Ground floor, 12 Wally’s Walk
Macquarie University 2109
Discover a magical ocean habitat on our walls
These stunning panels are the result of our scientists working with designers to transform plain concrete seawalls into thriving underwater gardens.
In real life, these living seawalls are found in intertidal zones in harbours, where ocean meets land, creating homes for fish, seahorses, algae, mussels - and other colourful marine life.
Living seawalls are a new way to approach coastal engineering, replacing traditional flat concrete barriers with complex three-dimensional habitats. These structures mimic natural rocky shores, providing crevices and pools where marine life can attach, shelter, and thrive, enhancing biodiversity in urban waterfronts. Living show how human infrastructure can work with nature rather than against it.
About the display:
These wall-mounted panels are examples of real living seawalls currently installed in Sydney Harbour and around the world. This shows what happened when ecologists and marine engineers collaborate to design structures that provide both coastal protection and marine habitat. Our Living Seawalls team won the Eureka Prize for Science for their work that shows how science and engineering can create solutions that benefit both human and ocean communities.