Marine & Coasts

The Great Ocean Road region attracts more than twice the visitors of the Red Centre and Great Barrier Reef combined.

However, despite their high biodiversity and economic importance, large sections of the Otways and south-west coast of Victoria, including culturally important areas, lack essential ecological baseline data. With mounting pressures from climate change and human activity, these marine ecosystems are at risk.

In 2024, the Conservation Ecology Centre began their first marine project, the Otways Marine Ecosystem Resilience (OMER) Initiative focused on understanding and strengthening the health of the region’s coastal and marine environments.

The project brings together researchers, Traditional Owners, community and land managers to build a shared evidence base and support informed decision-making for marine and coastal resilience.