Dumb divers accidentally do damage to coral reefs

Research at the University of Sydney has found that scuba-diving tourism - widely promoted as a sustainable way to experience coral reefs - is causing frequent and often hidden damage to fragile marine ecosystems.

The study, led by Dr Bing Lin from the University of Sydney’s Thriving Oceans Research Hub in the School of Geosciences, analysed the behaviour of more than 700 scuba divers across tourism hotspots in the Philippines and Indonesia, including Bali.

It is published today in Conservation Letters.

Drawing on data from more than 300 hours of underwater observation, the researchers recorded 4981 reef contact events among 411 divers. Around 41% of these contacts caused observable damage to coral, from direct breakage to the stirring of sediment that can smother reef life.

On average, divers made 0.26 reef contacts a minute - roughly one every four minutes - and spent nearly two seconds of every minute in direct contact with the reef.

“This work documents the unsustainable underwater footprint of scuba diving tourism on coral reefs,” said Dr Lin, who started the research during his PhD at Princeton University, completing it as part of his postdoctoral position at the University of Sydney.

A central finding of the study is that most damage is not deliberate. 

More than 80% of damaging contacts were unintentional or unnoticed by the diver, revealing how routine tourism activity can quietly degrade reef systems over time. 

Further, most divers in the study self-reported very high pro-environmental attitudes, suggesting that they, by and large, care about reef conservation.

The study also uncovered several striking psychological patterns. 

First, around three-quarters of divers rated themselves as “above average” in their ability to avoid reef contact compared to their peers - an example of the illusory superiority effect, where people systematically overestimate their abilities relative to others.

Additionally, the study also documented the well-known Dunning-Kruger effect in divers, where people with lower skill levels disproportionately overestimated their competence.

This overconfidence translated into a major gap between perception and reality. In matched observations, divers underestimated how often they contacted the reef by nearly fivefold.

“Many divers believe they are careful and low impact, but our data shows a consistent mismatch between perception and behaviour,” Dr Lin said.

The research identified several factors that were associated with increases in reef damage. Divers using underwater cameras, gloves or pointer sticks had higher contact rates, while peer behaviour also played a significant role - when one diver touched the reef, others were much more likely to follow suit.

Wildlife encounters - often the highlight of dive tourism - were found to significantly amplify damage. The presence of marine animals increased intentional reef contacts by 220%, unintentional contacts by 85%, and damaging contacts by 106%, often as divers approached or adjusted position to observe the wildlife.

“It’s difficult to quantify the true scale of the reef contact problem,” Dr Lin said. “But what is clear is that unregulated underwater tourism is an overlooked local driver of damage that adds to, and amplifies, other acute and chronic reef stressors.

“Tourism is critical to many coastal economies, including those closely linked to Australia.

“But without changes to diver behaviour, training and industry standards, it risks undermining the very ecosystems it depends on.”

Image: A scuba diver in Leyte, Phillipines 

Brisbane's north gets a new international hotel

Brisbane’s north has a new focal point with the 148-key Adina Chermside Brisbane now officially open.

Billed as being created "for travellers who value space, comfort and connection", the new hotel is located in one of Brisbane’s fastest-growing lifestyle precincts, moments from Westfield Chermside, close to leading hospitals, and an easy drive to Brisbane Airport, the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, and the city.

Designed by WMK Architecture, Adina Chermside is "a calm, light-filled retreat crafted to reflect Brisbane’s subtropical climate and meet the needs of the evolving northern corridor". 

Guests at the TFE Hotels property can select from a mix of studio rooms and one-bedroom apartments with kitchen and laundry facilities. The hotel also offers access to an all-day café and bar, gym, meeting spaces, and undercover parking.

Brisbane will host the 2032 Olympic Games with accommodation expected to be at a premium. 

“The interior experience was about creating a sense of retreat within an urban setting,” says WMK Architecture Practice director David Percival.

“Now that the hotel is open, you can see how the continuity of materials and the softness of the palette help establish a genuine ‘home away from home’ for a wide range of guests.”

“Adina Chermside isn’t just opening its doors; it’s opening a space where travellers can breathe out, settle in, and feel held by something recognisably their own,” says GM Sue Rowe. 

To celebrate its opening, Adina Chermside is offering a special Shop, Stay and Play opening package. 

Book for stays from now until July 31 and you will receive a 15% discount on the rooms, a $50 Westfield voucher to the first 100 to book direct, a bottle of wine and noon check-out. Room rates start from $211. Book via adinahotels.com.

Adina has hotel apartments in Australia, New Zealand and Europe.

For more details see https://adinahotels.com/en/apartments/chermside-brisbane.

Noir Noir marks the Winter Solstice in style

 

While Hobart has the Dark Mofo winter festival, the Tamar Valley in the north of Tasmania has Noir Noir. 

Pinot noir, whisky and stargazing collide for a one-night-only celebration - on the longest night of the year - with Tamar Ridge and Turner Stillhouse returning with their annual Winter Solstice event, Noir Noir. 

To be held on Saturday, June 20, from 6-10pm at the Tamar Ridge cellar door, the event will showcase cool-climate pinot noir wines, newly released spirits, bonfires, live music and guided stargazing beneath the Southern Hemisphere sky.

Guests will gather around outdoor fire pits while tasting red wines from Tamar Ridge alongside spirits from Turner Stillhouse, including the distillery’s newest whisky release.

Throughout the evening, local astronomer Chris Arkless will guide guests through the winter sky, sharing stories of constellations, celestial movement and the significance of the Winter Solstice.

Tamar Ridge chief winemaker Tom Wallace says Noir Noir has become a much-loved winter tradition in the Tamar Valley. 

“There’s something incredibly special about Tasmania in winter; the darkness, the stillness, the cold air, the stars overhead," Wallace said. "Noir Noir brings all those elements together in a way that feels uniquely Tasmanian. 

“Pinot noir and whisky are both incredibly expressive drinks. They’re layered, textural and deeply connected to place, and this event gives people the chance to experience them in a completely different setting."

Tickets are $45 per person and include tastings of new-release wines and spirits, live music and stargazing session. 

Guests can also enhance their experience with an optional Southern Skies Tasmanian Cheese Box ($30), featuring water crackers, aged cheddar, truffled cheddar and soft fetta.

Tickets are available at tamarridge.com.au/events/noir-noir-winter-solstice

Italian pan handler to star at Dark Mofo Winter Feast

Star Italian chef Floriano Pellegrino will be the headline act at the Dark Mofo Winter Feast in Hobart.

The guest chef runs Michelin-starred restaurant Bros’ in Puglia with his partner Isabella Potì - a venue known for its avant-garde interpretation of Italian cuisine.

Pellegrino will collaborate with Roberto Mele of MAMA Hobart artisanal bakery to create five dishes, including a ricotta and pickled mulberry tart.

The Winter Feast will once again transform the Hobart waterfront with tens of thousands of people expected across both weekends of this year’s Dark Mofo.

The Winter Feast will feature over 70 stallholders - 40% of them new - from across Tasmania, along with crackling fires, music and community.

‘The Winter Feast is a candlelit haven from the cold weather," says Chris Twite, Dark Mofo’s artistic director.

"It’s where we refuel, nourished by the ritual of coming together around the fires, enjoying the incredible array of food and drink, and sharing stories of exploration and discovery among friends and strangers."

Hobart micro restaurant Scholé will makes its first appearance at the Feast, with Luke Burgess serving up a Japanese-inspired dish of crispy potato mochi.

Star local chefs will include David Moyle and Lilly Trewartha, along with Analiese Gregory, while Mona executive chef Vince Trim will be back, cooking with fire at the Heavy Metal Kitchen.

Beverages will include a refreshing Strawberry Bubble from Cygnet's Tasmaniac Distillers, a hot buttered whisky from Battery Point Distillery and a selection of cocktails from Local Absinthe.

"The generosity, abundance and creativity of Tasmania’s food culture is on full display once again this year, with tasty offerings from all around the island," says Winter Feast food curator Amanda Vallis.

The music program kicks off with The Gathering, a First Nations-led celebration of culture, connection and storytelling for the first night of the Feast. Curated by Dark Mofo’s Tasmanian Aboriginal cultural advisor Caleb Nichols-Mansell, the Gathering centres the ‘Matriarchs of Music’, presenting by artists like Emma Donovan, BADASSMUTHA, DENNI, Bumpy, Stiff Gins and Nidala Barker.

The Feast spreads across Salamanca Lawns and Princes Wharf Shed 1 and runs on both weekends of the festival: Thursday 11–Sunday 15 and Thursday 18–Sunday 21.

Season passes are still available at darkmofo.net.au/winter-feast.

As part of the Winter Feast’s commitment to reaching zero waste, all stallholders will stock reusable cups and compostable crockery and cutlery. The Winter Feast is a cash-free event.

How cooking can help feed social cohesion

Food innovator Gilava Pour shares a guest post on how food can help change attitudes.

The term “social cohesion” has been everywhere lately. It’s in the news, in opinion pieces, and across government conversations. Everyone agrees it matters, but no one seems to agree on what it actually looks like.

Most of the discussion sits at a high level. Policy, national identity, frameworks. But it feels like we’re overcomplicating something that actually happens in much simpler ways.

I run a food brand called Exotic Bazaar. We make Middle Eastern meal bases for people who want something different for dinner but don’t know where to start.

And what we’re seeing is straightforward.

A lot of our customers have never cooked Middle Eastern food before. For some of them, their only exposure to the region has been through the news. 

Now they’re cooking dishes from that same region at home. They’re eating it with their families, talking about it, and saving it as something they’ll cook again.

Not because they’re trying to learn about a culture. Not because they’re trying to be open minded. Just because it tasted good.

But that’s exactly where something shifts.

Because that’s not how we usually think about changing perceptions. We assume it happens through conversation, education, or big moments. From what I’m seeing, it’s much smaller than that. It’s repetition. It’s familiarity. It’s doing something enough times that it stops feeling foreign.

You don’t need to convince someone to be interested in a culture if they already enjoy it in their own life. That’s a very different starting point.

There’s a lot of talk right now about division, mistrust, and people feeling disconnected. Some of that is real. But at the same time, there are small, quiet moments happening every day that don’t get talked about.

Someone trying a dish they’ve never had before. A family adding it into their regular meals. A conversation that starts with “this is actually really good.”

That’s it.

Nothing dramatic, but it adds up.

I didn’t start Exotic Bazaar to play a role in social cohesion. I just wanted to make the food I grew up with easier for people to cook. But it’s made me realise that this is where a lot of real connection actually starts.

Not at a national level. At a personal one.

We can keep having big conversations about what kind of country we want to be. But it’s worth paying attention to what’s already happening in people’s homes.

Because that’s where unfamiliar cultures stop being “other” and start becoming part of everyday life.

* Gilava Pour spent over 15 years of working as an IT professional in the finance sector before founding Ballarat-based Exotic Bazaar to share Persian and Middle Eastern food culture. See https://www.exoticbazaar.com.au/

Maritime Museum lights up for Vivid Sydney

The National Maritime Museum in Sydney has launched a special program of events to coincide with the Vivid Sydney festival, celebrating Indigenous artforms and storytelling.

Right through Vivid until June 13, the museum will be championing the work of renowned Zenadth Kes (Torres Strait Island) artist Brian Robinson, with the precinct being illuminated after dark by Mythical Mashup: The Graphic Worlds of Brian Robinson.

Robinson’s work already is celebrated in his collaborative exhibition Ur Wayii (Incoming Tide) on show in the museum.

A centrepiece of the museum program will be a one-night event Sea Gathering on Tuesday, June 2

Sea Gathering: Myth and Modernity is a free immersive program which brings together light, music, creating, food, and storytelling in a shared harbourside setting. 

The program will combine contemporary visual art, live performance, digital play, hands-on workshops, and cultural storytelling. It operates as a hybrid between a night festival, exhibition activation, and community gathering, offering audiences a flexible and social experience.

Throughout the evening, Robinson will lead small groups to the Action Stations deck to view the large-scale projection, sharing insights into the stories, characters and creative process behind the animation. 

Floating Realm, meanwhile, will unfold across the harbour and Cape Bowling Green Lighthouse as a sculptural landscape of LED-lit forms, hovering on the water’s surface and suspended in the sky.

Immersive experiences of animation, illumination and storytelling will be visible at the museum nightly until June 13 from 6-11pm with optimal vantage points at Pyrmont Bridge or King Street Wharf as part of the Vivid Light Walk.

The Museum is also pleased to host Wonderverse by Patch Theatre and a Vivid Moonlight Sea Kayaking Experience by Sydney Harbour Kayas as part of Vivid. 

‘Vivid Sydney is a vital moment for the museum each year, giving us a powerful platform to connect audiences with art, culture and storytelling in unforgettable ways," says museum director and CEO Daryl Karp. 

"In 2026, we are especially proud to celebrate the extraordinary work of Brian Robinson, whose richly imaginative practice brings together ancestral knowledge and contemporary creativity."

For more info visit www.sea.museum/vividsydney