Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been living on and caring for Ocean Country for thousands of years. However, this extensive knowledge is rarely found in mainstream scientific research.

Courtney Burns is a 25-year-old Gunaikurnai woman (land and sea country) from South Gippsland, Victoria, and the recipient of the 2023 NAIDOC Youth of the Year Award. She studies marine science at James Cook University in Townsville, and assists in the Marine and Aquaculture Research Facility.

Courtney chatted with Danny Chifley on 2SER Breakfast about Ocean Country health, the vitality of sharks, and the role of First Nations knowledge in Australian conservation.