Australia's Underwater Forests Take Center Stage on Gardening Australia

A fantastic national spotlight on Australia’s underwater forests.

Over the weekend ABC’s Gardening Australia featured the work of researchers from the Deakin Centre for Marine Science, showcasing how scientists are helping restore Golden Kelp forests in Port Phillip Bay as part of a major collaboration with The University of Melbourne, The Nature Conservancy and Parks Victoria.

The segment followed Associate Professor Prue Francis and the team through the process of collecting kelp sori, growing microscopic zoospores in the lab, and raising young “kelplings” ready to be replanted back into the ocean.

Importantly, the story also introduced Gardening Australia’s huge national audience to the Great Southern Reef, the 8,000 km network of temperate reefs that wraps around southern Australia and supports thousands of marine species.

It’s brilliant to see the Great Southern Reef becoming part of more mainstream conversations beyond traditional marine science circles, helping connect new audiences with the importance of kelp forests, reef restoration and ocean health.

The episode is now available on ABC iview.
📺 Gardening Australia, Series 37 Episode 14

#marinescience #kelpreforestation #GreatSouthernReef #oceanhealth #marineconservation