PODCAST

Word on the Reef

Tanya Murphy

Diving into marine science adventures on the Great Barrier Reef and beyond!

science nature

All Episodes

40:57

S2 E20 Everything Kirsty Webeck Needs to Say About...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/07/21

Australian comedian Kirsty Webeck loves sea creatures. She's learned a lot about them through her lifelong passion for snorkelling - and now she's here to share what the sperm whales don't want you to know. She is currently touring with her live standup show called Everything I Need to Say About Sea Creatures and it's a real hoot to have her joining us on Word on the Reef this week! We also chat with Dave George from the Cairns Nautilus Scuba Club, who shares why joining your local dive...

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43:33

S2 E16: Modern Day Castaway: A Gruelling 50 Days...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/07/12

Meet Mike Atkinson — former military pilot turned solo adventurer, survival expert, and filmmaker. In one of the boldest voyages ever attempted, Mike hand-carved a dugout canoe and sailed it 1,500 kilometres up the Great Barrier Reef — from Townsville to the Torres Strait — using only traditional, handmade fishing and hunting tools. No engine. No GPS. No esky. Surviving on stingray, dried kangaroo, and sheer determination, Mike faced crocodiles, storms, and solitude — all in a quest to recon...

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43:56

Bonus Episode: How to Swim with Whales, Manta Rays...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/07/10

Whale and manta ray season has arrived on the Great Barrier Reef - and so have the awe-inspiring encounters! Divers and snorkellers are reporting unforgettable moments with these gentle giants, and in this special bonus episode of Word on the Reef, Master Reef Guide Tahn Miller joins host Tanya Murphy once again to spill their top insider tips on how you can experience the magic too. This is Part 3 of our fan-favourite series, "Top 8 Animals to See on the Great Barrier Reef – and Where to Fin...

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38:23

S2 E18: Sex Under the Sea: The Weird World of Marine...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/07/06

Welcome to the ocean -- where your genitals are on your face, males give birth, and gender is more of a suggestion than a rule. You can snooze in a bubble of your own vomit or switch sexes overnight without anyone batting a fin. What a world! This week we’re joined by Mike Scotland - marine biologist, underwater photographer, and editor of DiveLog Magazine. With 50 years of diving, thousands of dives, and two books under his weight belt (Marine Biology in the Wild and Diving With Sharks), Mik...

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44:15

S2 E17: Trawl Wars: The Great Barrier Reef Marine...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/06/28

The 1990s was a wild west era for fishing on the Great Barrier Reef. Even after being declared a Marine Park and a World Heritage area, more than 95% of the Great Barrier Reef was still being fished, and things were heading downhill fast. Then came a bombshell report that exposed what was really going on beneath the surface -- and all hell broke loose. What followed was a fierce battle known as the ‘Trawl Wars,' and unfortunately, it did not happen in a galaxy far, far away. In this episode,...

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48:12

S2 E16: Shark Tracker: The Wild Life of Richard...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/06/21

Richard Fitzpatrick wants to change the way you think about sharks. Ever since he kept a pet shark as a kid, Richard has made it his life’s mission to rewrite the story of one of the ocean’s most misunderstood predators. Now an Emmy-winning cinematographer, marine biologist and shark researcher, he’s spent more than 15,000 hours swimming with sharks — filming them, tagging them, and tracking them for science, often using wildly unorthodox (and very hands-on) methods. In this episode of Word o...

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44:52

S2 E15: Save the Reef from your Sofa: Citizen Science...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/06/13

Did you know you can help with coral research on the Great Barrier Reef without even leaving your couch? On this week's episode of Word on the Reef, get ready to swipe right on high-value corals as we dive into the incredible world of citizen science. Our guest is Nicole Senn, Head of Engagement at Citizens of the Reef and passionate ocean advocate, who reveals how everyday people all over the world are helping monitor coral health - no snorkel or flippers required! Nicole shares how the data...

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43:08

S2 E14: Tree-mendous Impacts: How Forests Help Save...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/06/06

Did you know that deforestation up to 1,000 kilometres inland can harm coral reefs and potentially fuel outbreaks of coral-eating starfish? This week we explore one of the lesser-known but critical threats to the Great Barrier Reef: declining water quality due to land clearing. Our guest this week is Sarah Sims, a conservation and land management expert, dive instructor, and underwater photographer based in Cairns. Sarah's love of the Reef has inspired her to trace water pollution back to its...

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43:19

S2 E13: Undercover Investigation: The Supermarket...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/05/30

Did you know Aussies are among the worst plastic polluters on the planet - second only to Singapore for our use of single-use plastic packaging? Every year, 145,000 tonnes of plastic waste leak into our environment, and most of it comes from our supermarkets. Many of these plastics are not recyclable, and even when binned “correctly," they escape - blown by wind, swept by rain - ending up in rivers, oceans, and inside marine life. From turtles mistaking bags for jellyfish to seabirds literall...

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57:21

S2 E12: Australia's Great Southern Reef: Kelp,...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/05/23

The Great Southern Reef is an 8,000-kilometre stretch of temperate rocky reefs and kelp forests that hugs the southern coastline of Australia from Sydney to Perth. It’s home to incredible marine life like leafy sea dragons, giant cuttlefish, octopuses, and playful seals. It’s a $11.56 billion cornerstone of local economies and part of our way of life for millions of Aussies. But it’s also under serious threat. Join us as we chat with Stefan Andrews, marine biologist, filmmaker, educator, and ...

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61:53

S2 E11: How to Protect the Great Barrier Reef:...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/05/17

Climate Change is the biggest threat to coral reefs worldwide, causing unprecedented coral bleaching events. But here's the good news: individuals can take powerful, practical climate action to help save the Great Barrier Reef — and some of the soltuions might surprise you! Joining us this week is marine scientist and climate campaigner Dr Yolanda Waters, founder and CEO of Divers for Climate, to share real, tangible ways to take action — no matter who you are or where you live. In this episo...

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41:39

S2 E10: Trash Talk: Inside the Marine Debris Crisis...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/05/09

This week we head to the remote beaches of the Great Barrier Reef—where plastic pollution is piling up faster than we can clean it. But is picking up rubbish really the solution? Or just the beginning? Join us as we play trash detective with marine debris expert Heidi Tait, founder of Tangaroa Blue and the Australian Marine Debris Initiative. From her early days as a dive instructor to shaping global plastic policies, Heidi shares her extraordinary story—and the innovative ways she’s turning ...

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41:41

S2 E9: Catching Air, Calling for Action: A Tour...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/05/02

Brett Wright has spent the past 30 years taking visitors to the Great Barrier Reef from Port Douglas with his tour company Windswell Adventures—and he's seen the changes up close. From worsening coral bleaching to the devastation of extreme weather events, climate change is no longer a distant threat, but a reality affecting his livelihood and the Reef he loves. Brett shares a heartfelt call for stronger climate leadership, while reminding us that the Reef is still alive, breathtaking, and wo...

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39:57

S2 E8: Who Will Protect the Great Barrier Reef in the...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/04/25

In this special Election Edition of Word on the Reef, Tanya Murphy and Brett Goodban dive into one of the most critical questions facing Australians ahead of the Federal Election: Who has the best plan to save the Great Barrier Reef? To find out, we’re joined by Maria Poulos Conklin, Head of Government Relations at the Australian Conservation Foundation, who breaks down ACF's powerful Election Scorecard, comparing how each major party stacks up on climate and environmental policies... and let...

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46:57

S2 E7: Breaking: Fishy Politics and the Sixth Mass...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/04/18

The federal election is just two weeks away — and it turns out some politicians are still floundering when it comes to climate change. While the Reef suffers, some parties are busy serving up red herrings instead of real solutions. This week Tanya and Brett dive into the national emergency that should be making front-page news: the GBR's sixth mass coral bleaching in nine years. That’s right — the Reef’s in hot water, and some leaders are still dodging the science like slippery eels. W...

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44:37

S2 E6: Lost civilisations, pesky sea lions and diving...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/04/11

This week, our guest is West Australian coral ecologist Associate Professor Zoe Richards, who's had some extraordinary adventures—diving with crocodiles, discovering new coral species and surveying nuclear bomb sites! We'll journey to Micronesia to uncover an ancient civilisation that built mysterious structures from coral, and to Ningaloo, the world’s largest fringing reef, now sadly in the grips of a mass bleaching event. From emus on the beach to seals frolicking with corals, this is both...

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37:49

S2 E5: Six Bleaching Events in Six Years: What...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/04/04

This week we're heading back to spectacular Lizard Island to uncover what’s changed since last year’s record-breaking coral bleaching event. New research station co-director Dr David Abrego takes us a vivid tour of this world-renowned reef science hub and shares the sobering reality of back-to-back bleaching events that are pushing corals to the brink. From flying over glittering turquoise waters to diving deep into marine heatwaves, coral adaptation, and reef restoration, this ep...

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42:56

S2 E4: Diving for Climate: Can Visiting the Reef...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/03/28

This week, we dive deep into the heart of the Great Barrier Reef’s current coral bleaching crisis with marine social scientist and CEO of Divers for Climate, Dr. Yolanda Waters. 🔬 What’s causing this widespread bleaching event? 🌍 How does reef tourism play a crucial role in protecting our oceans? 🤿 What can divers, snorkelers, and everyday citizens do to take action? Join us as we explore Yolanda’s groundbreaking research on how climate conversations in tourism can inspire real ch...

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44:17

S2 E3: How to collect snot from the largest animal on...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/03/21

This week, conservationist, photographer and filmmaker Christian Miller takes us on an unforgettable journey — from swimming alongside the planet’s largest animal, to eavesdropping on a humpback whale krill hunt. Along the way, we’ll dodge jaguars and flesh-eating ants in the Amazon, and learn why you can’t hide anything from a whale (spoiler: they can literally see through you). Strap in — it’s a wild ride. It's our third week broadcasting the show live on CairnsFM 89.1 and it's a cracker!...

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42:49

S02 E02: Why you should never lend your camera to an...

Word on the Reef ·

2025/03/14

This week, marine biologist and underwater photographer Lawrence Scheele takes us beneath the surface at Magnetic Island for a wild and wonderful tour of its marine life. Discover how jellyfish can detect and dodge humans (despite having no brains), why attempting sign language with a cuttlefish is a big mistake, and how to spot the telltale signs that an octopus might be living in your neighbourhood (spoiler: they are messy!) It's our second week broadcasting the show live on CairnsFM 89.1 a...

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Word on the Reef

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