In this episode of Ocean Pod, Dr Nina Wootton and Professor Bronwyn Gillanders explore the concept of Sea Country—First Nations peoples’ deep, enduring connections to ocean and coast that have guided sustainable marine management for tens of thousands of years.

They’re joined by Shane Holland, a proud Kaurna and Narungga man with over 30 years’ experience in government and marine policy. Shane shares his powerful perspective on Indigenous leadership, co-design, and shifting the way research and policy engage with Traditional Owners.

From marine parks to fisheries, Shane unpacks why Sea Country matters—not just to First Nations communities, but to the health and future of Australia’s oceans.

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In this episode of Ocean Pod, Dr Nina Wootton and Professor Bronwyn Gillanders dive into the world of marine protected areas—parts of the ocean where human activities are carefully managed to protect marine life, habitats, and cultural values.

They’re joined by Dr Shelley Paull, marine coordinator at the South Australian Department for Environment and Water (DEW), who shares her experience managing South Australia’s marine park network. From community engagement to climate change and cultural heritage, Shelley unpacks the vital role MPAs play in ocean conservation.

In this episode we talk about Experiencing Marine Sanctuaries, you can find out more about this at https://www.emsau.org.

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In this episode of Ocean Pod, Dr Nina Wootton and Professor Bronwyn Gillanders uncover the secrets hidden in the bones of the sea. From fish ear bones to shells and other hard structures, they explore how these natural time capsules reveal where marine animals have been, how old they are, and the stories of their lives. With insights from Bronwyn’s decades of work in the field, this episode dives deep into the science of life history reconstruction in the ocean.

In this episode Nina's tide talk was about how the ocean is getting darker, you can read the paper here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.70227.

Bronwyn spoke about the avian flu approaching SA and how our government is preparing, more can be found here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-31/concerns-for-sa-sealions-and-birds-as-bird-flu-approaches/105102764.

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In this episode of Ocean Pod, Dr Nina Wootton and Professor Bronwyn Gillanders chat with Sam Gaylard, Principal Marine Scientist at the South Australian Environment Protection Authority. Sam shares insights from his fascinating career at the EPA and breaks down the science behind one of the state's most talked-about marine events: the recent harmful algal bloom. From monitoring water quality to responding to environmental change, Sam offers a unique perspective on how we protect our coastal and marine environments.

During the episode we talk about how the public can play a role in monitoring marine health during the algal bloom. If you spot any dead marine animals along South Australia's coast, you can upload photos and details to iNaturalist to help track marine mortality events. Contribute here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/sa-marine-mortality-events-2025

Any large scale fish kills contact the PIRSA fishwatch hotline - https://pir.sa.gov.au/recreational_fishing/reporting

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In this episode of Ocean Pod, Dr Nina Wootton and Professor Bronwyn Gillanders speak with marine scientist Dr Chloe Hayes about one of the biggest challenges facing our blue planet: climate change. From warming waters and rising seas to shifting species and vanishing habitats, Chloe unpacks the science behind what’s happening in our oceans—and what it means for the future of marine life and coastal communities.

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In this episode of Ocean Pod, Dr Nina Wootton and Professor Bronwyn Gillanders dive into the fascinating world of the giant Australian cuttlefish. From their dazzling colour changes to their epic mass breeding event in South Australia’s Spencer Gulf, this episode explores what makes these cephalopods so unique—and why scientists and snorkellers alike are captivated by them.

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In this debut episode of Ocean Pod, Dr Nina Wootton and Professor Bronwyn Gillanders introduce themselves and share the story behind launching the podcast. They chat about their passion for marine science, what inspired them to start Ocean Pod, and what listeners can look forward to in future episodes.

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