Australian Survivor’s Laura Wells stars in Whitsundays documentary

A new documentary film might make you think differently about the natural wonder of the Whitsundays labelled ‘in danger’.

A new documentary filmed in the Whitsundays aims to be a catalyst for change by highlighting positive and negative human impacts on the Great Barrier Reef.

Premiering online on August 5, the 13-minute film, ‘Paradise Won’t Protect Itself’ follows Australian Survivor contestant Laura Wells, marine biologist Johnny Gaskell, and South African big wave surfer Frank Solomon as they take a deep dive into the coral reef network around the Whitsunday Islands, and what we can all do to help it thrive.

Johnny Gaskell, Frank Solomon, and Laura Wells exploring the Whitsundays in the new Great Barrier Reef documentary ‘Paradise Won't Protect Itself’. Picture: Supplied

Ms Wells, who travelled up from Cronulla, NSW, to take part in the film in early 2020, said she was keen to get involved to help showcase the “incredible” beauty of the reef and ongoing efforts to preserve it for generations to come.

A passionate marine biologist herself, Ms Wells was blown away by the work of scientists like Whitsunday-based Mr Gaskell, who leads a team pioneering a reef restoration program, and hoped this would rub off on viewers.

“The film’s all about encouraging people to get educated, get curious, and find out what you can do be part of the solution,” Ms Wells said.

“As humans, everything we do is so intertwined with nature, and we need to be accountable for that,” she said.

Australian Survivor contestant and marine biologist Laura Wells collecting plastic rubbish from a Whitsunday beach during filming for the documentary in 2020. Picture: Supplied

Ms Wells’ particular area of interest is the “growing epidemic” of plastic pollution in the ocean.

Her top tip for anyone wanting to take action to help the reef immediately after watching the film was to simply be more mindful about consumption of single use plastics such as disposable coffee cups, plastic bags, and cutlery.

“Think about where it’s come from – which is from oil – and where it goes, because a lot of it doesn’t get recycled,” she said.

The film is available to stream for free via Vimeo.

The film’s participants hope to inspire people to become ‘part of the solution’ to challenges facing the Great Barrier Reef. Picture: Supplied

The film is part of Corona x Parley’s joint “mission to protect paradise”. Find out more here.