The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s 7 great wonders and after having snorkeling at the reef during my honeymoon, I can personal vouch for how amazing it is. Not everyone gets to enjoy that experience personally, so Twitter is helping you experience it remotely.
Tomorrow there’ll be two live underwater tour, broadcast via Periscope (Twitter’s live streaming platform) through an actual periscope. You can watch live on 13 July from 12.30pm AEST on Twitter just follow @TwitterAU, @queensland. The Great Barrier Reef Adventure is made possible by the Telstra mobile network.
In many ways, seeing is believing and its hoped that by showing the Great Barrier Reef to more of the world, (via Twitter) will help you understand what you can do to help protect the reef.
Join Periscope adventurer Mitch Oates (@MitchOates) as he takes the world on two live Periscope broadcasts, featuring marine experts and advocates including Andy Ridley, CEO of Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef and former founder and CEO of Earth hour.
Broadcast one 12.30pm AEST – Live reef dive
Mitch will take a special GoPro and diving mask underwater to show the world the reef like you’ve never seen before! With his specialist scuba mask he will be able to answer questions from viewers, while diving through the coral ecosystem.
The Great Barrier Reef Periscope Adventure is supported by Tourism and Events Queensland.
Tourism and Events Queensland CEO, Leanne Coddington said,
The Great Barrier Reef is a living treasure which is ours to protect and share with visitors from around the world. It is our most valuable tourism asset with around two million visitors experiencing it every year.
The Great Barrier Reef continues to offer exceptional visitor experiences and there is so much to see and do along the 2,300km length of the Reef.
The Great Barrier Reef Periscope Adventure will showcase the underwater wonder and allow people to engage with the Reef in an entirely new way thanks to technology.
Broadcast two – 2pm AEST Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef
Founder of Earth Hour, Andy Ridley, is now turning his focus to a new movement — Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef, a social movement which aims to unite people from around the world to combat the pressures to the planet’s biodiversity, including how to learn and care about the Great Barrier Reef. Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef will be the enabler and communicator of global and local action for the Great Barrier Reef: providing a platform that allows people, innovators, businesses and communities to connect and mobilise as citizens, working together to secure the future of the reef and our planet.
While on the boat out on the reef, Mitch will interview Andy Ridley of Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef about how citizens can protect this stunning natural site for future generations.
Twitter is already home to a strong community of marine biologists and reef activists. Twitter Australia Head, Suzy Nicoletti said Twitter really will be the place to find out what’s happening when it comes to the Great Barrier Reef, in real-time.
Twitter, like no other platform, has an incredible way of breaking down barriers to participation, and of creating connections between people and places. For this project, the Periscope broadcast becomes a literal underwater periscope, to connect our audience to a truly exotic place.
The Great Barrier Reef Adventure is just one small way to raise awareness of the reef around the world and inspire everyone, no matter where they are, to preserve this site for future generations to enjoy.
