Resilience Project Series: Wilderness Coast KELPfarm in East Gippsland

Project: Wilderness Coast KELPfarm Scoping Study
Recipient: Jann Gilbert/Marine Science Research
Communities: Wilderness Coast (Bemm River to Mallacoota), Victoria

For coastal areas, such as those prominent across Far East Gippsland, marine ecology is essential for environmental resilience to future natural hazards, especially floods and storm surge. One element of marine ecology that has shown significant promise in building environment and community resilience is seaweed aquaculture – that is, the practice of cultivating new seaweed beds along the coast to rebalance healthy marine ecosystems.

With funding from Fire to Flourish, marine ecologist Jann Gilbert has been working with terrestrial ecologist Dr Mark Fraser on a scoping study for the Wilderness Coast KELPfarm – a brand new seaweed aquaculture industry and research centre for the coast of Far East Gippsland.

The scoping study has four parts:

  • A robust literature review into the benefits of seaweed aquaculture and associated topics, such as macroalgae, ecology of the reef, Australian temperate reef species, history of seaweed aquaculture, uses and potential, tolerance to warming oceans and herbivory.
  • Field work to learn from other centres and to survey which areas might be suitable sites for the centre.
  • Intentional, deep community consultation, including working with local Indigenous groups to ascertain best practice in caring for marine coastlines and supporting them in seaweed aquaculture.
  • Presentation of the report to attract investment for building the research centre.

Jann reflected on the community consultation that would take place before any research centre is built.

“The research centre is the long-term aspiration of the project, and the scoping study aims to attract the investment that’s needed to build it. But there’s a long way to go before that, particularly with the field research and community consultation phases coming up in the next few months,” she said.

“We aim to provide robust data and information so we take communities with us throughout the process.”

The Wilderness Coast KELPfarm research centre would be built with minimal environmental impact and would include:

  • an outdoor tank deck for seaweed aquaculture beds
  • a high-quality research laboratory that would enable researchers to identify locally resilient seaweed species and address existing research gaps
  • space to grow kelp seedlings to reintroduce to the reef
  • dorm accommodation for visiting researchers.

Benefits of seaweed aquaculture for East Gippsland 

A key aim of the Wilderness Coast KELPfarm would be to reproduce the marine ecosystems that are unique to the temperate coastline using aquaculture beds, so that researchers can understand exactly what types of seaweed can be cultivated here in order to rejuvenate the health of the Great Southern Reef and its marine life.

Given the significant loss of seaweed beds in southeastern Australia, and the effects of this loss on fisheries, coastal erosion and water quality, this type of research is vital to the sustainability of the Wilderness Coast’s ecosystems and resources.

In addition to these environmental benefits, the Wilderness Coast KELPfarm would also provide research support for a thriving and sustainable seaweed aquaculture industry, including meaningful local employment opportunities for the diverse and remote communities along the Victorian coast. This would include local jobs and training for the centre’s many scientists, technicians and administrative staff. It would provide research-based employment roles for those wanting a marine science career in the area, as well as attracting travelling researchers from Australia and overseas.

“We want to create future opportunities for employment in the area, while shoring up the local ecosystem against climate change,” Jann said.

“It would be a significant and important investment in employment opportunities throughout the region, especially for young and upcoming researchers. We want the next generation to have chances to develop their scientific skills and then to have the choice to stay in their community once they graduate – to have an opportunity to work where they grew up.”

Jann also highlighted the importance of creating investment opportunities for future research and industry along the coast, and the contributions that the new Wilderness Coast KELPfarm could make to an industry that is already thriving in countries like Japan and China.

“It’s about supporting small-scale seaweed aquaculture between Marlo and Mallacoota with the robust evidence it needs in order to be investment-worthy. We would provide our ongoing research to people who want to invest money into this industry, so that this coastline can remain an active and resilient string of communities.”

The local reefs are also crucial for rock lobster and abalone, and the health of these species – reliant on local seaweed aquaculture data – ensures employment and sustainability of those major industries.

“It’s important for the kids but also for the future of towns like ours, where people move away without career opportunities.”

Why the Wilderness Coast? 

Jann highlights that this scoping study is in part inspired by a 13-year project on Heron Island that has been collecting coral data. The University of Queensland’s Climate Change Mesocosm Experiment revealed the true vulnerability of reef organisms to increased ocean temperatures and acidification, and identified which reef coral species are more tolerant to warming oceans.

Similarly, the new Wilderness Coast KELPfarm will identify which seaweed species are most resilient to fluctuating conditions along the Great Southern Reef, laying the groundwork for a thriving seaweed aquaculture industry in Far East Gippsland.

“I was very impressed with the work on Heron Island,” she said. “I was astonished by the amount of data they collected. I realised we needed the same in seaweed research here, which is very data-poor. The new centre will mean that we can create this knowledge and then share it with different researchers from similar areas of interest from all over the world.”

Meanwhile, a report published by Deakin University identified the coast near Mallacoota as a suitable area for seaweed aquaculture, and recommended a feasibility study to assess costs of an aquaculture industry in that area.

Access to Fire to Flourish East Gippsland funding was the last piece of the puzzle for Jann to begin scoping for the new Wilderness Coast KELPfarm.

“The scoping phase is so crucial, and Eva and the Fire to Flourish team have been absolutely amazing, so supportive of this project,” she said. “The personal support throughout the process was so helpful. I haven’t felt this supported as a scientist for many years.”

A sustainable future for East Gippsland’s coastline

Community and regional consultations and plans, together with anecdotal evidence, demonstrate community support for the establishment of sustainable, low-impact industries that benefit training and employment opportunities and community prosperity, such as seaweed aquaculture. For example, through a local bushfire recovery youth consultation, young people identified seaweed farming as a sustainable, meaningful opportunity for employment, so they can remain in their communities while also tackling climate change.

Once this scoping study is completed, Jann hopes to garner additional support from universities and to secure funding to build and begin research at the Wilderness Coast KELPfarm, through state and federal grants such as the Australian Research Council.

“Because of this funding, we’re now able to take the project to other funding sources and make connections with researchers at other universities to develop costings for the deck and lab, and so on,” Jann said.

“These are the sorts of funding opportunities that remote communities like ours need. Without Fire to Flourish East Gippsland, this would never have happened.”

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