About us

Centre for Marine Studies

We are an environmental association that promotes awareness of human impact on the ocean through research, education, creative activation and support of others who sustain ocean health and integrity.

Our projects expand the scientific and community understanding of coastal marine ecosystems in Australia.

Living Ocean is listed on the Australian Register of Environmental Organisations.

Donations to the Living Ocean Fund are tax deductible.

1. Petroleum Exploration Permit 11 (PEP11) Cancellation
  A proposal to explore for oil and gas in a 4,500 square kilometre stretch of ocean from Manly to Newcastle, visible from shore, alarmed coastal communities. Sonic blasts and potential spills would devastate marine life, with damage to the tourist economy and risk of beach pollution from spills.
  
  Living Ocean initiated the resistance by using its research data on humpback whale migration paths to convince the regulator to block an unprincipled proposal for incessant blasting at a time when newborn whale calves were in the area with their mothers. A consortium of environmental groups then joined Living Ocean in the fight, resulting in the ultimate cancellation of the exploration permit.
2. World’s First Scientific Paper on Plastic Ingestion
  The Institute for Marine & Antarctic Science in Tasmania undertakes annual studies on Lord Howe Island to determine the effect of plastic pollution on a sentinel species, the flesh-footed shearwater.
  
  Funding support from Living Ocean and onsite assistance from Living Ocean volunteers enabled publication of the world’s first scientific paper detailing the health impacts of plastic ingestion for any animal species.
3. Whales and Climate Research Program Membership
  Since 2004, Living Ocean citizen scientists have recorded, at sea, the behaviours, tracks and environment of humpback whales migrating past Sydney.
  
  This globally-unique data set is being used by the Whales and Climate consortium to study the effect of climate change on humpback whales, as well as in theses by candidates for higher university degrees. Living Ocean has been invited to full membership of the consortium, alongside seven global universities and the Smithsonian.

Our Approach

Meet some of the team

Robbie Newman

President | Co-Founder
Carol Newman

Co-Founder
David Cousins

Vice-President | Chief Strategy Officer
Tom Peacock

Vice-President | Secretary | Chief Development Officer
Darren Jones

Committee Member | Chief Science Officer
Bill Fulton

Committee Member | Project Lead - Marine Mammal Research
Claudia Newman

Committee Member | Community Outreach
Denise Zlotowski

Committee Member | Chief Digital Officer
Simon Hayward

Committee Member | Chief Activations Officer
Ben Westcott

Treasurer | Public Officer
Milton Brown

Project Lead - Educational Programs

Get involved as a Citizen Scientist.

Living Ocean couldn’t function without the support of citizen scientists.

Our projects, led by our President and Australian Citizen Science Association member Robbi Newman, are driven by citizen science teams working alongside experts from Living Ocean and our scientific and academic partners.

Get in contact