The survival of species across the Great Barrier Reef runs deeper than the protection of the world’s largest coral reef. It is about the protection of the world’s longest continuous culture, protecting the culture and customs of the first people, the Traditional Owners of the Great Barrier Reef. 

Across the more than 70 Traditional Owner groups who hold a deep connection to Great Barrier Reef Sea Country, there are species integral to their culture and customs. 

Turtles, dugongs, stingrays, seagrass, islands and so, so much more. From totems to essential parts of cultural practices and places, the species found along the Great Barrier Reef hold a deep importance to the Traditional Owners of the Great Barrier Reef. 

Twenty years is but a drop in the ocean of time that is the Great Barrier Reef’s history.

Across its great history, custodians have always lived closely, respecting and managing this beautiful natural wonder. But it is only in the past 20 years, that a partnership agreement has been forged to protect the Reef by combining modern day management practices with cultural knowledge and understanding. Through Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreements, we recognise Native Title and the inherent rights of Reef Traditional Owners to managing their Sea Country. 

Where the origins of these agreements centred around the sustainability of marine resources for traditional use, they now encompass a wholistic approach and a deep understanding of how all is connected across Sea Country.

With Traditional Owners at the forefront of managing the Sea Country through these Agreements, modern day science combines with thousands of years of cultural knowledge to form one of the most instrumental management actions for the protection of the Great Barrier Reef and the cultures it sustains. Today 43 per cent of the Great Barrier Reef coastline is accounted for under these agreements. 

Find out more about TUMRAs here.