Making Waves 2026 Has Arrived!

What an extraordinary start to our Making Waves Series! Across our two action-packed event dates at the Nudgee Beach Environmental Education Centre and our inspiring end-of-year celebrations at the Townsville Riverside Gardens Community Centre, EcoMarines Ambassadors, teachers, sponsors, and partners have come together to prove just how powerful youth leadership can be. 

The Making Waves series is designed to do much more than deliver workshops; it serves as a vital platform to celebrate EcoMarines schools’ success stories throughout the year. By linking our passionate EcoMarines Ambassadors and teachers together, these events provide a collaborative space to share milestones, spark new sustainability ideas, and keep the momentum going from one year to the next. 

Nudgee Beach: A Splash of Science and Wildlife Exploration 

Our Nudgee Beach Making Waves events were an absolute splash! EcoMarines Ambassadors recently wrapped up two fantastic event dates at the Nudgee Beach Environmental Education Centre, and our community is still buzzing from all the excitement. 

Nestled in a stunning coastal ecosystem, students had the absolute best time exploring exciting beach opportunities through a huge lineup of hands-on beach activities: 

• 🦅 Shorebird Spotting (timed perfectly with the Aussie Bird Count!) 

• 🦐 Yabby Pumping 

• 🔍 Sand Sifting for Critters 

• 🏖️ Nudgee Beach Discovery Walk 

As if the beach discoveries weren’t enough, our EcoMarines Ambassadors on the 20th were treated to a very special surprise guest, an up-close carpet python showcase delivered by the brilliant Nudgee Beach Environmental Education Centre staff! 

Thank You to the Nudgee Beach Venue Staff & Sponsors & Partners 

None of this would have been possible without the incredible venue and staff at Nudgee Beach Environmental Education Centre. Your dedication, expert guidance, and welcoming hospitality made these events so special. We also send a massive thank you to the sponsors and partners who brought interactive learning to life with exciting workshops: 

• seqwater: Thank you to Karen for teaching our students all about where our fresh drinking water comes from! The kids loved rolling up their sleeves to test water samples, learn about turbidity, and measure Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU) like real scientists. 

• Urban Utilities: A massive shoutout to Matt and Brodie for exploring the wonders of the urban water cycle. Students loved diving into evaporation and condensation, and best of all, every single student got to make and take home their very own cloud which they created themselves! ☁️ 

• Port of Brisbane: Thank you to Ed and Jamie for a fascinating look at the port of Brisbane using maps and model ships. Ed talked about Fisherman’s Island and the changing landscape of the port, while Jamie led an awesome interactive activity helping students discover the incredible migration journeys of local shorebirds using ID sheets. 🦅🚢 

• Tangalooma Island Resort: When speaking about exciting opportunities for schools, we were thrilled to welcome Emma from Tangalooma Island Resort. She highlighted the international powerhouse that is Global LENS Australia (formerly Global Link Australia) and shared just how easy it is for EcoMarines schools to be part of this globally acclaimed event! (Register for Global LENS Australia today at tangalooma.com/globallink). 

Townsville: Celebrating a Year of Local Environmental Milestones 

Moving north, what an inspiring and rewarding year it has been for EcoMarines Ambassadors across Townsville! At our end-of-year Making Waves event, student leaders gathered to celebrate their incredible environmental achievements, share their favourite conservation milestones, and connect with local industry experts who supported their journey. 

Throughout the year, our EcoMarines Ambassadors dived deep into hands-on learning, from participating in Schools Tree Day and exploring local flora and fauna to touring modern recycling depots and conducting citizen science biodiversity workshops on their own school grounds. 

Thank You to Our Dedicated Townsville Partners 

This life-changing progress was made possible through the invaluable guidance of our amazing sponsors, partners, and volunteers: 

• 🌿 Townsville City Council: Thank you for empowering students with practical strategies to keep local waterways healthy, alongside expert guidance on mastering everyday bin sorting across recycling, rubbish, and composting systems. 

• 🐟 OzFish Unlimited: Thank you for highlighting the vital necessity of water data analysis, demonstrating how gathering accurate information directly protects vulnerable aquatic habitats. 

• 🪸 CoralWatch: Thank you for teaching students practical, hands-on skills to monitor and assess coral health, directly connecting their local efforts to the broader conservation of the Great Barrier Reef. EcoMarines also wants to give a special shout-out to the legendary CoralWatch Youth Ambassadors for helping run the workshop! 

Looking Ahead 

These young, local changemakers have proven that community support and collective action truly make a massive wave of difference. Thank you to every single teacher, EcoMarines Ambassador, sponsor, partner, venue host, and volunteer who has contributed to the success of the Making Waves series. 

We have plenty more content and success stories from our Making Waves events coming over the next couple of months, so keep an eye out as we continue celebrating an amazing year of environmental stewardship with EcoMarines! 🌊💚