Our offshore waters are home to several species of turtles, including the Green Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle and the endangered Loggerhead Turtle.
Sea turtles are essential in keeping our oceans healthy, but they face growing threats such as boat strikes, entanglement in fishing gear and damage to their habits.
Through the TurtleID program, snorkelers and divers can contribute to vital research by photographing and reporting turtles they encounter.
By collecting images and location data, we can create profiles for our local turtles, map their movement and monitor their health overtime. Your participation will support long-term conservation efforts and protect our resident sea turtles.
How to submit a TurtleID
GENERAL
- Look, don’t touch – never touch sea turtles, handle hatchlings or disturb nests. Only authorised personnel may interact with them
- Keep your distance – stay at least 3 metres away at all times. If a turtle approaches you, remain still and calm. Let it pass undisturbed
- Stay calm and quiet – loud voices, sudden movements or splashing can scare sea turtles away
- Do not feed turtles – they don’t need help finding food and may bite unintentionally
- Limit group size – no more than two people should be near a turtle at any one time
- No flash photography – bright lights can stress and disorient sea turtles
IN WATER
- Give sea turtles space to breathe – never swim directly above a sea turtle or dive onto it. They must surface to breathe
- Let sleeping turtles lie – don’t distrub resting turtles
- Approach from the side – allows sea turtles to see you and gives them a clear path to swim away
Never chase wild animals. If a sea turtle shows signs of distress or tries to move away, give it space and leave it alone.
Step 1
Step 2
Contact the Sea World Rescue team on
Step 3
Upload your images via our data form, ensuring all details are included. You can include information such as location, species and any injuries.
Meet our locals
Once you start submitting data, we can share some of your local finds here….
Get involved in TurtleWatch!
Getting involved with TurtleWatch is easy, and makes a real difference!
Your daily walks could play a key role in protecting and conserving sea turtles during nesting season.
Next time you take a dive, you’ll be helping us track adult sea turtles along our beautiful coastline.
Get involved now!
Complete your induction
Check our events to find an upcoming TurtleWatch induction, or check back soon for our updated online training.
Book a TurtleWalk
TurtleWalks will be available at the start of the next nesting season. Stay tuned!
Submit your data
Have you been out for a TurtleWalk or want to submit a turtle ID? Submit your data to our citizen science database and make a difference.
Donate to TurtleWatch
Can’t take part in TurtleWalks but still want to help? Donating to Watergum makes a difference where it counts, in the field.
See our outcomes
We make sure our data makes a difference. Check out our TurtleWalk outcomes from past years.
TurtleWatch is run in partnership by
This program recieves funding and support from
Want to learn more about how we are protecting our waterways?