Traditional Owner Frederick Le Foe is helping to protect the future of Australia’s largest First Nations community and the Great Barrier Reef.
Frederick, who mentored participants in The King’s Trust Australia’s Get Into Reef Conservation programme, features in Saltwater Detectives, an Australian documentary film that follows next-generation Gunggandji Traditional Owners and marine scientists working together to protect and restore the Great Barrier Reef.
Saltwater Detectives highlights the powerful combination of Indigenous traditional knowledge and western marine science, showcasing efforts to build coral nurseries and grow heat-tolerant corals on Sea Country. Filmed in Far North Queensland at locations including the Reef Magic research station and Moore Reef, Saltwater Detectives offers a rare insight into the people leading reef conservation on the front line and the deep connection between community, culture and Country.
“Audiences have the privilege of observing the Traditional ways deep time information is handed down to emerging leaders like Frederick Lefoe,” said Executive Producer/Co-Director Margee Brown. “During scenes filmed in Yarrabah, Frederick was given a Traditional name which protects him and those precious Creation stories now and in the future.”
Beyond the screen, Frederick works with young people exploring careers in conservation and environmental management, sharing his cultural knowledge, lived experience, and passion for protecting Sea Country.
Frederick’s involvement in both Saltwater Detectives and The Trust’s Get Into Reef Conservation programme demonstrates the vital role First Nations leadership plays in protecting the Reef and empowering young people to become the environmental stewards of tomorrow.
If you’d like to get involved with this seminal web series, please visit Documentary Australia or reach out to Executive Producer/Co-Director Margee Brown.
