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The FREE Weekly Conservation Post and Jobs List

Signing up for the free Weekly Newsletter & Jobs List will get you a round-up of upcoming events, webinars, meetings, reports, funding opportunities, photos of the week, and recent postings to the jobs list.

To sign up for our free subscription, please Click Here or email us Here. 

Since 2004, SEVENSEAS Media has fostered an informal and non-partisan platform to promote understanding of key issues and challenges while building partnerships across an increasingly diverse group of marine conservation professionals and students.

Our mission is to promote communication and build partnerships across the global marine community and to identify and address gaps in the community’s work. SEVENSEAS Media achieves this through multimedia promotion and partnerships. The community consists of a diverse and growing group of participants, including non-governmental organizations, government agencies, foundations, bilateral and multilateral agencies, fellowship programs, independent consultants, and academia/students.

If you are interested in contributing or getting involved, email us Here. 

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By Kim Barnard

Exploring a different corner of the world on a holiday is something that’s guaranteed to leave you with lifelong memories. But spending some of your vacation time giving back will take the experience to a whole new level.

Queensland, boasting a beautiful, vast landscape, offers a range of unique volunteer experiences which allow you to put your skills to good use while also exploring the beautiful sights and experiences the region offers.

If you’re looking for ways to give while you’re away, this guide will help; it’s all about how to volunteer while on holiday.

Keep Australia Clean

Removing debris and litter from in and around the magical Whitsunday waters is a life-saving task that can be done with Eco Barge Clean Seas.

This not-for-profit organisation has removed over 200,000 kilograms of pollution from the Whitsunday region since 2009. Not only do they eliminate objects that harm marine life and damage their ecosystem, but they recycle and transform ocean plastics to reduce landfill entirely. Plus, they nurture sick and injured marine turtles back to prime health.

Founder, Libby Edge is dedicated to protecting and preserving the marine environment so generations to come can enjoy its beauty. Libby established Eco Barge Clean Seas after learning about the devastating effects that marine debris has on the residents of the sea.

To volunteer for one of their barge trips (as part of the Whitsunday Marine Debris Removal Program), head to their website and fill out your details. The barge, which holds up to 10 volunteers at a time, will take you to known impacted bays and beaches. Expect to pick up approximately 300 kilograms of debris during the trip!

Note: morning tea and lunch is provided.

Dig for Dinosaurs

The Australian Age of Dinosaurs is a museum in Winton, Queensland that not only displays the incredible animals of the past, but lets the public get up close and personal with them. It’s one of the few places in the world that offers this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Join the team in the Fossil Preparation Laboratory and spend the day prepping real dinosaur fossils for display. Prep-a-dino over two days, with a mate, for just $169 per person; this package includes a guided tour of the laboratory, collection room and dinosaur canyon. Plus, a one-year membership to the Australian Age of Dinosaurs society. If two days isn’t enough, why not opt for 10? After completing 10 days of preparation and training with the museum, you’ll become an Honorary Technician. This package, starting at $729, can be enjoyed over non-consecutive days.

Dive with Whales

If you’re a keen diver and want to meet dwarf minke whales, then sign yourself up for a volunteer experience with Mike Ball Dive Expeditions.

Not only will you be able to swim with these amazing animals in the Great Barrier Reef (it’s the only place in the world where you can), but you can contribute to research by collecting data on whale observations and sharing photos to the database.

Cairns is the departure point for these unforgettable scuba diving expeditions. Whether you choose the three-, four- or seven-day trip, you’ll have the time of your life witnessing the incredible biodiversity that lies in the incredible underwater world.

Check out this guide for other ways to help the Great Barrier Reef.

Have Some Turtle Time

When it’s turtle season (from November to March), the Mon Repos rockery near Bundaberg can always use an extra set of hands to help the newborn loggerheads reach their ocean home.

You don’t need any specific qualifications to take part in this very special experience, just a commitment to donate one night per week. As well as helping the rangers with visitor groups and turtle research, you might be called on to staff the entrance and souvenir shop, provide information to visitors and run the children’s activities.

Be a wildlife warrior

Head to Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast to help this conservation destination in its daily duties.

Volunteers learn new skills, gain an exclusive look into being a zookeeper, and meet some amazing animals and people. Choose from being a Keeper or a Customer Relations Volunteer; as a Keeper, your tasks will range from cleaning and maintenance, food preparation, animal observation, assisting keepers, and interacting with visitors at the daily Wildlife Warrior Colosseum Show. As a Customer Relations Volunteer, you’ll get to welcome visitors, answer people’s questions and help them navigate the zoo, and assist with guided tours, regular promotional events and children’s activities.

Live like a local

WWOOF is a worldwide movement bringing volunteers and organic farmers/growers together, to promote building a sustainable global community.

Travel around Australia living and learning on a host farm (for free!). For 4-to-6 hours a day you’ll be able to work on a functioning farm and perfect your organic practices.

Note: Before you become a WWOOFer, ensure your travel insurance is up to date as medical assistance in Australia can be very pricey.

Join a bush tribe

If you’re over 18, register as a volunteer with Bush Heritage Australia to be notified of roles going in the beautiful bushland.

Bush Heritage Australia is an independent not-for-profit organisation that buys and manages land, and partners with Aboriginal people to preserve our landscapes and irreplaceable native species.

As a volunteer, there’s a plethora of tasks you can work on. Reserve tasks range from caretaking, grounds and building maintenance, fencing, feral animal control, weed control, ecological monitoring and other ongoing land management activities. Office tasks include research, administration, fundraising, events and other important projects.

Click here to learn more. 

By Laura Walls

Home to 1625 species of fish, not to mention sea turtles, whales and dolphins, the Great Barrier Reef is a place wherethe best of Queensland marine life encounters are pretty much guaranteed.

With 2300km of coral reef stretching from Bundaberg all the way up to Cape York to explore, you might be wondering where to begin – or how much time you’ll need to see it all. The good news is that seeing the best of the reef doesn’t require a big-time commitment. If you’re looking to pack a lot into a short space of time, try this marine-life spotting mini-break on for size.

Meet the Great 8

Kicking off in Hervey Bay and wrapping up in Port Douglas, this five-day itinerary will take you on a journey of discovery in search of Queensland’s Great 8. A checklist of the reef’s rarest and most spectacular marine creatures, the Great 8 features whales, turtles, manta rays, clown fish, sharks, potato cod, Maori wrasse and the giant clam. Get ready to experience nature at her jaw-dropping best.

Day 1: Go in search of whales in Hervey Bay

From Brisbane, hop on a quick 50-minute flight or take the scenic three-and-a-half-hour drive north to arrive in Hervey Bay, Australia’s whale-watching capital. This laidback seaside town was recently crowned the world’s first whale heritage area and considered  – with good reason. Each year, more than 20,000 humpback whales and their newborn calves travel along Australia’s eastern coast on their annual migration. Hervey Bay’s warm, protected waters provide a natural nursery where mother whales teach their calves to socialise and play, making it a wildlife spotter’s dream. You’ll be able to spot them breaching and tail-slapping from the shore during whale watching season (July to October) – but for a more up-close experience, jump aboard a day tour with Tasman Venture. If the conditions are right, you may even be lucky enough to swim alongside them. (Queensland is one of just a handful of places worldwide where this is possible). Hervey Bay is known for its lively local dining scene, so wrap up your day with dinner at one of the town’s many restaurants and cafes.

Day 2:  Snorkel with giant turtles and potato cod at Lady Elliot Island

Your base for the next few days is Lady Elliot Island, a coral cay off the coast of Bundaberg in a conservation Green Zone. Home to sea turtles, manta rays and much more, it’s one of Queensland’s best locations for marine life encounters. From Hervey Bay, take the 40-minute scenic flight across the bay (a trip highlight in its own right) to arrive at the award-winning Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort. Travelling with kids? Don’t miss the resort’s Reef Rangers program. Budding conservationists will love learning all about Lady Elliot’s incredible marine ecosystem and the work being done to protect the reef. After lunch, grab your mask and snorkel and head for the island’s eastern lagoon. Be sure to check out the lagoon’s far-left corner: the favourite hangout place of an enormous potato cod. Next, head to the western side of the island. Explore coral ledges and underwater valleys as you swim among hawksbill and green turtles, as well as schools of shimmering fish. Tip: for even more turtle-spotting action, visit between November and April. This is nesting and hatching season when mama turtles lay their eggs and baby hatchlings scuttle down to the sea.

Day 3:  Meet manta rays and Maori wrasse on a scuba adventure

Today will see you tick two more iconic marine creatures off your list. First up: manta rays. Hop aboard a dive boat to the Anchor Bommie site, just a short distance off the island’s south-west coast, for the chance to swim alongside these gentle giants.  Marvel at their graceful movements as they cruise around and above you, using their enormous wings to glide effortlessly through the water. Next stop is Maori Wrasse Bommie, named after the family of giant Maori Wrasse that calls the area home. With their bright blue and yellow markings and impressive size, they’re impossible to miss. Famously friendly, Maori Wrasse rarely passes up the opportunity to say hello – so bring your waterproof camera for an underwater selfie.

Day 4: Get up close to sharks Townsville (without getting wet)

You’ll need to get an early start today, because it’s time to wave goodbye to Lady Elliot and set your sights on Townsville. From Bundaberg you can choose to fly (via Brisbane) or take the epic 1000km, 11 hour scenic drive up the coast.While in Townsville, don’t miss the chance to brush up on your reef knowledge at Reef HQ: the world’s largest living coral reef aquarium. Wander through the underwater reef tunnel to experience life under the waves without getting wet. (It’s perfect for little ones who haven’t mastered the art of snorkelling yet). Don’t miss the daily shark feeding show for the chance to see these sleek and efficient predators in action.

Day 5: Spot tiny clownfish and giant clams in Tropical North Queensland

Today’s final destination is Port Douglas: the gateway to exploring the Outer Reef.  Take the short flight to Cairns and continue on to Port Douglas by road (the journey takes around an hour). Alternatively, put your trip on pause and spend a day (or more) exploring Cairns and its surrounding beaches and reef. Keen to get back on the water? Check out the boat trip options at Sunlover Reef Tours. For expert insights into reef ecology, sign up to their Marine Biologist for a Day program. Your day includes a guided snorkel safari as well as a practical session on how to analyse coral health and look for signs of environmental impact. Combine it with their Astronomer for a Night tour and spend the night stargazing 50kms off the coast of Cairns. If you’re cruising on to Port Douglas, head to buzzing Macrossan Street on arrival to refuel (The Little Larder is a local favourite). Then, it’s time to explore the underwater world of the Outer Reef. Discover the weird and wonderful marine life that inhabit the bommies and coral cays of Agincourt Reef aboard Silversonic, Quicksilver Cruises’ high-speed dive catamaran. For the best chance of spotting giant clams, parrotfish and Maori Wrasse, head to The Point on the northern end of the reef. Continue north and west to reach the Three Sisters, where clownfish dart amongst the colourful sea anemones that double as their homes. Back on dry land, celebrate completing your bucket-list of Queensland marine life encounters with sunset drinks on the deck at the Tin Shed, Port Douglas.