Wednesday 7th June 2023
Mona Vale Surf Life Saving Club
On Wednesday the 7th of June 2023, in conjunction with the Australian Marine Conservation Society, we had an event in celebration of World Ocean Day and our submission for Bongin Bongin Bay to become an Aquatic Reserve. Our keynote speaker was Valerie Taylor.
Here is a short video of the events of the night
Valerie May Taylor AM is a conservationist, photographer and filmmaker, and an inaugural member of the diving hall-of-fame. With her husband Ron Taylor, she made documentaries about sharks, and filmed sequences for films including Jaws (1975). She is best known as being a pioneering scuba diver, filmmaker, photographer, author, painter and marine conservationist.
In 2010 Valerie Taylor was awarded an AM (Order of Australia) for service to conservation and the environment as an advocate for the protection and preservation of marine wildlife and habitats.
After a viewing of one of her, and her late husband, Ron's videos on Fish Rock Cave, Valerie Taylor spoke at length about the oceans and how they have degraded over the last 60 or so years that she has been diving. She said that "we need more Marine National Parks... no-take zones. Not just little ones but huge areas."
"Isn't it a tragedy that little tiny bay is the best diving for marine life in all of NSW"
Valerie Taylor
7th June 2023
(Commenting about Cabbage Tree Bay at Shelly Beach in Manly)
Professor David Booth is a highly-cited marine researcher and a Professor of Marine Ecology in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). He has published more than 180 papers about reef-fish ecology, climate change and other anthropogenic impacts on fishes and fisheries. He is also the Team Leader at the UTS Fish Ecology Lab.
David Booth spoke about the importance of Marine Parks and pointed out that less than 2% of the world oceans are currently protected. He made a specific point about the importance of small, no-take marine reserves similar to the one being proposed at Bongin Bongin Bay.
Special thanks to Ruby Lane in Manly for providing the wonderful food for the evening. It was very much appreciated.
A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.
The Friends of Bongin Bongin Bay acknowledge the Garigal people of the Wannangine Guringai Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the earth and waters where Bongin Bongin Bay is located and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples throughout Australia.
We honour their continuing culture and connection to land and sea. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect and recognition to all First Nations peoples.
