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!

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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 Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Tide: Join your local climate action group!

CONTACT US

• Got questions? Text us on 0437 835 937 or email info@wordonthereef.com
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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: Sean Georgeson, Fish Ecologist and founder of www.coralition.org | www.instagram.com/coralition_org
• Ring the Fish Doorbell (Livestream where you can open the door for migrating fish): https://visdeurbel.nl/en/

Thumbnail Image: Sean and colleague using electrofishing to capture fish for research purposes in New Zealand. Note: Do not attempt this in crocodile inhabited waters in Far North Queensland!

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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 Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Tide: Join your local climate action group!

CONTACT US

• Got questions? Text us on 0437 835 937 or email info@wordonthereef.com
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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 secret gathering spot. Want to know where it is? You’ll have to tune in to find out.

LEARN MORE

• Biopixel Oceans Foundation Website: biopixeloceans.org
• Follow Ingo on Instagram: www.instagram.com/ingo.ben.miller
• Follow Biopixel Oceans Foundation on Insta: www.instagram.com/biopixeloceans
• Track the tagged whale sharks: biotracker.tv

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 Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Tide: Join your local climate action group!

CONTACT US

• Got questions? Text us on 0437 835 937 or email info@wordonthereef.com
• Support Word on the Reef on Patreon
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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 might be the best decision you make for your social life, your scuba skills, and your connection to the underwater world.

If you're someone who enjoys a good whale tale with a side of comedy, this episode’s for you!

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 Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Tide: Join your local climate action group!

CONTACT US

• Got questions? Text us on 0437 835 937 or email info@wordonthereef.com
• Support Word on the Reef on Patreon
• Follow @WordOnTheReefPodcast on Instagram

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 with nature and spotlight the urgent need to protect the Reef and honour Indigenous knowledge.

This is more than a survival story — it’s a challenge to all of us to rethink how modern life is pulling us away from what truly matters. What Mike discovered out there will both shock and inspire you.

FOLLOW MIKE

• Mike's Website: outbackmike.com
• Mike's Insta: instagram.com/outback_mike

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 Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Tide: Join your local climate action group!

CONTACT US

• Got questions? Text us on 0437 835 937 or email info@wordonthereef.com
• Support Word on the Reef on Patreon
• Follow @WordOnTheReefPodcast on Instagram

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 Them", which began back in Season 1, Episode 13. If you haven’t heard the first two episodes yet, don't forget to check those out too!

Yes, it’s been a while since Part 2 - but we promise, this finale is worth the wait. In this jam-packed episode, we finally reveal the top three most iconic animals to see on the Reef - and our insider secrets on where, when, and how to find them. If you’re planning a Reef adventure, you won't want to miss this episode!

Thumbnail image by Tahn Miller

• Tahn Miller Instagram
• Wavelength Reef Cruises

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 Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Tide: Join your local climate action group!

CONTACT US

• Got questions? Text us on 0437 835 937 or email info@wordonthereef.com
• Support Word on the Reef on Patreon
• Follow @WordOnTheReefPodcast on Instagram

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), Mike’s here to tell us why humans have more in common with flatworms than we’d like to admit -- and how to keep your spines clean if you’re a sea urchin. Dive in!

Thumbnail Image: Gold-speckled flatform (Thysanozoon nigropapillosum)

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 Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Tide: Join your local climate action group!

CONTACT US

• Got questions? Text us on 0437 835 937 or email info@wordonthereef.com
• Support Word on the Reef on Patreon
• Follow @WordOnTheReefPodcast on Instagram

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’re joined by legendary conservationist Imogen Zethoven, who was made Officer of the Order of Australia for her groundbreaking campaign to create the largest network of no fishing zones, also known as Green Zones, in the GBR Marine Park. Imogen shares how the fight was won -- and why the battle to protect our oceans is far from over.

Thumbnail Image: Imogen Zethoven in front of a van owned by a Mackay local at a meeting in the early 2000s.

Glossary of Australian Terms for our International Listeners

• Prawns = what we call shrimps in Australia!
• Tucker = a slang term for food
• Canberra = our capital city, where Parliament House is located (we know you've never heard of it)
• GBRMPA = Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (also known as the Reef Authority).
• CSIRO "Sigh-Row" = Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (Australia's national science agency).
• AFMA = Australian Fisheries Management Authority

Take Action on Overfishing:

• Australian Marine Conservation Society (Fisheries Campaign)
• WWF (GBR Campaign)

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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 Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future!
• Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change
• Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef!
• WWF Australia: Protect Nature
• Rising Tide: Join your local climate action group!

CONTACT US

• Got questions? Text us on 0437 835 937 or email info@wordonthereef.com
• Support Word on the Reef on Patreon
• Follow @WordOnTheReefPodcast on Instagram