Seaforth Locals Step Up to Restore Vital Seagrass Meadows

At low tide on the Seaforth coast, volunteers gathered with buckets, boots, and a shared ambition to restore the seagrass meadows that support the health of the Great Barrier Reef.

Lead by Reef Catchments in partnership with Central Queensland University and OzFish Unlimited, the two successful volunteer events at Seaforth marked a major milestone in the (Sea)Grassroots Community Restoration Project; a three-year initiative aimed at improving the health and resilience of seagrass meadows in the Great Barrier Reef.

Seagrass meadows are powerful ecosystems; the unsung heroes of the Great Barrier Reef. They stabilise sediment, filter coastal waters, store carbon, and provide food and shelter for turtles, dugongs and many species of juvenile fish. Unfortunately, seagrass meadows are under pressure from a changing climate, poor water quality and coastal development. Restoration of degraded meadows is essential, and community involvement is key.

Seaforth volunteers worked alongside marine scientists and Rangers from the Yuwi Aboriginal Corporation to collect seagrass flowers and cores of a key local seagrass species, Zostera muelleri. Zostera, also known as “Eelgrass,” plays a critical role in reef resilience yet remains vulnerable to various pressures.

Alexandra Williams, Reef Catchments Project Officer, explained the importance of the work, "Every seagrass flower and core collected aims to bolster the effectiveness of future restoration efforts. This is real science, which the community is a significant part of. It’s great to see the Seaforth community show such a keen interest into how they can help take care of these critical ecosystems."

The Yuwi Rangers joined the events, bringing cultural knowledge and deep connection to Country. Yuwi Ranger Bron Tonga shared, "Seagrass is important to our people for physical, spiritual, and cultural reasons. It provides food for the Turtle and Dugongs and is integral to our identity and connection to Country.

“The Seagrass meadows are vital for the ecosystem's directly supporting other marine animals. It's also about the understanding of seasons and cycles to monitor and care for sea meadows.”

This shared respect for seagrass was echoed by Dr Geoff Collins from OzFish Unlimited, who emphasised its role in supporting fish populations and recreational fishing, “These seagrass meadows play a vital role in supporting the life cycle of the fish we all like to catch. If the seagrass meadows suffer, that has a direct impact on recreational fishing.

“That's why volunteer events like these are so important - they give the local community a real, hands-on opportunity to take care of fish habitat.”

Seagrass restoration is local action with global impact. These meadows strengthen the reef’s ability to recover from severe weather, support thriving fish populations and keep coastal waters rich with life. For anyone who values clean oceans, healthy marine life and resilient reef systems, this is where meaningful change begins - on the shoreline, with your hands in the mud.

To learn more or register for future events, visit www.reefcatchments.com/events.

This project received grant funding from the Australian Government’s Protecting the Great Barrier Reef – Community Stewardship Program – an Australian Government initiative and delivered by Reef Catchments, in partnership with CQ University and OzFish Limited.

‍

Photo credit: OzFish Unlimited

Volunteers in action. Photo credit Reef Catchments

‍