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Get involved in the NSW Marine campaign

The NSW marine campaign needs help from passionate ocean lovers throughout NSW. Help secure the protection of our valuable marine environment for future generations by getting involved in this important conservation campaign in your local community.    more »

Into the blue - protecting Australia's marine wildlife

Soft coral polyps at night - Marcel Widmer

Beyond the sand and white-capped waves, Australia’s marine waters extend over an area almost twice as large as the area of our land. The seascape below the surface is more varied and dramatic than that on land; a place filled with canyons, undersea mountains, plateaus and trenches. Not surprisingly, it is also filled with amazing plant and animal life – kelp forests, sponge gardens, coral reefs, turtles, dolphins, crabs, sea snails, fish, the list goes on.

Sadly, overfishing, oil and gas drilling, mining and pollution are destroying marine habitats, leaving them impoverished and on the verge of collapse. Some species have already disappeared. Climate change will make matters worse because it will turn seawater warmer and more acidic and change ocean currents - a key foundation of life in the marine environment.

The Wilderness Society has established campaigns for marine protection in the coastal (state) waters of New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. TWS is also building a campaign to protect deeper Commonwealth waters.

Call for fully protected marine parks on World Ocean Day

The Wilderness Society is marking the 14th annual World Ocean Day, due to fall this year on 8 June, with a series of community actions around the country highlighting the plight of Australia’s unique marine wildlife.

Our over-fishing practices, mining and pollution are destroying our rich marine habitats, leaving them impoverished and on the verge of collapse. Some species have already disappeared.

Creatures t-shirt to help protect WA’s marine wildlife

Swim into deep sea fashion with your very own punkfish tshirt this summer. These fabulous fishy tshirts will help fundraise for our campaign to protect WA’s marine wildlife.    more »

Global warming threatens our marine wildlife

Global warming threatens to have profound impacts on each of our lives, and an even greater effect on the millions of plants and animals that we share this planet with, including those living in the ocean. Global warming is happening now, but how bad it gets is entirely up to us. Many species of marine life are particularly vulnerable to changes in water temperature, including Australia's diverse and treasured coral reefs.    more »

The Wilderness Society SA - Marine conservation consensus statement

South Australia’s marine environment is an important part of Australia’s ‘Unique South’, the southern temperate waters, where up to 90% of the species in some plant and animal groups are found nowhere else in the world.

Download the South Australian Marine Consensus Statement (PDF, 704kb)

SA's Marine Environment and How to Protect It

The Wilderness Society, along with other national and South Australian conservation groups, is campaigning for the protection of our unique marine and coastal environments through the establishment of a system of fully protected marine National Parks and Wilderness Protection Areas.    more »

Join the Marine Letter Writing Tree

A new letter writing tree, focussing on building community awareness through the media about our spectacular local marine environment, is starting in NSW. Come along to a meeting, become a media monitor or join our network of supporters spreading their messages for protected marine areas in NSW.    more »

The Australian Sea Lion

The Australian Sea Lion is charismatic, intelligent and endangered. Hunted almost to extinction during the 1800's there are 10-12,000 of them found along South and Western Australia's offshore islands and coasts.    more »

Looking North - A Joint Venture for our Northern Oceans

We are bringing our WildCountry vision to the marine wonderland of Northern Australia, where we are supporting the Australian Marine Conservation Society and Environment Centre of the Northern Territory in funding a joint Northern Marine Campaigner, Prue Barnard. Prue is based in Darwin and is actively campaigning for greater protection of Australia’s northern waters by advocating for the establishment of fully protected marine parks and sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.    more »

Great Australian Bight

Both the SA State and Commonwealth governments have proclaimed marine parks in the Great Australian Bight. However, in their current format, these parks are inadequate to protect the unique marine life and ecosystems along the world's longest south facing shoreline.    more »

Help decide the fate of WA's marine wildlife

Less than 3 per cent of WA’s magnificent marine environment and diversity is currently protected, while international scientists recommend ten times this amount. Against the catastrophic backdrop of a global marine collapse, the WA Government is about to begin a process that will decide the fate of WA’s incredible marine wildlife.

Help protect WA’s marine wildlife now, for the future.

WA’s pristine Kimberley marine environment under threat

Just as research is shedding more light on the extraordinary natural values of the Kimberley marine and coastal environment, including as a breeding ground for humpback whales and its extensive fringing coral reefs, the threats to the area from the development of massive offshore gas fields (‘Browse Basin’) are coming to a head.    more »

Weedy wonder - a reminder of the need for marine safe havens

The mystical weedy seadragon shows us why marine safe havens are so essential to protect our unique marine life.    more »

Exciting times for marine protection in SA

New Marine Parks legislation that recently passed through the South Australian Parliament provides a framework for the government to deliver on its commitment of 19 Marine Parks to be declared by 2010. This commitment must include a declaration of the outer boundaries of the 19 Parks, along with the detailed management (zoning) plans which will determine what activities are allowed where…the crux of the whole process. The next few years will be an exciting time for the SA Marine Campaign, with tremendous opportunities to protect large areas of highly significant marine habitat!    more »

NSW Marine Park reviews welcomed

NSW environment groups welcome the announcement of the Solitary Islands and Jervis Bay Marine Park reviews.    more »

Environment groups call for Tasmanian marine reserves

With the RPDC’s final recommendations on the establishment of a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Bruny Bioregion to be handed down this week, environment groups have urged the Tasmanian government to follow through with protecting the extraordinary wildlife and unique habitats of the area through the establishment of key Marine Reserves.    more »

Supporters circle ‘marine protection’ as vital

Supporters of The Wilderness Society’s campaign for the protection of WA’s marine environment formed a giant human surf circle off Scarborough Beach, sending a very visible message to the State Government over its inadequate response to threats facing WA’s marine environment.    more »

World Ocean Day film screening - Sunday 8 June

The Kimberley Wilderness Coast is threatened by the Browse Basin gas industry.

On World Ocean Day, hear about the public campaign to Save the Kimberley, and enjoy a screening of the film The Kimberley - Land of the Wandjina showcasing this spectacular wilderness area.

The Wilderness Society WA's State Coordinator, Peter Robertson, will be guest speaker at the event.

Take action for the ocean in Newcastle - Sunday 8 June

This Sunday 8 June at Nobby's Beach, Newcastle, join us for a whole afternoon of beach and ocean-themed events to raise awareness of the crucial need to protect our precious oceans.