In primary school, Lucas Handley's teacher drew up a certificate that told his classmates: "If you want to know something about the environment, ask Lucas. If you don't want to know anything about the environment, he will still tell you."
Lucas laughs at the memory, then clarifies the situation.
"Our teacher, in her tongue-in-cheek way, was letting the class know that coming up with an answer is different from really knowing the answer," he says. "She was teaching us the value of learning and knowledge. It is a good lesson."
Indeed so, and Lucas clearly took it to heart, as evidenced by his subsequent endeavours, be they personal, professional, scientific or philosophical.
The search for knowledge and knowledge-based solutions is particularly resonant in the cause of the environment where, through comprehensive research; business consultation, development and strategy; and a strong media and creative profile, this Southern Cross University marine science graduate is a compelling environmental advocate and science communicator.
For example, his latest venture, Bluestone Environmental, is a private consultancy founded by Lucas and which finds him in a project management role, engaging with business, industry, government and communities around environmental hazards and contamination, climate change and water.
The ongoing recovery from the 2022 Northern Rivers floods is a major priority. It is a project close to heart and home.
Lucas grew up on the border of the Booyong rainforest in Northern NSW before moving to Byron Bay – ideal settings in which to develop a passion for environmental protection and preservation.
"The water is where I found my true self, I suppose," he says. "My career pathway and my personal calling came together via the marine environment. That is still the case. The water is always where I prefer to be."
Again, the evidence is clear. As a surfer, scuba diver, freediver and marine/environmental scientist, Lucas's affinity with the water imbues almost everything he does. Over the years, this has included his work as –
- founder of the Underwater Academy freediving school
- director of W.A.T.E.R Human Performance Optimisation, which conducted testing in high pressure settings for potential application in medical, military and other high-performance fields
- general manager of Raw Earth Environmental consultancy service
- and more recently, aiding blind Australian Matt Formston's world record para-freediving attempt
These and other pursuits also speak to an earlier declaration that "I wanted to have a career in which I did not have to wear shoes". That should not be taken for flippancy because, shoes or not, Lucas continues to make giant strides across environmental research, strategy, collaboration and communication.
"When you make the environment integral to your lifestyle, learning about it and working for it becomes second nature," he says, crediting Southern Cross University in this process.
"I was actually studying law and marine sciences concurrently until I decided to focus on the Bachelor of Marine Science .
"At the time, I was involved in film projects that required a lot of travel. In terms of study, I needed flexibility and my degree provided it. If I were overseas, I could still go online and have meaningful contact with my lecturers and the University. Nowhere else offered that. It also showed me that Southern Cross has a way of thinking that is not afraid to go outside the conventional system. I responded to that.
"It was such a great degree experience, and not just for the scientific credentials that are so highly regarded in the field. It also added a legitimacy and further credibility to what I was doing in films like the eco-documentary Blue, and programs like Great Australian Bites (a film series about shark conservation that screened on Discovery Channel).
"I was also fortunate to spend a year at Southern Cross University's National Marine Science Centre in Coffs Harbour, where I benefited from its hands-on connections with so many facets of marine science. The NMSC has a key role to play in our response to marine issues and climate change.
"In fact, from the tropical reefs in the north to the southern waters of the Solitary Islands outside the NMSC's door, Southern Cross University is perfectly placed to lead discovery, action and resilience across marine environments. Those lessons can be taken to the world."
Lucas is a natural at communicating those lessons. If not the first, he was among the first people in the world to broadcast live from underwater, reporting as part of the ABC's 2020 special, Reef Live. He followed this up with Southern Oceans Live in 2022, this time reporting on the giant cuttlefish spawning in South Australia's Spencer Gulf.
Such projects define Lucas's goal to find new and creative ways of engaging people with the environment. Bluestone Environmental's work in the Northern Rivers is another case in point.
"In my previous role with Raw Earth Environmental, we surveyed 12,000 homes in Lismore after the 2022 floods and it was impossible not to be moved by the resilience of the people," he says.
"You learn so much about the human condition in instances like this. Despite the gravity of their own circumstances, people were more concerned about others.
"That kind of respect, care and courage offers fascinating insight into the human response to environmental devastation. Witnessing that, and knowing that, I believe Lismore has grown as a community since 2022. It is also guiding Bluestone Environmental's role in regional recovery.
