Volunteer with Reef Watch
• Learn to identify SA coast and marine species
• Learn about coast and marine ecosystems
• Gain new skills and experience in environmental monitoring
• Learn how to protect these ecosystems
• Meet like-minded people
Reef Watch contributes to the health of the marine environment by training community volunteers to monitor SA reefs using internationally recognised techniques.
It is important that volunteers gather data because they can generate valuable scientific information that contributes to the management and conservation of marine ecosystems.
Studies have shown that volunteer data can be as good as scientific data.
Reef Watch and its volunteers also contribute to research, education and policy about the marine environment.
Join Reef Watch
Your first step is to join Reef Watch. Simply download, read and complete this registration form, and return it (via scan, email, or post) to: [email protected]
Conservation SA
111 Franklin Street
Adelaide SA 5000
Reef Watch activities include training, monitoring dives, educational workshops and a number of social events suitable for a wide audience. There are also a number of special events during the year that Reef Watch either organises or participates in. These include: National Science Week; World Environment Day; Threatened Species Day, Clean Up Australia Day, etc.
To find out about training, safety, insurance and other protocols see out Visitor Information.
Become a subtidal reef survey diver
One of the main aims of Reef Watch is to undertake sound monitoring of our marine environment. To do this we assist recreational divers and snorkellers to undertake such monitoring.
Your first step to becoming a survey diver is to undertake the free training that we provide to divers and snorkelers, to help them to easily collect high quality information on reef heath using Reef Watch surveys. For divers, this training takes the form of a PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) course.
After you have completed your training, you can continue to collect survey data using the methods that you have been taught. Reef Watch will be running a dive register, to help Reef Watch divers link up together to undertake monitoring dives.
Even if you don't want to dedicate any of your diving time towards surveys, you can still help by keeping an eye out for particular Feral or In Peril species.
Become an intertidal reef volunteer
For those who can't dive or snorkel, you can always join us on South Australia's intertidal rocky reefs, such as Aldinga, Hallett Cove, Lady Bay or Yilki Beach (at Victor Harbor).
Very little is know about South Australia's intertidal rocky reefs and intertidal monitoring provides you with an excellent opportunity to both learn about these reefs and gain skills in ecological survey methods. Your contribution is invaluable in keeping an eye on these coastal ecosystems so we can inform the authorities of problems, as well as providing scientists with useful information.
Come once to do some training and then keep on coming to get better and better and more familiar with the sites, the species and the surveys. Intertidal monitoring is excellent work experience and you will be contributing to better knowledge and management of our rocky reefs.
Help us run the program
In order for Reef Watch to realise its full potential, we require volunteers with a variety of skills and experience from divers to boat operators, public speakers, admin personnel, function organisers, fundraisers, website editors ... and if you can't do any of that then we also need someone to cook the BBQ.
Whatever you can do, we can most likely put you to work, and at the same time provide you with experience and the opportunity to contribute to a successful program. The only essential criterion is enthusiasm!