It's festival time! One week to go now until the festival opens and we couldn't be more excited! There is so much to choose from across the entire week - whether its a fascinating talk from a scientist, a delicious meal with one of our partner restaurants, a yoga class or an art exhibition, you will be spoiled for choice in Bondi! |
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Make sure to be following all of our socials! We have some incredible giveaways going on including a luxury getaway to Lady Elliot Island and a Let's Go Surfing class, as well as plenty of prize packs donated by our awesome stall holders. Plus, it's the best way to stay on top of the entire program and make sure you don't miss a thing! |
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Ocean Lovers Festival is all about inspiring you to get involved to protect our oceans. The whole weekend will be filled with different 'actions' you can participate in to do your bit! Whether it's getting your friends involved for the Big Bondi Beach Clean, grabbing your surfboard for the Paddle Out for Protection, or joining one of our fun and engaging workshops, there are so many ways to take part. Registration for all the events is open now on our website, so don't forget to check it out! |
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DINING AND VENUES With so many events to attend over the weekend, you are sure to get your appetite up! Luckily, we have partnered with some incredible local restaurants that will be offering Ocean Lover specials. Head across to the official Ocean Lovers Bar at the Bucket List for cool drinks, sustainable vegan and vegetarian dining options and classic Bondi vibes. Pacific Club Bondi Beach will have an incredible 'ocean to plate' menu on offer that celebrates the diversity of our oceans. If an ocean party is more your style, Hotel Ravesi’s has live music and DJs over the whole weekend, as well as a half-priced Ocean Lover Sustainable Seafood tasting plate for two! For some awesome vegan options, don’t forget to check out Eden Bondi as well! | | |
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ART SCIENCE BY MATT DRAPER Justin Miller Art have announced the first Australian exhibition by international fine art photographer Matt Draper, with the exhibition Art Science opening on March 20th as part of the Ocean Lovers Festival. Draper's incredible images are acquired from hundreds of hours of free diving with magnificent creatures from the ocean and are rarely exhibited to the public. See this exhibition at Justin Miller Art, 10A Roylston St, Paddington from March 20 - 29th. | | |
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BLUE YOGA FOR THE SEA Start your festival morning with a sunrise yoga and mediation session. Bring your mat down on Saturday, March 21, from 7– 8:30 am in front of the Bondi Pavilion, to take part in our free Blue Yoga for the Sea session run by BodyMindLife. Born from a desire to empower transformation, BodyMindLife runs classes in yoga, reformer Pilates and mediation, with a philosophy focused on inner and outer wellness. Experience the many benefits of one of their yoga classes and gain a deeper connection to both your self and the nature around you. Make sure to wear something blue to show off your love of the oceans! | | |
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LIVE OCEAN REVIVAL - SEA SCIENCE @ BONDI ICEBERGS From March 19 - 22, the famous Bondi Icebergs pool will be transformed into a Living Crayweed forest, thanks to Volvo and SIMS! Entry to the small pool will be FREE so everyone is welcome to dive right in and explore the amazing work being done to restore Sydney Harbour. Make sure to register for your free entry on our website! The installation officially launches on March 20 at 10am with a free talk from SIMS scientists, ready to showcase their brilliant research projects! It's also free to join, so there's no reason to not come down and listen! | | |
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WORLD CHAMPION JOINS THE LINE UP On top of all the amazing bands mentioned in the last newsletter, we are so excited to add World Champion to the line up! This trio is one of Sydney's most dynamic bands, whose signature psych-soul-electronic sound has brought them plenty of critical acclaim. With fresh new music just released, it's certainly not a set you want to miss! World Champion live and free on the Sunshine Stage, Bondi Pavilion courtyard at 1pm on Sunday, March 22. Check our website for set times for Erthlings, Declan Kelly, Chasing Giants and Jane Walker! | | |
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LITTERARTY ON SHOW The submissions have been rolling in from schools all around Sydney's east and they are looking incredible! Students have been turning trash into treasure and have created interesting works that are both thoughtful and thought provoking! See the winners on display in the Bondi Pavilion gallery from Wednesday the 18th throughout the Festival. TOMRA prize winners announced on stage, Sunday March 22. | | |
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MEET THE SCIENTISTS You are invited to hear direct from scientists at the frontline of marine discovery and science (like Dr Vanessa Pirotta pictured) when 'Science in Your Swimmers' talks are staged from 11 am on Saturday and Sunday on the Sunshine Stage at Bondi Pavilion. Beachgoers will be invited to come in straight from the waves to hear these outstanding talks! To get you excited, here's a snapshot of some of the incredible scientists you can hear from across the weekend! | | |
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DAVID BOOTH Professor David Booth is passionate about protecting Australia’s unique marine life, especially the fish under threat. Studying the ecology of tropical fish in particular, he has published over 150 papers on human impact on the environment and what this means for the future. Hear more about our tropical future, Sunday March 23 at 11 am. |
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KIRSTEN BENKENDORFF Professor Kirsten Benkendorff has a passion for molluscs and what they can tell us about the oceans. Not only is she learning about the impacts of climate change and environmental contaminants, she’s also investigating the use of whelks in human medicine and has even found a promising anti-cancer agent that’s in pre-clinical trials! Find out more at our panel session on Sunday 23rd March at 12 pm. |
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OLAF MEYNECKE Dr Olaf Meynecke is bringing in a new era of research, education and conservation. Using the latest technologies, he dedicates his time to understanding the impacts of climate change on whales as well as running the not for profit organisation Humpbacks & High Rises, committed to the research and protection of urban marine mammals. Hear his amazing story, Saturday March 22nd at 11 am. |
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JEN MATTHEWS Dr Jen Matthews is helping to solve the microplastic problem facing our oceans, as well as delivering her international coral reef conservation projects. When she’s not safeguarding the world’s coral reefs, you can find her teaching yoga or creating beautiful scientific illustrations. Safe to say she can do it all! See her on Sunday 23 March at 12:30 pm. |
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FISH TANK TALKS It's not just the scientists changing the world! We have so many eco-preneurs coming to talk at our festival and participate in our Eco Expo. Whether its selling products that produce no plastic waste, or creating innovative solutions to save our oceans, there are some incredible people out there doing their bit to help #seachange! Tim Silverwood from the Ocean Impact Organisation will be interviewing them onstage Saturday and Sunday after 2.30pm! See some Sea Champions below. | | |
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PETE CEGLINKSI FROM SEABIN Pete has been surfing around the globe his whole life and has always been passionate about protecting it. With Seabin, he aims to provide practical and tangible solutions to reduce plastic floating through our seas. With 860 units in 53 countries, Pete and his team are making a huge impact! |
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JO LANE FROM SEA HEALTH Known as The Kelp Lady, Jo Lane has been running Sea Health from 2015. Based out of the South Coast of NSW, Jo harvests and processes her own kelp to create a range of natural health products and wants to inspire more Australians to embrace the benefits of this wonderful resource. |
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JEREMY BROWN FROM OCEAN PROTECT As a co-founder of Ocean Protect, Jeremy Brown has been devoted to cleaning up our oceans for over 20 years. Through innovative, end-to-end solutions, Ocean Protect is working to stop pollution from entering our waterways through stormwater treatment assets and infrastructure. Whether he is lobbying governments, partnering with charities or investing in education, Jeremy is always looking for new ways to promote his cause and help the oceans. |
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NEW PARTNER ANNOUNCED Thanks to Little Ripples for coming on board and sponsoring some of our events! Little Ripples focuses on wines with a positive message. For every bottle sold, they provide 1 year of clean drinking water to a person in a developing community. They're turning wine into water! |
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