Want to listen to live whale radio broadcast from off the Queensland coast? 

University of the Sunshine Coast Design Lecturer Dr Leah Barclay has been broadasting the sounds of the sea for two years now, and she invites the public to tune in this International Day for Biosphere Reserves (Friday 3 November).

Livestream audio available here.

"In Queensland we are fortunate to have three of Australia's five Biosphere Reserves on our doorstep, at Fraser Coast, Noosa and the Sunshine Coast," Dr Barclay said.

"Making underwater sound accessible to the wider community allows people to better connect to the marine environment. Our live stream hydrophone (pictured) allows real-time submersion into ocean sounds for the first time in Australia from a reef."

"The live stream is mobile so we move it from time to time. It’s all connected to Biosphere Soundscapes, a project I'm leading to map the changing soundscapes of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves globally," Dr Barclay said.

The hydrophone is currently broadcasting from Wonder Reef on the Gold Coast, which lie outside the official biosphere boundaries, for a collaborative project with researchers at Griffith University.

“This interdisciplinary research underscores the capacity of hydrophones to engage audiences and transform our relationship with marine environments. By harnessing the connections between art, science and technology, we can inspire communities to listen and engage with the ocean in new ways," Dr Barclay said.

Sunshine Coast residents will also have a chance to check out the livestream at the BiospHERO Day event held by Sunshine Coast Council at the MET in Maroochydore on Sunday 5 November.

What is a biosphere? UniSC expert Dr Greg Mews explains here: Living in a bubble? Then it is probably NOT a biosphere.