Award for marine conservation group

Terrigal-based marine conservation group Friends of Kurrawyba has won a Blue World Valerie Taylor 2024 Ocean Prize.

Group spokesperson Izabela Sajdok said she and other members accepted the prize at a ceremony held as part of Science Week at Sydney’s Maritime Museum on August 16.

“The $1,500 prize money will help Friends of Kurrawyba to keep holding events and raising awareness about the need to respect and protect our marine life,” she said.

Taylor, a renowned diver, photographer and trailblazing conservationist, has dedicated her life to protecting and inspiring support for ocean and marine life.

The aims of the annual Valerie Taylor Ocean Prizes include: to make a direct impact on ocean protection and restoration; and to create wonder, inform and activate communities to protect and care for our oceans and particularly NSW marine eco-systems.

The prizes were assessed according to the focus and potential impact of the project, its feasibility and cost effectiveness and innovation and creativity of the project.

“It is uplifting for our group to know that Blue World had confidence in Friends of Kurrawyba to make a difference by engaging the Central Coast community about the importance of marine life,” Sajdok said.

“We have some exciting events coming up including a beach clean-up day in September and we are starting work on a Summer Marine Festival supported by the Blue World Valerie Taylor prize.

“If you love the ocean as much as we do and want to make a difference to protecting marine life, keep an eye on our website www.friendsofkurrawyba.com and join the group.”