Spencer Gulf Ecosystem and Development Initiative (SGEDI)

Seagrass

The Environment Institute is facilitating change and aims to maintain the integrity of Spencer Gulf.

The Gulf is one of the most important economic development areas in South Australia. The SGEDI Initiative is delivering a multi-year program to:

  • Clear approval pathways to reduce time and cost delays, which will greatly assist economic development.
  • Provide information, data, tools, capabilities and networks to assist approval pathways.
  • Ensure community support and comments are more evidence based.
  • Support a thriving Gulf region with progressive developments, community opportunity and the unique ecosystem is protected and enhanced - through effective consideration of cumulative, chronic and long term environmental stresses.

  • Corporate investment partners
    • BHP Billiton
    • Santos
    • Arrium
    • Alinta
    • Nyrstar
    • Centrex

  • Research partners
    • SARDI
    • Flinders University

  • Initiative achievements

    • Identified substantial knowledge gaps with respect to the Gulf

    • Engaging with a wide range of stakeholders across sectors and the regions to determine important points of focus, interest and tension.

    • Delivering an integrated science program, backed with structured decision-making, so that the environmental evidence can be most easily applied for economic and social outcomes.

  • Using ports and shipping as a case study for integrated marine management

    The research used ports and shipping as a case study to investigate integrated marine management in the gulf. The work has:

    • Synthesised existing information on all current activities and impacts in Spencer Gulf

    • Conducted a detailed analysis of current shipping activities and predicted likely future scenarios for shipping and port development

    • Conducted a risk analysis for introduction and establishment of exotic pests and pathogens under a range of future ports and shipping scenarios

    • Conducted a risk assessment to identify key iconic and threatened species, data deficiencies and needs, and species status for Spencer Gulf focusing particularly around shipping

    • Developed tools for predicting interactions of future ports and shipping scenarios with other industries

    • Engaged broadly and used the findings to inform managers, leaders, stakeholders, government and the broader community.

Outputs to date

Spencer Gulf

Current research

Is using ports and shipping as a case study to investigate integrated marine management in the gulf. The work includes:

  • Synthesises existing information on all current activities and impacts in Spencer Gulf
  • Conducts a detailed analysis of current shipping activities and predicts likely future scenarios for shipping and port development
  • Conducts a risk analysis for introduction and establishment of exotic pests and pathogens under a range of future ports and shipping scenarios
  • Conducts a risk assessment to identify key iconic and threatened species, data deficiencies and needs, and species status for Spencer Gulf focusing particularly around shipping
  • Develops tools for predicting interactions of future ports and shipping scenarios with other industries
  • Engages broadly and uses the findings to inform managers, leaders, stakeholders, government and the broader community.

For additional updates, see https://www.gillanderslab.org/spencer-gulf

Professor Bronwyn Gillanders

For more information on the Spencer Gulf Ecosystem and Development Initiative (SGEDI)

Contact: Professor Bronwyn Gillanders
Phone: (08) 8313 6235
Email: bronwyn.gillanders@adelaide.edu.au
University of Adelaide
North Terrace
Darling Building, Level 1.27

Research Profile