Celebrities, musicians help Earth Hour shine a light on Australia's Great Barrier Reef

March 20, 2014: This year, an all-star celebrity cast is getting behind Earth Hour to focus Australia’s attention on the urgent need to protect the Great Barrier Reef from the impacts of climate change.

The world’s first Earth Hour documentary, It’s Lights Out for the Reef, will screen nationally on Saturday, March 29, revealing the true nature of the effects of climate change on the Reef, and will be hosted by Australia's biggest YouTube star Natalie Tran (more than half a billion views on YouTube) and the musical comedy band who boast the highest rated comedy song of all time on YouTube, The Axis of Awesome (more than 90 million YouTube views).

It’s Lights Out for the Reef will feature appearances by Australia's best-known science communicators Dr Karl and Tim Flannery and will be screened at more than 1000 community events and gatherings around Australia, and on Network Ten at 4:30pm, before the “lights out” moment at 8:30pm.

YouTube star Natalie Tran said: "We encourage all families and supporters around Australia to attend an Earth Hour event or documentary screening and then turn your lights out at 8:30pm to make a stand for the Reef."

Earth Hour will also launch an original music video on Wednesday, March 26 to remind people to turn out their lights out on Earth Hour evening.

Written and performed by The Axis of Awesome, the video features Aussie musicians Rob Mills, Urthboy, John Paul Young, Steve Clisby, Kevin Borich and Leo Sayer, as well as actors and TV personalities Imogen Bailey, John Jarratt, Em Rusciano, Amanda Duval, Analise Brakkensiek and Michael Caton. Former Liberal leader John Hewson also makes an appearance.

Other Earth Hour ambassadors lending their support include Olympic swimmer and gold medalist Libby Trickett, supermodel Kristy Hinze, TV presenter Magdalena Roze and celebrity chef Darren Robertson.

Anna Rose, Earth Hour National Manager, said: "We're thrilled to have such great Aussie talent joining in our Earth Hour celebrations to inspire action on climate change before it’s ‘lights out’ for one of the world’s most iconic sites, the Great Barrier Reef.”

Australians are encouraged to register their Earth Hour gathering at www.earthhour.org.au.

Earth Hour is powered by WWF.

-ENDS-

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