The discovery of the first sea turtle nest of the breeding season led to a rescue operation and launched a campaign to protect the endangered species.
A nest recently found on N.S.W. The northern coast was too close to the water's edge and the eggs had to be moved to save them from being swamped by waves and tides.
Loggerhead turtles are critically endangered with very few nesting females in NSW, making every egg valuable. Green turtles are listed as vulnerable.
Merryn Dunleavy from TurtleWatch NSW said every nest recorded would be protected “and commitment and care from our coastal communities will be essential to ensure the survival of these nests.”
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“We're asking beachgoers to become citizen scientists and monitor local beaches along the NSW coastline, from Tweed to Batemans Bay, for nesting sea turtles,” she said.
“In the early morning, take a walk along your local beach along the high tide line—as sea turtles typically nest at night from dusk to dawn—looking for turtle tracks in the sand.”
After the first nest was spotted by a member of the public, trained and licensed TurtleWatch staff carefully placed the eggs in one of the refrigerated incubators used during the successful incubation last season.
Last season, a record 18 sea turtle nests were successfully hatched.
Earlier in 2025, former tropical cyclone Alfred reshaped large swaths of the NSW north coast, leaving many beaches without gently rising sandy shores.
Some dunes have been shortened by several meters, reducing suitable nesting habitat by creating steep cliffs that nesting females cannot climb.
Thanks to the vigilance of the turtle team in February, national parks and Wildlife Service staff and TurtleWatch rescued more than 1,000 eggs from nine nests before the cyclone.
After hatching, they were released to their original nesting sites, with 1,020 chicks swimming freely.
Prompt reporting of turtle tracks, low-lying nests and public awareness are key to protecting the eggs and giving them the best chance of hatching successfully.
The marks are usually between 80 and 100 cm wide and can sometimes be mistaken for tire tracks.
TurtleWatch needs volunteers to help during the nesting season, which runs from November to March along the NSW coastline.
