Families, ocean lovers, and curious minds of all ages are invited to dive into a month-long celebration of the sea at the 2025 Ocean Lovers Festival this March. With an action-packed program of hands-on workshops, wild ocean encounters, eco-activities, and inspiring entertainment, the festival promises something for everyone while championing a healthier blue planet.
Take a scenic ferry ride to Taronga Zoo on March 5 & 12, where Fairy Penguins and Seals are waiting to meet you! Learn about the Seabirds to Seascapes restoration project and discover how conservationists are working to protect these incredible marine creatures.
Little adventurers can dive into the Splash Tank at North Sydney's Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability on March 22, where Diver Dave will take them on an interactive journey through the fascinating world of sea urchins, sea slugs, and other rockpool critters.
If you're ready to roll up your sleeves and take action, Clean Up Australia Day at Rose Bay on March 2 is the perfect place to start. Help remove harmful litter from our shores, or head over to Manly, where the AUSMAP Microplastic Hunt will reveal just how sneaky plastic pollution really is. Over at the Coal Loader, fun packed activities during the Eco Playground on March 26 awaits, where kids can get their hands dirty in a nature play workshop that turns learning about ocean conservation into a fun and unforgettable experience.
The festival's biggest weekends land in Darling Harbour (March 15-16) and Bondi (March 22-23), where eco-markets, live entertainment, and incredible ocean-inspired experiences will take centre stage. One of the major highlights is the Trashion Show by Marina Debris, where fashion and sustainability collide in an eye-opening runway of wearable art made entirely from ocean waste. Throughout the month, the Ocean Film Tour will showcase awe-inspiring ocean screenings across Sydney, and we have IMAX ocean documentaries to share weekly plus spectacular ocean films combined with talks at Bondi Pavilion on March 22 & 23, including "Ice Maiden", a gripping film about solo sailor Lisa Blair's record-breaking Antarctica voyage.
Bondi's Ocean Lovers Festival weekend is the ultimate family adventure. Step aboard "Shark in a Bus", a travelling marine museum in a beautifully restored 1957 Leyland bus, packed with jaw-dropping ocean treasures from the 1960s and 70s. This bite-sized, hands-on experience is perfect for kids, parents, and grandparents alike! For a deeper ocean connection, don't miss Sea The Weed on Friday, March 28. Start the day with a soulful Sunrise Ceremony, then dive into a unique underwater experience, exploring cray weed forests with expert divers - an unforgettable way to spark a lifelong love for the ocean.
Audiences can meet ocean scientists or become a citizen scientist and join a Marine Bioblitz community event in their area, organised for all ages to help record and upload data for this INaturalist science project. Find out where to join or run a Biotbliz here.
Festival founder Anita Kolni expressed her excitement: "The passion from families and ocean lovers across Sydney has been truly inspiring, driving us to expand our program and create even more opportunities for kids and parents to connect with our incredible marine world. Thanks to generous support from the government, local councils, organisations, and individuals, we're beyond excited to unveil this year's lineup - filled with hands-on experiences, wildlife encounters, and unforgettable moments. We invite families to dive in, explore, and be part of the movement to protect our harbour and oceans. Together, we can turn small ripples of action into waves of lasting change."
With a mix of free and ticketed events, there's an experience for everyone, whether you want to learn, explore, take action, or simply soak up the ocean vibes.
