The Challenge

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest living organism and one of the most bio-diverse places on earth. It’s under threat. The Reef also supports the culture and livelihoods of 70 Traditional Owner groups, who have been its custodians for over 60,000 years.

Since 1985, the Reef has lost 50% of its coral cover due to climate change and poor water from land-based run-off. More than 10 million tonnes of sediment from eroded gullies flow onto the Reef every year, smothering corals and seagrass, creating algal blooms, degrading water quality, and weakening the Reef’s ability to recover.

Coastal wetlands are essential. They act like kidneys, filtering out the sediment from agriculture, industry and urban land use. But over 50% of wetlands have already been lost.

Greening Australia and Traditional Owners are working to restore 2,000 hectares of eroded land and 10,000 hectares of wetlands by 2030. This will prevent 400,000 tonnes of sediment from polluting the Reef each year, improving water quality, the Reef’s resilience to climate change, and the livelihoods and wellbeing of Indigenous Australians.