Living Seawalls Wins 2025 NSW Eureka Prize for Environmental Research

Professor Melanie Bishop's Living Seawalls project transforms marine infrastructure into biodiverse habitats using modular panels that mimic natural shorelines. It won the 2025 NSW Department of Climate Change Eureka Prize for Environmental Research. Since 2018, panels have been installed at over 35 sites globally, attracting 115 species in Sydney Harbour—20% more than conventional seawalls—and over 150 species at McMahons Point. The panels host up to three times the biodiversity of flat surfaces. Collaborating with industrial designer Alex Goad, the project aims to incorporate ecological designs into new constructions. Support from figures like Ashraf Doureihi and Rob Stokes helped overcome regulatory challenges, with community advocates aiding fundraising and education.