The 2025/2026 turtle season at Port Hedland’s beaches is drawing to a close, and it’s been a year of highs, lows, and new beginnings. Volunteers have been monitoring flatback turtles at Cemetery and Pretty Pool Beaches, recording nesting activity, protecting nests, and educating the community about these iconic marine reptiles.

Nesting Numbers and New Recruits
This season saw 493 successful nests, 601 false crawls, and an estimated 3,696 hatchlings emerging. Cemetery Beach remained the main nesting site, while Pretty Pool saw lower activity. A mark-recapture study at Cemetery identified 121 female turtles, including 12 “new recruits” likely nesting for the first time—hatchlings that could one day return to the same beach to lay their own eggs.

Environmental Challenges
Rising sand temperatures impacted hatchling survival and sex ratios, confirming Cemetery Beach as predominantly female-producing. Tropical Cyclone Mitchell passed offshore in February, shifting sand and exposing some nests—but fortunately, most turtles had finished nesting by then. These events underline the increasing pressures climate change and extreme weather place on Port Hedland’s turtle populations.

Community in Action
The season also highlighted the dedication of local residents and volunteers. Over 1,380 people attended daytime nesting events, 233 children and students participated in educational programs, and 15 guided evening tours offered up-close glimpses of turtles nesting. Volunteers contributed more than 1,800 hours to monitoring, nest protection, and public education, helping safeguard this vital wildlife.

With the season wrapped, the focus now turns to next year, marking the 23rd year of turtle monitoring in Port Hedland. The commitment of volunteers and the local community continues to be crucial in protecting these remarkable creatures and raising awareness for their conservation.

Story and images supplied by Care for Hedland.