Artificial reef community survey results
Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our Artificial Reef feasibility study.
Community engagement is a central element of the feasibility study. Input came from fishers, divers, local clubs and organisations, conservation groups, and residents, and helped us understand the community’s priorities to ensure this work delivers shared value and benefits. The survey received 429 unique responses.
Key findings
The findings report is available here.
- Overall, 91% of respondents were supportive of installing new artificial reefs in and around Cockburn Sound.
- The majority of respondents would prefer reefs to be closer to shore rather than only accessible by boat.
- The top three preferences for reef purpose were:
- Habitat creation for marine life
- Coastal protection (e.g. reduce erosion)
- Snorkelling.
Next steps
Further technical work and consultation will be undertaken to inform future planning and design stages. We will provide updates on the progress of this feasibility study through this newsletter and on our website.
Why is Westport considering artificial reefs?
Westport aims to deliver Australia’s most sustainable port, underpinned by a robust environmental impact assessment, driving nature focused design and building long-term ecosystem resilience in Cockburn Sound.
Artificial reefs are purpose-built structures placed on the seabed to create, restore, or enhance marine habitat. They are designed to support marine biodiversity by providing shelter, feeding opportunities, and breeding areas for marine species.
Scientific research completed through the WAMSI-Westport Marine Science Program shows that artificial reefs are highly valued by the community for the environmental and recreational benefits they can provide.
Through consultation with local community members, government agencies, and environmental organisations, artificial reefs have been identified as a promising initiative that may help support the long-term health of Cockburn Sound.
Investing in new technology to upscale seagrass restoration
Westport’s commitment to scaling up seagrass restoration in Cockburn Sound aligned with our commitment to trialling and investing in innovative technology, following a recent trial of a robotic seagrass seed injector.
Westport collaborated with the Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI), which partnered with Ulysses Ecosystem Engineering to design and test a robotic seagrass seed injector. Although several technologies are being developed for seagrass seed injection, the Ulysses system was selected for trial as it was designed for the Posidonia australis seagrass species found in Cockburn Sound and Owen Anchorage.
The Ulysses robot technology was tested for its ability to inject seagrass seeds into sediment and to assess its potential for large scale planting. The robot was deployed in November 2024 at two seeding locations in Rockingham and Jervoise Bay with the aim of seeding a one-hectare area.
The Ulysses prototype trial was an important first step in testing automated seagrass restoration technology in Cockburn Sound. Currently planting occurs by hand in Cockburn Sound, so the trial kicked off investigations as to whether this labour-intensive process could be automated. The trial also provided critical insights that will inform future technology development and seagrass restoration programs in Cockburn Sound and other areas. The trial highlighted two key areas for enhancement: optimising the seed delivery system in the technology, and improving the consistency in burial depths of the seeds.
What does this work mean for Western Australia?
Emeritus Professor Gary Kendrick from UWA’s Oceans Institute and School of Plant Biology has worked in seagrass ecology, dispersal, and restoration, advancing local understanding of how environmental factors – such as swell, currents, sediment health, and light – can shape future seagrass resilience and restoration success.
Professor Kendrick was involved in the Ulysses trial, and we asked him what this work means for Western Australia:
"We have learnt how to grow seagrasses in the diverse environments of Cockburn Sound and Owen Anchorage. We have found that swell, current and wave action, sediment health, and daily light availability impact plant health – thus restoration success," said Professor Kendrick.
"We need to scale up our efforts in seagrass restoration from (areas) less than hectares, to 100s/1000s of hectares to effectively stop the losses of this valuable coastal ecosystem. To do this we need to automate (seagrass planting) and what we have been investigating with Ulysses is just that with autonomous robots."
Read the back story on the Ulysses trial
Next steps for seagrass restoration
The next steps for Westport’s seagrass restoration program will involve a multi-year initiative spanning the planning, construction and operational phase of Westport. This program will focus on restoring extensive seagrass meadows across Cockburn Sound and Owen Anchorage.
The intent is to run a trial of a number of innovative technologies to successfully restore seagrass and minimise the impacts from Westport. Early trials for the restoration program will commence in late 2026, with a second trial planned for summer 2027, and we are currently running the procurement for these trials.
View the Early Tender Advice for the trials
Final WAMSI seagrass restoration report
As part of the WAMSI-Westport Marine Science Program, Theme 2: Benthic Habitats and Communities predominantly focused on seagrass rehabilitation and restoration. One of the key components of this theme was testing innovative restoration and rehabilitation methods for seagrass meadows with the aim of improving ecosystem resilience in Cockburn Sound, and investigating how seagrass may be strengthened to better cope with climate change.
The final report 2.3.2 Seagrass Restoration details the project's aims:
- Test the effectiveness of seed-based and shoot-based methods for large-scale seagrass restoration.
- Understand plant-scale environmental conditions to identify optimal locations, species, scales, and methods for restoration.
- Evaluate the potential of sediment and dredging byproducts to enhance seagrass restoration.
- Grow local community programs aimed at restoring seagrasses through existing (OzFish Seeds for Snapper) and other planned restoration activities across Cockburn Sound and Owen Anchorage.
Extensive literature reviews, field studies and modelling scenarios were completed to assess the effectiveness of various seagrass restoration methodologies across Cockburn Sound and Owen Anchorage. The report found that the key factors influencing restoration success were local biological and physical environmental drivers and seasonal timing of restoration activities.
The report confirms that Cockburn Sound offers suitable conditions for large-scale restoration. By combining seed-based and sprig-based methods, supported by innovative techniques and emerging technologies like robotic seed injection, Westport can work towards large-scale seagrass restoration.
