Growing up with ADHD and Dyslexia, Aliah Banchik never thought she could achieve calm focus, let alone become a successful scientist, artist and Netflix star. Then she discovered sharks. In this inspiring episode, Aliah shares her mission to reshape how we see both sharks and neurodivergence, revealing the beauty in misunderstood animals and people alike. We’ll also chat about her journey on Netflix’s All The Sharks —no spoilers, we promise! Support the show PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitio...
Aug 10, 2025•43 min•Season 2Ep. 23
Did you know some of our marine fish are living DOUBLE LIVES? That’s right, they want the best of both worlds, saltwater and freshwater. So one minute they’re living the dream on a beautiful coral reef, next minute they’ve decided they need a tree change, and they’re swimming up into our rivers. What are they doing there? And importantly – what happens when humans build dams, causeways and other watery traffic jams that block these fish from finishing their migration missions? This week's guest:...
Aug 01, 2025•41 min•Season 2Ep. 22
Whale sharks—harmless, majestic giants—have long been mystery visitors on the Great Barrier Reef, their movements shrouded in secrecy... until now. In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have identified the Reef’s first known whale shark aggregation site. Join us as we uncover where these elusive creatures have been hiding with Ingo Miller—marine biologist turned shark detective. On a mission to find and protect the world’s largest fish before it’s too late, Ingo followed the clues to their s...
Jul 26, 2025•41 min•Season 2Ep. 21
Australian comedian Kirsty Webeck loves sea creatures. She's learned a lot about them through her lifelong passion for snorkelling - and now she's here to share what the sperm whales don't want you to know. She is currently touring with her live standup show called Everything I Need to Say About Sea Creatures and it's a real hoot to have her joining us on Word on the Reef this week! We also chat with Dave George from the Cairns Nautilus Scuba Club , who shares why joining your local dive club mi...
Jul 21, 2025•41 min•Season 2Ep. 20
Meet Mike Atkinson — former military pilot turned solo adventurer, survival expert, and filmmaker. In one of the boldest voyages ever attempted, Mike hand-carved a dugout canoe and sailed it 1,500 kilometres up the Great Barrier Reef — from Townsville to the Torres Strait — using only traditional, handmade fishing and hunting tools. No engine. No GPS. No esky. Surviving on stingray, dried kangaroo, and sheer determination, Mike faced crocodiles, storms, and solitude — all in a quest to reconnect...
Jul 12, 2025•44 min•Season 2Ep. 19
Whale and manta ray season has arrived on the Great Barrier Reef - and so have the awe-inspiring encounters! Divers and snorkellers are reporting unforgettable moments with these gentle giants, and in this special bonus episode of Word on the Reef , Master Reef Guide Tahn Miller joins host Tanya Murphy once again to spill their top insider tips on how you can experience the magic too. This is Part 3 of our fan-favourite series, "Top 8 Animals to See on the Great Barrier Reef – and Where to Find ...
Jul 10, 2025•44 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Welcome to the ocean -- where your genitals are on your face, males give birth, and gender is more of a suggestion than a rule. You can snooze in a bubble of your own vomit or switch sexes overnight without anyone batting a fin. What a world! This week we’re joined by Mike Scotland - marine biologist, underwater photographer, and editor of DiveLog Magazine . With 50 years of diving, thousands of dives, and two books under his weight belt ( Marine Biology in the Wild and Diving With Sharks ), Mik...
Jul 06, 2025•38 min•Season 2Ep. 18
The 1990s was a wild west era for fishing on the Great Barrier Reef. Even after being declared a Marine Park and a World Heritage area, more than 95% of the Great Barrier Reef was still being fished, and things were heading downhill fast. Then came a bombshell report that exposed what was really going on beneath the surface -- and all hell broke loose. What followed was a fierce battle known as the ‘Trawl Wars,' and unfortunately, it did not happen in a galaxy far, far away. In this episode, we’...
Jun 28, 2025•44 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Richard Fitzpatrick wants to change the way you think about sharks. Ever since he kept a pet shark as a kid, Richard has made it his life’s mission to rewrite the story of one of the ocean’s most misunderstood predators. Now an Emmy-winning cinematographer, marine biologist and shark researcher, he’s spent more than 15,000 hours swimming with sharks — filming them, tagging them, and tracking them for science, often using wildly unorthodox (and very hands-on ) methods. In this episode of Word on ...
Jun 21, 2025•48 min•Season 2Ep. 16
Did you know you can help with coral research on the Great Barrier Reef without even leaving your couch? On this week's episode of Word on the Reef , get ready to swipe right on high-value corals as we dive into the incredible world of citizen science. Our guest is Nicole Senn, Head of Engagement at Citizens of the Reef and passionate ocean advocate, who reveals how everyday people all over the world are helping monitor coral health - no snorkel or flippers required! Nicole shares how the data y...
Jun 13, 2025•45 min•Season 2Ep. 15
Did you know that deforestation up to 1,000 kilometres inland can harm coral reefs and potentially fuel outbreaks of coral-eating starfish? This week we explore one of the lesser-known but critical threats to the Great Barrier Reef: declining water quality due to land clearing. Our guest this week is Sarah Sims , a conservation and land management expert, dive instructor, and underwater photographer based in Cairns. Sarah's love of the Reef has inspired her to trace water pollution back to its r...
Jun 06, 2025•43 min•Season 2Ep. 14
Did you know Aussies are among the worst plastic polluters on the planet - second only to Singapore for our use of single-use plastic packaging? Every year, 145,000 tonnes of plastic waste leak into our environment, and most of it comes from our supermarkets. Many of these plastics are not recyclable, and even when binned “correctly," they escape - blown by wind, swept by rain - ending up in rivers, oceans, and inside marine life. From turtles mistaking bags for jellyfish to seabirds literally c...
May 30, 2025•43 min•Season 2Ep. 13
In South Australia, a toxic algal bloom has resulted in more than 12,000 marine animals from nearly 450 different species washing up dead on local beaches, turning once-thriving ecosystems into underwater graveyards and leaving locals traumatised... But what's causing this disaster, and what can we do about it? This week's guest: Stefan Andrews , marine biologist, filmmaker, educator, and Co-Founder of the Great Southern Reef Foundation , www.greatsouthernreef.com www.instagram.com/greatsouthern...
May 23, 2025•57 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Climate Change is the biggest threat to coral reefs worldwide, causing unprecedented coral bleaching events. But there are things we can all do to help - and you don't need to be a marine biologist or even live anywhere near the ocean to make a difference! Here's your guide to powerful, practical climate action to help save the Great Barrier Reef - and the best part? You can do it from anywhere! Joining us this week is marine scientist and climate campaigner Dr Yolanda Waters , founder and CEO o...
May 17, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 11
This week we head to the remote beaches of the Great Barrier Reef—where plastic pollution is piling up faster than we can clean it. But is picking up rubbish really the solution? Or just the beginning? Join us as we play trash detective with marine debris expert Heidi Tait , founder of Tangaroa Blue and the Australian Marine Debris Initiative . From her early days as a dive instructor to shaping global plastic policies, Heidi shares her extraordinary story—and the innovative ways she’s turning d...
May 09, 2025•42 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Brett Wright has spent the past 30 years taking visitors to the Great Barrier Reef from Port Douglas with his tour company Windswell Adventures—and he's seen the changes up close. From worsening coral bleaching to the devastation of extreme weather events, climate change is no longer a distant threat, but a reality affecting his livelihood and the Reef he loves. Brett shares a heartfelt call for stronger climate leadership, while reminding us that the Reef is still alive, breathtaking, and worth...
May 02, 2025•42 min•Season 2Ep. 9
In this special Election Edition of Word on the Reef , Tanya Murphy and Brett Goodban dive into one of the most critical questions facing Australians ahead of the Federal Election: Who has the best plan to save the Great Barrier Reef? To find out, we’re joined by Maria Poulos Conklin , Head of Government Relations at the Australian Conservation Foundation, who breaks down ACF's powerful Election Scorecard, comparing how each major party stacks up on climate and environmental policies... and let'...
Apr 25, 2025•40 min•Season 2Ep. 8
The federal election is just two weeks away — and it turns out some politicians are still floundering when it comes to climate change. While the Reef suffers, some parties are busy serving up red herrings instead of real solutions. This week Tanya Murphy and Brett Goodban dive into the national emergency that should be making front-page news: the GBR's sixth mass coral bleaching in nine years. That’s right — the Reef’s in hot water, and some leaders are still dodging the science like slippery ee...
Apr 18, 2025•47 min•Season 2Ep. 7
This week, our guest is West Australian coral ecologist Associate Professor Zoe Richards , who's had some extraordinary dives - with crocodiles, on nuclear bomb sites, and discovering new coral species! We'll journey to Micronesia to uncover an ancient civilisation that built mysterious structures from coral, and to Western Australia's World Heritage Listed Ningaloo Reef, the world’s largest fringing reef, now sadly in the grips of a mass bleaching event. From emus on the beach to seals frolicki...
Apr 11, 2025•45 min•Season 2Ep. 6
This week we're heading back to spectacular Lizard Island to uncover what’s changed since last year’s record-breaking coral bleaching event. New research station co-director Dr David Abrego takes us a vivid tour of this world-renowned reef science hub and shares the sobering reality of back-to-back bleaching events that are pushing corals to the brink. From flying over glittering turquoise waters to diving deep into marine heatwaves, coral adaptation, and reef restoration, this episode is a roll...
Apr 04, 2025•38 min•Season 2Ep. 5
This week, we dive deep into the heart of the Great Barrier Reef’s current coral bleaching crisis with marine social scientist and CEO of Divers for Climate, Dr. Yolanda Waters. 🔬 What’s causing this widespread bleaching event? 🌍 How does reef tourism play a crucial role in protecting our oceans? 🤿 What can divers, snorkelers, and everyday citizens do to take action? Join us as we explore Yolanda’s groundbreaking research on how climate conversations in tourism can inspire real change. From t...
Mar 28, 2025•43 min•Season 2Ep. 4
This week, conservationist, photographer and filmmaker Christian Miller takes us on an unforgettable journey — from swimming alongside the planet’s largest animal, to eavesdropping on a humpback whale krill hunt. Along the way, we’ll dodge jaguars and flesh-eating ants in the Amazon, and learn why you can’t hide anything from a whale (spoiler: they can literally see through you). Strap in — it’s a wild ride. It's our third week broadcasting the show live on CairnsFM 89.1 and it's a cracker! Catc...
Mar 21, 2025•44 min•Season 2Ep. 3
This week, marine biologist and underwater photographer Lawrence Scheele takes us beneath the surface at Magnetic Island for a wild and wonderful tour of its marine life. Discover how jellyfish can detect and dodge humans (despite having no brains), why attempting sign language with a cuttlefish is a big mistake, and how to spot the telltale signs that an octopus might be living in your neighbourhood (spoiler: they are messy!) It's our second week broadcasting the show live on CairnsFM 89.1 and ...
Mar 14, 2025•43 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Word on the Reef is back — and now broadcasting live on CairnsFM 89.1 every Friday at 10am (Queensland Time)! Tune in on your radio or stream online at cairnsfm891.org.au for your weekly deep dive into marine science on the Great Barrier ReEef and beyond! In our Season Two premiere, host Tanya Murphy opens up about how the underwater world transformed her life — and we welcome a brand new co-host, Brett Goodban . Brett had racked up over 16,000 dives and was living his dream life as an underwate...
Mar 07, 2025•41 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Today we're continuing our countdown of the Top 8 Fantastic Beasts of the Great Barrier Reef and Where to Find Them, with Master Reef Guide Tahn Miller. You won't believe some of the encounters he's had with today's animals! Follow Tahn on Instagram Support the show PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now! Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action! Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas! Queensland Conservation Council: Take Stron...
Sep 14, 2024•27 min•Season 1Ep. 15
The Great Barrier Reef has just experienced its worst summer on record, with cyclones, severe rainfall, flooding, and its most extreme coral bleaching event ever. The World Heritage Committee has expressed concerns that the Australian Government isn't doing enough to protect the Reef, particularly regarding its climate policies, and advised the Reef may face a possible 'In Danger' listing. To explain what that means and what we need to do about it, our guest this week is Reef and World Heritage ...
Aug 12, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Tahn Miller is a Master Reef Guide who has spent 14 years observing and teaching people about magical creatures on the Great Barrier Reef. Join us as we swap crazy stories about close encounters with these incredible animals, while counting down the Top 8 Fantastic Beasts of the Great Barrier Reef and Where to Find Them! (JK Rowling reference, for the Muggles out there). Follow @TahnMiller on Instagram Follow Tahn on YouTube Support the show PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now! Australia...
Jul 25, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Winter is an incredible time to see, hear, and even swim with whales on the Great Barrier Reef! But they also get up to some pretty weird things, and today we'll learn all about the secrets of whales from someone who has dedicated his life to studying them. Sign the petition to stop whale entanglements in shark nets Learn more about " Humpbacks and High Rises " Help whales with the Australian Marine Conservation Society's whale protection campaign. Support the show PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these ...
Jun 24, 2024•47 min•Season 1Ep. 12
It's official - we are in the midst of the world’s worst coral bleaching event on record, affecting two thirds of corals globally, spanning some 64 countries and territories. We've already explored some of the impacts on the Great Barrier Reef - this week we'll head overseas to find out about the impacts in other countries. To see the map discussed in this episode: https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/noaa-confirms-4th-global-coral-bleaching-event Support the show PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Peti...
Jun 09, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 11
In the 1960s, the future of the Great Barrier Reef was in jeopardy when a covert deal to drill for oil threatened its survival. A brave group of volunteers took on powerful forces and won, saving the Reef for future generations. Today we're talking with two of those heroes - Eddie Hegerl and Di Tarte. This episode reveals their inspiring fight and why their battle still matters today. Support the show PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now! Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia,...
May 24, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 10
