莎拉和塞巴斯蒂安日記

purpose

Ellison Reef: The Reef That Saved Them All

Imagery by Harriet Spark Earlier this year, ourGlobal Head of Brand, Matt Lennon, travelled to Far North Queensland alongside theAustralian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), as documentary filmmakers Harriet Spark and Richard “Woody” Spark of Grumpy Turtle Films set out to capture the story of one of the most consequential reefs in Australia’s conservation history for their new film. In 1967, Ellison Reef became the unlikely battleground for a proposal to mine coral rubble. What followed would change the course of environmental protection in Australia. A small group of citizen scientists, artists and local advocates rallied to prove that the reef was alive and worth saving. Their efforts halted the mining proposal, sparked a national outcry and helped lead to the creation of the Australian Marine Conservation Society and the eventual establishment of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Ellison would come to be known as “the reef that saved all reefs.” “THE REEF THAT SAVED ALL REEFS.” Nearly sixty years later, a new generation has returned. Scientists, community divers, reef advocates and Mandubarra Sea Country rangers have revisited Ellison Reef to better understand how it has changed — and what it might reveal about the future of coral ecosystems as climate pressures intensify. During our visit, we joined the AMCS team on the reef as Harriet and Woody documented the resurvey and the people behind it. Through their lens, the film combines archival material, science, art and intimate underwater storytelling, reflecting on the legacy of the original Fight for the Reef campaign while bringing today’s urgency into clear view. Recently premiering as part of the Ocean Lovers film festival, Ellison: The Reef That Saved Them All is both a reflection on Australia’s conservation origins and a reminder that meaningful change often begins with committed individuals willing to speak up for the places that matter most. Through our philanthropic initiative the Xanthe Project, we are proud to support organisations like AMCS who continue this work; protecting the reefs that shape our oceans, and our future. Learn more about Ellison Reefand where you can see the film for yourselfhere.

purpose

Take 3 For The Sea: Protecting What Is Precious

The ocean remains a defining influence on SARAH & SEBASTIAN’s design ethos. Its movement, depth and raw beauty continue to inspire our work while reinforcing our responsibility to protect it. In 2022, we launched our philanthropic initiative, The Xanthe Project™, a long term commitment to safeguarding the marine environments that shape our designs. Through partnerships, education and direct action, the initiative supports organisations working to protect the future of our oceans. Yet the scale of the challenge continues to grow. Each year, millions of tonnes of plastic enter the ocean, travelling through streets, drains and waterways before reaching the sea. What disappears from view rarely disappears at all. Over time, plastic breaks down into microplastics that spread through ecosystems and threaten marine life. The SARAH & SEBASTIAN team gathered at Coogee Beach alongside our partner Take 3 For The Sea. More than 40 volunteers came together for a morning of education and collective action. At first glance, the coastline appeared pristine. But the closer we looked, the more we found. Fragments of plastic caught between rocks. Cigarette butts pressed into the sand. Foam packaging scattered through the grass along the foreshore. In just over an hour, our team removed 5,486 pieces of waste, totalling 17.5 kilograms of debris. Among them were 2,379 cigarette butts, alongside hundreds of plastic fragments and pieces of foam insulation. Unexpected finds included an air mattress, nicotine pouches and SIM cards, fragments of everyday life that had washed ashore. Beaches like Coogee are cleaned regularly by local councils, yet much of this debris remains hidden in plain sight. Many pieces were partially buried in the sand or tangled within coastal vegetation. Others had already broken down into smaller fragments, almost invisible at first glance. Plastic rarely disappears. Instead, it breaks apart, becoming smaller and more widespread over time. These particles are often mistaken for food by marine animals, causing lasting harm within marine ecosystems. Moments like this reveal how easily everyday waste finds its way to the ocean. Through The Xanthe Project™, SARAH & SEBASTIAN continues to support initiatives that protect and restore marine environments. The same ocean that inspires our work is the one we must continue to safeguard. Discover more about the Xanthe Project here.

Operation Crayweed: The Revival of Sydney’s Underwater Forests

purpose

「水草行動」：雪梨水下森林的復興

海藻或許鮮為人知，但影響卻十分深遠。如同陸地上的森林，這些水下棲息地為數百種海洋生物提供生存空間，穩定海岸環境，並吸收大氣中的碳。如果沒有它們，海洋生物多樣性將遭受重創，海洋的整體健康狀況也將受到影響。 [特色圖片] 曾經遍布雪梨海岸線的本土海藻——毛狀葉藻（Phyllospora comosa）——在1980年代因污染而消失。幾十年來，曾經生氣勃勃的海藻林如今已成一片荒蕪。這種損失不僅僅是生態上的，也深深影響著每位釣客、潛水愛好者和海鮮愛好者。沒有了海藻林，它們所庇護的物種——例如小龍蝦、鮑魚以及無數其他生物——也將隨之消失。 “這種損失不僅僅是生態上的，任何捕魚、潛水或喜歡海鮮的人都會深感痛惜。” 「海藻行動」致力於恢復這些森林。該行動由阿德里亞娜·韋爾赫斯教授和一支海洋科學家團隊領導，透過人工種植的方式，力求恢復悉尼70公里長的海岸線，這是一項切實可行的計畫。 9月，SARAH & SEBASTIAN團隊參與了在庫吉（Coogee）威利斯浴場（Wylies Baths）進行的「海藻行動」（Operation Crayweed），以幫助恢復這一重要的生態系統。我們與現場團隊並肩工作，協助準備活體海藻，以便將其種植在淺水區，一天之內共種植了100多株海藻。 [featured_images1] 作為一個與海洋有著深厚連結的品牌，我們深感有責任保護海洋的未來。海帶森林是我們家門口的大南部珊瑚礁不可或缺的一部分，它們不僅美麗動人，更在維持海洋生物生存方面發揮著至關重要的作用，長期以來一直激勵著我們不斷前進。目睹這些生態系統遭受威脅，只會更加堅定我們的決心。 “作為一個與海洋有著深厚聯繫的品牌，我們感到有責任幫助保護海洋的未來。” 透過 Xanthe 計畫™，我們很榮幸能夠支持像「克雷維德行動」這樣的倡議，這些倡議專注於切實、長期的生態影響。