By Tanya Plibersek

18 June 2024

THE HON TANYA PLIBERSEK MP
MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER

SENATOR NITA GREEN
SPECIAL ENVOY FOR THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

MEDIA RELEASE

Tuesday 18 June 2024

$28.5 million for Reef coastal restoration projects

The Albanese Labor Government is investing $28.5 million to support restoration and rehabilitation of coastal habitats on the Great Barrier Reef.

18 projects have been awarded grants of up to $2 million to deliver activities that will have widespread benefits for coastal ecosystems in the Reef.

This includes rehabilitating and restoring blue carbon ecosystems, such as seagrasses, mangroves, saltmarsh, and wetlands.

Funding will also support Reef water quality improvements, as well as better protection for vital habitats for precious Reef marine life, like dugongs and turtles.

The projects will:

  • increase resilience of seagrass meadows, which provide shelter and food to the Reef’s diverse animals including fish, turtles, dugongs and birds.
  • provide Traditional Owners and community members with new skills and experience to lead and scale restoration and monitoring projects across the Reef.
  • improve Reef water quality by stabilising shorelines and mitigating streambank erosion to reduce sediment runoff into the Reef catchment
  • support collaboration with Traditional Owners to accelerate the recovery of ecosystems, including those impacted by extreme weather events due to climate change.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek:

“The Great Barrier Reef is one of our most precious natural assets. That’s why we are investing in programs to restore and protect the Reef for our kids and grandkids.

“The health of coastal ecosystems like mangroves and seagrass meadows are crucial to the survival of endangered turtle species and the culturally significant dugong.

"This funding will mean Traditional Owners and environment groups can help look after the Reef by eradicating feral animals, preventing erosion, and restoring critical habitat like wetlands and saltmarshes.”

Quotes attributable to Special Envoy for the Great Barrier Reef, Senator Nita Green:

“These grants will allow us to build resilience and future-proof the Reef.

“Improving the health and resilience of Reef coastal habitats and ecosystems will also contribute towards water quality targets.

“These vital projects will be delivered by trusted, local experts who know exactly where to target investment to get the best results.”

Funding recipients and projects:

Funding recipient

Project

Funding

Burnett Mary Regional Group for Natural Resource Management Ltd

Mangroves and Blue CO2: Restoring Sea Country in Southern Reef Catchments

$2,000,000

Cape York Natural Resource Management Ltd

Eastern Cape York Coastal Wetland Restoration

$1,787,448

Cape York Weeds and Feral Animals Inc

Cape York East Coast Pond Apple Maintenance and Control Project

$40,000

Catchment Solutions Pty Ltd

Large Scale Streambank Rehabilitation on the Lower Fitzroy River

$1,986,333

Ecosure Pty Ltd

Restoration for Balban Dara Guya (Leekes Creek)

$1,290,775

Far North Qld NRM Ltd

Daintree Wetlands: Reef Coastal Restoration in the Lower Daintree

$1,986,919

Fitzroy Basin Association Inc

Fitzroy Landscape-scale Coastal Wetland Enhancement Project

$1,999,020

Great Barrier Reef Foundation

Scaling Seagrass Restoration on the Great Barrier Reef

$1,992,275

Greening Australia Ltd

Blue Carbon Restoration: Ross, Road, Deeral

$1,804,908

Greening Australia Ltd

Yuwi Blue Carbon Wetland Restoration Project

$1,549,354

Jaragun Pty Ltd

Restoration of Multihabitat Mangrove Ecosystems, Russell-Mulgrave Basin

$2,000,000

NQ Dry Tropics Ltd

Rehabilitating wetlands - innovation and Traditional Owner delivery

$1,156,334

OzFish Unlimited Ltd

Improving the hydrology of mangrove wetlands in the Wet Tropics

$1,072,450

Reef and Rainforest Research Centre

Building on science: Working together to deliver nature-positive outcomes

$1,857,280

Reef Catchments (Mackay Whitsunday Isaac) Limited

Beyond Barriers: Mackay and Isaac Coastal Wetland Rehabilitation

$1,496,275

Restore Blue Advisory Services Pty Ltd

Tropical Queensland Blue Carbon Project

$1,535,819

The Nature Conservancy Limited

Great Sandy Strait Reef Restoration Project

$2,000,000

Townsville City Council

Townsville’s Living Coastlines – Space for Saltmarshes Project

$1,039,566

ENDS