cottesloe reef research
Cottesloe Reef Research was initiated by Patrick Gillespie,
a biologist with a love of all things wild.
Patrick first fell in love with our seas growing up on the rugged south coast of Western Australia. A childhood hunting, diving, fishing & surfing in the cold southern ocean gave Patrick a hunger to explore every corner of this ancient land. After spending time working in the heavy lifting gear industry in the Pilbara and Northern Territory, Patrick returned to the sea as deckhand aboard a prawn trawler. Fishing from Fremantle to Weipa in Queensland, the experience both thrilled and alarmed him. Patrick returned to the south west where he studied biology determined to make a difference to how we treat this beautiful world.
For the last 25 years Patrick has dedicated his life to understanding, conserving, and repairing Western Australia's unique but sadly broken ecosystems. Working with farmers and catchment groups in the Wheat-belt to preserve remnant vegetation, protect creeks and rivers, and replant 100's of thousands of trees. Patrick was a founding member and coordinator of the Ecological Farming Information Society and Landcare Motivator before moving back to the south coast. There he worked again with landholders to conserve wetlands of National Significance and, with the Department of Environment and Conservation, carried out monitoring and mapping of seasonal habitat movements by threatened and endangered species such as quokkas, bitterns and freshwater fish.
A long term educator Patrick has worked with community groups and schools promoting care of our environment. Currently Patrick lectures in conservation and land management with North Metro Tafe hoping to instill a sense of wonder and respect for our natural world with students of all ages.
Upon moving to Perth with his two sons in 2015, Patrick found tailor upon this small onshore reef. Returning daily Patrick was surprised to find the same fish, easily identifiable from embedded fishing gear,present upon the reef each day. Intrigued with this previously unrecorded behaviour Patrick has returned each season to spend hundreds of hours swimming with and recording the school, cataloging numbers, sizes, injuries, recruitment, and behaviour. Patrick has 100's of hours of video of free swimming tailor which comprise what is believed to be the largest of it's kind in the world. Over the years Patrick has learned how to spend time with the school, which soon become used to his regular visits and allow him to swim gently within a few feet, while they rest undisturbed.
Cottesloe Reef at very low tide - showing the diversity of habitats
Donate to Preserve
Your contribution equals
more time in the water,
more observation,
improved science,
increased knowledge,
and
a chance to make a positive difference to our precious environment.
more time in the water,
more observation,
improved science,
increased knowledge,
and
a chance to make a positive difference to our precious environment.