Great Barrier Reef fast facts
- The Great Barrier Reef (The Reef) is:
- the world's largest coral reef system, spanning more than 2,300 kilometres (1,400 miles) along the northeast coast of Australia, and covering 344, 400 square kilometres (133,000 square miles) in area.
- made up of some 3,000 individual coral reefs, 300 coral cays, 600 continental islands and approximately 150 inshore mangrove islands.
- home to more than 1,500 species of fish, 600 species of hard and soft corals, and thousands of other marine creatures, including dugongs, whales, sea turtles, and sharks.
- a UNESCO World Heritage site and is recognised as one of the seven natural wonders of the world.
estimated to be between 6,000 and 8,000 years old, making it a relatively young ecosystem in geological terms.
not just a natural wonder but also an economic one, generating more than $6 billion annually in tourism revenue for Australia and supporting more than 64,000 jobs. - under threat from climate change, including rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification, as well as pollution, overfishing, and other human activities.
Climate change is the greatest threat to the world’s coral reefs. Most coral reefs have already declined and are facing irreversible change.
Despite the threats facing the Reef, there are conservation efforts underway, including measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote sustainable tourism, and restore damaged areas of the Reef.
Visitors to the Reef can experience the beauty and diversity through activities such as snorkelling, diving, and boating, importantly in a responsible and sustainable way to minimise negative impacts on the ecosystem.
Click here for more Reef facts.
The Reef Authority
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (Reef Authority) is the Australian government agency responsible for the management and protection of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
The Reef Authority plays a crucial role in the protection and conservation of one of the world's most important and valuable ecosystems.
Our primary role is to ensure the long-term protection and conservation of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
To achieve this, the Reef Authority works with a range of partners, including scientists, Traditional Owners, industries, and the public, on policies and programs that help sustain the Great Barrier Reef's ecological, cultural, and economic values.
We work with our partners with the aim to protect the Great Barrier Reef for future generations.
- Some of our key responsibilities include:
- Developing and implementing management plans, policies, and programs for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
- Working with Traditional Owners to manage the cultural heritage values of the Reef.
- Conducting research and monitoring programs to understand the Reef’s health identify areas of concern.
- Regulating activities in the Marine Park to make sure they are ecologically sustainable.
- Providing advice and education to stakeholders on how to protect and conserve the Reef.
Reef Authority fast facts
- The Reef Authority was established in 1975 and is headquartered in Townsville, in the state of Queensland, Australia.
- We regulate and manage the use of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, including fishing, tourism, and shipping.
- We conduct research and monitoring to assess the health of the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem and to identify and address threats to its survival.
- Our Climate Change Action Plan is in place to address the impacts of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef.
- We employ around 250 staff members, including marine scientists, on-water compliance officers, education professionals, and administrative staff.
- Handy links for media:
- Filming and photography on the Reef
- Accessing the Reef – zoning, permits, locations and more
- Find out more about our world-leading programs
- Publications, reports, maps and more
- Find a High Standard Tourism Operator
- Visiting the Reef
- Coral bleaching 101
- Managing a World Heritage icon
- View the latest news
Image library
Story pitches
- Looking for some great story ideas to get you out on the Great Barrier Reef? We can help:
- The ancient heart of the Great Barrier Reef: meet the Traditional Owners of Reef Land and Sea country, learn about the cultural significance of the Great Barrier Reef to First Nations people, and discover more about their history and their traditions.
- The best ways to explore the Great Barrier Reef: see the Reef with High Standard Tourism Operators, including scuba diving, snorkeling, and guided tours. Where to go, what to do and most importantly how to make sure your visit is sustainable and helps protect the Reef for the future.
- Reef Blueprint 2030: The Reef Authority’s roadmap to strengthen Reef resilience. Working with an ever-growing body of scientific data combined with Traditional knowledge and valued information from partners, industry, and the community.
- Clone wars: How the Reef Authority is leading the charge in the battle against the ultimate coral killing machine, the crown-of-thorns starfish. What is being done and how a single shot of vinegar can help manage this coral hungry starfish.
- The best-of-the-best on the Reef: meet the highly trained and skilled Master Reef Guides who bring their passion, skills, storytelling, and expertise to enhance your experience visiting the Great Barrier Reef and help you understand what you can do to help protect this natural wonder.
- Below the surface: Meet and understand the diverse range of marine life that can be found in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, including sea turtles, sharks, and colourful fish. Our experts tell their stories of the wonderful world under the sea.
- Under pressure: The Reef is facing increasing pressures from climate change, poor fishing practices and the human impacts on water quality. The 2023−24 summer also saw substantial climate driven impacts across the Great Barrier Reef, with widespread coral bleaching, two cyclones and several severe flood events. We look at what is being done to ease the pressure to boost Reef resilience.
- Protecting the Reef now and into the future: Reef tourists can help protect the natural wonder of the Great Barrier Reef, which attracts millions of tourists every year. That is where sustainable tourism is important. Our subject matter experts explain responsible Reef practices, and how visiting the Reef with our accredited High Standard Tourism Operators can help this stunning natural wonder remain intact for generations to come.
- Coral bleaching: what is, why is and how is of bleaching, and the impacts of climate stress on the Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is but one of many coral reef systems across 53 countries that have experienced widespread coral bleaching in the last 12 months. What are the impacts of increasing global temperatures on the Great Barrier Reef and what can be done to take the pressure off. The Reef is facing increasing pressures from climate change, poor fishing practices and the human impacts on water quality. The 2023−24 summer also saw substantial climate driven impacts across the Great Barrier Reef, with widespread coral bleaching, two cyclones and several severe flood events. We look at what is being done to ease the pressure to boost Reef resilience.
Reef Authority media experts
A selection of our subject matter experts to aid in your media, story-telling and campaigns.
Roger is the Reef Authority’s Chief Scientist. He has held several senior management roles since he joined the Reef Authority in 2008 including positions in Climate Change, Reef Knowledge, Reef Interventions and Tourism and Stewardship. His current role is the culmination of more than two decades working to protect the Reef, and focuses on communicating the Reef Authority’s key management initiatives to the community and developing science collaborations with national and international research teams to better protect the Reef for future generations.
In recent years Roger has focused on the expansion and delivery of the Crown-of-thorns starfish control work and coordination with the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program. These initiatives are delivered in partnership with government, not-for-profit, industry, community and Traditional Owners, serving as front-line response actions that can be taken to protect the Reef for future generations. The demonstrated coral protection outcomes delivered by the COTS control program aid the implementation of the Reef 2050 plan, inform the five-yearly Outlook report, and underpin resilience-based management of the Great Barrier Reef as the climate changes.
Originally from the UK, Roger moved to Townsville in 2004 to complete an MSc degree in Marine Biology at James Cook University. Since then, he has combined this knowledge with 12 years of commercial marketing experience from the pharmaceutical industry to identify strategies to support the future of the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem under a changing climate. In partnership with a range of scientific, government and non-government organisations Roger has focused on improving Reef stewardship and building knowledge about the resilience of coral reef ecosystems to climate change. Roger completed a PhD in 2014 that examined how individuals, industry and managers can jointly assess reef health to inform actions to support the resilience of the Great Barrier Reef.
Roger provides expert advice that informs decision-making and policy and is a highly experienced science communicator.
Dr Jess Stella is part of the Reef Authority’s Reef health team.
Jess is a marine ecologist, specialising in climate change impacts on coral-associated invertebrates and marine park manager with a strong focus on the effects of climate change on the Reef system.
She regularly provides expert advice on relevant Reef issues – climate change, harvest fisheries, state of the Reef - to guide policy development, and is a highly experienced science communicator.
Dr David Williamson is a marine science and management professional with a research and consultancy track record spanning 25 years.
He has worked throughout Australia and the Indo-Pacific and gained broad experience in coral reef ecology, experimental research, field surveys and marine park management.
He has published more than 60 peer-reviewed papers in international journals.
David is currently working for the Reef Authority for the Crown-of-thorns Starfish Control Program.
Dr Mark Read is a wildlife biologist and the Reef Authority’s Director of Field Management Strategy. He specialises in the conservation, management and sustainable use of species and habitats.
Through the Reef Joint Field Management Program, he works in partnership with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, state and commonwealth agencies, Traditional Owners, Reef users and other stakeholders to develop practical and pragmatic ways to minimise the impact of natural and human-related activities on the Reef.
A large component of this work is considering and testing the application of adaptive management actions (interventions) to island and marine habitats to enhance resilience.
Fiona Merida is the Director of Reef Education and Engagement at the Reef Authority and holds a degree in Marine Biology, specialising in the Great Barrier Reef.
Fiona has 20 years’ experience in tourism management and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park protection.
Her particular focus is on providing targeted tools to build the capacity of individuals to contribute to Reef protection and awareness through programs such as Eye on the Reef and Master Reef Guides.
Fiona is a highly experienced science communicator, and her portfolio includes oversight of the Reef Authority’s Tourism Reef Advisory Committee and flagship programs such as the High Standard Tourism Operators Program, Master Reef Guides, Reef Guardian Councils and Reef Guardian Schools.
Latest news and events
Media contact details
media@gbrmpa.gov.au
235 Stanley Street, Townsville | PO Box 1379 Townsville QLD 4810
