitat loss to extreme weather and declining seag...
S3 E9: Meet Gary, the King of Nudibranchs (AKA the Ocean’s Craziest Sea Slugs)
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He's broken several world records: largest group skydive, longest scuba dive on a single tank—and the most species of nudibranchs ever found on a single dive (71).
He's spent 23 years chasing these tiny creatures, building a global following of more than 60,000 people who are equally obsessed.
But what even is a nudibranch—and why are thousands of people going nuts over them?
Well, they dress like drag queens, some of them can fire miniature deadly spears out of their flubbery bits, and some can even walk on wate...
S3 E8: UNESCO Sounds Alarm on the Great Barrier Reef + Cyclone Narelle’s Fallout
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The UNESCO World Heritage Committee is concerned about the Great Barrier Reef - warning Australia to do more to protect it or risk an “In Danger” listing. So how serious is this threat, and are governments doing enough to respond?
This week we're joined by marine ecologist Dr Lissa Schindler from the Australian Marine Conservation Society to unpack what’s behind UNESCO’s warnings - and what we need to do about it.
Plus, we take a closer look at a summer of extremes: from coral bl...
S3 E7: The Aeroplane that Flies Underwater: A Game Changer for Marine Science?
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Critics said it would never work. But after 30 years of surveying reefs the hard way - diving with a slate and pencil - marine ecologist Brett Kettle knew there had to be a better way. So he built one.
In this episode of Word on the Reef, Tanya Murphy sits down with Brett and the team behind Flying Fish Technologies to reveal the Vertigo 3 Glider—an underwater drone that could revolutionise how we monitor and protect the ocean.
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SUPPORT THE SHOW: Become a su...S3 E6: Starfish vs. The Great Barrier Reef: Can We Stop Them?
What has eyes on the tips of its 20 arms, venomous spines, is almost impossible to kill — and is munching the world’s largest reef?
Meet the crown-of-thorns starfish.
Professor Morgan Pratchett has spent years studying this formidable predator. He’s been on the pointy end of one more than once — and lived to tell the tale.
In this episode, he reveals new research that could help tackle this army of millions.
To listen to the EXTENDED version of this interview, subscribe here!
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S3 E6: Starfish vs. The Great Barrier Reef: Can We Stop Them? [EXTENDED VERSION]
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What has eyes on the tips of its 20 arms, venomous spines, is almost impossible to kill — and is munching the world’s largest reef?
Meet the crown-of-thorns starfish.
Professor Morgan Pratchett has spent years studying this formidable predator. He’s been on the pointy end of one more than once — and lived to tell the tale.
In this episode, he reveals new research that could help tackle this army of millions.
Support the show
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SUPPORT THE SHOW: Become a supporter to connect with Tanya and Bret...S3 E5: Eco-Grief: Why Loving Nature Can Hurt - and What To Do About It
As climate change, coral bleaching and biodiversity loss dominate the news, many people are experiencing something psychologists now call eco-grief or climate anxiety — the emotional response to witnessing environmental change.
To unpack the connection between mental health, climate change and our relationship with nature - this week we're joined by Dr Chloe Watfern, an artist and postdoctoral psychology researcher with the University of New South Wales and the Black Dog Institute, who lives on Magnetic Island on the Great Barrier Reef.
We'll cover why environmental grief and climate anxiety are normal human responses, how creativity ca...
S3 E5: Eco-Grief: Why Loving Nature Can Hurt - and What To Do About It [EXTENDED DIVE]
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As climate change, coral bleaching and biodiversity loss dominate the news, many people are experiencing something psychologists now call eco-grief or climate anxiety — the emotional response to witnessing environmental change.
To unpack the connection between mental health, climate change and our relationship with nature - this week we're joined by Dr Chloe Watfern, an artist and postdoctoral psychology researcher with the University of New South Wales and the Black Dog Institute, who lives on Magnetic Island on the Great Barrier Reef.
We'll cover:
Why environmental grief and climate an...S3 E4: Reef Time Capsules: What Coral Cores Reveal About the Reef’s Past
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Did you know coral skeletons contain a record of every flood event in Queensland since 1648?
We often hear that climate and water pollution conditions on the Great Barrier Reef have changed dramatically since pre-industrial times. But how do we actually know that? After all, weather records only stretch back just over a century, and systematic water quality monitoring only began in the 1980s.
The answer is written in the corals themselves. By extracting a core sample — much like studying tree rings — scientists can read the chemical signatures locked inside the...
S3 E3: Coral 2.0: Can Technology Save the Great Barrier Reef?
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For thousands of years, the Great Barrier Reef has had the power to regenerate itself — so until 2017, coral transplantation was illegal. The rule was simple: let nature recover itself. Then mass bleaching events driven by global warming changed everything.
This summer, scientists released tens of thousands of baby corals - attaching them to ceramic stars and dropping them from boats in a bid to boost survival. The ambitious goal of this government-funded project is to plant millions of these devices using robots.
But can engineered human intervention work at th...
S3 E2: Dissolving Coral: Ocean Acidification and the Future of Coral Reefs
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Our oceans are 40% more acidic than pre-industrial times, making it harder for corals, molluscs, crustaceans and plankton to build their calcium carbonate skeletons. It's a crucial planetary boundary we've crossed — threatening reefs, fisheries, tourism, food security, and coastal communities. And almost no one is talking about it.
So what’s driving it? What does it mean for the Great Barrier Reef? And what can we do?
This week on Word on the Reef, we’re joined by Dr Katharina Fabricius from the Australian Institute of Marine Science — a global leader i...
S3 E1: Flantastic Discovery: Giant Dessert-Shaped Seamount Teems with Rare Marine Life
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CSIRO scientists have discovered a massive underwater mountain, shaped like a half-eaten flan, rising 3,000 metres from the seafloor off the coast of North Queensland. That's taller than Australia’s highest mainland peak, Mount Kosciuszko. And it’s teeming with life.
To guide us on a deep dive into this 40-million-year-old extinct volcano and its flantastic inhabitants, our guest on Word on the Reef this week is Marine Geophysicist Dr Chris Yuleridge.
Dr Yuleridge also takes us '20 thousands leagues under the sea' to explore lost shipwrecks, follow submerged Aboriginal song...
S2 E40: Fact or Fiction: Media Misinformation and the Health of the Great Barrier Reef
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Have you ever felt confused by conflicting media reports about the health of the Great Barrier Reef? If so, you're not alone. New research shows news coverage has often failed to clearly communicate the risks climate change poses to the reef, sometimes fuelling misinformation and climate denial.
So what's really happening on the Great Barrier Reef? To help unpack this, our guest today is Dr. Gabi Mocatta, Senior Research Fellow in Climate Science Communication at the University of Tasmania.
PLUS it's our last show of the year and we're...
S2 E39: Saving Sea Lions & Albatrosses PLUS Good News about Australia's Nature Laws!
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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://w...
S2 E38: Before the Flood: How Fossils Built the Great Barrier Reef (and the Pyramids!)
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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 ka...
S2 E37: Pig of a Problem: Saving Baby Sea Turtles from Porky Predators on the Great Barrier Reef
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Pigs can't fly, nor can they dive in the ocean. But they are posing a serious threat to endangered sea turtles by pigging out on turtle eggs and hatchlings in Cape York. This is not the good kind of bacon and eggs combo. It's Ham-ageddon for our nesting sea turtles!
Cape York Natural Resource Management representatives Dr Manuela Fischer and Scott Morrison (no relation to the former Australian PM) are working on a solution! Today they join us in the studio to explain how we can deal with this a-pork-alypse and...
S2 E36: Disappearing Islands: The Race to Save Turtle Eggs from Rising Seas
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As the planet warms, more than 3000 sea turtle eggs have been evacuated from low-lying Raine Island on the Great Barrier Reef to save them from rising sea levels.
It's an emergency intervention never attempted before on the Great Barrier Reef. But can the eggs survive the relocation? And what does this egg-sistential crisis mean for the future of our sea turtles and other island-dwelling animals? Dr Mark Read from the Marine Park Authority explains all in this eye-opening episode.
Learn more about the Raine Island Recovery Project.Support the...
S2 E35: Muddying the Waters: Deforestation and the Water Pollution Crisis on the Great Barrier Reef
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Did you know Australia has one of the highest deforestation rates in the developed world? About 20% of Queensland's vegetation has been bulldozed since colonisation -- one million hectares in the last three years alone -- mainly for cattle farming. What impact is this having on the Great Barrier Reef, and what can we do to fix it? To find out, this week we're chatting with Dr Maximilian Hirschfeld, Water Quality Campaign Manager at the Australian Marine Conservation Society.
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Sign a Submission to strengthen Australia's nature laws to prevent...S2 E34: Coral Spawning Research and Protecting Mangroves on the Great Barrier Reef
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Spring has sprung and it’s baby-making season on the Great Barrier Reef! In this episode we talk coral spawning with marine scientist Dr Katie Chartrand, plus, we dive into the world of mangrove forests with CAFNEC's Shannon Bredeson.
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SUPPORT THE SHOW: Become a supporter to connect with Tanya and Brett, get a shout-out on the show, ask us questions and suggest episode topics! Got questions? Email info@wordonthereef.com...S2 E33: Top 50 Dive Sites of Australia and the Great Barrier Reef: Part II
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Marine biologist and scuba legend Steve Sinclair is back again this week to finish revealing the Top 50 Dive Sites in Australia. Steve has spent over five decades exploring every reef, wreck and cave from Tasmania to the Top End — and now he’s sharing his secret spots with us!
From world-famous coral gardens on the Great Barrier Reef to secret, world-class dive spots you’ve never heard of, Steve shares insider stories and tips from a lifetime beneath the waves.
Plus — find out how you could
S2 E32: Top 50 Dive Sites of Australia and the Great Barrier Reef
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Think you know Australia’s best dive sites? Think again! Marine biologist and scuba legend Steve Sinclair has spent over five decades exploring every reef, wreck and cave from Tasmania to the Top End — and now he’s revealing the Top 50 Dive Sites in Australia.
From world-famous coral gardens on the Great Barrier Reef to secret, world-class dive spots you’ve never heard of, Steve shares insider stories and tips from a lifetime beneath the waves.
Plus — find out how you could win free dive trips...
S2 E31: Art Meets Ocean: How Creativity, Science & Community Are Protecting the Great Barrier Reef
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What do underwater art museums, bomb tests, and citizen science have in common? They're all part of the story of the Great Barrier Reef’s past, present—and possible future.
Our guest this week is Dr. Adam Smith—freediver, marine biologist, and founder of Reef Ecologic, a Townsville-based social enterprise leading innovative reef conservation through research, education, and community action.
In this episode, we dive into how art, science, and storytelling are being used in powerful ways to protect one of the world’s most iconic ecosystems. You'll d...
S2 E30: Seeing Green: Divers Investigate South Australia's Algal Bloom Disaster
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Today we're traveling back to South Australia for an update on the devastating toxic algal bloom that's been unfolding there over the last seven months, and what it it's been like for the divers who know and love these waters.
Marine Biologist and Divemaster Sarah Franke from Divers for Climate has just returned from a research trip to learn about how the disaster is impacting the South Australian community. She'll also take us inside the Senate Inquiry into the disaster, and let us know which of SA's dive sites are still...
S2 E29: Caring for Yirrganydji Sea Country on the Great Barrier Reef with Gavin Singleton
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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 CorporationYirrganydji Land and Sea Ranger Program<...