Student animation supports turtle conservation campaign
CQUniversity Bachelor of Digital Media students have transformed a children's environmental story into an animated awareness campaign that could soon educate audiences at home and abroad about protecting endangered sea turtles.
Working with author, educator and former CQUniversity student Judith Stutchbury, students David Ford, Darcy Lalor and Lily Randell created a three-minute animation promoting the Queensland Government's 'Cut the Glow' initiative, which encourages communities to reduce unnecessary artificial lighting that can disorientate nesting and hatching turtles.
The project formed part of CQUniversity's annual pro bono client initiative, connecting students with community organisations to deliver real-world creative solutions while building industry experience.
Based on Ms Stutchbury's children's chapter book Hatch Saves the Reef, the animation follows a young loggerhead turtle named Hatch as she encounters environmental challenges including artificial light, coral bleaching and plastic pollution.
Ms Stutchbury said the brief challenged students to raise awareness of the importance of protecting endangered turtles and promote the Cut the Glow campaign.
"The students created an excellent animation merging the book characters with the Cut the Glow message," she said.
The completed animation is expected to launch during turtle season at the Mon Repos Turtle Centre and may also be shared through education and environmental networks in Australia and overseas.
Organisations including the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority have expressed interest in the resource, while the project is also set to be shared with the International Dark Sky Association and submitted to the Southampton University Green Stories Short Film Competition.
For Darcy, who served as client liaison, director and lead animator, the project provided an opportunity to combine storytelling, animation and environmental education.
"I wanted to ensure that the animation was able to communicate with an audience of all ages about the Cut the Glow issue in a scientifically accurate way while trying to keep viewers engaged," he said.
Darcy said the experience highlighted both the technical demands of animation and the importance of communication and teamwork when delivering work for a client.
"If you want to work in a particular profession, it's a good idea to gain experience and understanding of what it would be like to work in that field by doing these sorts of projects."
Fellow student Lily, who contributed as graphic designer, social media campaign planner and scrum master, said the project aligned closely with her career aspirations and personal interest in reef conservation.
"This project helped prepare me for my future career by giving me the opportunity to see what it would be like to work for a real client and with a team in a learning environment where we had the ability to make mistakes and learn from them before entering the workforce," she said.
Having spent much of her childhood on the reef and participating in her school's Reef Guardians program, Lily said it was rewarding to contribute to a project focused on environmental awareness while further developing her design and communication skills.
Ms Stutchbury said she was particularly impressed by the care, creativity and craftsmanship demonstrated throughout the project.
"I love that it is human made, not AI. It shows skill and clever artistry," she said.
"Animation is a process that requires much skill, time and attention to detail. I love their ability to bring the book characters to life.
"They were very professional with their communications and the end product exceeded my expectations."
CQUniversity Digital Media Lecturer, Ms Regina John Luan said the project highlighted the value of authentic industry experiences in developing students' creative and professional capabilities.
"Projects like Hatch give students the opportunity to apply their skills in a professional setting while creating meaningful outcomes for community organisations," she said.
"It's especially rewarding to see the students' work recognised for its creativity, craftsmanship and environmental impact, and to know the animation may help educate audiences far beyond the classroom."
Ms Stutchbury said the support shown by conservation, education and community organisations reinforced the impact the students' work could have.
"We are going global with their project," she said.
"It was lovely to be able to widen support for the students and their creative work for the environment."
Eligible organisations for the 2027 intake include not-for-profits, charities, councils, community groups, educational providers and government agencies seeking support with digital media and design projects. Applications close 29 January 2027. For more information or to apply, contact Regina John Luan at [email protected].
In 2027, the Bachelor of Creative Media (formerly the Bachelor of Digital Media) will be available online and at CQUniversity campuses in Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Cairns, Mackay and Brisbane.
