Chelonia mydas

One of Australia's most recognised marine turtles, the Green Turtle is commonly encountered in tropical and subtropical waters and regularly visits the NSW coastline. Adults spend much of their lives grazing on seagrass meadows and algae, playing a critical role in maintaining productive coastal habitats.

Green turtles undertake extraordinary migrations between feeding areas and nesting beaches, sometimes travelling several thousand kilometres. Females return to the same region where they hatched to lay their eggs, relying on the Earth's magnetic field to navigate across vast ocean distances.

Did you know?

Although called 'Green Turtles', their shells (carapace) are usually brown or olive. Their name comes from the green colour of fat beneath their shell.

Caretta caretta

Named for its unusually large, powerful head, the Loggerhead Turtle is one of Australia's most iconic marine reptiles. These turtles are well adapted for crushing hard-shelled prey such as crabs, molluscs and sea urchins using their exceptionally strong jaws. Loggerheads occur along Australia's eastern, western and northern coastlines and are one of the species most frequently found in New South Wales.

Adult Loggerheads undertake impressive migrations between feeding grounds and nesting beaches, with females returning every few years to lay their eggs. While the largest nesting populations are found in southern Queensland and Western Australia, juvenile and adult Loggerheads regularly forage in the coastal waters of New South Wales.

Loggerhead populations have experienced significant declines over the past century due to fishing interactions, habitat degradation and marine pollution, making ongoing conservation efforts vital for their recovery.

Did you know?

A Loggerhead's head is so powerful that it can easily crush the shell of crabs, whelks and conchs, allowing it to feed on prey that many other marine animals cannot.

Eretmochelys imbricata

With its beautifully patterned shell and distinctive bird-like beak, the Hawksbill Turtle is considered one of the most striking marine turtle species. Primarily found on tropical coral reefs, Hawksbills use their narrow, pointed beaks to reach into crevices and extract sponges, an important part of their diet.

By feeding on fast-growing sponges, Hawksbills help to prevent them from overwhelming corals, supporting the health and diversity of reef ecosystems. Although they are most common throughout northern Australia, Hawksbills are occasionally recorded along the northern coast of New South Wales, particularly during warmer months.

Historically, Hawksbills were heavily exploited for their ornate shells (carapaces), which were used to make jewellery and decorative items. Today, international protection has reduced this trade, but habitat loss and climate change continue to threaten the species.

Did you know?

Hawksbill Turtles are one of the few animals able to safely eat certain toxic reef sponges that are harmful to many other marine species.

Lepidochelys olivacea

The Olive Ridley Turtle is the smallest of Australia's marine turtles, recognised by its rounded, olive-green shell (carapace) and highly adaptable lifestyle. It inhabits tropical and subtropical oceans around the world and is most commonly found in northern Australian waters, although individuals are occasionally recorded much further south, including in New South Wales.

Olive Ridleys feed on a varied diet that includes crustaceans, jellyfish, molluscs, fish and algae, allowing them to thrive in a range of marine habitats from coastal waters to the open ocean.

Around the world, this species is famous for a remarkable nesting behaviour known as arribada, where thousands of females come ashore together just over a few nights to lay their eggs. This extraordinary spectacle is one of nature's largest wildlife gatherings, although it does not occur in Australia.

Did you know?

Some Olive Ridley nesting beaches can host tens of thousands of turtles arriving together during a single nesting event. This is called an arribada.

Dermochelys coriacea

The Leatherback Turtle is unlike any other marine turtle. Rather than having a hard shell made of bony plates, its body is covered by a thick, leathery skin with seven distinctive ridges running from head to tail. It is also the largest living turtle on Earth, with some individuals growing over two metres long and weighing more than 600 kilograms.

Leatherbacks spend most of their lives in the open ocean, travelling extraordinary distances across entire ocean basins. They regularly dive deeper than 1,000 metres in search of jellyfish, their preferred food, and can tolerate colder waters than any other sea turtle, thanks to specialised adaptions that help retain body heat.

Although Leatherbacks are only occasional visitors to Australian waters are rarely seen off the New South Wales coast, their vast migrations connect Australia's oceans with ecosystems across the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Did you know?

Leatherback Turtles can dive deeper than almost any other marine reptile, reaching depths of over one kilometre in search of food.

Natator depressus

The Flatback Turtle is unique to Australia, and the waters of southern Papua New Guinea, making it the country's only endemic marine turtle. As its name suggests, it has a noticeably flatter shell (carapace) than other sea turtles, with upturned edges that give it a distinctive appearance.

Unlike other marine turtles that migrate across entire oceans, Flatbacks generally remain within Australia's continental shelf, spending their lives in relatively shallow coastal waters. They nest exclusively on Australia's northern beaches and are not naturally found in New South Wales. 

Flatback hatchlings are also unique. Instead of drifting in ocean currents during their early years like most sea turtles, young Flatbacks remain in Australia's coastal waters, where they continue to grow in protected habitats.

Did you know?

Flatback turtles don't nest anywhere else in the world. They are one of Australia's truly unique marine animals.

Lepidochelys kempii

The Kemp's Ridley Turtle is the world's rarest marine turtle and is not naturally found in Australian waters. Native to the Gulf of Mexico and parts of the Atlantic Ocean, it is recognised by its small size, rounded shell (carapace) and preference for shallow coastal habitats.

Like the Olive Ridley, Kemp's Ridleys are known for spectacular mass nesting events, where thousands of females emerge simultaneously to lay their eggs. During the twentieth century, the species experienced dramatic declines due to egg collection, accidental capture in fisheries and habitat loss. Intensive conservation efforts have helped stabilise some populations, although it remains one of the world's most threatened sea turtles.

Including the Kemp's Ridley alongside Australia's six resident species highlights the global diversity of marine turtles and the international importance of marine conservation.

Did you know?

Kemp's Ridley Turtles are the smallest sea turtle species in the world, with adults typically weighing less than 50 kilograms.