MangroveWatch

🌿 CELEBRATING AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE FOR THE MACKAY MANGROVEWATCH PROGRAM 🌿

https://reefcatchments.com.au/great-barrier-reef/transforming-citizen-science-into-on-ground-action/

Over the past two years, volunteers, Traditional Owners, community members and local organisations have contributed observations, local knowledge and ideas through the Mackay MangroveWatch program and Local Action Plan workshops.

Today, those contributions are helping deliver on-ground coastal wetland restoration.

Recently, MangroveWatch & Earthwatch Australia's Jock Mackenzie returned to Mackay to undertake baseline monitoring for a restoration project being delivered by Reef Catchments through the Inshore Resilience Project.

The restoration priorities were informed through community observations, local knowledge and partnerships built through the Mackay MangroveWatch program supported by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.

This is what citizen science can achieve.

When communities are involved in data collection and sharing local knowledge, they can help inform planning, support investment decisions and contribute to real conservation outcomes.

For everyone in Mackay who has contributed observations, attended workshops or participated in MangroveWatch activities, this is something to be proud of.

Congratulations to the Mackay community, Traditional Owners, volunteers, Reef Catchments and everyone who has contributed along the way.

Were you involved in MangroveWatch, Saltmarsh SAVERs or a Local Action Plan workshop in Mackay? We'd love to hear what this milestone means to you.


Earthwatch Australia Reef Catchments Land Queensland Reef Trust Great Barrier Reef Foundation Australian Citizen Science Association

🎉 Fantastic news for the Townsville Earthwatch Australia MangroveWatch community, and a great win for community coastal wetland stewardship!

Yesterday, the Earthwatch Australia MangroveWatch program received a Townsville City Council Sustainability Appreciation Award at EcoFiesta 2026.

The award recognised MangroveWatch:
"For empowering the community through citizen science to monitor and protect mangrove and saltmarsh ecosystems, fostering stewardship and improving coastal health through locally driven data and engagement."

This recognition belongs to the many volunteers, Traditional Owners, ranger groups, schools, community organisations and partners who have helped make the program what it is today, supported by the passion and dedication of Townsville MangroveWatch Program Manager, Lucía Caldas.

The strong community response to MangroveWatch demonstrates that Townsville residents recognise the importance of their mangrove and saltmarsh wetlands and want to play a role in their future. Over the past two years, more than 200 Townsville and Yunbenun (Magnetic Island) residents have participated in MangroveWatch monitoring, education and stewardship activities. In 2026 alone, a further 42 community members contributed 85 Saltmarsh SAVER surveys.

Together, these observations are helping build a growing citizen science dataset that informs coastal wetland conservation and management, supports restoration planning and helps prioritise community-supported investment in wetlands across the region.

Citizen science doesn't just generate data. It builds local knowledge, stewardship and community capacity to respond to environmental change and protect coastal wetland values.

A huge thank you to everyone who has volunteered, partnered, supported and championed MangroveWatch over the years, including; Gudjuda Reference Group Aboriginal Corporation, Wulgurukaba Leadership Group, Port of Townsville Limited, Healthy Waters Partnership for the Dry Tropics, CANOE Projects Inc., North Queensland Conservation Council (NQCC), Coastal Dry Tropics Landcare Inc. and NQ Dry Tropics NRM

The Townsville Earthwatch–MangroveWatch program is delivered in partnership with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and the Australian Government through the Yunbenun Magnetic Island Townsville Coastal Stewardship Project, with additional support from the Port of Townsville Limited.

This recognition belongs to the entire community that has contributed to the stewardship of Townsville and Yunbenun's coastal wetlands. 💚🌱🦀

Great to see such strong local interest in the mangrove and saltmarsh coastal wetlands of the Barwon Estuary during the recent ‘Meander along the Mangroves’ event as part of the Barwon Heads Arts Council Inc. Mangroves from the Water exhibition supported by Corangamite Catchment Management Authority

The Barwon Estuary’s coastal wetlands are iconic local ecosystems that protect shorelines from erosion, filter pollution from the waterway, support fish and bird life, store blue carbon and help buffer the impacts of climate change and sea level rise. The huge turnout showed just how much these wetlands matter to the community.

But these systems are under increasing pressure from stormwater pollution, altered freshwater flows, uncontrolled access, boat wash and rising seas. Long-term protection will depend on strong local stewardship and people getting involved in caring for these places.

One of the most encouraging things from the event was seeing the passion, knowledge and enthusiasm already present within the community. That kind of grassroots stewardship is exactly what’s needed to support resilient coastal ecosystems and real conservation outcomes.

We’re now looking for opportunities to kick start the MangroveWatch citizen science program in the Barwon Estuary to help turn that local passion into long-term monitoring and community-led conservation action. Communities protecting the places they love is where real change starts.

Join us for a night of Wine, S***m & Mangroves🍷🕺🌳

At Geelong Pint of Science 😉

Jock Mackenzie will be presenting funky mangrove facts and how citizen science is turning into community-led conservation action through MangroveWatch and Earthwatch Australia.

Alongside talks on winemaking and reproductive health, it’ll be a fun and informative evening of science with a very eclectic (and not entirely unrelated) mix of topics.

📍 The Barwon Club, Geelong
📅 Wednesday 20 May
🕕 6–9 pm

🎟️ Book your tickets:
https://pintofscience.com.au/event/wine-s***m-and-mangroves/

Come along, learn something new, have fun and get into the mangroove 🌱🕺


Pint of Science AU Earthwatch Australia Australian Citizen Science Association

Wine, S***m & Mangroves What really happens in the science of winemaking? Can s***m experience stress—and does it matter? And how can we protect the mangroves that safeguard our c…