Sydney Airport funds 5-year seagrass restoration project in Botany Bay

Tuesday 9 September 2026

  • Sydney Airport is investing $576,000 over five years to support the restoration of seagrass meadows in Botany Bay (Gamay).
  • The project is being delivered by the Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS), the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the Gamay Rangers.
  • UNSW scientists and the Gamay Rangers will be replanting Posidonia australis seagrass, which is an endangered species.
  • Images and Video content here.

Sydney Airport has launched a five-year partnership to support the restoration of seagrass meadows in Botany Bay, which involves scientists, First Nations rangers and the local community.

With a $576,000 investment from Sydney Airport, the project is being delivered by the Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS), the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the Gamay Rangers.

Research shows seagrass meadows in Botany Bay have declined significantly in recent decades, which could be due to a range of factors including coastal development and changes in water quality.

This project focuses on delivering practical, science-led restoration, informed by First Nations knowledge and supported by community engagement and school-based education programs.

Sydney Airport General Manager, Environment and Sustainability Jake Atkins said, "Sydney Airport has been part of this bay for over 100 years and we want to support efforts to look after it for the future.”

"By combining SIMS research expertise, Traditional Custodian knowledge and community involvement, this program is intended to support healthier marine environments and build knowledge that can inform future restoration efforts across the region."

Why seagrass matters

Seagrass meadows provide habitat for hundreds of marine species, keep water clean and stabilise the seabed, helping to maintain healthy coastal ecosystems.

They can also trap and store large amounts of carbon in the seafloor, potentially locking it away for thousands of years, which means it can be one of nature's most powerful tools in the fight against climate change.

Sydney Institute of Marine Science Director and CEO Professor Martina Doblin said, "By restoring seagrass, we're giving new life to the bay, and in doing so, we hope to inspire the people who love this place to help care for our coasts now and into the future."

UNSW Professor Adriana Vergés, who is leading the project, said, "In Gamay, nearly half of these seagrass habitats have been lost over time due to pollution and coastal development. Encouragingly, several areas of the bay are now stable and well suited to restoration.

"Partnerships like this are essential for scaling up our research and restoration efforts, helping us towards the goal of returning this vital ecosystem to parts of Gamay where it once thrived."

How the project will work

Professor Vergés will lead the scientific design, site assessment and delivery of the restoration project.

The project will involve the collection of naturally detached seagrass fragments washed up on beaches around Botany Bay (Gamay) – including Silver Beach in Kurnell - which are then kept healthy in holding tanks before being replanted in the bay. The holding facilities have been generously provided in-kind by the Sydney Desalination Plant.

Divers will undertake planting of the naturally detached fragments, with monitoring at three, six and twelve months to assess survival and how well marine life and the habitat are recovering. The scientists have already had success planting seagrass in Botany Bay (Gamay), and this five-year partnership will help broaden that work.

Early stages of the project will focus on identifying suitable locations across Botany Bay (Gamay) to support long-term seagrass restoration.

Researchers will support environmental monitoring, research into how much carbon the seagrass is storing, and student involvement in real-world marine science.

Caring for Sea Country together

The Gamay Rangers will play a central role in the replanting of the seagrass, drawing on deep Traditional Owner knowledge to support cultural, environmental and community outcomes.

Established in 2019, the Gamay Rangers are an Indigenous Ranger team from the La Perouse Aboriginal community, working to care and protect the land and waters of their cultural area in Coastal Sydney.

Gamay Rangers Manager, Bryce Liddell said: “It’s really valuable that Sydney Airport is contributing to replanting more seagrass meadows in the bay.”

As saltwater people, we’ve grown up with a deep understanding of how this waterway behaves - how species move through it, when to harvest, and how to care for Sea Country the right way.”

“By sharing our knowledge and teaming up with SIMS and UNSW, we can build a clearer picture of what’s happening in the bay and how best to care for it for future generations,” he said.

Community involvement

The partnership was officially launched at Silver Beach, one of the first sites where seagrass has already been replanted as part of the broader UNSW restoration work in Botany Bay (Gamay).

Students from Kurnell Public School were the first to take part in hands-on learning activities coordinated by SIMS education staff at Silver Beach, connecting young locals to the restoration work happening in their own backyard.

Community members will soon be able to get involved directly, helping collect seagrass fragments that wash up on local beaches and dropping them at designated collection points around the bay.

The program will continue to grow its community reach through SIMS-led citizen science activities and education opportunities with schools that build understanding and care for the local marine environment.

Notes to editor

This partnership with Sydney Institute of Marine Science builds on Sydney Airport’s ongoing commitment to environmental projects, including: