Ocean Lovers Festival - 2026 Seabirds to Seascapes Trail

Ocean Lovers Festival | 2026 Seabirds to Seascapes Trail

As part of the 2026 Ocean Lovers Festival, join us for the Seabirds to Seascapes Trail, an educational half-day excursion where participants can immerse themselves in the Seabirds to Seascapes Program. 

The program is a four-year initiative led by the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, dedicated to protecting, rehabilitating, and sustainably managing New South Wales’s natural marine ecosystems. Launched in August 2022, this program unites three pivotal initiatives: Project Restore, The Great Big Little Penguin Count, and The Great Seal Reveal.

Attendees of this excursion will have the unique opportunity to explore the program's efforts up close. 

Dates

The excursions are scheduled for

• Wednesday, 11 March 2026

• Wednesday 18 March 2026

• Wednesday, 25 March 2026

Each excursion will accommodate a group of up to 50 people. Tickets will go on sale at 9am on Monday, 12 January 2026. 

The itinerary

The day begins with an 8.45am departure on a ferry from the Eastern Pontoon at Circular Quay, arriving at Chowder Bay Wharf to visit the Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS). Here, you'll enjoy a one-hour tour with SIMS staff to learn about Project Restore. We'll then reboard the ferry and head to Taronga Zoo. Once we arrive, we'll make our way to an auditorium and provide an exciting overview about the seal and penguin research conducted at Taronga under the Seabirds to Seascapes program (approximately 45 minutes).

The excursion concludes with free time for guests to explore Taronga Zoo at their leisure and make their way home independently.

Tickets are $10 per person (plus booking fee) and are limited to 10 tickets per person. Your ticket includes transport on a ferry from Circular Quay to Taronga Zoo via Chowder Bay and general admission to Taronga Zoo. Children aged 3 and under are free and are not required to purchase a ticket.

Funds raised from this excursion will be donated to the Taronga Conservation Society Australia, allowing Taronga to continue to breed threatened species, carry on vital scientific research and deliver conservation programs here in Australia and across the globe.

Please note tickets are non-refundable. 

Seabirds to Seascapes, funded by the NSW Environmental Trust, is supported by project partners the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, the Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Taronga Conservation Society Australia and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.

What to bring

• Sun protection (hat, sunscreen and sunglasses)

• Water

• Snacks

• Sense of adventure

Where to meet

Meeting point: Eastern Pontoon (see map below) at 08.30am.

Accessibility: Please note the tour of the Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS) may require participants to use stairs to access the research facilities. Participants may also be required to cross a short beach at Chowder Bay to access the SIMS facilities. Appropriate footwear is advised.

Video and photography: By participating in the Seabirds to Seascapes excursion, you grant permission for the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and its Seabirds to Seascapes partners to capture and use photography and video footage taken during the event for promotional and educational purposes. This may include use in print, digital, and social media materials. If you prefer not to be included, please email s2s@environment.nsw.gov.au to opt out.