News & Events
How JCU Marine Biology Students Are Bringing Life Back to the Townsville Foreshore
At James Cook University, we believe learning should go beyond the classroom and right now, JCU Marine Biology students are helping lead a project that’s doing just that.
In collaboration with Townsville City Council, JCU researchers and students are taking part in a unique eco-engineering initiative that’s transforming plain old concrete pylons along Flinders Street into underwater habitats teeming with life. It’s a great example of real-world research, sustainability, and hands-on learning coming together here at JCU.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
So, what’s the project all about?
It starts with specially designed concrete wraps, each about 1.2 metres long, these wraps are being fitted around river pylons along the Flinders Street foreshore. These wraps create a textured surface that encourages oysters, barnacles, and other marine organisms to settle and grow, turning once-bare infrastructure into thriving ecosystems. The project is the first of its kind in the tropics, and it’s already generating a lot of interest. Nine pylons have been wrapped, while another nine are being left as controls. Over the next year, JCU researchers and students will keep a close eye on what grows, how fast, and under what conditions.
Real research. Real impact.
This isn’t just a class project! It’s a live experiment that’s contributing to how cities like Townsville manage development in a way that’s more environmentally friendly. As sea levels rise and more coastal infrastructure is built, finding ways to make those structures nature-positive is becoming more important than ever. The work JCU students are doing now could help guide how coastlines are designed in Australia and around the world. And they’re not doing it alone. A PhD student, funded by North Queensland Bulk Ports and JCU, is leading the research, supported by a team of undergraduate and postgraduate students who are learning research methods, field skills, and environmental monitoring techniques they’ll use in their future careers.
Why study Marine Biology at JCU?
Projects like this are just one reason why JCU is ranked among the world’s top universities for marine and environmental science. Our students have access to some of the most unique and diverse ecosystems on the planet from the Great Barrier Reef to tropical estuaries and get to work on real research from the very beginning. Whether you’re passionate about ocean conservation, climate change, or marine wildlife, JCU offers a degree that’s deeply connected to the natural world and designed to prepare you for a meaningful career. James Cook University offers students the chance to study across multiple campuses, including in Australia and Singapore. If you’re applying through Superstar Education as an international student, you would be able to start your studies at JCU Singapore and later transfer to JCU Australia to complete your degree. It’s a flexible, globally connected education pathway designed to give you the best of both world academic excellence and international experience.
Interested in studying Marine Biology?
If you’re passionate about the ocean, protecting marine ecosystems, and learning by doing, a degree in Marine Biology at James Cook University could be the perfect choice.