Switching off light pollution for threatened species

15 February 2023

Light pollution will be ‘switched off’ across Australia thanks to a $500,000 investment from the Albanese Labor Government to reduce light pollution near threatened species’ coastal habitat.

Light pollution can prevent species such as green turtle hatchlings from reaching the ocean and short-tailed shearwater fledglings from taking their first flight. Many migratory shorebirds will also avoid roosting and feeding in areas that are artificially lit at night.

The grants will support the development of light pollution strategies and practical initiatives such as retrofitting problematic lighting across 15 priority locations.

The program is providing grants between $15,000 and $50,000 to:

  • make people aware of the impacts of light pollution on wildlife
  • reduce light pollution at ecologically sensitive areas to support conservation and recovery of marine turtles, seabirds and shorebirds listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and
  • support local communities to ensure best-practice light management methods are identified and implemented where needed.

Applications for the program are open until Thursday 10 March 2023 for a range of eligible groups including councils, researchers, Indigenous organisations and state and territory agencies.

For further information on how to apply Reducing Light Pollution in Coastal Communities Program can be found here: www.business.gov.au/RLPCC

Quotes attributable to the Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek:

“Light pollution is increasing each year and is an emerging issue for wildlife conservation.

“Australia is one of the darkest continents on earth, but light pollution is still impacting our threatened and migratory species. Baby turtles are being prevented from reaching the ocean and birds are struggling to roost and take their first flight.

“I’d like to see innovative, locally driven solutions to light pollution that meet the needs of communities and our threatened wildlife.

“These grants will target 15 priority areas and will support communities in raising awareness of this novel threat. They will help to find solutions for reducing light pollution for protected species such as green turtles and westland petrels.”

Priority areas:

  • Dampier Archipelago, WA
  • Esperance, WA
  • Lowendal Islands + Barrow Island, WA
  • Ashburton Region, WA
  • Geelong/Port Phillip Bay, VIC
  • Warrnambool/Port Fairy/Portland, VIC
  • Gold Coast, QLD/Ballina NSW
  • Newcastle/Nelson Bay, NSW
  • Georgetown, TAS
  • Port Lincoln, SA
  • Galupa/Nhulunbuy, NT
  • Gladstone, QLD
  • Mon Repos, QLD
  • Torres Strait Islands