If it's not fun. It won't get done.

The name The Real Sea Mob reflects their belief in honesty, community, and connection. They aim to present science clearly, without exaggeration or despair, and to show both the challenges and the opportunities facing marine and coastal environments. Maintaining optimism, they said, comes from spending time in nature, working with engaged communities, and supporting each other through shared purpose. After moving to Australia three years ago, Lucia’s first local citizen science project involved mangrove monitoring with Positive Change for Marine Life in northern New South Wales. That work connected her with Jock Mackenzie, now her manager at Earthwatch Australia where she is the Program Manager for wetlands, coastal, and marine environments in Queensland. Based in Townsville, she now works closely with communities, Traditional Owners, and Indigenous rangers across large sections of the Queensland coast. Owen’s pathway into citizen science began during his undergraduate studies, when he travelled to Indonesia to conduct coral reef surveys under academic guidance. His interest in coastal ecosystems continued into his master’s research, which focused on mangroves and their role in buffering heat and supporting marine life. That research brought him to Mexico, where he and Lucia met while working on a citizen science project in Akumal. Lucia managed a dive centre and led scientific dives, while Owen carried out mangrove research, and their shared enthusiasm for coastal ecosystems grew from there. More Information<a href="https://www.instagram.com/therealseamob/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/therealseamob/</a> If you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts.Leave us a comment and share this show with your friends.It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you. Contact the ShowWe are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events.You can email us at: <a href="mailto:info@citizenscienceshow.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">info@citizenscienceshow.com</a>

#145 The Real Sea Mob and the Power of Citizen Science in Coastal Wetlands with Owen Burt and Lucia Caldas

Ghost nets are made of plastic and can drift for decades

Ghost nets have become one of the most confronting environmental issues facing northern Australia, and hearing directly from those working on the ground makes it impossible to ignore the scale of the problem. Speaking with Kristen Sierke, the Ghost Net and Marine Debris Coordinator with the Northern Land Council, highlighted how deeply this issue is woven into both marine conservation and Indigenous ranger work across the Northern Territory. Kristen’s path into this work began with a long-standing connection to the ocean, from studying marine biology in South Australia to working in tourism on the Great Barrier Reef, and later as a ranger and in biosecurity roles in the Northern Territory. That progression led her to work closely with Indigenous rangers, and eventually into a role dedicated entirely to tackling ghost nets and marine debris in Southeast Arnhem Land. Ghost nets are abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear that continue to trap wildlife long after they are no longer under human control. Designed to catch fish, they do exactly that without discrimination, drifting for years or even decades. An aerial survey in the Gulf of Carpentaria alone identified more than 2,500 ghost nets on beaches, with estimates suggesting that across northern Australia there is roughly one ghost net for every kilometre of coastline. More Information<a href="https://www.facebook.com/kristen.sierke/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/kristen.sierke/</a> If you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts.Leave us a comment and share this show with your friends.It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you. Contact the ShowWe are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events.You can email us at: <a href="mailto:info@citizenscienceshow.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">info@citizenscienceshow.com</a>

#144 Ghost Nets and the Silent Crisis on Australia’s Northern Shores with Kristen Sierke

A movement inspired by Tangaroa, the Māori and Polynesian god of the ocean

Heidi first recognised the scale of marine debris while working as a diving instructor, a career that placed her in the water almost daily and offered close encounters with marine wildlife. Over time she began noticing increasing amounts of rubbish appearing in some of the world’s most treasured dive sites. Later, while exploring the southwest coast of Western Australia, she saw debris washing onto remote beaches and began questioning its origins and how the flow could be stopped. These observations planted the seeds of what would become Tangaroa Blue and the Australian Marine Debris Initiative. People can get involved in many ways: participating in beach clean-ups, establishing monitoring sites, supporting data analysis, contributing to awareness campaigns or using the&nbsp;AMDI Data Collection App. The value of sustained volunteer data cannot be overstated; it would be impossible to fund an equivalent program using paid staff alone. More Information <a href="https://tangaroablue.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://tangaroablue.org/</a> If you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts.Leave us a comment and share this show with your friends.It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you. Contact the ShowWe are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events.You can email us at: <a href="mailto:info@citizenscienceshow.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">info@citizenscienceshow.com</a>

#143 Beaches Full of Plastic with Heidi Tait | Tangaroa Blue

The Citizen Science Show Team Year in Review

Tonight on the show we gather the team and revisit some of the Citizen Science Show highlights for 2025. If you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts.Leave us a comment and share this show with your friends.It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you. Contact the ShowWe are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events.You can email us at: <a href="mailto:info@citizenscienceshow.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">info@citizenscienceshow.com</a>

#142 Christmas Cracker 2025 | Citizen Science Show | Year in Review

It was far more extensive than anything seen before, and instinctively it seemed wrong. 

During one calm day in March 2025, Samantha noticed something unusual: thick, persistent sea foam spread across the water near West Island. It was far more extensive than anything seen before, and instinctively it seemed wrong.&nbsp; With guidance from Faith and Peri Coleman, Samantha learned how to use the equipment, how to prepare samples, and how to identify phytoplankton.&nbsp; What stood out most was the absence of historical baseline data. There was no clear record of what “normal” looked like for these coastal waters. The only option was to document what was present now and to keep watching. From that need, Samantha created an open Facebook group, Phytoplankton of South Australia, making all findings public and transparent. More information<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1315762396637652" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/groups/1315762396637652</a><a href="https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations?project_id=249644" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations?project_id=249644</a> Photo CreditLynlee Johnson If you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts.Leave us a comment and share this show with your friends.It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you. Contact the ShowWe are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events.You can email us at: <a href="mailto:info@citizenscienceshow.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">info@citizenscienceshow.com</a>

#141 Foaming Tides and Microscopy with Samantha Sea

On a mission for One Million Turtles

Australia has roughly 25 to 30 freshwater turtle species, depending on the day’s taxonomy debates, and Ricky Spencer's work centres on these inland species found in almost every river, dam and creek. Among the most fragile is the Bellinger River turtle, which came close to disappearing ten years ago when a virus reduced a population of more than four thousand to just sixteen survivors. Those rescued turtles continue to breed under human care, yet the road to recovery is long. Meanwhile, species that are still widespread are also declining. Long-neck turtles, familiar to many Australians, have dropped by around ninety per cent over three decades despite their apparent abundance. More Information<a href="https://www.turtlesat.org.au/turtlesat/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.turtlesat.org.au/turtlesat/</a><a href="https://1millionturtles.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://1millionturtles.com/</a> Photo CreditDr Donald McKnight If you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts.Leave us a comment and share this show with your friends.It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you. Contact the ShowWe are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events.You can email us at: <a href="mailto:info@citizenscienceshow.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">info@citizenscienceshow.com</a>

#140 Reviving Australia’s Freshwater Turtles Through Community Action with Ricky Spencer

Helping Communities Reshape the Future of their Reefs

Alicia McArdle’s work in conservation has been shaped by community from the beginning. Early in her career, not long after university, she was employed by Save Our Waterways in Brisbane, helping coordinate a project to restore an entire creek system. Local residents carried deep knowledge of their waterways, and working alongside them showed her how powerful citizen-driven stewardship can be. That experience stayed with her, just as her first sight of the Great Barrier Reef at age twelve on Green Island did. The colours, marine life and the fleeting shock of spotting a moray eel set her on a path toward marine biology. More Information<a href="﻿https://citizensgbr.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">﻿https://citizensgbr.org/</a> If you enjoy this content, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts.Leave us a comment and share this show with your friends.It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you. Contact the ShowWe are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events.You can email us at: <a href="mailto:info@citizenscienceshow.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">info@citizenscienceshow.com</a>

#139 Restoring Coral Reefs Through Collective Action with Alicia McArdle

To find caves, you have to walk the surface

Clare Buswell’s career weaves together political science, cultural history, and speleology in a way that makes perfect sense once she begins to explain it. Her early academic work on colonial gender dynamics in Kenya led her to examine cultural interpretations, dreamings and social relationships—perspectives that later helped her understand the significance of Australia’s karst landscapes and the First Nations stories etched into them. For Clare, the subterranean world reflects the same human and environmental connections found above ground, only preserved in stone, charcoal and silence. More Information<a href="https://caves.org.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://caves.org.au/</a> If you enjoy this content, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts.Leave us a comment and share this show with your friends.It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you. Thumbnail Photo Credits:Mr Neville SkinerClare Buswell Contact the ShowWe are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events.You can email us at: <a href="mailto:info@citizenscienceshow.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">info@citizenscienceshow.com</a>

#138 Exploring Breathing Caves that Preserve in Stone, Charcoal and Silence.

Citizen science gets people out into nature

At the Australian Museum, citizen science has grown from a niche concept into a vibrant, community-driven force. Managing the Centre for Citizen Science, Paul Flemons oversees three major programs that have transformed how the public engages with scientific research. Frog ID is perhaps the most familiar, inviting thousands to record and monitor frogs across Australia. DigiVol allows volunteers to digitize invaluable collections from institutions worldwide, including natural history, cultural artifacts, and council libraries, from the comfort of their homes. Australasian Fishes collects data on fish distributions, helping to track environmental changes and shifts in ocean temperatures. More Information<a href="https://australian.museum/get-involved/citizen-science/volunteer-with-us/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://australian.museum/get-involved/citizen-science/volunteer-with-us/</a><a href="https://citizenscience.org.au/citscioz25/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://citizenscience.org.au/citscioz25/</a> About The Citizen Science Show PodcastThis episode of the Citizen Science Show podcast is coming to you from CitSciOz25 the Australian Citizen Science Association conference, in Melbourne Connect, a world-class innovation precinct at The University of Melbourne. If you enjoy this content, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you. Contact the ShowWe are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events.You can email us at: <a href="mailto:info@citizenscienceshow.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">info@citizenscienceshow.com</a>

#137 Australian Museum Champions Citizen Science Through Innovative Programs with Paul Flemons

Citizen Science Show

Welcome to the Citizen Science Show, a place to share stories of purpose about the natural world. We explore the diverse activities of passionate people who record observations, gather empirical evidence and use technology to uncover scientific proof for positive social, cultural and political change. We hope that these stories will inspire and encourage you to take action and become a Citizen Scientist.

Citizen Science Show

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