Gnaraloo Turtle Conservation Program

Public Lecture | Updated 1 decade ago

turtle turtling towards the ocean
Carretta turtle returning to the water
Image courtesy Gnaraloo Station Trust

Hear about the latest season of field research undertaken to protect the turtles of Gnaraloo in a free public lecture at the WA Museum - Geraldton on March 18.

Gnaraloo Station is a working pastoral station and wilderness tourism business located approximately 150 km north of Carnarvon, adjacent to the Ningaloo Marine Park and the Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Area, in remote northwestern Australia.

The Gnaraloo coastline has significant sea turtle rookeries, with endangered loggerhead (Caretta caretta), endangered green (Chelonia mydas) and critically endangered hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) turtles annually nesting along the coast, generally from November - April.

The Gnaraloo Station Trust funds the Gnaraloo Turtle Conservation Program (GTCP) which aims to collect reliable high quality data on sea turtle nesting activities for protection of significant rookeries and informed management activity to promote the long term survival of sea turtle populations.

The research under the GTCP is licensed by the Department of Parks and Wildlife (WA) and establishes important baseline data for an area with little existing scientifically verified sea turtle information.

The findings help with the protection of critical coastal nesting habitat of endangered marine species, biodiversity conservation, informed management activity and increased community awareness of conservation issues.

The museum’s current exhibition Australian Geographic ANZANG Nature Photography Award will be available to view from 6.30pm.

Bookings on 9921 5080.