Edithburgh & Wool Bay Jetties Marine Watch – 5 June 26

Are you passionate about marine life, underwater photography, and giving back to your local environment? Join the Edithburgh & Wool Bay Jetties Marine Watch team as a volunteer citizen scientist and help monitor the incredible underwater ecosystems at two of South Australia’s most iconic dive sites.

We’re looking for underwater photographers to assist with monitoring activities at both Wool Bay and Edithburgh jetties taking place from September 2025 through to June 2026 (dates listed below).

The Marine Watch project is a collaborative citizen science initiative developed in response to the Harmful Algal Bloom that has significantly impacted these jetties’ vibrant marine habitats. In partnership with marine scientists, the local council, and our dive community, we aim to document the current state of underwater life and contribute valuable data to support long-term conservation efforts.

On the Saturday, volunteers will dive at Wool Bay Jetty to photograph designated jetty piles and quadrats. These images will be used to build 3D models via photogrammetry software to provide a visual record of changes over time. A full briefing will be held on the Friday evening before each monitoring weekend.

The second dive on Saturday will focus on photographing a wide range of marine species (alive and dead) for biodiversity monitoring, with images uploaded to iNaturalist to contribute to global citizen science efforts.

On Sunday, we will dive  Edithburgh Jetty for further species photography dives, continuing our efforts to capture a snapshot of underwater biodiversity for uploading to iNaturalist.

Ideally, we would like volunteers to have a high-end point and shoot (ie Sony RX100 or Canon G7X) or mirrorless or DSLR camera. For mirrorless and DSLR users, we would like to you to use a full frame equivalent lens of 60mm focal length (or close to it). For lighting we would like volunteers to use video lights if they have one (we have some spares available if needed). Strobes can be used but we prefer video lights to keep exposure consistent.

We’re also looking for an onshore concierge volunteer to support the dive team and engage with members of the public, explaining what we are doing and why. We will be providing signage and brochures.

Volunteers enjoy shared accommodation, a Saturday night BBQ, breakfast, and partial reimbursements for petrol and air fills.

Help us protect the incredible marine environments of Wool Bay and Edithburgh. Your photos and passion can make a real difference.