Exploring Unseen Threats: Contaminants in Port Phillip Bay

Exploring Unseen Threats: Contaminants in Port Phillip Bay

Exploring Unseen Threats: Contaminant trends and impacts in Port Phillip Bay

Volunteer Resources

Register as a volunteer

Register via our Registration Form

Training Registration

The Unseen threats project provides training for our volunteers in two components, which are compulsory for participating in field work:
1. Online seminar

The focus is project orientation and health and safety.

* If you are unable to attend, this will be recorded and published here under Volunteer Resources. 

2. In-person on-site orientation

The focus is on site safety and how to handle, deploy and retrieve the passive samplers.

* We will film these sessions and prepare a virtual "on-site" training video, however we hope that at least one person in each field team will be able to join us in person.

Further in-person training will be offered as the project progresses.

Background

With scarce information available on contaminants and their impacts on estuarine and Port Phillip Bay health, this project draws together scientists, industry, and community to address this knowledge gap. By monitoring for 40,000+ contaminants and performing biological impact assessments, data collected will inform evidence-based management actions to address revealed issues.

Balcombe creek estuary
People standing on a wooden bridge over water

Key Points

  • The program will be conducted across 19 estuaries which enter Port Phillip Bay, and within the nearshore areas of the Bay itself.
  • On the traditional lands of the Bunurong, Wadawurrung, and Wurundjeri Woiwurrung Peoples.
  • Volunteers will be engaged to support monitoring activities. Register your interest via MS form.
  • Passive samplers for contaminant monitoring with be deployed in up to 3 monitoring events and 120 samples per year for 3 years.
  • Toxicology assessments (Laboratory based) will be conducted on water samples collected from sites identified as high concern during monitoring.
  • Pollution workshops will be held to discuss outcomes of monitoring with stakeholders, project partners, volunteers, industry, government and community.
  • A technical working group and steering committee will summarise and interpret results as we go and allow for reassessment of the monitoring design.
  • This project builds on:

Project Partners

This Exploring Unseen Threats: Contaminant Trends and Impacts in Port Phillip Bay is supported by the Victorian Government’s Port Phillip Bay Fund. https://www.marineandcoasts.vic.gov.au/grants/port-phillip-bay-fund

Expected completion date

June 2027

For more information

Contact: aquest@rmit.edu.au

aboriginal flag float-start torres strait flag float-start

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.

More information