24 June 2026 – The risk of algal blooms is rising around Australia, with a new national study warning that stronger community preparedness is urgently needed for coastal disasters.
A survey of more than 1000 people reveals significant gaps in public awareness of risks such as algal blooms, leaving communities exposed, according to research led by Flinders University and Australian National University academics.
The findings, set to be published in Coastal Futures (online in preprint), draw on feedback from all states and territories about public awareness of events such as algal blooms, which are driven by climate change, pollution and environmental pressures.
“Despite this growing threat, our research shows community understanding of these events and other extreme weather events, and how best to respond to them, remains strikingly limited,” says Associate Professor in Public Health Jacqueline Stephens, who is also a researcher in emergency disaster management at Flinders University.
“While we don’t have a clear understanding of when large-scale events may occur, or the likely scale of the impact, we have a real opportunity to strengthen community preparedness and resilience with targeted education and awareness.”
Researchers emphasise that increasing public knowledge is a critical first step, not only for building community resilience and protecting public health, but also for building informed support for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Importantly, the research points to a strong public expectation that governments should take primary responsibility for managing such risks. However, recent disaster experiences in South Australia demonstrate the powerful role of communities.
The research, driven by SA volunteers working in the Algal Bloom Shed, was sparked by the widespread algal bloom (HAB) which has hit coastal environments and businesses over the past year.
“Australia has a long history of effective community-led responses – from volunteer fire services to surf lifesaving,” says ANU Associate Professor Amy McLennan, corresponding author on the latest study.
“These community-led organisations are a major asset to Australia, and we may need new ones to address emerging disasters like HABs. Improved awareness of what’s on the horizon is an important step.”
The pre-print study, currently under review, shows that public awareness is low and there is little coordinated effort to prepare communities for the impacts, despite HABs posing a risk to human health, marine ecosystems and local economies.