The UWA Oceans Institute

04/09/2026

03/09/2026

New research by OI member 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗲 has revealed four distinct regions of unique biodiversity within Exmouth Gulf, which is also a globally significant stronghold for threatened sharks and rays.

Jessica spoke on ABC Pilbara Breakfast to share how the findings are helping inform conservation planning for the Exmouth Gulf Marine Park and contributed to the designation of Exmouth Gulf and Ningaloo Reef as an 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗮𝘆 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮 (ISRA).

Listen in at https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/pilbara-breakfast/breakfast/107094628

(𝘚𝘬𝘪𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘰 1:03:35 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘢’𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸)

01/09/2026

🌊𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥 🌊

Applications for the 2026 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗻 & 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 are open!

The awards are open to UWA students who are undertaking a higher degree across multidisciplinary marine research.

31/08/2026

In 2022, UWA Research and University of Tasmania researchers working with Wadandi cultural custodians Zac and Wayne Webb, used high tech remote undersea drones to explore the ocean floor off the coast of Augusta.

Their collaboration connected stunning underwater landscapes with ancient songlines describing campgrounds and rivers now hidden beneath the sea.

To find out more, watch Season 12 of ABC’s Backroads at https://iview.abc.net.au/show/back-roads/series/12/video/RF2527V018S00 (𝘈𝘶𝘨𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢 𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦)

Funding collaborators include the Australian Government under the Our Marine Parks Grant Program and the National Environmental Science Program Marine and Coastal Hub.
NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Australian Marine Parks

31/08/2026

Have you read the latest edition of the OI Newsletter? Available now at https://bit.ly/OINewsletterAugust2026

28/08/2026

The lies never stop! 😆

26/08/2026

𝗪𝗲𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗟𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲

📅 Wednesday, 30 September 2026
⏰ 6.00pm arrival for 6.30pm start
📍 The University Club of Western Australia

Register now at bit.ly/WenLecture2026

19/08/2026

𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥: 𝗢𝗜 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

This workshop is open to UWA students and staff who would like to improve their engagement and presentation skills.

For more information and to register, go to https://events.humanitix.com/oi-engagement-skills-workshop-2026

18/08/2026

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸

Recent surveys in Two Rocks Marine Park have uncovered a remarkable temperate reef ecosystem shaped by a mosaic of limestone reefs, sand plains and seagrass meadows.

The surveys, led by UWA researcher 𝗧𝗶𝗺 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗶𝘀, used 360-degree drop cameras and stereo-baited remote underwater video systems to map habitats across the marine park and document the species that depend on them. Their findings showed that Two Rocks is far from a single uniform reef community. Instead, biodiversity is structured across the continental shelf as a sequence of distinct ecological assemblages, each associated with different habitat types and depths.

The project also provided an opportunity to trial emerging underwater imaging technologies and strengthen international collaboration through a knowledge exchange with Tom MacTavish, Marine Specialist with New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC), focused on the use of stereo-video and drop-camera systems for marine biodiversity monitoring.

Among the highlights were shallow rocky reefs draped in golden kelp and sponges, supporting diverse fish communities and sightings of the elusive grey nurse shark, a species known to aggregate in the area.

These findings demonstrate how innovative survey technologies and collaborative research can improve our understanding of temperate reef ecosystems and provide the evidence needed to support effective long-term management of Australia’s marine parks.

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘎𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵’𝘴 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 NESP Marine and Coastal Hub.

-𝘖𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘕𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘔𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘯, 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩-𝘸𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬.

Watch the video here: https://vimeo.com/865879470