Coastal Marine Ecosystems Research Centre (CMERC)

Research where it matters

Our Coastal Marine Ecosystems Research Centre (CMERC) has been established to work with coastal industries and communities to develop practical and sustainable solutions for our unique coast and marine environments.

Our vision is to undertake research that works with nature to build an economically and environmentally sustainable future to enrich our coastal communities. To achieve this, CMERC is taking a holistic approach that recognises the place of the communities and industries that live and work along our coastlines. This means our work entails far more than just monitoring the condition of our environments – CMERC is undertaking proactive applied research from coastal catchments to sea to develop practical solutions to the challenges facing coastal and marine ecosystems.

Practical solutions require multidisciplinary approaches and our researchers include ecologists, economists, biologists, chemists, engineers and social scientists to ensure this work accounts for all aspects of the interaction of the community and industry with coastal and marine ecosystems. We pride ourselves on conducting our research where it matters most by living and working in the communities we serve.

Headquartered on the shoreline of the Gladstone marina, CMERC is the only coastal and marine research facility based in Central Queensland and features world-class research equipment and laboratories with access to cutting-edge analytical capabilities. CMERC staff have strong links with local industry and community groups and are working closely with Traditional Owners to empower them as custodians of Land and Sea Country.

Our activities are also supporting the education of students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Environmental Science, which features a research-led teaching model to expose graduates to the expertise and innovation of CMERC’s world-class scientists.