Cultural Leadership, Marine Research & Citizen Science Unite to Ensure Resilience of Otway Coast

The Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation (EMAC) is playing a pivotal role in building marine resilience along Victoria’s Otways and southwest coast through a pioneering research initiative that places Indigenous bio-cultural knowledge at the core of marine conservation.

The Otways Marine Ecosystem Resilience (OMER) Initiative, led scientifically by the Conservation Ecology Centre (CEC) in partnership with EMAC and citizen science group Otways Ocean Care (OOC), aims to address critical knowledge gaps in coastal marine ecosystems while strengthening Sea Country management for the future.

Launched in 2024 with support from the Wettenhall Environment Trust, the pilot phase focused on Cape Otway, Apollo Bay, and Skenes Creek. Building on this success, the project has recently secured a 2025 Coastcare Victoria Community Grant (Stream 3 – Caring for Country) to expand monitoring to four new sites—from Sugarloaf to Lorne in the east, and Aire River to Warrnambool in the west—and to conduct an Indigenous Ecological Knowledge review across the Otways and southwest coast.

At the heart of the OMER Initiative is EMAC’s vision for Sea Country—a vision grounded in deep cultural ties and a responsibility to care for Country that spans generations.

“Eastern Maar’s connection to Sea Country is deep and enduring,” says Mandy Watson, Sea Country Manager at EMAC.

“We’re proud to be part of this work, it’s part of the EMAC vision to ensure Eastern Maar Sea Country assertions are central to decision-making. We’re excited to continue our partnership with the Conservation Ecology Centre and Otways Ocean Care. Bringing together Indigenous knowledge and science will be help shape our Sea Country Plan and support long-term marine resilience.”

Indigenous knowledge of marine ecosystems in the region has long been under-documented, despite coastal clan groups like the Peek Whurrong—whose name means “Kelp Lip”—maintaining strong cultural relationships with coastal ecosystems for millennia.

The OMER initiative supports the development of EMAC’s Sea Country Plan and builds capacity through training Eastern Maar Sea Country Guardians in ecological monitoring. These Guardians contribute cultural insight to marine surveys while gaining experience in scientific methods, strengthening Eastern Maar’s leadership and stewardship across the coast.

The habitats under study—including sandy beaches, seagrass beds, rocky intertidal zones, and subtidal reefs—currently lack coordinated monitoring, despite their ecological and cultural importance.

“Without baseline data, it’s nearly impossible to track environmental change or manage climate and human impacts effectively,” explains Dr. Kay Weltz, Marine Ecologist and OMER Program Manager at the Conservation Ecology Centre.

“Thousands visit the Great Ocean Road and Great Ocean Walk each summer, yet we lack measures to understand the effects on marine ecosystems. At the same time, climate-driven threats like warming seas, rising sea levels and increasing extreme weather events are already impacting these environments. To manage these challenges, we must know where we’re starting from—and ensure Eastern Maar assertions are integral to the future care for these coastlines.”

Assisted by dedicated local volunteers, the project is building a strong foundation for ongoing community-led monitoring and stewardship of the Otway Coast.

“It’s been inspiring to see the local community’s enthusiasm as they engage in these surveys,” says Nicole Tielemans, Facilitator at Otways Ocean Care. “There’s a strong desire to connect meaningfully with the coast.”

“Through ongoing outreach, we aim to foster a culture of stewardship—growing the volunteer base for the OMER Initiative, connecting Eastern Maar with the wider community and building lasting capacity for monitoring efforts.”

Together, the partners behind the OMER Initiative are charting a new course —connecting rigorous science, deep cultural knowledge, and community engagement to protect and strengthen the resilience of the Otways’ marine ecosystems.

These ecosystems not only support biodiversity and Eastern Maar cultural heritage, but also underpin local economies through tourism and recreation. As climate change and human pressures intensify, this collaborative approach offers a hopeful model for caring for Country—now and into the future.