On the 41st parallel, at the southern tip of Australia, lies an ancient beauty. An island isolated for over ten thousand years, famed for its spectacular wilderness and refuge to some of the rarest, most endangered species on earth…Tasmania 

But beneath its waters, lies a world few have ever seen - just as wild, unique and even more beautiful.

Vulnerable to the pressures of modern times yet still a beacon of hope, this remote underwater wilderness demonstrates resilience and survival against the odds.

 

Tasmania Down Under - A Seals’ Tale

 

The most adaptable creatures in these cool southern waters are also charismatic and playful underwater acrobats - Australian Fur Seals. We follow young fur seals on their journey of discovery, from curious pups to playboy adolescents and finally parents themselves. 

 

They will be our cheeky companions as we explore the wonders and challenges of the Tasmanian coast.  As the secrets of this rich watery wilderness are revealed, we explore the remarkable, but fragile, forests of giant kelp. We dive to the depths to meet the king of crabs, witness the annual return of more than 18 million migratory shearwaters, whose wings turn into fins as they feed underwater, and the miracle of the world’s most endangered fish hatching, with a little help from modern science.     

 

Featuring never before seen vision, this stunning documentary will reveal one of the world’s most biologically diverse marine environments. A junction of three ocean environments that forms a fragile one-of-a-kind microcosm of habitats and species. 

 

It’s a world of underwater mountains and seaweed forests, drowned river valleys and ancient sponge gardens that explode in kaleidoscopes of colour. Here on these southern shores, a great many marine species on these far southern shores are found nowhere else on earth. Dinosaurs that swim. Dragons that dance. Fish that walk. 

 

Like all great adventures, danger is never far away. Territories are invaded, thieves and assassins lie in ambush. And the same isolation that created this eclectic mix of marine life has made it vulnerable to turmoil in the modern world. 

 

While some species can adapt to a changing climate, others are already  disappearing at a dramatic rate ... and even more wait to be discovered.

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Production: OceansIQ and Sheree Marris.

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Broadcast: Distributed world-wide including Australia

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Post Broadcast: The documentary will be available for streaming and download on the site with captions available. The documentary will also feature in the schools education kit.

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