Water quality and the reef

Improving the quality of water flowing from the catchment to the Great Barrier Reef is one of the most important things we can do for the long-term health and resilience of the Reef.

The Reef catchment is large, spanning from the tip of Cape York in the north to the Burnett Mary region in the south. At 424,000 square kilometres, it covers an area larger than Italy or Germany. With thirty-five major rivers flowing into the Great Barrier Reef, it’s one of the world’s most complex natural systems.

Challenges facing the Reef

The Reef is facing complex challenges including the increasing threat of climate change. Climate change is also impacting the catchment, with more intense rainfall and other weather events making water quality management more challenging.

The science is clear, improving water quality will give the Reef and its catchments a better chance to respond and adapt to a changing climate and recover from disturbances likes coral bleaching and floods.

Urgent action is needed

Achieving the water quality targets set in the Reef 2050 Catchment Water Quality Strategy within the next 10 years is critical. The 2022 Scientific Consensus Statement highlights that urgent, coordinated action is needed. This includes taking a whole-of-system approach, working at a local level, and addressing the unique needs of each region.

A collective effort to protect the Reef

The Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan, along with the Reef 2050 Catchment Water Quality Strategy, Reef 2050 Wetlands Strategy and the Traditional Owner Implementation Plan (PDF, 380KB) collectively aim to protect the Reef’s health and values.

Over the past 20 years, landholders and the communities across the Reef region have made progress in improving the quality of water flowing to the Reef. This has been supported by significant investment in science and on-ground delivery of projects. The Reef 2050 Catchment Water Quality Strategy builds on this success by strengthening partnerships with communities, landholders, and Traditional Owners in Reef catchments to drive conservation and water quality improvements.