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Curracurrang 1 (1CU5) is a rockshelter site located in the Royal National Park (RNP) on the coast south of Sydney. Excavated from 1962 to 1966, the site's rich Holocene cultural deposit has become important for understanding regional Late Holocene developments in Australian lithic and shell technologies. Our comprehensive analysis of 1CU5's faunal remains is presented here, accompanied by new AMS radiocarbon dates and a reinterpretation of the site's occupation sequence. Much of the midden deposit spans from about 2500 BP to approximately 1850 AD, rather than only the last ∼1500 years as originally believed based on less comprehensive dating. A wide range of terrestrial and marine fauna were exploited at 1CU5, with the relative importance of the latter group increasing within the last ∼1500 years. Greater fish consumption during the later period may relate to use of novel hook and line fishing technology using hooks made from shellfish, but concurrent increases in seals, seabirds and marine invertebrates suggest a broader increased reliance on marine resources. By comparison, the earlier period, which coincides with the manufacture of backed microliths, displays relatively greater reliance on terrestrial marsupials. Taxonomic representation suggests occupation of the shelter from winter through spring, and potentially into summer. Analysis of the 1CU5 fauna marks an important contribution to the understanding of Late Holocene economies at the interface of the greater Sydney and NSW South Coast cultural and biogeographic regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective governance of social‐ecological systems (SES) is an enduring challenge, especially in coastal environments where accelerating impacts of climate change are increasing pressure on already stressed systems. While resilience is often proposed as a suitable framing to re‐orient governance and management, the literature includes many different, and sometimes conflicting, definitions and ideas that influence how the concept is applied, especially in coastal environments. This study combines discourse analysis of the coastal governance literature and key informant interviews in Tasmania, Australia, demonstrating inconsistencies and confusion in the way that resilience is framed in coastal governance research and practice. We find that resilience is most often framed as (1) a rate of recovery from disturbance or (2) the process of acting in response to, or anticipation of, a disturbance. A third framing considers resilience as an emergent property of SESs. This framing, social‐ecological resilience, accounts for multiple configurations of SES, which necessitates adaptation and transformation strategies to address changes across temporal and spatial scales. Coastal managers recognised the value of this third framing for governing coastal SESs, yet the confusion and inconsistency in the literature was also evident in how they understood and applied resilience in practice. Expanding the use of social‐ecological resilience is essential for more effective coastal governance, given the dynamics of coastal SESs and the intensity of social, economic, and environmental drivers of change these systems face. However, this requires addressing the unclear, confused, and superficial use of resilience‐oriented concepts in research and policy discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Nations has declared 2021–2030 as the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. These declarations emphasise the importance of restoring degraded marine and coastal ecosystems and supporting research and knowledge. The number and scale of marine and coastal restoration projects have been increasing in Australia and New Zealand over the past 40 years. However, the lack of a central repository of projects and their results limits opportunities to share knowledge to improve effectiveness. To address this gap, we developed the Australian and New Zealand Marine and Coastal Restoration Database. Information for this database was gathered from publicly available documents (peer-reviewed journal articles and technical reports) and discussions with key organisations that lead projects in Australia and New Zealand. For each project, we recorded the start date, duration, spatial scale, location, details on monitoring, and success criteria. The database includes information up until 1 June 2020. It is available online via the Australian Coastal Restoration Network website. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet global restoration targets, action is needed at a large scale, and at a high level of ambition. Coastal and marine restoration may be hindered by an array of factors, including governance: in particular, the cost and time associated with obtaining permits. We interviewed a small group of restoration practitioners in Australia to further explore this permitting issue. Our study revealed a deeper problem, with the legal permitting process driving outcomes. Some proponents are turning away from the sites with the highest restoration potential, and instead choosing sites based on the ease of obtaining permits. We also found that the permitting process is only one part of the problem, and progress is also being hampered by onerous post‐approval conditions, including ongoing liability for restorative interventions. Finally, the permitting process stifles innovation and creativity as outcomes are locked‐in at the permit stage. We conclude by highlighting the urgent need to reform legal permitting processes for restoration, as current practice may put the achievement of global restoration targets at risk. It is anticipated that these findings will be of interest to restoration practitioners navigating this space, as well as policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the simulation of Cyclone Nicholas that occurred close to the coastal area of Western Australia and fell on the mainland of Southwestern Australia. The simulation was conducted via a dynamical downscaling model, Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF), to obtain a higher resolution with reference to the regional climate data. The model simulation is generated using a global reanalysis of climate data for the initial and lateral boundary conditions. We investigated the response of the tropical storm to the model regarding the track and intensity using a modified Kyklop method that appears more appropriate for a landfall cyclone. Our study suggests that the regional climate data computed by the model deviates from the storm track of the global climate data forcing field. In this study, the track of the simulated storm is parallel to the satellite data, but it is shifted slightly to the east, closer to the mainland. Nevertheless, the model simulation can implement the intensity of the storm as strongly as the observation, while the forcing data delivers substantial underestimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Issue Addressed: School‐based beach safety education programs are common, but best practice guidance and information on their design and development is limited. Methods: Researchers, professional ocean lifeguards and students participated in a co‐design process to inform a lifeguard‐delivered, school‐based beach safety education program for a coastal community in New South Wales, Australia. Lifeguards and researchers (experts) provided structured feedback about the program in a survey and facilitated workshop; students (n = 26) aged 11 to 13 years participated in focus group sessions intended to garner in‐depth understanding of their experiences at the beach and knowledge of, and attitudes towards, beach safety. Results and Discussion: The co‐design process provided a novel and inclusive model for beach safety education program development, and valuable lessons for future efforts. Specifically, student focus groups identified several facets of pre‐teens and younger teenagers' beach experience that prompted revision of the education program, primarily framing of program content and safety messages. Peers are a primary motivator for this age group and students' burgeoning independence emerged as an important theme. While knowledgeable about beach hazards and risks, students conveyed mixed safety attitudes and self‐reported safety practices, highlighting the importance of designing programs to motivate behaviour and promote safe decision‐making vs raising awareness alone. Findings illustrate the value of adopting co‐design processes for all beach safety programs, school or otherwise. So What?: Beach safety programs may not be delivering information that is needed, wanted or useful. Structured consultation with the priority population must become standard practice in beach safety and drowning prevention education program development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Coastal sharks are especially susceptible to anthropogenic pressures due to their use of nearshore habitats. It is therefore necessary to distinguish species-specific variation in occurrence among ocean beaches and identify key environmental drivers that may influence shark distribution patterns. For swell-influenced coastal beaches, however, information on shark abundance and occurrence is still limited. The relative abundance and occurrence of sharks off 42 ocean beaches of New South Wales (NSW), Australia, was investigated using a long-term drone-based monitoring program from 2017–2021. Overall, there were 36,384 drone flights conducted, sighting a total of 281 sharks. Shark observations occurred in <1% of drone flights, indicating that potentially dangerous sharks, and sharks in general, are rare off NSW beaches. Key environmental predictors, such as the distance to the nearest estuary, headland, and island, as well as ocean temperature and wave height, were identified for species-specific shark distribution. This study demonstrated that existing drone-based monitoring programs used to reduce shark bite incidents can also provide valuable information about the distribution of potentially dangerous, vulnerable, and endangered coastal sharks. This information will be beneficial for implementing evidence-based conservation strategies and may also assist in minimising negative human-shark interactions. There is still limited information about the diversity, distribution, and abundance of sharks in and around the surf zones of ocean beaches. We used long-term and large-scale drone surveying techniques to test hypotheses about the relative abundance and occurrence of sharks off ocean beaches of New South Wales, Australia. We quantified sharks in 36,384 drone flights across 42 ocean beaches from 2017 to 2021. Overall, there were 347 chondrichthyans recorded, comprising 281 (81.0%) sharks, with observations occurring in <1% of flights. Whaler sharks (Carcharhinus spp.) had the highest number of observations (n = 158) recorded. There were 34 individuals observed for both white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) and critically endangered greynurse sharks (Carcharias taurus). Bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas), leopard sharks (Stegostoma tigrinum) and hammerhead species (Sphyrna spp.) recorded 29, eight and three individuals, respectively. Generalised additive models were used to identify environmental drivers for detection probability of white, bull, greynurse, and whaler sharks. Distances to the nearest estuary, headland, and island, as well as water temperature and wave height, were significant predictors of shark occurrence; however, this varied among species. Overall, we provide valuable information for evidence-based species-specific conservation and management strategies for coastal sharks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This research seeks to understand the potential impact to investors from government responses to climate change risk, as reflected in changes to planning processes made after significant weather events. Design/methodology/approach: The research examines the land planning responses within a select local government authority ("LGA") area following four significant weather events, in order to identify any changes made, and the impact on future development proposals. The LGA selected is the Central Coast Council, which is a coastal LGA in the Australian State of New South Wales. The research engaged with the publicly accessible records available on the Central Coast Council, Australian Bureau of Meteorology and other websites; and extant literature. Findings: The research reveals that some adjustments were made by the Central Coast Council, and or the State government, to relevant laws, policies and processes following these events. These changes, however, tended to focus on imposing additional requirements on future development applications, rather than on requiring changes to current structures, or prohibiting further development works. Research limitations/implications: The research has three limitations: (1) land law in Australia varies, as each State and Territory, and LGA, has specific laws, policies and processes; (2) as laws and policies are subject to change, it was necessary to select points in time at which to engage with those laws and processes; and (3) COVID-19's impact on domestic Australian travel [the authors could not travel interstate] meant only documents available on the Internet were considered, however, not all documents relating to development; or changes to laws and processes were easily accessible online. As the research focussed on one case study area, this may limit the applicability of the results to other areas. However, as extreme events are international, the related issues are a concern in all areas. Practical implications: This research confirms the results of other extant research, which observed that some risks cannot be properly mitigated, such that any development in an at-risk area remains at risk. It also identifies that more current, accurate and publicly accessible data are required to enable investors to more easily and accurately identify all risks affecting a property. Originality/value: The research provides a snapshot of one LGA's response to the physical risks arising from climate change events. As investors and other organisations integrate and build up their analysis of climate risks to their portfolios and organisations, governments become more aware of the long-term effects of climate change and consistently with extant research; this research indicates that a greater awareness is required of current risks and action to manage the short-term effects and cost challenges, in addition to the long-term adaptation requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The peri-urban interface (PUI) exhibits characteristic qualities of both urban and rural regions, and this complexity has meant that risk assessments and long-term planning for PUI are lagging, despite these areas representing new developing settlement frontiers. This study aims to address this knowledge gap by modifying an existing approach to quantify and assess flood risk. The risk triangle framework was used to map exposure, vulnerability and biophysical variables; however, in a novel application, the risk triangle framework was adapted by presuming that there is a variation in the degree of exposure, vulnerability and biophysical variables. Within Australia and globally, PUIs are often coastal, and flood risk associated with rainfall and coastal inundation poses considerable risk to communities in the PUI; these risks will be further exacerbated should projections of increasing frequency of extreme rainfall events and accelerating sea-level rise eventuate. An indicator-based approach using the risk triangle framework that maps flood hazard, exposure and vulnerability was used to integrate the biophysical and socio-economic flooding risk for communities in PUI of the St Georges Basin and Sussex Inlet catchments of south-eastern Australia. Integrating the flood risk triangle with future scenarios of demographic and climate change, and considering factors that contribute to PUI flood risk, facilitated the identification of planning strategies that would reduce the future rate of increase in flood risk. These planning strategies are useful for natural resource managers and land use planners across Australia and globally, who are tasked with balancing socio-economic prosperity for a changing population, whilst maintaining and enhancing ecosystem services and values. The indicator-based approach used in this study provides a cost-effective first-pass risk assessment and is a valuable tool for decision makers planning for flood risk across PUIs in NSW and globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the strong El Niño event of 2015–2016 large‐scale dieback of mangrove forests was observed in the Gulf of Carpentaria region of northern Australia. These and other intertidal communities are also extensive along the 7,400 km coastline of north‐eastern Australia. Determination of their floristic composition, potential carbon (C) store and sequestration capacity, and vulnerability to climate extremes is required for their effective conservation management and was the aim of this study.Standardized, state‐wide quantitative classification methods identified five mangrove forest and three saltmarsh communities covering 2,604 km2 along this coastline.Estuarine and oceanic mangrove forests were mapped separately. Carbon storage and sequestration capacity of the intertidal communities and their vulnerability to strong El Niño events were estimated using published data and GIS analyses.An estimated potential 126.2 (± 27.3 SEM) Tg C and 8.3 (±0.4 SD) Tg C were stored in the mangrove forests and saltmarshes, respectively. Comparatively, the rainforests of the region stored an estimated equivalent amount of C but covered three times the area, and the most widespread woodlands (Eucalyptus tetrodonta) of the region stored an estimated 1.5 times the C but covered 16 times the area. The C stored in the intertidal communities was estimated as equivalent to 493.47 Tg of CO2, valued at AU$6.8 billion on the Australian carbon market in December 2018. Annual C sequestration potential was 0.18–0.34 Tg C/year, valued between AU$8.9 and $17 million.Approximately 360 ha of mangrove forest was estimated as lost because of dieback during the 2015–16 El Niño event. Three types of mangrove forest were identified as potentially vulnerable to dieback from El Niño‐driven climate events.This study highlights the national and global significance of these intertidal systems and our findings need to be incorporated in future conservation and development planning of northern Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents three records of environmental change during the late-Holocene from wetlands across Bentinck Island in the South Wellesley Islands, northern Australia. Radiometric dating provided ages for sediment cores with the longest chronology spanning the last 1250 cal. yr BP. Palynological results show the diverse mangrove community transitioned to woodland- and wetland-dominated vegetation over the last 850 years on the southeast coast. The key driver of this landscape change was likely late-Holocene sea level regression and coastal progradation in the Gulf of Carpentaria. This study found freshwater wetlands expanded across Bentick Island over the last 500 years, with sedges and rushes peaking in the last 350 years. Macroscopic and microscopic charcoal records, coupled with archaeological evidence, highlights the spatial and temporal variation in fire regimes across the island, reflecting the traditional fire management practices of the Kaiadilt people during the late-Holocene. This study finds a significant increase in charcoal accumulation in the 1900s when Kaiadilt fire practices were disrupted and the South Wellesley Islands were abandoned. The pollen record reflects little change in the vegetation despite the shifting fire regime, highlighting the importance of multi-proxy approaches to reconstructing past environments in tropical northern Australia where vegetation is adapted to fire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, the occurrence of terrestrial vertebrates in mangrove forests is poorly documented, with little empirical data available. This knowledge gap is, at least in part, explained by the challenging survey conditions typically found in these environments. As an ecological understanding of ecosystems is essential to guide conservation management actions, a lack of baseline biodiversity surveys can leave ecosystems vulnerable to degradation. To address this, we developed and tested a rapid assessment protocol for tidal regions (RAPTR), that uses a range of techniques to detect mammals, reptiles and amphibians in mangrove habitat subject to daily tidal inundation. Our approach uses seven commonly used fauna detection techniques (live traps, camera traps, nocturnal transects, hair tubes, artificial terrestrial and arboreal refuges, and high-frequency acoustic monitoring). RAPTR was implemented over four consecutive nights at each of the 10 sites spanning temperate to tropical mangrove regions of Australia. We detected 65 species of terrestrial vertebrates, of which 42 species have not previously been reported in mangroves. We demonstrated that all techniques were robust to tidal inundation, and that four consecutive trap nights were sufficient to detect all taxonomic groups and most species in temperate regions, but that additional nights may be required in subtropical and tropical regions. We recommend RAPTR be used as a biodiversity assessment protocol to identify terrestrial vertebrates in mangroves to fill critical knowledge gaps about these important ecological communities, and one which can potentially be applied to other tidal ecosystems. Such a strategy would further our understanding of the ecological role mangroves play as habitat for terrestrial fauna, and help identify management strategies to aid the conservation of these declining ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) transport by rivers is an important control on the pH and carbonate chemistry of the coastal ocean. Here, we combine DIC and total alkalinity (TAlk) concentrations from four tropical rivers of the Great Barrier Reef region in Australia with daily river discharge to quantify annual river loads and export rates. DIC in the four rivers ranged from 284 to 2,639 μmol kg−1 and TAlk ranged from 220 to 2,612 μmol kg−1. DIC:TAlk ratios were mostly greater than one suggesting elevated exports of free [CO2*]. This was pronounced in the Johnstone and Herbert rivers of the tropical wet north. The largest annual loads were transported in the two large river catchments of the southern Great Barrier Reef region, the Fitzroy and Burdekin rivers. The carbon stable isotopic composition of DIC suggests that carbonate weathering was the dominant source of DIC in the southern rivers, and silicate weathering was likely a source of DIC in the northern Wet Tropics rivers. Annual loads and export rates were strongly driven by precipitation and discharge patterns, the occurrence of tropical cyclones, and associated flooding events, as well as distinct seasonal dry and wet periods. As such, short‐lived hydrological events and long‐term (seasonal and inter‐annual) variation of DIC and TAlk that are pronounced in rivers of the tropical and subtropical wet and dry climate zone should be accounted for when assessing inorganic carbon loads to the coastal ocean and the potential to buffer against or accelerate ocean acidification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of the geographic extent of population boundaries, the distribution of genetic lineages, and the amount of genetic exchange among breeding groups is needed for effective conservation of vulnerable marine migratory species. This is particularly true of the flatback turtle (Natator depressus), which only breeds in Australia but has extensive migrations that can include international waters.This study investigated the phylogeography and genetic structure among 17 flatback turtle rookeries across their range by sequencing an 810 bp portion of the mitochondrial DNA in 889 samples and genotyping 10 microsatellite loci in 598 samples.There was low phylogenetic divergence among haplotypes and evidence of recent population expansion, likely in the late Pleistocene. A predominant haplotype was found across all rookeries, but other haplotype groups were regionally specific.In general, there was agreement in patterns of genetic differentiation in the mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite data, and in some pairwise comparisons a higher mutation rate of microsatellites provided stronger evidence of differentiation.These results suggest natal philopatry operates in the choice of breeding locations for males as well as females.Evidence of genetic connectivity among neighbouring rookeries led to the identification of seven genetic stocks. Geographic boundaries of rookeries used by genetic stocks varied widely (160–1,300 km), highlighting a need for field studies to better understand movement patterns.Hierarchical analysis of molecular variance identified significant genetic differentiation based upon genetic stock, nesting phenology (summer vs. winter nesters), and a west–east discontinuity across Torres Strait. A pattern of isolation by distance was identified, which was most strongly observed in the microsatellite data.In combination with tagging and telemetry studies, these results will allow better quantification of stock‐specific threats along migratory routes and in foraging habitats. Implications of climate change will be stock specific and may depend upon the extent of genetic connectivity between neighbouring stocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gontz, A.; McCallum, A.; Ellerton, D.; Patton, N., and Shulmeister, J., 2020. The Teewah Transect: GPR-Derived Insights into the Younger Dune Morphosequences on the Great Sandy Coast, Queensland, Australia. In: Malvárez, G. and Navas, F. (eds.), Global Coastal Issues of 2020. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 95, pp. 500–504. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The world's largest sand islands lie off the coast of southeast Queensland, Australia. Between these islands, mainland coastal sand masses, bedrock promontories and rivers exist in low-lying areas. Sediment is sourced from one of the world's longest downdrift systems, transporting sand eroded from sandstones in New South Wales north over 1000 km. Recent work has shown the coastal dune fields have been periodically active for the last million years, at times of high and intermediate sea-levels, and identified a series of aeolian morphosequences that exhibit an onlapping relationship with evidence of significant reworking of more seaward morphosequences to create more landward low-relief aeolian landscapes. In 2012, a campaign that collected over 300 km of ground penetrating radar data was begun to understand the stratigraphic framework of this sand-rich system.. One of the surveys acquired a transect over the dune environment of the southern tip of the Cooloola Sand Mass near the town of Teewah. At this location, the dune field narrows to less than 1.5 km with 20-25 m of relief. The seaward side is characterized by eroding dunes and high bluffs. Moving inland over the highest portion of the dune field, the landscape slopes gently to a near sea level with a pluvial-fluviallacustrine dominated system that drains directly to the Noosa River and the Coral Sea. GPR surveys revealed a complex stratigraphy including primary sediment structures related to aeolian processes overprinted with podzol soil development resulting in post depositional features that range from well-developed soil sequences to incipient horizons. Recent GIS mapping has identified this area as consisting of primarily Holocene systems. The Teewah Transect is presented as a case study demonstrating a spatial relationship of the morphosequences and examines the aeolian-soil relationships at the far southern tip of the Cooloola Sand Mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A revised Holocene sea-level history for the southern Gulf of Carpentaria is presented based on new data from the South Wellesley Archipelago and age recalibration of previous research. Results confirm that rising sea levels during the most recent post-glacial marine transgression breached the Arafura Sill ca. 11,700 cal. yr BP. Sea levels continued to rise to ca. -30 m by 10,000 cal. yr BP, leading to full marine conditions. By 7700 cal. yr BP, sea-level reached present mean sea-level (PMSL) and continued to rise to an elevation of between 1.5 m and 2 m above PMSL. Sea level remained ca. + 1.5 between 7000 and 4000 cal. yr BP, followed by rapid regression to within ± 0.5 m of PMSL by ca. 3500 cal. yr BP. When placed into a wider regional context results from this study show that coastal landscape evolution in the tropical north of Australia was not only dependent on sea-level change but also show a direct correlation with Holocene climate variability. Specifically, the formation and preservation of beach-rock deposits, intertidal successions, beach and chenier ridge systems hold valuable sea-level and Holocene climate proxies that can contribute to the growing research into lower latitude Holocene sea-level and climate histories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine the common response of coastal sand dunes in Western Australia (WA) to fire on decadal time-scales, in terms of ecological-geomorphic-climatic interactions to test the hypothesis that fire plays a role in coastal dune destabilisation. Fires are commonly suggested to have contributed to widespread dune reactivation in Australia and globally, a hypothesis that is relatively untested. We used data from the Landsat Thematic Mapper, Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus, and Operational Land Imager missions to monitor changes in surface coverage on coastal sand dunes in south-west WA after fires. We analysed 31 fire scars from 1988 to 2016 in two Landsat scenes on the west and south coast of WA. Recovery ratios derived from the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were used to monitor patterns in post-fire biomass and surface cover. Recovery ratios are correlated with indices of burn severity, and meteorological data to investigate relationships. We also used Maximum Likelihood Classification to monitor changes in bare sand area. Results suggest that recovery followed a strongly consistent pattern, and is characterised by rapid vegetation cover re-establishment within six to twelve months. Prior to this, some aeolian activity may have occurred but without substantial surface changes. Initial germination and/or resprouting were followed by steady growth up to seven years, where NDVI typically neared pre-fire values. Some variation in early recovery occurred between the west and south coast, possibly owing to relative proportions of reseeding and resprouting plants. A log regression explained 75% of the recovery pattern (79% on the south coast). Precipitation had some ability to explain recovery up to nine months post-fire (r 2 = 0.29 to 0.54). No relationships were observed between estimates of burn severity and recovery. After nine months, the biggest cause of spatial variation in recovery was the pre-fire community composition and related seedbank or resprouting density. Image classification did not identify any new blowout features except where fires were not the primary cause. Results suggest that fires are not presently contributing to the destabilisation of coastal dunes in south-west WA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patterns of turbidity in estuarine environments are linked to hydrodynamic processes. However, the linkage between patterns and processes remains poorly resolved due to the scarcity of data needed to resolve fine scale highly dynamic processes in tidal estuaries. The application of remote sensing technology to monitor dynamic coastal areas such as estuaries offers important advantages in this regard, by providing synoptic maps of larger, constantly changing regions over consistent periods. In situ turbidity measurements were correlated against the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer Terra sensor 250 m surface reflectance product, in order to assess this product for examining the complex estuarine waters of the Tamar estuary (Australia). Satellite images were averaged to examine spatial, seasonal and annual patterns of turbidity. Relationships between in situ measurements of turbidity and reflectance is positively correlated and improves with increased tidal height, a decreased overpass-in situ gap, and one day after a rainfall event. Spatial and seasonal patterns that appear in seasonal and annual MODIS averages, highlighting the usefulness of satellite imagery for resource managers to manage sedimentation issues in a degraded estuary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A unique index-record of Last Interglacial (Marine Isotope Stage 5e MIS5e) relative sea level (RSL) and wave climate history in South-east Australia is presented from Robbins Island, in western Bass Strait. This is applied to interpret the wider MIS5e coastal evidence around Bass Strait. At Robbins Island, the combination of low wave and wind energy, a tide-modified regime and a sand supply resulted in the shoreline progradation throughout MIS5e. This preserved a time-series of paleo-sea level across a 7 km wide strandplain (Remarkable Banks). After a highstand, MIS5e RSL attained a stillstand of +5.75 ± 0.5 m above modern mean sea level during 126 to ∼119 ka BP. The MIS5e RSL interpretation is underpinned by modern analogues and hydrodynamic modelling of waves, tides and currents. A high resolution LiDAR Digital Elevation Model (DEM) supported by morpho-sedimentary studies, ground-penetration radar (GPR) surveys and a geochronology based upon Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) methods were used to define the proxy RSL record. The observed RSL history was compared to modelled RSL history that accounted for the theoretical fall in RSL (regression) throughout MIS5e, due to the Glacio-Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) forcing. Three stages of RSL change occurred during MIS 5e: (i) RSL fall during phase 1 from ∼129 to 126 ka BP, and during phase 3 between ∼118 and 114 ka BP.; and, (ii) a multi-millennial stillstand during the intervening phase 2 from 126 to ∼119 ka BP. The stillstand departure from GIA theory, points unambiguously to persistent polar meltwater contributions to sea level of ∼2 m from 126 to 119 ka BP, where the component of RSL fall due to GIA was balanced by the RSL rise from meltwater. The potential contributions of paleo wave climate (direction) and boundary current histories were reconstructed from across all Bass Strait sites to determine an RSL budget. In addition, the paleo wave climate history allowed the triangulation of directional ocean wave synoptic sources and identified a 5° poleward shift in the Subtropical Ridge during MIS5e. • The full MIS5e relative sea level (RSL) history is presented from a uniquely preserved strandplain, as an index RSL curve for the region. • A novel application of defining paleo-wave climate changes with the relative sea-level record to identify climate shifts. • MIS5e polar meltwater contributions of ∼2m between 126 to 119 ka BP are defined from the difference between observed and modeled RSL due to the Glacio-Isostatic Adjustment. • The index sea-level and wave climate records are applied to sites around Bass Strait to interpret the regional sea-level and climate signals, including shifts in the Subtropical Ridge. • A sea-level budget approach is used to estimate the contribution of dynamic sea-level contributions to the MIS5e record that may have occurred due to boundary current variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This article aims to determine the impact of public holidays and long weekends on the risk of drowning and non-drowning deaths on the Australian coast., Methods: A retrospective case-control study using relative risk ratios and Z-scores to compare all unintentional fatalities on the Australian coast between 2004 and 2021 to a longitudinal representative survey sample of the Australian public and their coastal usage., Results: Overall, the coastal mortality risk increased by 2.03 times for public holidays (95%CI = 1.77-2.33, p<0.0001) and 2.14 times by long weekends (95%CI = 1.85-2.48, p<0.0001). Children <16 years had the highest increased risk of death on public holidays (RR = 3.53, 95%CI = 1.98-6.31, p = 0.0005) and long weekends (RR = 2.90, 95%CI = 1.43-5.89, p = 0.011), while residents who were born overseas had a higher risk of death compared to those born in Australia. For public holidays, the greatest increase in risk was for swimming/wading and bystander rescues, while for long weekends, it was for scuba diving and snorkelling., Conclusions: Public holidays and long weekends increase the risk of both drowning and non-drowning deaths on the Australian coast, which differed by demographics and activities., Implications for Public Health: These results highlight periods of risk when targeted coastal safety messaging to high-risk demographics (particularly children and overseas-born residents), and provision of surf lifesaving resources can be increased., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Luke Strasiotto reports a relationship with Surf Life Saving Australia that includes: employment. Shane Daw reports a relationship with Surf Life Saving Australia that includes: employment. Jasmin Lawes reports a relationship with Surf Life Saving Australia that includes: employment. Annabel Ellis reports a relationship with Surf Life Saving Australia that includes: employment. Luke Strasiotto, Dr Jasmin Lawes and Shane Daw are current employees of Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) and Annabel Ellis is a previous employee. The outcome of this research will be of use to SLSA in its operational procedures to prevent deaths on the Australian coast. Shane Daw is further a long-time volunteer of various clubs at Surf Life Saving Australia., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Meta-analyses of disparate studies suggest that size and age of a 'no-take' area (marine sanctuary) can influence its ecological response to protection. Few studies, however, have been designed explicitly to test how these factors influence the abundance trajectories of key species within sanctuaries., Diver surveys on reef habitat were conducted within a subtropical marine park in eastern Australia, to test for differences in abundances of targeted fishes between sanctuaries differing in size and age and compared with fished zones. Four management zones were sampled: (i) small sanctuaries established 1991 (<15 ha of reef and <200 m wide); (ii) large sanctuaries established 2002 (>100 ha of reef and > 500 m wide); (iii) zones which allowed recreational fishing but not commercial fish trapping (>200 ha of reef); and (iv) zones which allowed both recreational fishing and commercial fish trapping (>200 ha of reef). Multiple sites in each management zone were sampled for selected taxa eight times during the austral winter from 2002 to 2012., Many of the targeted taxa examined were more abundant in large sanctuary sites within a few years of the establishment of protection compared with the small sanctuary sites and the fished sites. Red morwong Cheilodactylus fuscus increased in large sanctuaries but were more abundant in the older smaller sanctuaries throughout the study. Similar increases were not observed in fished zones. There was considerable variability among years not associated with management type, including a peak in abundance for several species in 2005 and reduced abundance of many taxa following a destructive storm in 2009., This study provides strong empirical evidence that size and age of 'no take' areas are important for fish, and indicates that larger sanctuaries can rapidly reach levels of fish abundance similar to smaller older sanctuaries., © 2015 Commonwealth of Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfide intrusion from sediments is an increasingly recognized contributor to seagrass declines globally, yet the relationship between sediment microorganisms and sulfide intrusion has received little attention. Here, we use metagenomic sequencing and stable isotope ( 34 S) analysis to examine this relationship in Cockburn Sound, Australia, a seagrass-dominated embayment with a gradient of sulfide stress and seagrass declines. There was a significant positive relationship between sulfide intrusion into seagrasses and sulfate reduction genes in sediment microbial communities, which was greatest at sites with long term seagrass declines. This is the first demonstration of a significant link between sulfur cycling genes present in seagrass sediments and sulfide intrusion in a habitat-forming seagrass that is experiencing long-term shoot density decline. Given that microorganisms respond rapidly to environmental change, the quantitative links established in this study can be used as a potential management tool to enable the prediction of sulfide stress on large habitat forming seagrasses; a global issue expected to worsen with climate change., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Matthew Fraser reports financial support was provided by Fremantle Ports. Matthew Fraser reports a relationship with Jock Clough Marine Foundation that includes: funding grants. Matthew Fraser reports a relationship with The University of Western Australia Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre that includes: funding grants. Seagrass data was collected as part of the annual seagrass monitoring carried out by Matthew Fraser and Belinda Martin with support from the Cockburn Sound Management Council., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Effective publicly developed adaptation strategies are crucial in managing the impacts of Climate Change. Adaptation strategy development is particularly complex in estuarine and coastal marine ecosystems because of their diverse environmental values, extensive human utilisation and the complex socio-ecological systems they support. Although many generic adaptation frameworks are available they cannot provide specific guidance for locally relevant strategy development. In contrast, situation-specific tools work well for their intended purpose but are usually unsuitable for a different situation. The gap between generic frameworks and situation-specific tools is addressed in this study by developing a set of general principles to provide guidance for the efficient and robust development of adaptation strategies. The nine principles comprise a conceptualisation of the various factors that are likely to have an effect on the success or otherwise of an adaptation strategy and they apply in any situation. An example ‘adaptation checklist’ that serves as a guide to practitioners in the field, will help ensure that all critical components are covered during the development of an adaptation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on South Goulburn Island aimed to improve understanding of Indigenous perspectives on climate change and options for adaptation within the scope of the local coastal, marine environment and resources utilized by the community. We also aimed to promote awareness among community members of western scientific concepts of climate change. Workshops and interviews with participants emphasized the use of participatory, visual techniques to encourage discussion and visioning of the future. Participants indicated very limited understanding of western concepts and English language terms associated with climate change and why change was occurring. However, in deeper conversations, many reported observing unusual patterns of environmental change they could not explain by other means. These observations, combined with changes in customary practices and loss of local knowledge in recent years, worried participants, particularly the elderly. The idea that climate change was resulting from human impacts on the environment was an easy concept for most participants to grasp. The demonstrated worldviews of participants was dominated by social and cultural links to the past and present, but had weaker links to western concepts of ‘the future’. Thus, discussions around planning adaptation did not generally fit easily into peoples' framings of their worlds. People's preferences for adaptation included building general community capacity, drawing from customary knowledge, being more involved in decision-making and learning more about scientific knowledge on climate change. Enabling collection of plant and animal foods and associated interaction with the landscape was also considered important for improving community independence, resilience and well-being for adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chenier plains record changes in the mode of coastal progradation between periods of mudflat progradation and coarse sediment deposition. There are several environmental forces responsible for these changes, and these include both intrinsic and extrinsic processes. In Australia, the causes of these changes are still not well understood. The majority of Australian chenier plain studies have been conducted within a relatively narrow spatial scope, focussing on one or two individual plains. Compiling and assessing times of chenier ridge building across multiple sites can provide a broader-scale perspective on chenier plain development trends, potentially revealing broader scale morphodynamic relationships that may exist across a large region. One such assessment was undertaken by Lees and Clements (1987), and since then many more chenier ridge ages have been obtained. Our understanding of late Holocene environmental changes and computation methods have since improved. A new statistical assessment of Australian chenier ridge ages revealed periods of simultaneous chenier ridge building across multiple northern and southern Australian coastal plains between 2400 and 1300yr BP, and possibly again in the last 1000years. Previously such results were explained in terms of Holocene climate changes, however the spatial separation between sites in this new assessment suggests that other broad-scale extrinsic processes may provide a better explanation. A possible candidate for such a process is late Holocene sea level changes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Metal impacted, anoxic sediments from five sites at a coastal location in the wet/dry tropics of Australia were sampled during both wet and dry seasons. Metal concentrations in total sediment and porewater, and in potentially bioavailable and bioaccessible fractions, were measured. Pyrosequencing was used to sequence bacterial DNA extracted from the sediment, and the sequence data was used to generate community profiles at each sample site. Changes in bacterial populations between sites reflected changes in the concentrations of 7 metals/metalloids (Al, V, Mo, Ga, Zn, Cd, As), and best correlated with the HCl-extractable fraction of metals. Bacterial community structure was also related to physicochemical factors, such as redox potential and organic carbon. Despite a strong sulphide gradient across the transect, acid-volatile sulphide was not significantly correlated to bacterial community structure. We conclude that the bioaccessible fraction of metals to bacteria is partly comprised of particulates, and porewater alone is not a sufficient model for potential metal impact. [Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Geomicrobiology Journal to view the two supplementary tables.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Many sharks are listed as data deficient in assessment and management reports owing to a lack of basic life history data, making decisions about conservation management difficult. As such, the collection of these data is a priority. However, rare or threatened species with populations that are already small can be difficult to sample. Thus there is a need for techniques that permit the use of small sample sizes to provide preliminary information on life history parameters such as age and growth., In this study, growth curves were fitted to length-at-age data for five rare or difficult to sample sharks from north-eastern Australia: Carcharhinus coatesi (n = 56), Carcharhinus fitzroyensis (n = 39), Carcharhinus macloti (n = 37), Eusphyra blochii (n = 14) and Hemipristis elongata (n = 14) to provide the first estimates of growth for these species. Vertebral centra from field collections were aged to obtain length-at-age data, and partial age adjustments were used to increase the precision of age estimates. In addition, back calculation techniques were applied to add interpolated data to fill gaps in the growth curves caused by missing length classes., Back calculation techniques did not substantially alter the growth curves of the species, which had an even spread of data across size classes ( C. fitzroyensis, E. blochii and H. elongata). However, the back calculation techniques considerably improved the growth curves for C. coatesi and C. macloti where juveniles were missing from the samples., Small sample sizes often provide a barrier to conducting growth studies because of the perception that growth estimates can only be obtained from 'large' sample sizes. However, by including individuals across all of the species length classes and maximizing the use of all available exogenous information using back calculation and partial age adjustments, as well as through judicious choice of growth models, it is possible to obtain practical estimates of growth, even when sample sizes are extremely limited. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shipping is a major process link in the Australian economy, with 753 Mt of international exports worth $202 billion passing through Australian ports in 2008- 2009. However there is limited knowledge about both the emissions from ships in coastal regions and ports in Australia and the effects of these emissions on air quality in the surrounding coastal and portside urban regions. This issue is of growing significance because of the increased regulation of land based emissions and the limited regulation of shipping emissions. These coastal and in port emissions, when advected over land cause deterioration in air quality particularly of atmospheric aerosol that affects human health. Furthermore, the coastal emissions that can be subsequently advected over land are not generally considered in Australian studies, in spite of them being much larger than in-port emissions. An overview is presented of the causes of ship exhaust emissions, their controls and regulation, and the methodologies used to estimate emissions inventory databases. It is suggested that the Australian methodology for estimating ship emissions be updated, airshed shipping emissions for all significant Australian ports and coastal shipping emissions be estimated, and the health effects assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A strategic framework for monitoring natural and human-induced change in the coastal plains of the Alligator Rivers Region in the wet-dry tropics of northern Australia is presented. The framework also supports refinement of methods used to monitor the vulnerability of coastal areas to change, including human-induced climate change and sea-level rise. The information derived through the framework can be used to assess scenarios, highlight the potential significance and implications of changes, and assist land managers formulate management responses. The framework incorporates several large-scale studies for monitoring atmospheric and hydrodynamic processes as well as mapping and monitoring projects specific to environmental change in the freshwater wetlands and the floodplains of the Region. Monitoring is proposed to address processes influencing the stability and rate of change of the floodplain environments. These include large-scale processes, such as inter-annual variability in weather conditions affecting the morphology of the coastal plains, shoreline and riverbank stabilisation, headward expansion of tidal creeks, and salinisation of freshwater basins. Information management is also addressed, and a Geographic Information System structure proposed for effective data collation, analysis and management. The information management system will facilitate data sharing and participation of multiple agencies and organisations interested in coastal change, especially where a landscape perspective or whole ecosystem approach is advocated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: One-dimensional vertical and three-dimensional fine-resolution numerical models of sediment transport have been developed and applied to the Torres Strait region of northern Australia. The one-dimensional model, driven by measured waves and currents, was calibrated against measured suspended sediment concentrations using a sequential data assimilation algorithm. The algorithm produced a good match between model and data, but this was achieved only by allowing some temporal variability in parameter values, suggesting that there were underlying uncertainties in the model structure and forcing data. Implications of the assimilation results to the accuracy of the numerical modelling are discussed and the need for observational programmes having an extensive spatial and temporal coverage is highlighted. The three-dimensional sediment model, driven by modelled waves and currents, simulates sediment transport over the shelf during the monsoon and trade-wind seasons covering 1997–2000. The model predicts strong seasonal variability of the sediment transport on the shelf attributed to seasonally varying hydrodynamics, and illustrates significant inter-annual variability of the sediment fluxes driven by extreme events. The developed model provides a platform for testing scientific hypothesis. With additional calibration, including uncertainty analysis, it can also be used in a management context. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Applications of luminescence dating to Quaternary earth science are reviewed, the examples being from Australia. The methods of thermoluminescence (TL) and optical dating using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) are briefly described, together with their limitations. Prominent results are: (i) the distribution of ages of Australian desert dunes shows peak activity at about the time of the last glacial maximum; (ii) the lake-full episodes of Lake Eyre are traced back to 140 ka; (iii) the ages of relict beach dunes in South Australia, when compared with independent geological ages based on δ18O records, show that luminescence dating can be used for ages to 500 ka and older; and (iv) the development of interior river systems has been traced. Among less common applications are: (i) the dating of Australia's youngest volcanoes at 5-4 ka (in these cases the luminescence signal was reset by heat); (ii) the determination of age vs depth of a deep-sea core; and (iv) the age of earthquakes (from the age of the infilling of fault scarps). The emphasis is on recent work and is illustrative rather than exhaustive, the object being to show the scope of luminescence dating. There are suggestions where further research might be directed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species distribution models (SDMs) often use elevation as a surrogate for temperature or utilise elevation sensitive interpolations from weather stations. These methods may be unsuitable at the landscape scale, especially where there are sparse weather stations, dramatic variations in exposure or low elevational ranges. The goal of this study was to determine whether radiation, moisture or a novel estimate of exposure could improve temperature estimates and SDMs for vegetation on the Illawarra Escarpment, near Sydney, Australia. Forty temperature sensors were placed on the soil surface of an approximately 12,000 ha study site between November 2004 and August 2006. Linear regression was used to determine the relationship with environmental factors. Elevation was correlated more with moderate temperatures (winter maximums, summer minimums, spring and autumn averages) than extreme temperatures (summer maximums, winter minimums). The correlation (r2) between temperature and environmental factors was improved by up to 0.38 by incorporating exposure, moisture and radiation in the regressions. Summer maximums and winter minimums were predominately determined by exposure to the NW and coastal influences respectively, while exposure to the NE and SW was important during other seasons. These directions correspond with the winds that are most influential in the study area. The improved temperature estimates were used in Generalised Additive Models for 37 plant species. The deviance explained by most models was increased relative to elevation, especially for moist rainforest species. It was concluded that improving the accuracy of seasonal temperature estimates could improve our ability to explain the patchy distribution of many species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil Filters Australia Pty Ltd has been involved in the manufacture and installation of geotextile containers in a variety of forms since early 1984, this relates to 17 years experience in the field.This paper outlines the historical development of the types of materials used for geotextile containers and the diversity of applications in which these containers are being used. The type of geotextile used for the containers varies depending on installation conditions. This information has been compiled from years of experience. The range of application for these products is extensive and covers areas such as scour protection, groynes, berms, artificial reefs and containment of hazardous materials.The development of this form of coastal protection has developed to such a stage that in many cases it is no longer regarded as an alternative construction method but rather the desired solution. This is not to say that there is not a great deal still to be learnt from this type of protectionInitially the main emphasis was on hydraulically filled geotextile tubes (typically 1.2 m∅) used mainly as groynes to protect beaches. With time this focus has changed to individual containers used in coastline protection and marine structures (reefs). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]