Reef Trust

03/09/2026

Communities taking action to protect the . 🪸🌊

Funding is now available through Round 2 of the Protecting the Great Barrier Reef – Community Stewardship Program to help communities deliver practical projects that protect and care for the Reef. Up to $7.538 million is available.

Whether you're working to strengthen community stewardship with a focus on protecting habitats, supporting key reef species, reducing impacts of a changing climate or improving water quality, we want to hear from you.

🤝 Support local action.
🌱 Protect Reef ecosystems.
🪸 Create lasting benefits for the Reef and the communities that care for it.
📅 Applications close 6 October 2026.

📷 OzFish Unlimited

02/09/2026

The Great Barrier Reef Clean-Up is coming up again 🙌

We’re proud to support this important initiative, to help reduce the impact of marine debris on the Reef. Get involved and sign up today 👇

30 days and counting! 🌊

The Great Barrier Reef Clean-up 2026 kicks off this October, and we need YOU. Round up your crew, register or join a clean-up, and let's give the Reef the love it deserves.

See you in October! 🐢 https://tangaroablue.org/gbrcu2026/

01/09/2026

Australia hosts the world's most significant dugong population.

It is one of the key reasons the Great Barrier Reef was listed as a World Heritage Area.

Through our partnership with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, we've supported efforts to monitor dugong populations, distribution and abundance across the Reef.

This monitoring of Reef species and habitats helps inform management decisions and has advanced our understanding of dugong populations across the entire Great Barrier Reef.

In 2024, this monitoring reported a thriving dugong population in Far North Queensland, providing hope for the future of these iconic marine mammals and highlighting the importance of ongoing conservation efforts.

Through our Marine Debris Management Program, we're also supporting efforts to reduce the impact of marine debris on the Reef's marine life, including dugongs.

31/08/2026

Water quality trends are moving in the right direction, but there is more work to do.

A new study highlights that the long-term effort from farmers, graziers, catchment managers and researchers are making a difference to Reef water quality.

Read more below 👇

Here's some good news for your feed. 🐠

New research from us and JCU: James Cook University, Australia shows the water quality of the majority of rivers flowing into the Great Barrier Reef is improving.

While work still needs to be done to improve the water quality, our research shows that we are moving in the right direction.

31/08/2026

Growing resilient corals to support reef restoration.

As part of the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program’s (RRAP) first R&D phase, the Coral Aquaculture and Deployment Subprogram developed new ways to reliably breed and grow corals in aquaculture facilities.

This work focused on improving coral survival, reducing production costs, and building the capability to produce corals at a scale that could support future reef restoration efforts.

The research also provided valuable insights into what helps young corals survive and thrive once returned to the reef.

This will help guide future restoration activities to strengthen coral populations and support the Reef’s resilience.

RRAP is funded through the Reef Trust Partnership with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.

📷 Australian Institute of Marine Science

28/08/2026

Partnering to protect the Great Barrier Reef. 🤝 🪸

The Reef Trust Partnership (RTP) has transformed the scale and impact of Reef protection.

Established in 2018 between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.

More than 650 delivery partners, including over 6,000 Traditional Owners, have helped deliver over 500 projects.

Together, they have driven real, measurable change for a more resilient Reef.

🎥 Australian Institute of Marine Science, GBR Biology, BioPixel

25/08/2026

Strengthening Traditional Owner leadership to protect the Great Barrier Reef and Catchments.

The North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd (NAILSMA) has been engaged to deliver Phase One of the Australian Government's Traditional Owner-Led Water Quality Improvement Program.

NAILSMA will establish a Traditional Owner-Led Reef Water Quality Advisory Group to help inform the design of Phase Two of the Program. Phase Two will consist of a grant program that will deliver on-ground activities to improve Reef water quality and strengthen Traditional Owner-Led stewardship of Country.

NAILSMA will also establish a Traditional Owner-Led Reef Water Quality Working Group to support Traditional Owners across the catchment and Reef regions of the Great Barrier Reef.

The Traditional Owner-Led Water Quality Improvement Program will support stronger Indigenous leadership, improve Reef water quality, and help protect the Great Barrier Reef and Catchments for future generations.

📸 NAILSMA

Caption: Weary Bay, near Bloomfield – Jajikal saltwater and coastal families connected to Bloomfield and Weary Bay region

19/08/2026

Taking Reef research from the lab to real-world deployment.

The Pilot Deployments Program (PDP) launched in 2025 as the operational testing phase of the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (RRAP).

The program aims to take interventions developed through RRAP and test their deployment at scale on the Great Barrier Reef.

Initially, two RRAP interventions are undergoing pilot deployment through the PDP:

🪸 Seeding of coral larvae in the wild
🪸 Seeding of corals propagated through aquaculture

The aim is to have a suite of interventions that could be deployed at scale to help fast track recovery and build resilience.



📹 Australian Institute of Marine Science