A Year of Listening, Learning, and Protecting Our Ocean - Living Ocean – Key Achievements in 2025

Living Ocean founder Robbi Newman speaks at the OceanSounds launch at Avalon Brewery

In 2025, Living Ocean spent the year on the water, under the surface, and deep in the science of a changing ocean.

From humpback whales breaching on the horizon to underwater microphones quietly recording life beneath the waves, this was a year defined by action — tracking migrations, listening to ecosystems in real time, and uncovering the hidden impacts of climate change on marine life.

Across the NSW coastline and as far as Lord Howe Island, Living Ocean brought together scientists, community, artists, and First Nations knowledge to better understand our ocean — and to protect it at a moment when it needs us most.

Advancing Whale & Climate Science

A cornerstone of our work in 2025 was the Whales & Climate Research Program, delivered in collaboration with the Whales and Climate Consortium.

Our research objectives were clear:

• Provide scientists with unique, on-water data on how global warming is impacting humpback whales

• Expand research into how climate change is altering whale food sources along the NSW coast

• Increase public awareness of the growing pressures marine life faces due to climate change

We monitored both the northern and southern humpback migrations, conducting:

• Eight one-day research trips from Sydney (June–September)

• Five one-day research trips from Eden (October–November)

These efforts are contributing critical behavioural and environmental data at a time when ocean warming is reshaping marine ecosystems faster than ever before.

OceanSounds: Hearing the Health of Our Oceans

In 2025, Living Ocean significantly expanded OceanSounds, our acoustic monitoring program spanning the NSW coastline and contributing to the national ECOMAS acoustic dataset.

OceanSounds is now responsible for the entire NSW coast within ECOMAS, supporting outcomes aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goal 13 and Goal 14.

Using small underwater hydrophones known as Hydromoths, we have been creating an acoustic array from Byron Bay to Eden. These devices are deployed at depths of up to 30 metres and left in place for a month at a time, allowing us to:

• Improve marine biodiversity mapping

• Monitor species presence through sound

• Better protect wildlife and ecosystems through non-invasive bioacoustic monitoring

Several sites are already live, and Living Ocean is actively training partners in OceanSounds protocols to scale the program sustainably.

OceanSounds is overseen by our research partner Dr Jan-Olaf Meynecke from the Coastal and Marine Research Centre at Griffith University, who designed the ECOMAS research protocols.

Responding to Seabird Mortality & Plastic Pollution

Living Ocean also supported critical seabird research in 2025, working closely with Adrift Lab on mass seabird mortality events along the NSW coastline.

While often attributed to storms, these so-called “wreck events” are increasingly understood as a direct result of marine heatwaves driven by climate change.

We also continued to support Adrift Lab’s long-term research on flesh-footed shearwaters on Lord Howe Island — remarkable birds that migrate thousands of kilometres without making landfall for up to five years.

In 2025, researchers returned to the island to conduct world-first research into the effects of plastic ingestion, asking:

• Does the gastrointestinal tract remain functional after plastic exposure?

• Is plastic damage limited to the stomach, or more widespread?

The findings will have implications far beyond a single species.

Importantly, Living Ocean secured critical ongoing funding for Adrift Lab through a new partnership with Baillie Lodges’ Spirit of Mateship program, with Capella Lodge on Lord Howe Island becoming a long-term charity partner.

Bringing the Community Together

Science sits at the heart of our mission — but connection is what sustains it.

In 2025, we hosted and partnered on a series of meaningful community events that brought people closer to ocean, culture, and conservation.

Welcome to Ocean Country (Avalon)

We began whale season with a powerful Welcome to Ocean Country, guided by Tim Selwyn (Girrigiṛra Aboriginal Cultural Experiences) and Matt James (Synergetic Circles). A smoking ceremony, story, song, and even whales breaching offshore reminded us of the deep cultural and ecological ties to Sea Country.

Living Ocean x Geely (Palm Beach)

With generous support from Geely Australia, guests joined us for an on-water experience through Pittwater, combining cultural ceremony, marine education, and local wildlife encounters — all supporting Living Ocean’s research through Geely’s Go Clean initiative.

The Deep North – Art for Impact

Through the Deep North Festival, artists from Avalon Art Gallery raised over $1,000 for Living Ocean, proving that small-scale creativity can drive meaningful impact. Funds raised continue to support marine research, education, and conservation.

Art for Oceans

Although our Art for Oceans Surfboard Auction faced challenges, the project itself stands as a testament to collaboration between artists, surfers, and conservationists. With 20 donated boards reimagined by leading Australian artists, the initiative celebrates creativity as a force for ocean protection.

Trivia Nights

Alongside our on-water events, Living Ocean hosted Trivia Nights at Avalon Brewery, turning an evening of fun into meaningful impact for the ocean.

These community nights brought locals together to learn, laugh, and test their knowledge — all while supporting Living Ocean’s marine research and conservation work. The events created an accessible, social entry point for people to engage with ocean science and helped strengthen the growing Living Ocean community on the Northern Beaches.

A huge thank you to Avalon Brewery for opening their space, supporting local conservation, and helping turn great vibes into real-world impact.

Looking Ahead

2025 was a year of growth, impact, and deep listening — to science, to community, and to the ocean itself.

As climate pressures intensify, Living Ocean remains committed to combining rigorous research, innovative monitoring, and meaningful human connection to protect marine life — now and into the future.

Thank you to our research partners, supporters, artists, community members, and everyone who stood with us this year. The ocean needs all of us — and together, we are responding.