In October 1981 the Great Barrier Reef was placed on the World Heritage List for its outstanding universal value to the world.  Thirty three years later we are working harder than ever before to ensure the reef retains the values for which it was first listed.

The Great Barrier Reef was the first coral reef ecosystem in the world to receive World Heritage status and was also one of Australia’s first such places, achieving this status at the same time as Kakadu National Park and the Willandra Lakes region.

The Great Barrier Reef remains an incredibly diverse and rich marine environment, and retains the values for which it was listed as World Heritage.

Protecting this iconic natural wonder for future generations is vital.

Effort and work by the Australian and Queensland governments, industry and reef communities has now been drawn together in a master plan to protect the reef with our Reef 2050 Long-term Sustainability Plan.  This Plan is the most complex and comprehensive analysis of environmental management arrangements ever undertaken in Australia.

Developed in partnership with a wide range of reef users, the Reef Plan will guide governments, the community and industry in their work to achieve clear targets for improving the condition of the reef over decades.  The Reef Plan was open for public comment until 27 October 2014.

The Australian Government has also established a new Reef Trust which will build on current investments with a focus on known critical areas for intervention.

Like the World Heritage Committee, there is recognition that the Great Barrier Reef is facing challenges.  There is a clear plan and a strong commitment to ensure the reef is healthy and resilient – and we are making strong progress.

Water quality in the World Heritage area is improving as a result of a partnership between farmers and governments to stop fertilisers, chemicals and sediments running off farming land and into the rivers and creeks along the Queensland coast.

Culling coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish using lethal injections on some of our most important reefs is a significant scientific breakthrough which has increased the effectiveness of this programme. More than 300,000 crown-of-thorns starfish have now been destroyed.

The Australian Government has worked hard to eliminate the disposal of capital dredging in the Marine Park. We’ve listened to the concerns of the World Heritage Committee and we’ve changed a century-old practice.

There were five major capital dredging proposals either planned or under active assessment in September 2013 when this Government was elected. These projects had been advanced by former Bligh and Gillard ALP governments.  This Government has been working closely with project proponents and the Queensland Government, and none of the dredge material from these projects is proposed for disposal in the Marine Park.  Disposing of capital dredging in the Marine Park will be a thing of the past.

We’re also passing laws to protect turtles and dugongs from poaching, and funding will be provided to help reduce marine debris in their habitat.

The Australian and Queensland governments are jointly investing approximately $180 million a year in the reef’s health – that’s billions of dollars over the next decade.

This Government is determined to ensure the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area remains internationally recognised for its Outstanding Universal Value and for the world class environmental management systems that protect it.