Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

15/09/2026

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is a never ending source of wonder, of curiosity, and of the unknown.

It’s the curiosity of Master Reef Guides, researchers, Traditional Owners, scientists, the community and more, who are responsible for some incredible findings, discoveries and stories.

Bubbles is one of those stories. A resident of Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort, Bubbles has its own strategy to catch a feed - by hassling its fishy friends until they vomit out their catch, and surrender their food to the awaiting bottlenose dolphin.

Learn more via a recent paper released by Master Reef Guide Jacinta Shackleton - check out her profile!

🎥 Jacinta Shackleton

14/09/2026

What does field management on the Great Barrier Reef look like in 2026–27?

From enhanced compliance and reef health monitoring to restoration, incident response and emerging technologies

This is just a snapshot of the work planned through the Reef Joint Field Management Program.

Jointly delivered by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, the Program works with Traditional Owners and other partners to protect and manage the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.

Explore the full Reef Joint Field Management Program Annual Business Plan Summary 2026–27 – link in comments.

Queensland National Parks

12/09/2026

Want to make a real difference to the health of the Reef? 🪸

Join the Great Barrier Reef clean-up in October and help be part of the solution to plastic pollution. Plastic pollution can become marine debris and affect coral and animal health. Rubbish can smother corals, and become ingested by turtles who can mistake floating plastic for jellyfish. According to the 2024 Outlook Report, marine debris is prevalent in Australian waters, and poses a risk to biodiversity.

Thankfully, there's a simple solution. As well as reducing waste at the source, you can join in on the many beach cleans happening across the Marine Park this October.

You can also bring a group of friends, colleagues, family, or community members together and organise your own clean.

Check the link in our comments to register or join a clean-up today.

11/09/2026

Immerse yourself in biodiversity month🪸

There's never been a better time to visit the than in biodiversity month. Biodiversity month calls us to reconnect with nature and witness first-hand its complexity and importance. Like David Attenborough said, “No one is going to protect the natural world unless they understand it.”

You can visit the Reef with a High Standard Tourism Operator, independently certified operators located throughout the Marine Park. Head to our website for more details.

📹 @/dive_down_under via IG

11/09/2026

Reel Destinations share their top gear tips that help them land beautiful eating fish like this pearl perch 🤙

Head to our YouTube channel to watch the whole video 🐟

10/09/2026

What is functional diversity?

You don't have to go to the Great Barrier Reef to have a moment with a Master Reef Guide!

Cairns-based Master Reef Guide Brittany from explains what functional diversity means for the reef, and why it's important.

09/09/2026

Raine Island is one of the most important wildlife sites on the Great Barrier Reef - and its significance extends well beyond its notorious green turtles.

The island is the most diverse seabird rookery within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, with around 15 species breeding there, including internationally significant populations of bo***es, frigatebirds, terns and noddies.

It is also the only known nesting site in Australian waters for the endangered Herald petrel, and the most significant site on the Great Barrier Reef for the vulnerable red-tailed tropicbird.

Raine Island is culturally significant Sea Country for the Wuthathi Traditional Owners and Meriam Nation People of the Eastern Torres Strait, whose knowledge, leadership and enduring cultural responsibilities continue to care for the island and its wildlife.

Through the Raine Island Recovery Project, Traditional Owners work alongside the Queensland National Parks, Reef Authority and research partners to monitor wildlife, improve habitat and better understand how seabirds, marine turtles and other species are responding to a changing environment.

For a small island, Raine Island plays an extraordinary role in supporting life across the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

08/09/2026

08/09/2026

Biodiversity has many layers. It is the biodiversity of ecosystems, the biodiversity of species and the biodiversity of genetics, within those species.

The Great Barrier Reef is home to over 1,500 different fish species. Each playing their own critical role - whether it be at the top of the food-chain, or the bottom - or patrolling the open waters, to hiding amongst the coral reef habitats.

Protecting each individual species, and each ecosystem, is critical in maintaining a functioning Great Barrier Reef.

08/09/2026

Reef health update | September 2026 🪸

September is Biodiversity Month, highlighting the incredible diversity of life across the Great Barrier Reef, including more than 2,900 coral reefs, 1,625 fish species and 450+ species of hard coral. As spring arrives, humpback whales are heading south, dwarf minke whales are leaving northern Reef waters and fish spawning activity is increasing.

Sea surface temperatures remained close to long-term averages across the Marine Park during August.

El Niño is firmly established and expected to strengthen, with forecasts suggesting it could peak in late spring or early summer. While El Niño can bring warmer and drier conditions, local weather systems mean conditions will vary across the Reef.

The Reef Authority and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service are monitoring H5 bird flu following two detections in southern Queensland. There are currently no detected cases in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Temperature
Sea surface temperatures remained close to average through August. Temperatures in the Northern region were around 0.1–0.3°C above average, while temperatures across the rest of the Marine Park were close to or slightly above long-term averages.
The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts temperatures to remain around these levels through September and October.

Rainfall
Rainfall during August was slightly above average across the Northern and Far Northern catchments, while the Central and Southern catchments received slightly below-average rainfall.

The Northern and Far Northern catchments are likely to receive more rainfall than usual in September. Higher rainfall can increase the amount of water, sediment and nutrients flowing from catchments into the Marine Park.

Reef health
Between 1 and 31 August, 449 Reef Health Impact Surveys were completed across 42 reefs in the Marine Park.

In the Northern region, 29 reefs were surveyed. Seven recorded low levels of coral bleaching, while 28 recorded low to moderate coral damage.

In the Central region, 10 reefs were surveyed. One recorded medium levels of coral bleaching and three recorded low levels of coral damage.

In the Southern region, three reefs were surveyed, with no coral bleaching or coral damage recorded.

No surveys were conducted in the Far Northern region during August.

Coral disease was recorded on 21 of the 42 reefs surveyed during the month.

Additional Eye on the Reef monitoring reported coral bleaching on 18 of 36 reefs surveyed across the Marine Park.

Crown-of-thorns starfish control
As of 30 August 2026, the Crown-of-thorns Starfish Control Program and Reef Joint Field Management Program response teams surveyed and, where required culled starfish on 47 reefs.

Of these reefs:
• Crown-of-thorns starfish are at sustainable levels on 9 reefs (19%).
• Active culling is underway on 28 reefs (60%) to suppress outbreaks and protect coral.
• Crown-of-thorns starfish have been detected on another 10 reefs (21%), which will be prioritised for management as operationally feasible.

The program uses a science-based prioritisation process to focus effort on reefs with high ecological and economic value, with the aim of maximizing coral protection.

Our response and ongoing work
The Reef Authority and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service are working with government agencies through the Reef Joint Field Management Program to prepare for and respond to H5 bird flu. If you see multiple sick or dead birds or other animals, do not touch them. Report sightings to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888 and clean footwear, clothing, vehicles and boats when moving between sites.

The Reef Authority continues to work with Traditional Owners, researchers, Tourism Reef Protection Initiative operators, rangers and other partners to monitor Reef condition and support informed management. Long-term monitoring, including 40 years of AIMS data, helps identify changes, assess management actions and target efforts where they are needed most.

Reef management remains focused on supporting Reef resilience, including protecting high-value reefs, controlling crown-of-thorns starfish, maintaining zoning compliance and promoting responsible use of the Marine Park.