Behind the Documentary Corals On Your Doorstep - Hervey Bay

View Corals on Your Doorstep Documentary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpxAehWoJY4

Corals on Your Doorstep is a two-time award-winning documentary at the Fraser Shorts Film Festival, directed and filmed by Breannah Mitchell. Dive into the coral wonderland of Hervey Bay’s 6,500-year-old reefs stretching along the foreshore. The film follows the inspirational story of Jasper, a passionate young citizen whose deep connection to the coral reefs strengthens his bond with his late father.

SYNOPSIS

Along the foreshore of Hervey Bay lies an extraordinary and often-overlooked ecosystem—6,500-year-old coral reefs, thriving just metres from where people walk, swim, and live their everyday lives. Unlike the distant reefs Australians often imagine, these corals exist right on our doorstep.

Corals on Your Doorstep is a short, intimate documentary that invites audiences beneath the surface of this hidden world through the story of Jasper, a young local deeply connected to the reef. For Jasper, the coral is more than an environmental marvel—it is a place of memory, belonging, and connection to his late father.

Through snorkelling, observation, and reflection, Jasper reveals how time spent on the reef shaped his relationship with his father, and how that bond continues through his care for the ocean. As Jasper navigates grief, responsibility, and hope for the reef..

Blending personal storytelling with environmental awareness, the film highlights how protecting local ecosystems is not just about conservation, but about preserving stories, relationships, and identity. Corals on Your Doorstep reframes climate and environmental conversations through intimacy—showing how caring for nature can also be an act of love and remembrance.

Director's Inspiration:

I have worked in the film industry for over ten years, running my business, BM Film Productions. Unfortunately, my life changed dramatically after my first COVID vaccine in 2021, it was the straw that broke the camels back on an overworked nervous system. Shortly afterwards, I became seriously unwell and was diagnosed with Post COVID Vaccine Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, POTS and Autoimmune Vasculitis.

During the first year of illness, everything felt uncertain. I could feel my business slowly slipping through my fingers as working became increasingly difficult. Depression set in, and my body no longer felt like a safe place to be.

I have always loved the ocean, ever since I was a little girl, it has been a place of wonder for me, but during this time it became something much deeper. The ocean became my escape — a place where I could momentarily forget the pain in my body. The underwater world made me feel safe, calm, and held me in a way nothing else could.

As I spent more time beneath the surface, I began to draw parallels between the reefs and my own life. The reefs were stressed, damaged, and still recovering from past flooding events and coral bleaching — yet they were still alive, still fighting to heal. In many ways, I saw myself reflected in them.

I knew I wanted to do whatever I could to protect something that had helped carry me through one of the hardest periods of my life. I wanted to raise awareness about the incredible reefs we have in Hervey Bay and highlight how healing our natural world can be — not only for our physical bodies, but for our mental health as well.

Back in 2022, I completed my free-diving course on the Great Barrier Reef, which allowed me to develop my underwater camera skills and truly immerse myself in that enviroment. In 2025, I finally picked up my cinema camera again. Storytelling has always been my passion, especially telling stories that connect people emotionally to the world around them.

Jasper had been a youth ambassador for two years, and hearing his story deeply moved me. He shared how the reefs helped him through one of the most difficult times of his life after losing his dad. His experience reinforced what I already felt — that so many people can relate to the beauty and healing power of our natural world, and how it can help us through some of the toughest moments we will ever face.

Our youth's voices should be heard

When I met Jasper through CoralWatch, I was deeply moved by the kind of young person he is. He is incredibly inspiring—so wise beyond his years that you would think he was in his late fifties, yet he is only fifteen. His insight, care, and awareness stayed with me long after we spoke.

Listening to our youth is not just important—it is essential. They are the ones who will inherit this Earth, the ones who will carry the weight of caring for it long after we are gone. Yet too often, their voices are overlooked. The older generations, before us have so much to learn.

It is heartbreaking to realise how rarely young people are truly heard on the issues that matter most to them. They carry deep concern, fear, and hope for the future, and they deserve to be listened to with respect, urgency, and care.

Completing this documentary with Jasper highlighted just how vital our younger generations are. It revealed how deeply they care for our environment—and drawing the connection back, what the earth gives to us we must give back.

Looking after the environment is not just important and personal to Jasper but it highlights it should be personal and important to all of us. His passion is a reminder that caring for our planet is not optional—it is a responsibility we share, now and for the generations to come.

Thank you for reading our seventh blog! Subscribe, like and comment to stay updated and catch our future posts!!