Funded by the Australian Research Council Linkage Program, the NSW Government, the John T Reid Foundation and private philanthropists.
Crayweed (Phyllospora comosa) is a golden seaweed that forms underwater forests, supporting rich marine life. It disappeared from Sydney’s coastline in the 1980s, likely due to poor water quality, and did not naturally return even after conditions improved. Operation Crayweed has developed a method to restore these forests by helping crayweed reproduce and re-establish self-sustaining populations on rocky reefs. Since 2012, crayweed has been successfully restored at multiple sites along Sydney’s coast, with populations now thriving and expanding each year. The project continues to grow into new locations while developing more scalable restoration methods.
Operation Crayweed is also part of the Kelp Forest Alliance, contributing to global efforts to restore and protect underwater forests. For more information, please head to the Operation Crayweed and Kelp Forest Alliance websites.
