Spawning School is a practical learning program in how to raise coral larvae for reef restoration. Reef Recruits co-leads Spawning School with JCU TropWATER at the at the James Cook University Nguma-bada campus in northern Cairns.
Spawning School is offered to First Nations Land & Sea Rangers from the Cairns-Port Douglas area during the November coral spawning events. Over the last three years, we have had the privilege of training more than 40 Rangers.
To maximise accessibility, Spawning School takes place mostly on land. Our coral parents usually come from Pixie Reef, with permission from Yirrganydji Sea Country Elders.
(coral collection video coming soon)
Coral spawning
We collect our corals on the day of the full moon, then spawning follows a few days later. Spawning nights are always a highlight of Spawning School!
Caring for corals and larvae
Keeping corals and their larvae alive and healthy takes time and care.
In the classroom
Covering the essentials about corals, what they need and how they reproduce.
Practical skills
Hands on experience with checking whether corals have ripe eggs using microscopes to monitor development and search recruitment tiles from field experiments.
Larval development
There are many changes in a coral larva during the week after spawning – the only time in it’s lifecycle when it is on the move.
Hands-on science
Every year Spawning School includes an experiment conceived and designed with the Rangers to explore coral settlement.
Community Days
Another highlight of Spawning School is welcoming family and friends from the communities where some of our Rangers live. It’s a great opportunity for community members to see what the Rangers are working on and for the Rangers to share their knowledge.
Reef Recruits 