Eighteen Griffith University students are preparing to undertake professional internships in Japan and South Korea through the 2026 Griffith Asia Business Internship (GABI) program.
Led by Dr Andrea Haefner from the Griffith Asia Institute (GAI), GABI provides undergraduate and postgraduate students with international work-integrated learning opportunities in Tokyo and Seoul. The program aims to strengthen students’ employability, intercultural communication and Asia capabilities while building connections between Australia and its regional neighbours.
As part of their preparation, students recently completed the 2026 Asia Ready Program, delivered through in-person workshops at Griffith’s Gold Coast and Nathan campuses.
The workshops explored the economic and strategic importance of Asia to Australia, alongside practical considerations for working overseas. Students took part in interactive sessions covering intercultural communication, workplace expectations, health, safety and wellbeing, and scenarios addressing potential challenges during their internships.
Country-specific briefings introduced students to Japanese and Korean business cultures, while former GABI participants shared their experiences and advice on navigating professional environments abroad.
Student feedback highlighted the value of the preparation and support provided by the GABI team, with one student commenting:
“I’m so excited because I am well-prepared because of all the support that the GABI team provided to me. Thank you for your support.”
Another reflected on the broader learning opportunities offered by the program:
“The GABI program has been an overall great experience so far where I have learnt and have realised I will learn much more than I initially thought. This is a great program offered by Griffith.”
Dr Haefner, Academic Lead of GABI, said the program offered more than professional experience, helping students develop the knowledge and relationships needed to engage with the region.
“GABI goes beyond professional experience by fostering lasting connections, mutual understanding and collaboration between Australia and its Asian neighbours, while developing the Asia capability central to the Australian Government’s regional engagement priorities.”
Following the Asia Ready Program, students will take part in further language, cultural and orientation activities in Japan and South Korea before commencing their internships with host organisations in November.
Now in its ninth year, GABI has supported more than 185 students since 2019, providing opportunities to gain international workplace experience and develop the skills and cultural understanding needed to work across the region.
Celebrating a year of sporting success, academic achievement and community impact, more than 80 student-athletes were recognised at the Griffith University 2026 Blues Awards, with Jeff Horn OLY and Ella Sabljak PLY taking their place amongst Griffith’s sporting legends in the Griffith Hall of Fame.
Supported by ANZ, the Blues Awards recognised 25 athletes with a Half Blue Award for representing their nation at a junior level or in regional international competitions, and 57 athletes received a Full Blue Award for representing their country at a senior level during their studies.
Griffith Sports College Director Naomi McCarthy OAM OLY.
Producing more Olympians than any other Australian university across the past three Olympic Games, Griffith was the first university to be recognised as an Australian Olympic Pathway University.
Griffith Sports College Director Naomi McCarthy OAM OLY said the Blues Awards was the highlight of Griffith’s sporting calendar.
“To have more than 80 student-athletes balancing university study with international competition is incredible,” Ms McCarthy said.
“It is a credit to our athletes and to Griffith for providing an environment where they can succeed in both.
“Tonight we have celebrated athletes who are already amongst the world’s best, and no doubt some who will be stars on the world stage in 2032.”
Griffith Hall of Fame
Recognising a legacy of excellence on and off the sporting field, the Griffith Hall of Fame honours athletes whose leadership, achievement and service have made a significant contribution to sport and the university.
Griffith Alumnus Ella Sabljak PLY (Bachelor of Primary Education) was honoured for her distinguished 15-year career in elite sport as a Paralympian, World Champion and Commonwealth Games medallist, as well as her enduring contribution to sport through athlete advocacy and leadership roles that have advanced opportunities for athletes with disability.
Griffith Alumnus Jeff Horn OLY (Bachelor of Education) was recognised for an outstanding boxing career that included winning the World Boxing Organisation World Welterweight Championship, alongside his dedication to teaching and co-founding a bullying prevention program that has delivered resilience education to children in regional communities.
Pro Vice Chancellor (Health) Professor Analise O’Donovan, Ella Sabljak PLY and Vice President (Advancement) Mr Marcus Ward Pro Vice Chancellor (Health) Professor Analise O’Donovan, Jeff Horn OLY and Vice President (Advancement) Mr Marcus Ward.
Athlete of the Year Award
Recognising his outstanding sporting achievement, Lachlan Kennedy OLY (Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)and aBachelor of Business) was named Athlete of the Year following a breakthrough season that saw him become Australia’s fastest man, break a 25-year-old 100m record and win a silver medal at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games in a time of 9.85 seconds.
Junior Athlete of the Year
Four athletes shared the Junior Athlete of the Year Award in recognition of outstanding performances on the international stage.
Isaac Beacroft (Bachelor of Business) won gold in the men’s 10,000m race walk at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, then claimed the world under-20 title in the 5,000m race walk at the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships.
Ali McCarthy (Bachelor of Education), Emmerson McEwen (Bachelor of Nursing and Graduate Certificate in Paediatric Nursing) and Isabelle O’Connor (Bachelor of International Tourism and Hotel Management, and Bachelor of Business) were members of the Australian team that won gold at the 2026 World Aquatics U18 Women’s Water Polo Championships, securing Australia’s first-ever Women’s U18 Championship title.
Interim Vice Chancellor and President Professor Liz Burd, Lachlan Kennedy OLY and ANZ State General Manager QLD Nathalie Hesse.Interim Vice Chancellor and President Professor Liz Burd, Emmerson McEwen, Ali McCarthy, Isabelle O’Connor and ANZ State General Manager QLD Nathalie Hesse.
Excellence in Action Award
Recognised for her sporting achievements, commitment to study and contribution to the community, swimming gold medallist Shayna Jack OAM OLY (Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice) received the Excellence in Action Award following two gold medals and two bronze medals at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games while completing her degree and serving as an ambassador for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
First Peoples Athlete of the Year Award
Torres Strait Islander sport climber Kyle Heuston-Connor (Bachelor of Advanced Engineering, majoring in Civil Engineering) received the First Peoples Athlete of the Year Award for continuing to excel on the international stage and competing in the World Climbing Oceania Series as he works towards qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Interim Vice Chancellor and President Professor Liz Burd, Shayna Jack OAM OLY and ANZ State General Manager QLD Nathalie Hesse.Interim Vice Chancellor and President Professor Liz Burd, Kyle Heuston-Connor and ANZ State General Manager QLD Nathalie Hesse.
Para Athlete of the Year Award
Curtis McGrath OAM PLY (Bachelor of Aviation Management) received the Para Athlete of the Year Award after achieving outstanding academic results while continuing his dominance on the international stage, winning gold in the Men’s KL2 200m at the Paracanoe World Cup in Germany and securing his 13th world championship title in Poland.
Academic Athlete of the Year
Aerial skier Sid Stephens OLY (Bachelor of Psychological Science) balanced the demands of elite sport with her studies achieving the highest grade-point average of all student-athletes, while representing Australia at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
Interim Vice Chancellor and President Professor Liz Burd, Curtis McGrath OAM OLY and ANZ State General Manager QLD Nathalie Hesse.Half Blue awardees.
Police officers follow basic principles of respectful policing, but new research shows the more emotionally demanding aspects of procedural justice can be harder to put into practice on the frontline.
The Griffith University study analysed body-worn camera (BWC) transcripts from random breath test (RBT) stops to observe how police officers applied a script containing the four key elements of procedural justice; neutrality, trustworthy motives, giving citizens a voice and dignity and respect.
The research was part of a larger road policing project, Operation Whiskey Rider, conducted by researchers from the Griffith Criminology Institute looking at police interactions with drivers and motorcycle riders at a high-crash mountain road location, Mount Glorious, on the outskirts of Brisbane.
Lead author and former police detective, Dr Margo van Felius said previous research in this field relied on public perceptions of how police were delivering procedural justice scripts.
“By analysing the body-worn camera transcripts, we were able to examine actual officer behaviour rather than relying solely on citizen perceptions,” Dr van Felius said.
Officers engaged riders using the procedural justice techniques and point-to-point cameras tracked the riders’ behaviour following the interaction, revealing a noticeable reduction in speeding.
Co-author Chief Inspector Corey Allen said Queensland Police had been working with Griffith University researchers since 2024 to develop a practical model officers could use to improve interactions with the public.
“From my own experience as a police officer, I know that people often remember how an officer made them feel long after the interaction has ended,” Chief Inspector Allen said.
“Taking the time to listen, explain our actions and treat people with dignity can make a significant difference to their confidence in police and their willingness to do the right thing.”
Co-author, Associate Professor Lyndel Bates said police officers who participated in the intervention were asked to complete an online learning package in procedural justice, incorporating a standardised script which they were required to memorise and adapt in their own words.
“While many officers reliably introduced themselves, conveyed road toll information, explained the survey, and offered a courteous farewell, other components of the script were far less consistently applied,” Associate Professor Bates said.
“Few officers explicitly articulated the random nature of the stop, acknowledged the emotional toll of notifying families of road fatalities, or addressed the dangers associated with mountain roads.”
“The study showed that police officers generally followed the respectful and straightforward parts of the script, but the elements requiring emotional engagement and two-way conversation were much harder to put into practice,” Dr van Felius added.
“That highlights an important gap between knowing the principles of procedural justice and confidently applying them during real-world interactions.”
Practical solutions to strengthen the use of procedural justice in the real world were required including better training, simpler scripts and ongoing support for police.
With summer fast approaching along with the inevitable heat and humidity, new Griffith University research is proving to be a timely reminder about the dangers of hot homes and the serious strain it can place on older Australians when the indoor temperature exceeds 26°C.
A team of researchers monitored the physiological effects of indoor overheating on older adults under real-world living conditions across an Australian summer in South East Queensland.
They followed 47 community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older and monitored their heart rate and physical activity, plus temperature and humidity data between December 2024 and March 2025, cataloguing more than 64,000 hours of data.
Indoor temperatures above 26°C increased cardiovascular stress in older adults with their heart rate increasing almost twice as rapidly compared with temperatures below 26°C.
Dr Fergus O’Connor
The research provided real-world evidence that hot homes were a health issue, not just a comfort issue.
Lead author Dr Fergus O’Connor from Griffith’s School of Allied Health, Sport and Social Work said older adults spend most of their time indoors, yet most heat-health advice focused on outdoor temperatures.
“Indoor heat exposure can place substantial strain on the heart and can remain this way for up to several hours after exposure suggesting cardiovascular strain accumulates and persists even after the mercury begins to fall,” Dr O’Connor said.
The results reinforced the World Health Organisation’s temperature recommendations and highlighted the need for improved housing design, affordable cooling solutions, targeted heat-health messaging, and support for heat-vulnerable populations.
Dr Aaron Bach
Dr Aaron Bach said for every 1°C increase in indoor temperature, heart rate increased by approximately 0.6 beats per minute.
“When the mercury reached or exceeded 26°C, heart rate increased by 1.3 beats per minute per degree Celsius, nearly double the rate observed below the threshold,” Dr Bach said.
“Interestingly, it was the indoor temperature rather than humidity which was the primary factor associated with increased cardiovascular strain.”
The paper ‘Indoor temperatures above 26°C impose disproportionate cardiovascular strain on older adults’ has been published in Temperature.
Dr Karin Plummer
Psychosocial interventions can significantly reduce pain and anxiety for children undergoing cancer treatment, new Griffith University research has found.
Dr Karin Plummer from Griffith’s School of Nursing and Midwifery investigated the efficacy of hypnosis, distraction techniques, virtual reality and mindfulness for children experiencing cancer pain.
Current evidence was largely focused on painful procedures such as needle insertions and lumbar punctures.
Dr Plummer conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 42 randomised controlled trials involving more than 2,000 children undergoing cancer treatment.
The studies were conducted across 16 countries and published between 1982 and 2025.
“Despite major advances in cancer survival, children with cancer continue to experience significant pain from treatments, procedures, and the broader impacts of the disease,” Dr Plummer said.
“The study found psychosocial interventions have an important role alongside medicines as part of comprehensive pain care for children with cancer.
“The most effective techniques for pain were hypnosis, distraction strategies, and mind-body approaches.
“Whereas virtual reality, other technology-based interventions, hypnosis and distraction showed benefits for pain-related anxiety.”
Psychosocial interventions could help children change how they experienced and responded to pain, including the anxiety, fear and distress which could make pain feel worse.
While they did not remove the medical cause of pain or replace medications, the findings supported their use as an important component of multimodal pain management and more holistic, child-centred cancer care.
Senior author Associate Professor Maria McCarthy from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) said: “This important review provides a strong foundation for research aimed at improving supportive care for children with cancer.”
“It will help guide the existing collaboration between Dr Karin Plummer, the MCRI and The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, with the evidence informing the development of new interventions designed to reduce pain and distress and improve outcomes for children and their families.
“This important review will help shape the next stage of research focused on improving the care and wellbeing of children with cancer.
“These findings will support the development of innovative approaches to reducing pain and distress and ensuring children and families receive the best possible care throughout their cancer journey.
“Despite advances in cancer treatment, many children continue to experience pain and distress throughout their cancer journey.
“By bringing together the available evidence, it provides a strong foundation for improving care and ensuring children and families receive the support they need during treatment.”
Parent Anneke Vanderham has experienced this first-hand.
“As a parent of a child who has undergone cancer treatment, I know dealing with the pain that comes with this treatment becomes a challenge that you must rise to everyday, and one which often leaves you feeling helpless,” she said.
“While pharmaceutical pain interventions are of course, invaluable, they have their limits.
“Psychosocial interventions can allow for a less traumatic overall experience for the children and the families supporting them.
“This review gives insight that will assist with the implementation of these interventions, providing hope in place of the helplessness for the future families who will be confronted with the issues our family faced.”
Dr Plummer hoped to see psychosocial interventions embedded in routine paediatric oncology care.
“The health industry should move away from viewing psychosocial interventions as optional extras and should view them as a core part of evidence-based paediatric cancer pain management, alongside medicines and other supportive care strategies,” she said.
The paper ‘Psychosocial interventions for reducing pain and pain-related distress in infants, children, and adolescents undergoing cancer treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials’ has been published in Pain.
Most of us could learn a thing or two from our sporting heroes.
But it is students at Brisbane State High School (BSHS) who are learning directly from one of the best, as Brisbane Lions Co-Captain Harris Andrews, fresh off the back of the Lions 2026 Season AFL Premiership three-peat, steps into the classroom to complete a practical placement that forms a key part of his teaching degree.
The five-week practical is the penultimate placement for Mr Andrews in his Bachelor of Education at Griffith Sports College, and will bring him closer to graduating as a qualified secondary school Health and Physical Education and Psychology teacher next year.
Mr Andrews’ placement was made possible as part of a new collaboration between Griffith University and Brisbane State High School to support elite student pathways and performance.
“The opportunity to learn from experienced teachers and get to know students has been amazing,” Mr Andrews said.
Coaching and teaching share a lot of the same traits; you’ve got to have genuine empathy and care, know how to motivate and be able to help others improve
Griffith Sports College Director, Naomi McCarthy OAM OLY, said the partnership strengthened opportunities for talented athletes to transition from school into university while continuing to pursue high-performance sport alongside their education.
(L to R) Naomi McCarthy OAM OLY, Sam Allen, Bronwyn Harch, Mark Arbib, Molly McGill, Harris Andrews, Greg Pierce, Tate Van Camp, Indiana Scheffler.
“The original teaching placement scheduled for Harris clashed with the AFL season, so we worked with him on alternative dates and his placement at BSHS was subsequently arranged,” Ms McCarthy said.
“Formalising our relationship with BSHS means we can also create stronger pathways for elite athletes studying there who may progress to Griffith.”
Griffith University is now home to an Australian-first robot fast-food delivery service.
Serve Robotics Inc., a leading autonomous robotics company, launched robot delivery units at both Griffith University and the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, marking both Australia’s first robotic delivery service and Serve’s first expansion beyond the United States.
“We’ve spent nearly a decade building a delivery model that works at scale across the United States, and the Gold Coast is where we take that model international for the first time,” said Ali Kashani, CEO and Co-founder of Serve Robotics.
“It has the walkable neighbourhoods this technology is built for, and a city that welcomes innovation.
“A city partner, a university depot and a delivery platform we already operate with at scale is a structure we can repeat, and the Gold Coast is the first proof of it.”
Starting today, eligible DoorDash customers ordering from participating local restaurants can choose to have their order delivered by a Serve robot.
The program will initially operate in the Gold Coast’s Health and Knowledge Precinct including the Griffith University Gold Coast campus.
Griffith University serves as the operational base for the fleet and Serve’s local team.
Hosting the depot on campus puts a working commercial robotics deployment alongside the students and researchers studying this technology.
Serve is currently hiring on the Gold Coast for operation and technician roles, based at the Griffith depot.
“Griffith’s world-first university partnership with Serve Robotics moves autonomous delivery technology from possibility to practical application for food delivery,” said Professor Bronwyn Harch, Vice President of Industry and External Engagement at Griffith University.
“Our partnership will explore how emerging technology can support safer, greener and more inclusive communities, while giving Griffith students practical experience and future-ready skills.”
“It is fitting the first robotic food deliveries in Australia will be made within one of the country’s leading innovation districts in the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, home to more than 3,000 residents and 20,000 students,” said Craig Rowsell, Director Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct.
“Serve Robotics joins other global technology companies basing operations in our Precinct.” sThe launch builds on Serve’s US partnership with DoorDash, which now spans five major metro areas since 2025.
Griffith Business School has recognised students making a difference through leadership, community service and professional development at its 2026 Co-curricular Awards.
The annual awards celebrate students who go beyond their academic studies to develop their skills, support their communities and create opportunities for others. This year’s recipients have demonstrated the value of getting involved, embracing new challenges and making the most of their time at Griffith.
Leadership Award
Rabi Olsen
The Leadership Award was presented to Rabi Olsen, whose leadership spans student organisations, international finance competitions and community services.
Rabi Olsen
Studying a Bachelor of Advanced Business (Honours), Rabi leads Griffith’s team in the CFA Institute Research Challenge, after returning from an unsuccessful selection attempt in 2025 to win the internal round in 2026. He also leads Griffith’s team in the McGill International Portfolio Challenge and is president of the Griffith Golfers Association, which he founded.
Beyond university, Rabi works as a Disability Support Worker with Multicap, where he has coordinated staff and supported children with a range of disabilities.
Rabi credits his mother, who raised him while working and studying, with shaping his understanding of leadership.
“Leadership is measured by where you take the people who depend on you, not by the position you hold,” he said.
Jake Lawrence and Julie Lyons were highly commended for the Leadership Award.
Jake founded the Griffith Student Investment Association, which has grown to more than 100 students and provides opportunities to develop practical finance skills and connect with industry. He has also raised more than $60,000 to help Griffith students participate in international finance competitions.
Julie Lyons was recognised for her leadership across research, disability services and community development. As Queensland Node Coordinator for the Indigenous Genomics Network at Griffith, she works with researchers, health professionals and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to support culturally responsive research and meaningful engagement.
Community Service Award
Samantha Pooley and Jade de Beer
Samantha Pooley
The Community Service Award recognises students who make a positive difference through volunteering, advocacy and support for others.
Samantha Pooley has channelled her passion for the safety and equality of women and children into fundraising for the Domestic Violence Prevention Centre (DVPC).
After signing up to run the Gold Coast Marathon in support of the organisation, Samantha organised fundraising initiatives, including a Bunnings sausage sizzle and a clothing market stall. With support from friends, family and local businesses, her sausage sizzle raised $2,183.45 in profit, exceeding her fundraising goal three months ahead of schedule.
Jade de Beer’s commitment to community service is grounded in the values of community and Ubuntu she grew up with in South Africa.
Jade de Beer
Jade volunteers weekly as an English tutor through the Adult Migrant English Programme, helping an adult migrant build language skills and confidence. She also volunteers as a social companion at Bethanie, supporting older residents through conversation and activities.
Her community work began in South Africa, where she founded the Creative Kids project, which collected more than 1,000 school books for disadvantaged students and raised funds for local charities.
For Jade, community service is about helping people feel connected and included.
“Being part of a community means contributing to it, looking out for others and supporting those around you,” she said.
BusinessPLUS Award
Brianna Margetts and Paris Grange
Brianna Margetts
The BusinessPLUS Award celebrates students who have embraced professional development, volunteering and industry experience alongside their studies.
Brianna Margetts, who is completing a Bachelor of Sport Development and Bachelor of Business, majoring in Sport Management, has used BusinessPLUS to build her confidence and pursue her passion for sport.
Since joining Griffith Sport as a volunteer in her first weeks at university, Brianna has progressed to supervising event leaders and securing paid employment with Griffith Sport. She has also served as Secretary of the Griffith Netball Club, helping grow participation in social sport competitions and improve club processes.
Her experiences have extended beyond campus, including a six-week internship in Tokyo through the Griffith Asia Business Internship program and an 80-hour internship with the Gold Coast Titans, where she gained practical experience in sport event operations.
Brianna said BusinessPLUS had encouraged her to pursue opportunities that challenged her and helped prepare her for a career in the sporting industry.
Paris Grange has also made the most of opportunities across professional development, industry experience and community involvement.
Paris Grange
As a dual degree student (Business and Law), Paris has completed internships with the Director of Public Prosecutions and Caxton Legal Centre, gaining insight into the legal profession and the importance of accessible legal services.
She has contributed to student life as Director of Student Experience for the Griffith University Law Society, previously serving as its LGBTQIA+ Officer. Paris has also supported fellow students through leadership camps, Orientation Week and the RAISE mentoring program.
Through BusinessPLUS, Paris said she had developed the confidence, practical experience and community focus to support her transition into the workforce.
The 2026 Co-curricular Award recipients demonstrate the impact of combining academic learning with leadership, volunteering and industry engagement.
Congratulations to all our winners on their achievements and contributions to the Griffith community.
Dr Jean Giacomotto
A humble fish can experience features of mental health conditions such as schizophrenia and autism, raising the possibility that some of our most complex social behaviours may be more deeply encoded in our DNA than previously thought.
Researchers from Griffith University’s Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics created the world’s first complete collection of zebrafish models lacking members of the neurexin gene family, one of the strongest group of genes associated with psychiatric disorders.
Despite no obvious changes in brain development or behaviour during their early development, the fish developed profound, permanent and highly specific behavioural changes emerging in their juvenile stage.
This delayed emergence was one of the central findings of the study and strikingly mimics the human disease trajectories.
Dr Jean Giacomotto said the findings challenged assumptions about the biological complexity required for mental-health-related behaviours.
“These animals function and behave remarkably normally early in life, but as they mature, removing specific neurexin genes led to profound changes in their social behaviour, anxiety and aggression, features also affected in patients with surprisingly comparable timing,” Dr Giacomotto said.
“The findings suggest that even highly complex behaviours may arise from deeply conserved biological and genetic programs.
“We often think of social behaviour as being shaped primarily by experience, environment and learning.
“Yet changing a single family of genes was enough to profoundly and permanently reshape how these animals interact with others and respond to their environment.” Zebrafish gave the researchers a unique window into the silent neuronal changes that precede the emergence of mental health conditions.
“Because they mimic the human diseases trajectory, we can now work backwards and identify when brain circuits begin to diverge, what triggers that transition, and whether we can intervene before severe behavioural changes emerge and possibly after to reverse them,” Dr Giacomotto said.
“The models also provide a novel and unique platform to search for treatments capable of preventing, delaying or reversing these changes.
“The ultimate goal is to move from genes, to mechanisms, to treatments.”
The paper ‘Towards modelling mental disorders in zebrafish. Neurexins severely modulate anxiety, affiliative social behaviour and aggression’ has been published in Molecular Psychiatry.
Eastern Australian humpback whales reach nearly their full adult size remarkably quickly, a new Griffith University-led study has found, as shown by the first contemporary growth curves for this recovering whale population.
PhD Candidate Stephanie Stack.
Published in Marine Mammal Science, the study combined drone-based aerial measurements with long-term photo-identification records to track growth across hundreds of whales ranging from newborn calves to adults more than 40 years old.
The research, led by Griffith University PhD Candidate Stephanie Stack in collaboration with the Pacific Whale Foundation in Hervey Bay, found eastern Australian humpback whales reached approximately 10.9m in length by the age of five and attained 90 per cent of their adult body length by about six to seven years of age.
Ms Stack said the findings suggested eastern Australian humpback whales grew faster than other humpback whale populations studied elsewhere in the world.
“This is faster growth than other humpback whale populations that have been measured,” she said.
“These are also the first contemporary growth curves developed for eastern Australian humpback whales using measurements from living animals, updating knowledge that has relied heavily on measurements collected during the commercial whaling era in the mid-20th century.
“These new growth curves establish a baseline for investigating how whale biology may respond to changing environmental conditions.”
Researchers collected measurements from 865 individually identified whales between 2021 and 2024 using non-invasive drone photogrammetry.
The dataset included calves, juveniles and adults, allowing growth during the important early years of life to be measured directly rather than inferred from older animals.
The study found growth was most rapid during early life before gradually slowing as whales approached their maximum adult size.
“Understanding how quickly whales grow provides another piece of the puzzle in understanding the biology of this recovering population. Growth influences many aspects of a whale’s life, including its health, energy requirements and potentially the timing of reproduction.”
PhD Candidate Stephanie Stack
The researchers collected measurements from 865 whales using non-invasive drone photogrammetry.
The new results aligned with historical estimates of adult body size from Australia, suggesting humpback whales have maintained similar adult lengths despite decades of population recovery and environmental change.
Eastern Australian humpback whales are recognised as one of the world’s most successful whale conservation stories, having recovered dramatically since the end of commercial whaling.
Ms Stack added the new growth curves provided an important benchmark for future monitoring of whale populations, and helped scientists investigate how humpbacks responded to changing ocean conditions.
“As environmental conditions continue to change, having robust biological benchmarks like these will be essential for understanding how whale populations are responding,” she said.
Ms Stack’s PhD research formed an important contribution to long-term monitoring of Southern Hemisphere humpback whales under the Humpback Whale Sentinel Programme.
