W. Massive Bleaching And Coral Death Across Western Australia Reefs, Oil & Gas Major Extends Science Museum Sponsorship

The Western Australian Greens and the state’s peak conservation body have condemned the extension of a research partnership between the Western Australian Museum and Woodside, as the state reels from a record-breaking marine heatwave that has killed corals over a 1,500km stretch of ocean. The five-year continuation of the “longstanding collaboration”, in which the gas giant supports the museum’s biodiversity research along the WA coastline, would allow for further targeted research along the Gascoyne coast, according to announcements.

In a post on its LinkedIn page, the museum wrote that “to mark the milestone” Woodside was supporting free general admission to the WA Maritime Museum on Sunday 17 August for the “Woodside Energy Open Day” and the event would feature “family-friendly activities all about marine science” as part of National Science Week. The new deal – which extends the 28-year partnership – and the open day have been promoted in front-page advertisements in WA media this week.

It has prompted fury from climate advocates and the WA Greens as it coincides with the release of research about the extent of the damage caused by a record-breaking, climate-change fuelled marine heatwave to the state’s coral reefs. The heatwave, which started to build off the north-west WA coast in August 2024, has been called “the most severe coral bleaching on record for Western Australian coral reefs”. It killed coral throughout an area that stretches 1,500km, according to a group of scientists from state and federal government departments, agencies and universities who worked on this week’s report.

The WA Greens fossil fuels and climate action spokesperson, Sophie McNeill, wrote to the museum on Tuesday seeking a briefing from its director, Alec Coles, “because it seems like they [the museum] don’t understand the relationship between fossil fuel companies and the devastating impacts of climate change we are seeing right now on our marine environment”. “It is so inappropriate that the WA Museum has chosen to continue its partnership with one of the world’s largest fossil fuel companies as our world heritage listed coral reefs are literally dying in front of our eyes,” McNeill said. “As one of the state’s biggest polluters, Woodside should not be allowed anywhere near marine science in Western Australia given they are responsible for the current devastation we are seeing along our coastline that is so universally loved by all.”

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https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/aug/13/wa-museum-partnership-with-woodside-criticised-as-record-breaking-marine-heatwave-decimates-coral-reefs-ntwfb