ProF Peter Harrison
Ocean Sentinel
Distinguished Professor Peter L. Harrison together with a group of marine biology students is famous for witnessing the first recorded mass coral spawning event at Geoffrey Bay on Magnetic Island. This extraordinary phenomenon, where millions of microscopic eggs and sperm filled the waters in a mass mating ritual, unveiled a significant natural occurrence. Professor Harrison went on to pioneer a revolutionary technique known as 'coral IVF', capturing millions of coral sperm and eggs during spawning and allowing them to develop into larvae in floating pools on the reef. These larvae are then released onto damaged areas of the reef, aiding in their recovery. The success of this method has resulted in the establishment of new breeding corals on damaged reefs.
In the Ocean Sentinels artwork, artist Jason deCaires Taylor merges the image of Professor Harrison with branching Acropora corals, commonly known as staghorn corals.
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Ocean Sentinels
The Ocean Sentinels is a collection of sculptures that blend human figures with natural marine forms. These sculptures represent influential Australians who have made significant contributions to marine science and conservation.
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