News & Media
Featured
March 2025
Seaweed: A Love Story
17-minute documentary. In the underwater world of Wellington, New Zealand, Dr. Nicole Miller SCUBA dives and films 70 kilometers of coastline, using art and innovative technology to reveal the hidden beauty and alarming decline of the region’s seaweed forests to the public.
Click here for upcoming screenings, to find out more, and to watch the trailer.
April 2024
On the Stage of TEDxWellington 2024
Take a Leap for the Ocean! Seaweed forests face a number of threats and in Wellington Harbour overfishing of sea urchin predators is a key driver for their decline. We know what actions can restore these highly productive kelp forests that provide the foundation for the seafood we cherish. Hear what you can do to take a leap for the ocean and become an ocean champion. Watch Nicole’s TEDx talk here.
Watch the intro and closing remarks by the masters of ceremony here.
In the News
June 2025
Featured on TV 1 Seven Sharp
Video producer James Hope is joining Explore Your Coast to dive into Wellington’s giant kelp forests and talk to Nicole Miller about seaweed, underwater forests and Nicole’s work. Thanks James and the Seven Sharp team for joining us and sharing the love for seaweed! Aired 23 June 2025.
Want to help? We are looking for partners and sponsors to help us protect and restore kelp forests around New Zealand. Watch the feature here…
June 2025
Underwater Vision by Melanie Newfield
When it comes to helping people connect with our birdlife and forests, we have the advantage that they are conspicuous. It’s a very different challenge to connect people with life under the sea. How can we show people what is happening hidden from view? This is a question which has been troubling Nicole Miller…
Read the full article on Substack and follow Melanie and subscribe for more!
June 2025
Forest & Bird Magazine - Seaweed, A Love Story
“Growing up, I always saw Wellington as this lively, bustling capital city, full of people. And while that’s true, I now see it as a place teeming with another kind of life — these delicate, awe-inspiring underwater forests.” says Rebecca Pratt, producer and director of Seaweed, A Love Story…
Read about the documentary in the 2025 winter edition of the Forest and Bird Magazine (link to pdf). To receive a free subscription to the magazine and support vital conservation work join Forest and Bird.
May 2025
Seaweed and Championing the Ocean on 'Swim Chat'
Writer, swimmer and seaweed fan Shona Riddell is talking to Nicole on her podcast Swim Chats about filming underwater forests and championing the ocean.
You can listen to more episodes of Swim Chats and hear from adventure swimmers, winter dippers, marathon swim coaches, marine conservationists and more on Spotify, Apple, iHeartRadio and on other podcast platforms.
Listen to Shona and Nicole on Spotify here…
May 2025
Seaweed, A Love Story on RNZ Afternoons
Listen to an interview by Jesse Mulligan on Radio New Zealand (RNZ) Afternoons. Jesse talks to Nicole about the short documentary Seaweed, A Love Story, why the underwater forests along our coast are so important and what we need to do do look after them! Follow this link to the RNZ website.
Thanks Jesse for having us on your show!
From the RNZ Afternoons Archive:
February 2025
Explore Your Coast in 90 seconds
Wellington Video Production Company Catchment Studios managed to capture Explore Your Coast in less than 90 seconds! Thank you for creating this amazing reel and showcasing our work (watch it here).
Kelp forests around New Zealand are vital habitats for species like pāua, crayfish, and kina. Large reef fish and crayfish help keep sea urchin numbers in check, but when overfishing removes these predators, urchins multiply and overgraze on kelp. This destroys vital nursery grounds…
June 2024
North & South Magazine
Dr Miller’s dive diary. Wellington is the only capital city with a fully protected marine reserve right at its doorstep. To show the diversity of marine life along the coast and Wellington Harbour Explore Your Coast founder Dr Nicole Miller is scuba diving 70 km of coastline bringing back observations and creating immersive virtual experiences that allow everyone to explore our coast from dry land. Her dive diary gives you a taste of the process behind the first part of the 70 km dive. Read more here.
April 2024
Forest & Bird Magazine
‘Imagine the ancient forest giants of Ōtari Wilton Bush or Zealandia disappearing within two or three years. I bet Wellingtonians would be demonstrating for swift action. But when things are under the sea, it’s a different matter. It’s difficult to cherish what we cannot see.’ Winter 2024 – Download the article here (pdf, 2MB).
January 2024
In The Neighbourhood
Listen to Wellington Access Radio In The Neighbourhood to hear Amy chat with Nicole about the amazing events happening over the next few weeks to celebrate the marine environment of Wellington – including Nicole’s live streamed & virtual reality 70km scuba dive!
