Katie Gwynne

Like many Australians, I grew up fishing, boating and exploring the ocean. My favourite time of day was watching the sun set over the Indian Ocean. I was drawn both to the certainty of the tides and the mystery of what lay beneath the surface and beyond the horizon. That curiosity, combined with a desire to protect the marine environment, has shaped a career of more than 30 years focused on the sustainable development of ocean and coastal industries.

Throughout my career, I have managed the environmental performance of some of Australia’s largest and most energy-intensive industrial developments. My work has spanned aluminium smelting in coastal Queensland, alumina refining on Western Australia’s south-west coast, oil and gas operations in north-west Australia, and, more recently, offshore renewable energy projects in New South Wales.

The United Nations identifies climate change as the most significant threat to the ocean. Recognising the need to decarbonise Australia's energy-intensive industries, I have become increasingly interested in the role offshore renewable energy can play in the nation's energy transition. While offshore wind is well established in Europe and the United Kingdom, its successful development in Australia will depend on collaboration with existing ocean users, particularly commercial fisheries.

As a Director of the Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre, I share responsibility for guiding research and innovation that supports the sustainable development of both emerging and established ocean industries.

Through a Churchill Fellowship, I aim to investigate and document successful examples of coexistence between offshore renewable energy and fisheries. By bringing these lessons to Australia, I hope to build industry confidence and develop practical tools that support thriving fisheries alongside a growing offshore renewable energy sector.