Transparent collection and sharing of data are becoming the standard for best practice in ecological research worldwide. This includes preregistering studies and making data publicly available so that studies are reproducible. However, these processes are based on Western scientific practices and rarely include Indigenous peoples and knowledge systems. Marine ecological research is no exception, with limited progress integrating different knowledge systems. Our project endeavors to address this problem in the context of undergraduate ecology and marine biology subjects that collect annual data from rocky intertidal marine habitats in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. The goal is to explore ways to collect ecological data during these subjects in a way that is respectful, of interest and benefit to First Peoples. We will share our progress in co-designing the data collection, interpretation and communication process and how it contributes to tertiary-level ecology and marine biology education. Broader outcomes of the project will be highlighted, which include examining responsibilities when working on Sea Country and considering how knowledge of marine systems, for example fisheries, is used differently within cultural contexts. This work will narrow the perceived gaps in our ideas of Western and Indigenous knowledges for both marine ecological research and education.