News | Marine Discovery Centres Australia

Seaweek Educators’ Expo at Naturaliste MDC

December 5th, 2010

The Naturaliste Marine Discovery Centre in Western Australia will be hosting the 2011 Seaweek Educators’ Expo on Friday 25 February 2011.

Seaweek is the Marine Education Society of Australasia’s major annual education campaign to increase understanding and appreciation of the sea and its living organisms.

Seaweek is from 6th to 12th March 2011 and the theme is ‘Spotlight on Marine Science’. This theme profiles marine science endeavours exploring the earth’s least understood habitat, the marine environments of the world.

Find more details on the Naturaliste Marine Discovery Centre web site.

Naturaliste MDCentre education program wins WA Science Award

November 3rd, 2010

The WA Department of Fisheries state-wide education program, operating out of the Naturaliste Marine Discovery Centre in Perth as well as locations around regional WA, has won the Science Outreach Initiative prize at the the 2010 Western Australian Science Awards.

Over the past year, 40,000 students and community members took part in 900 activities and programs developed and produced by Department staff.

Annual Marine Discovery Centres Australia Network Meeting a huge success

June 23rd, 2010

Sapphire Coast Marine Discovery Centre staff and Board members were proud to show off our beautiful coastal waters when hosting the recent Annual Marine Discovery Centres Australia Network Meeting. As well as representatives of MDCA, the group were joined by Fiona Ewing, SeaNet Officer with Oceanwatch. Fiona is based in Tasmania and has been working closely with Woodbridge MDC recently.

Perfect autumn weather was the backdrop for a weekend packed full of activities, meetings and of course some social interaction. The group had a comprehensive tour of our own Discovery Centre and participated in one of the many new Education Programs developed by Marine Teacher Steve White. A spectacular snorkel tour from Merimbula Wharf to Bar Beach was a popular part of the weekend, with two huge rays and many beautiful tropical fish being seen. A tour of Pelagic Fish Processors was also included; CEO Stan Soroka is also the Chair of SCMDC and is well-known for his thorough knowledge of Australian fisheries and their management and he ably fielded many questions about this hot topic.

MDCA was formed in 2005 when a small number of Discovery Centres met at Ballina to discuss sharing of ideas and resources as well as seeking sponsorships as a group. It has now grown to include members from every state in Australia except for the Northern Territory.

Funding for transport and accommodation for this meeting as well as the last 2 was generously provided by the Australian Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC). FRDC was represented at the meeting by Julie Haldane. Thanks also go to Leanne Barnes (BVSC) for facilitating a session for the group.

CMDC Teacher Steve White leading a rocky shore education program

Andrew Denzin (TI) loved the different marine habitats

ohn Agnew & Tim Hoile (SA) and SCMDC Technical Officer Sheree Epe

Jane Smith (Central Coast), Pam Elliott & Ros Asten (Tas) about to take the plunge

ichael Burke (WA) and Pam Elliott (Tas) enjoy dinner at Kitchen

Refurbished Henley Beach MDC Officially Opened

April 13th, 2010

Penny Wong signs the visitor book The newly refurbished Henley Beach Marine Discovery Centre was officially opened on March 26 by Penny Wong, Federal Minister for Climate Change and Water.

The Henley Beach MDC has been in operation at Star of the Sea School in Adelaide for over 12 years and it was a very proud day for the 173 volunteers, 43 steering committee members, 26 building supporters, 71 annual sponsors, 129 “Fish” sponsors and the whole school community.

International Year of Biodiversity

January 19th, 2010

From the Naturaliste Marine Discovery Centre:

The United Nations declared 2010 as International Year of Biodiversity to celebrate life on earth and the value of biodiversity for our lives.

Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth — the plants, animals and micro-organisms, which are essential to sustain healthy ecosystems.

Biodiversity is important to humans as these networks provide us with vital services, which we depend on such as food, water, and air to breathe!

Western Australia is recognised as having eight of Australia’s 15 national biodiversity hotspots. Located across the State from the North Kimberley to the Fitzgerald River, Ravensthorpe in the south of the State, biodiversity hotspots are areas that are considered to be largely intact, supporting native species and high diversity of locally endemic species, which are found no where else in the world.

Humans are part of our rich biodiversity and we have the ability to help protect or destroy it.

Sapphire Coast Volunteer Recruitment

December 29th, 2009

From Sapphire Coast Marine Discovery Centre:

Our next Volunteer Guide Recruitment and Training Session will be held at the Marine Discovery Centre in Eden at 10am on Wednesday 10th February 2010. Anyone wishing to attend this Session should contact the Centre on 6496 1699 or email admin@sapphirecoastdiscovery.com.au

We look forward to welcoming a new group of Volunteer Guides for our growing Marine Discovery Centre. Any current Volunteers wishing to attend and meet some of the new folk will be most welcome.

Welcome to our newly hatched whitefin swell shark babies!!

December 23rd, 2009

From Woodbridge Marine Discovery Centre:

We are proud to announce the safe arrival of four baby whitefin swell sharks.

Adult sharks of this species mated and laid eggs while they were in our pond in 2008, and we have cared for the eggs since then. It has taken 12 months, but four of those eggs hatched in November 2009.

As their egg cases were almost transparent, we were able to watch the growth of the babies over the course of their development.

Whitefin swell sharks are a bottom dwelling species, generally found in deep water on the upper continental slope around southern Australia. Adults grow to over 1.5m in length.

View photos and more information on the Woodbridge Marine Discovery Centre web site.

Bumper Baby Season In The Bay

July 18th, 2009

From the Dolphin Discovery Centre:

It’s official…. last summer’s dolphin breeding season has been described by the Dolphin Discovery Centre’s research team “as the most successful since monitoring began” advised Miss Jodie Mott, General Manager.

“This season has been the best in recent times in terms of new calves being born in the bay and surrounding waters with 17 new calves being observed between December last year and as late as May this year” said Miss Holly Smith, PhD Candidate with the South West Marine Research Program (a joint initiative between the Dolphin Discovery Centre, Murdoch University, and Industry Partners). She went on to say that “to date all calves have been resighted alive and growing rapidly through the winter”.

Whilst the calves are enjoying socialising, often keeping each other company and playing together, the Mum’s are kept busy with the more serious activities such as foraging for fish. These new calves will be dependent upon their mothers for milk for the next two years or so before venturing off to form their own groups with juveniles of the same age. “It’s an exciting time for the dolphin population and we hope that all these calves survive to be recruited into the adult population” said Miss Smith.

Marine Discovery Centres Australia