2021
About the document
For over 40 years, the Australian and Queensland governments have had a strong, cooperative approach to protecting, conserving and managing the Reef.
In 2015, Australia embarked on a new long-term adaptive planning approach to protect the Reef. The centrepiece of this is the thirty-five year Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan.
The Reef 2050 Plan is Australia’s overarching long-term strategy for the protection and management of the Great Barrier Reef to support its health and resilience.
The Reef 2050 Plan is delivered jointly by the Australian and Queensland governments in collaboration with local governments, Traditional Owners, researchers, industries and communities.
Reef 2050 Plan Key Achievements celebrates some of the biggest achievements to date under the Reef 2050 Plan.
Infographic text
Australian and Queensland government investment in protecting the Reef increased to a record $3 billion over 10 years
- Almost halfway to the 2025 target of 60% reduction in dissolved inorganic nitrogen load leaving Reef catchments (25.5% reduction achieved)
- Over halfway to the 2025 target of 25% reduction in fine sediment load leaving Reef catchments (14.6% reduction achieved)
- Improved cane and grazing land management practices across almost 1.8 million hectares, reducing 366 tonnes of dissolved inorganic nitrogen over 3 years through the Reef Trust’s Growing a Great Barrier Reef project
- 13,000 hectares of coral reef protected under the Australian Government’s crown-of-thorns starfish control program covering 247 reefs and over 275,000 starfish culled
- Over 1,000 inspections under the Reef protection regulations since 2016, improving compliance rates by 20%
- More than 125 projects funded by the Queensland Reef Water Quality Program with almost $200 million invested in regional communities creating over 230 jobs
- 44.6 tonnes of marine debris cleared from Great Barrier Reef beaches through the Australian Government Reef Trust funded ReefClean project
- More than 1,700 hectares* of trees to be planted in Great Barrier Reef catchments through Land Restoration Fund Round 1 investments
- Expanded the Reef Joint Field Management Program to protect the Reef and uphold compliance including increasing staff by more than 60%
- Australian Government Reef Trust Partnership funding for the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program. With a further $50 million of research and scientific contributions from research partners
- Vessel tracking has been rolled out to more than 1,400 commercial fishing boats
- Protected riparian vegetation and reduced land clearing in priority Reef catchments through strengthening the Vegetation Management Act 1999
- Banned the dumping of capital dredge spoil in the World Heritage Area and limited port expansions to four major ports through the Sustainable Ports Development Act 2015
- The Reef 2050 Integrated Monitoring and Reporting Program has developed a cutting-edge Reef Knowledge System to track progress against the Reef 2050 Plan and guide management decisions
- $5.5m* provided annually to 11 Indigenous organisations in Reef catchments who employ 46 Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers
- Approximately 420 projects* funded through the Australian Government Clean Energy Finance Corporation’s $1 billion Reef Funding Program
* These achievements were made in addition to the $3 billion the Australian and Queensland governments are investing to protect the Reef.