Citizen science is a valuable tool for scientists to help inform and assist conservation projects, particularly for rare, difficult to locate species, such as cryptobenthic fish. The White’s Seahorse (Hippocampus whitei) is endemic to Australia and currently one of the two seahorse species listed worldwide as Endangered. While aspects of their ecology in New South Wales is well understood, very little is known about this species in Queensland. In this study, we compared citizen science to survey data to gain preliminary insights into the potential habitats of H. whitei in Queensland. Over 94 individual sightings have occurred since 2013 in Queensland, ranging from Bundaberg to Tweed Heads. These sightings were used to assess potential habitats and microhabitats (holdfasts) of H. whitei and inform ‘hotspot’ locations to focus research efforts. This data was then compared to preliminary SCUBA and snorkelling field survey data to assess the effectiveness of using citizen science to inform surveys. Our research emphasises that while citizen science can be an effective tool, it should be used in conjunction with research data, not isolated. Regardless, this study highlights the important place citizen science has in informing research on threatened species, particularly in locations where previous research is lacking.