The underwater forests coming back to life off the Sydney coast
- Posted on April 20, 2026
- By The Sydney Morning Herald
- 10 Views
- 1 min read
In brief
Sydney's kelp forests, vital marine ecosystems comparable to tropical coral reefs, are experiencing a remarkable recovery along the southern coast. After facing near extinction during the 1980s due to severe sewage contamination between Palm Beach and Cronulla, these underwater habitats are gradually returning. The restoration effort highlights the resilience of nature when pollution is reduced and demonstrates the critical importance of marine conservation for biodiversity and coastal ecosystem health in Australia.
The underwater forests coming back to life off the Sydney coast
This seaweed is to southern Australia what coral is to the tropical north. Sewage pollution made it locally extinct between Palm Beach and Cronulla in the 1980s.
