White Rock

Warming oceans have enabled urchins to wreak havoc across 2,000 km of Australia’s coastline – an area as big as the Great Barrier Reef. In response, an unlikely team has formed between fishers, Traditional Owners, investors, environmentalists and scientists, to tackle the problem head-on. White Rock highlights their innovative efforts, from urchin harvesting and creating new industries to promoting urchins as a high-end culinary delicacy. These pioneering, nature-positive solutions are helping restore ecosystems and address a crisis that threatens marine environments in Australia and across the globe.

The film presents a comprehensive strategy to address the urchin crisis through in-water urchin control, habitat rehabilitation, and support for emerging urchin industries. Traditional Owner insights, alongside contributions from leading scientists and firsthand accounts from fishers, deepen the narrative.

Vision:
A globally recognised and protected Great Southern Reef, restored and thriving through innovative conservation efforts, driven by informed and empowered communities and supported by strategic partnerships with leading organisations.

Mission:
To leverage the powerful medium of film to raise awareness, inspire action, and catalyse systemic change in ocean conservation. Through “White Rock,” we will highlight the ecological crisis posed by long spined sea urchins, present innovative and economically viable solutions, and engage global stakeholders, policymakers, and communities in collaborative efforts to rewild and sustain the Great Southern Reef.

Read more about the film’s theory of change here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l7oBVJXFcN42hAEtyh_i9Vx5CaOzYP8o2uSObF-6rZY/edit?usp=sharing

Outputs:
A compelling feature documentary that exposes the urchin crisis and presents solutions.
Actionable outputs for industry and government, including policy recommendations to fund the *Centro Business Plan $55 Mil, five year strategy.
Screening at Parliament House through the newly established Parliamentary Friends of the Great Southern Reef group.
Educational materials and resources distributed to schools to enhance ocean literacy and drive Australia forward in meeting this SDG.
Media coverage and public discourse generated by the film and its associated campaigns.
Utilise a data-driven approach to impact assessment.

Read more about the film’s short, medium and long term outcomes here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l7oBVJXFcN42hAEtyh_i9Vx5CaOzYP8o2uSObF-6rZY/edit?usp=sharing

The Great Southern Reef Foundation (GSRF) has developed deep and meaningful relationships with a broad range of stakeholders across the Great Southern Reef (GSR) community, which grants us significant access to the people, organisations, and systems necessary to drive impactful change. This access stems from our sustained engagement with diverse groups, including scientists, local communities, Indigenous Traditional Owners, fishers, policymakers, and the marine tourism and food industries.

Eat more urchins.
Support urchin industries in Australia.
Put pressure on leaders to back the $55m centro business plan.
Become an ambassador and steward of the Great Southern Reef.
We invite chefs to help turn an ecological challenge into a culinary movement.