Australian of the Year

Professor Michael Wear is a Malgana man and custodian of the marine environment in the UNESCO World Heritage site at Shark Bay (Gathaagudu) in Western Australia. 

Over the past three decades of caring for Country, Michael has been instrumental in establishing large-scale marine restoration projects to protect the region’s diverse ecosystems. He founded Tidal Moon, an Indigenous-owned and led sea cucumber harvesting enterprise that combines sustainable resource management with research into the health benefits of sea cucumbers. 

Drawing on Indigenous knowledge and traditional practices, Tidal Moon together with Murdoch University, is leading a long-term restoration project of the seagrass reserves that play a vital role in sustaining marine biodiversity in Shark Bay. The project also creates much-needed training and employment opportunities for the local community. 

Michael’s commitment to sustainable environmental practices, combining local Indigenous knowledge with scientific research, is delivering long-lasting benefits to the whole Shark Bay region.