Surfrider Foundation Limited

The Surfrider Foundation Australia (SFA) is a notforprofit searoots organisation dedicated to the protection and enhancement of Australia's oceans, waves and beaches for all people, now powered through our 14 branches, strong activist network and passionate volunteers. Our programs are developed to support a number of strategic goals and initiatives, broadly clean water, beach access, beach preservation and wave protection through a system of C.A.R.E Conservation, Activism, Research and Education. In 2024 the Surfrider Foundation Australia has been actively engaging local communities in the protection of the Australian coastline. A primary focus for Surfrider this year has been the campaign to protect Southern Sea Country from seismic blasting. Surfrider has joined several coastal community groups to oppose plans for Australia s largest seismic blasting survey an area of ocean almost the size of Tasmania, stretching between NW Tasmania and the South Australian border. We have continued our work with Surfrider s Blue Water Task Force. Based on the Gold Coast, the BWTF is a citizen science water testing program that monitors water quality for swimmers and surfers along the Gold Coast s most popular beaches. Surfrider has been an active stakeholder in the seawall issue on Sydney s Northern Beaches and on the NSW Central Coast at Wamberal. We have worked actively with coastal scientists and planners to draft options that would protect the respective beachfronts long term without the need for vertical concrete. Surfrider continued to campaign strongly to prevent the coastline between Sydney and Newcastle from being developed as an offshore gas field. The PEP 11 campaign drew huge community support from right around the country and was ultimately successful in keeping the NSW coastline free from offshore gas development. National campaigns sit alongside regular local beach cleanups and community events that are run by our branches right around the country in all states. Our Endangered Waves program encourages local and national action to ensure that our surf breaks and unique coastal environments are protected from threats such as destructive coastal development, erosion, water pollution and impeded access. Our Rise Above Plastics program aims to raise widespread awareness about the impacts of plastic pollution on our marine environments, encouraging society to transcend or rise above the habitual acceptance of singleuse convenience items in order to prevent the problem at its source.