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Dugong Connections

Great Barrier Reef

Location

  • Traditional Owners have a deep connection to the Great Barrier Reef, with dugongs holding strong cultural significance for many people.


  • This program provides a platform for a two-way knowledge exchange including providing a safe space to listen to Traditional Owners sharing knowledge about dugongs, and for scientists to share their findings on dugong health and populations.


  • The goal is to foster future collaborations between Traditional Owner groups, scientists, and managers on dugong knowledge sharing.

Key points

Dugong Connections

Dugongs hold strong cultural significance


Dugongs hold deep cultural significance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living along the Great Barrier Reef. Their long-held knowledge of dugong habitats and behaviours is vital for effective management.


Yet, previous Great Barrier Reef dugong monitoring projects focussed mainly on aerial surveys and AI imagery to track dugong numbers and distribution. While this provided robust science, it offered limited opportunities for engagement with Traditional Owners and for communities to share their knowledge about dugongs.


Building strong collaborations with Traditional Owners is key to reshaping the way we approach dugong research, monitoring, and management. Their insights and involvement are essential for a more holistic and effective management strategy that respects both cultural and ecological sustainability.


Scientists connect with Traditional Owners


This project focuses on engaging with Traditional Owners to exchange knowledge on dugong ecology, population health, threats, and sustainable management.


TropWATER scientists will collaborate with Traditional Owners across the Great Barrier Reef, building connections through community events, workshops, and hands-on research activities. This project’s activities will be delivered in 2025.


Engaging with schools and communities


The science team will visit and engage with schools and communities across the Great Barrier Reef to raise awareness about dugongs, discuss management strategies, and recent research.


Traditional Owners will ethically share Indigenous Knowledge with scientists, and together both datasets will be combined to map key dugong areas.


Our goal is to empower community members through hands-on training, giving them the tools to actively participate and lead local dugong research and monitoring.


Regional dugong connection workshops


A series of workshops will be delivered, bringing together Traditional Owners groups from across the Great Barrier Reef. These workshops will create a safe, respectful space for Traditional Owners across the Reef to learn about current dugong science, explore opportunities for involvement, and share knowledge about dugongs and Sea Country.


Collaborate with Traditional Owners to study dugong movements


Dugongs are culturally significant in many Indigenous peoples as a keystone species, yet studies of their movements in the Great Barrier Reef have been limited. By using established field techniques to track dugongs, this research offers a unique opportunity to strengthen connections between scientists and Traditional Owners to help ensure dugong populations remain healthy in their Sea Country.


Project details


This project is led by Dr Christophe Cleguer, with support from Dr Melanie Hamel and Luisa Schramm. The Dugong Connections Project is funded by the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.

Emily Webster

Emily Webster

Research Officer

Luisa Schramm

Luisa Schramm

Research Worker

Mélanie Hamel

Mélanie Hamel

Research Officer

Research support

Christophe Cleguer

Senior Research Officer

Research leads

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