On Thursday 23 February 2023 the MDC welcomed invited guests to the ‘Reimagining the Marine Discovery Centre’ event. In 41 degree heat we thank the 100 guests who came to see the upgraded centre.
You may like to pair oysters with a nice glass of champagne or with lemon and tabasco, but have you ever thought about their mysterious lives beneath the sea? There is a reason South Australia is famous for their oysters and not just the ones that end up on your plate at a fine dining restaurant. Oysters are in fact ecological superheroes and form a vital part of our Great Southern Reef here in southern Australia.
In 2018 tourism on the Fleurieu Peninsula contributed $493 million in visitor expenditure with 771 000 overnight visitors per year, 78 % of which being from South Australia (18% interstate, 4% international). The Fleurieu Peninsula encompasses 4 national parks including Granite Island Recreation Park, Encounter Marine Park, Onkaparinga River national Park/ Recreation Park and Deep Creek Conservation Park.
Earlier this month Chanel 10 aired a story describing the killing of juvenile Port Jackson sharks off South Australia’s Metropolitan coast and the subsequent community-driven push for stricter laws protecting this species.
Article written by Mary Gordon
Sharks are an extremely important part of keeping our oceans healthy and thriving, but still, all around Australia, sharks are being caught and killed in significant numbers. A major area of concern is the Shark Control Program in both New South Wales and Queensland. These programs involve the implementation of shark mesh nets, as well as the addition of baited drumlines in Queensland. The government claim the reasons for these processes are to protect people from sharks, when in fact it just creates a false sense of security for swimmers and harms our beautiful marine life in the process.
When thinking about going snorkelling in Australia, the first location that usually comes to mind is the Great Barrier Reef, but did you know that right here in South Australia, just out of Adelaide, we have our own reef teaming with fish and other marine life, known as the Port Noarlunga Reef!
The term ‘sea slug’ may not create excitement in the minds of some, but these colourful creatures are definitely something to marvel at. Nudibranchs are gastropod molluscs that lack a shell and can be found in many marine habitats around the world, including the South Australian coastline.
I’ve always had a fascination with water, particularly the ocean and I’m sure a lot of you have too. I’ve always seemed to be drawn to it as it gives me a sense of calm and often inspires me. Lately, I’ve started to question why.
