Replanting seagrass in Botany Bay. Picture supplied / Tom Burd, SIMS

A new initiative to restore seagrass meadows in Botany Bay has been launched at Silver Beach, Kurnell.

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The $576,000, five-year project is being funded by Sydney Airport and delivered by the Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS), the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the Gamay Rangers.

Students from Kurnell Public School were the first to take part in hands-on learning activities coordinated by SIMS education staff at Silver Beach, connecting young locals to the restoration work happening in their own backyard.

Students from Kurnell Public School take part in hands-on learning at the launch of the project at Silver Beach. Picture supplied

Sydney Water said community members will soon be able to get involved directly, helping collect seagrass fragments that wash up on local beaches and dropping them at designated collection points around the bay.

"The program will continue to grow its community reach through SIMS-led citizen science activities and education opportunities with schools that build understanding and care for the local marine environment," a statement said.

Silver Beach is one of the first sites where seagrass has already been replanted as part of the broader UNSW restoration work in Botany Bay (Gamay).

Launching the project at Silver Beach. Picture supplied

"Research shows seagrass meadows in Botany Bay have declined significantly in recent decades, which could be due to a range of factors including coastal development and changes in water quality," Sydney Water said.

Grey nurse shark over a Posidonia seagrass in Botany Bay. Picture supplied / Tom Burd, SIMS

"This project focuses on delivering practical, science-led restoration, informed by First Nations knowledge and supported by community engagement and school-based education programs.

"Seagrass meadows provide habitat for hundreds of marine species, keep water clean and stabilise the seabed, helping to maintain healthy coastal ecosystems.

"They can also trap and store large amounts of carbon in the seafloor, potentially locking it away for thousands of years, which means it can be one of nature's most powerful tools in the fight against climate change."

Sydney Airport general manager, environment and sustainability Jake Atkins said, "Sydney Airport has been part of this bay for over 100 years and we want to support efforts to look after it for the future."

"By combining SIMS research expertise, Traditional Custodian knowledge and community involvement, this program is intended to support healthier marine environments and build knowledge that can inform future restoration efforts across the region."

Sydney Institute of Marine Science Director and CEO Professor Martina Doblin said, "By restoring seagrass, we're giving new life to the bay, and in doing so, we hope to inspire the people who love this place to help care for our coasts now and into the future."

UNSW Professor Adriana Vergés, who is leading the project, said, "In Gamay, nearly half of these seagrass habitats have been lost over time due to pollution and coastal development. Encouragingly, several areas of the bay are now stable and well suited to restoration.

Transport for NSW is restoring endangered Posidonia seagrass in the bay in conjunction with the construction of the Kurnell and La Perouse ferry wharves. Two years into a 10-year monitoring program, TfNSW said in May 2026 "the results are very encouraging".