The Southern Marine Environment

Our Unique Coast

The world's longest east-west coastline runs through South Australia. This coast is a global 'hot spot' for marine biodiversity. Our students get to swim with some of the planets most awesome creatures; seadragons, spawning aggregations of giant-cuttlefish, singing whales and expect to visits from playful seals & dolphins.

Southern Seas

The Southern Ocean controls world climate, shapes our extensive rocky cliffs & sandy beaches, and is contrasted by gulfs that provide shelter for creatures dependent on mangroves, saltmarsh & mudflats. This coast is awe inspiring.

Creatures

Our coasts contain an astonishing variety of creatures. For example, we find up to 300 species of invertebrates (small 'insect-like' animals) in the holdfasts of kelp the size of your fist. We have more species of marine plants than all the world's species of corals. We have a remarkable opportunity to test some of the world's most important ideas about global biodiversity.

Our laboratories

Our labs are situated in Adelaide, on the southern coast-line of Australia, which is the largest east-west expanse of coastline in the world. This coast faces the Southern Ocean and is home to the Great Australian Bight, which has 120 islands, two massive gulfs, and an astonishing diversity of marine life.