Meet Shannon
Founder of The Salty Tribe, ocean conservationist, salty sea guide, results coach and Wayapa Wuurrk Practitioner.
Shannon Hurley is on a mission to connect people to their salty side, so that their inner world and this blue planet can thrive.
She is the founder of The Salty Tribe (founded in 2021), and has been growing a community of salty sisters (and beyond in the future) empowered to care for themselves and the ocean in sustainable ways, through ocean retreats to swim with sharks and whales, and through scuba diving and snorkeling.
This mission was birthed after Shannon experienced bouts of anxiety and personal challenges, which left her disempowered and disconnected from herself, nature and her dreams. Shannon experienced how the ocean could be a powerful ally on the journey of pursuing internal health and wellbeing, and facing our fears.
Through developing a deeper connection to herself and the ocean, she experienced the importance of uniting personal well being with environmental health in a way that benefits both the individual and the oceans.
Professionally, Shannon has been a passionate advocate for the marine world. She has worked as a scuba diving instructor, travelled the world to explore the oceans, and has undertaken a variety of marine education, advocacy, and management roles across the NGO and government sectors.
Empowering people to make a difference for our seas and shores, through actions in our everyday lives is her way of addressing the environmental crisis we are all connected to, but in ways that empower hope rather than doom and gloom.
She is also fortunate to work as a Nature Campaigner with a focus on marine and coastal conservation at a leading nature organisation, the Victorian National Parks Association, a snorkel guide with Ecologic, a marine education business, and a scuba diving Instructor with Bay City Scuba.
She is an Internationally Certified Results Coach, and a qualified Wayapa Wuurrk Practitioner, an earth connection wellness practice, based on ancient Indigenous wisdom. She is also undertaking a course in the foundations of outdoor therapy.
The Salty Tribe is a safe place for women to grow their connection, confidence and community through the ocean.
Meet The Salty Tribe
The Salty Tribe offers outdoor health experiences through the incredible powers of the ocean.
We offer safe and supportive ocean experiences for women to grow their connection, confidence and community through the ocean. Where our inner power and adventurous spirit is ignited, where fears are embraced and challenges overcome. A place where women can increase their mental, emocean-al, physical, and earth wellbeing - all with a supportive community of women by their side.
We do this through ocean gathering events, retreats and personal ocean coaching sessions.
Our three C’s model - connection, confidence & community is designed to help ignite your inner power and place in this world - so you can thrive, and the ocean can can too!
Read more about The Salty Tribe’s mission here.
Shannon’s qualifications, passions and experiences
Shannon’s in-water and wellbeing qualifications include:
RAID Scuba Diving Instructor
TDI/SDI Snorkel Guide
SSI Freediving Instructor
Internationally Certified Results Coach
Wayapa Wuurrk Practitioner
First Aid + CPR qualifications
Community Surf Life Saving Certificate
Currently undertaking the Foundations in Outdoor Therapy course with Adventure Works Australia
Shannon has more than 10 years experience in marine conservation across both government and the NGO sector in advocacy, planning and management, policy, and community education and engagement. She has worked in the following roles:
Nature Conservation Campaigner, Victorian National Parks Association
Great Barrier Reef Campaigner, Australian Marine Conservation Society
Marine ranger, planner, project and education officer, Parks Victoria
Community organising, campaigning and leadership training
Scuba diving and freediving instructor roles in Fiji and in Australia
As an avid scuba diver and underwater photographer, she has also travelled the world to explore and have epic encounters in our oceans with sharks and much more, in places such as the Galapagos, South Africa, Asia and in Australia.
One of her favourite experiences was undertaking an 8 month ocean expedition, sailing from New Zealand to the Pacific islands of Vanuatu and the Solomon islands, where she worked and assisted as the head marine scientist, leading marine surveys and programs with the local community.
She is particularly passionate about sharks because she knows there is a different story that needs to be told – one that involves their conservation, and how small individual actions can make a difference, starting with what seafood we decide to put on our plates.
She is a bit of a personal development junkie and loves to combine this with ocean adventures and conservation, and no surprise that she is also an Internationally Certified Results Coach.
In her spare time she loves adventure, travel, sailing, camping, hiking, a good dance to some punk music every now and then, and enjoying great food with family and friends.
