Wildlife and activity near Rye

Giant spider crab. Image credit - Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Leptomithrax gaimardii. At Rye

Southern calamari squid. Image credit - Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Sepioteuthis australis. At Rye

Biscuit star. Image credit - Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Tosia neossia. At Rye

Southern pygmy leatherjacket. Image credit - Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Brachaluteres jacksonianus. At Rye

Giant spider crab. Image credit - Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Leptomithrax gaimardii. At Rye

Giant spider crab. Image credit: Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Leptomithrax gaimardii. At Rye

Giant spider crab. Image credit: Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Leptomithrax gaimardii. At Rye

Little gurnard perch. Image credit - Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Maxillicosta scabriceps. At Rye

Silverbelly. Image credit - Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Parequula melbournensis. At Rye

Bluespotted goatfish. Image credit - Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Upeneichthys vlamingii. At Rye

ReefWatch divers are the underwater watchdogs of Port Phillip Bay, so not much happens without them noticing. In fact ‘ReefWatchers’ were the first to sight the introduced nudibranch (Thecacera pennigera) as well as the range extension of the very hairy nudibranch (Bursatella leachii).

Seagrasses, saltmarshes and mangroves are an environmental powerhouse, storing carbon for thousands of years, while also preventing carbon from breaking down and entering the atmosphere. It’s called “blue carbon” and it’s much faster and more efficient than our tropical rainforests.