Click here to RSVP for the screening, starting at 6.00pm AEST on Tuesday 22 September 2026.
What to Expect
🎬 A free online screening of Ellison: The Reef That Saved Them All
🎙 A live discussion and Q&A with people connected to marine conservation
🤝 A chance to connect with others who care about the ocean
Ellison tells the story of the reef that sparked Australia’s modern ocean conservation movement, and what it means for the places we love today.
Ellison Reef lies within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, but its protection was never guaranteed.
In 1967, a mining company applied to dredge the reef for coral rubble and sand. A small group of citizen scientists proved the reef was alive and worth saving, helping stop the proposal and spark a national movement.
That effort helped lead to the creation of the Australian Marine Conservation Society and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
Ellison Reef became known as the reef that saved all reefs.
Now, sixty years on, a new generation of scientists, Traditional Owners and reef stewards have returned to Ellison Reef to repeat the original survey.
This film captures that moment, bringing together science, culture and community to reflect on what’s at stake for reefs today.