Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority The official page for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. This page is moderated from 9am-5pm Monday to Friday.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is responsible for managing the Great Barrier Reef to protect it for the future. The Marine Park is a multiple-use area and our challenge is to assess, advise on, regulate and implement policies that ensure the best possible outcomes for the Reef.

20/06/2026

Be croc-wise in croc country 🐊

While crocodiles may not be the first animal you think of on the , they do play a critical role as one of the Reefs apex predators. While it’s unlikely to encounter crocs out on the Reef, they do play a vital role on the inshore fringing reefs and adjacent estuaries.

So, while you’re visiting the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, here’s a few tips to :

👉 Stay at least 5m from the water’s edge
👉 Dispose of your food and fish scraps in a bin
👉 Do not feed crocodiles, or any other wildlife
👉 Be extra cautious at night, dusk and dawn around waterways
👉 Do not use kayaks or other small craft in crocodile habitat areas
👉 Keep your pets on a lead and away from the water’s edge
👉 Watch out for crocodiles in unusual places after very high tides and heavy rains

📱 Report any crocodile sighting to Queensland National Parks on the QWildlife, and on our Eye on the Reef app.

For more information, follow the link in our comments📱

🎥

Did any of these items surprise you?🗑️ The Great Barrier Reef is one of our planets most incredible natural wonders, and...
19/06/2026

Did any of these items surprise you?🗑️

The Great Barrier Reef is one of our planets most incredible natural wonders, and like other ecosystems around Australia and the globe, is not immune from the impacts of plastic pollution, marine debris and waste.

Marine debris is rubbish that finds its way into the marine environment. Debris can make its way to the Reef through stormwater drains, during severe weather events, from international waters, and accidental or deliberate littering from shipping or boating activities.

Global action is required to combat marine debris and plastic pollution. However, on a local scale, there's plenty we can do! There are a range of resources and opportunities to get involved through our partners at Tangaroa Blue and ReefClean.

📸 Tangaroa Blue

17/06/2026

They're on the Reef almost every day, so who better to help us understand the Reef than the tourism industry? Their daily visitation puts them in a unique position to use their intimate knowledge of local Reef systems to provide real-time data on what’s happening in their patch - and how best to take action to protect the Reef for future generations.

That action might be through Site Stewardship Plans - which help deliver tailored reef protection services like Crown-of-starfish and Drupella snail removal, assisted recovery activities, and facilitating on-Country visits for Traditional Owners.

That's what we call tourism for good🪸💙

Good fishing depends on a healthy Reef, and how you handle the catch you return matters more than most people think. Kee...
17/06/2026

Good fishing depends on a healthy Reef, and how you handle the catch you return matters more than most people think. Keep fish in the water where possible, remove hooks quickly, support the body — and get them back in as fast as you can.

DO:
✅ Return protected species immediately.
✅ Keep fish in the water as much as possible.
✅ Handle gently and support the body.

DON’T:
❌Hold large fish by the jaw, gills or line.
❌Keep fish out of water too long.
❌Cause extra injury trying to retrieve hooks.

Reel Destinations Fishing Australia TV Fisheries Queensland

Fish for a feed, not the freezer. Smart fishos take only what they need — and what they keep, they keep legal. The bigg...
14/06/2026

Fish for a feed, not the freezer. Smart fishos take only what they need — and what they keep, they keep legal.

The biggest fish are often the best breeders, so there's good reason to let them go. And with some larger reef species carrying a higher ciguatera risk, releasing the big ones is better for the Reef and the dining table.

DO
✅ Take only what you need for a feed.
✅ Use barbless circle hooks for easier, safer releases.
✅ Know which species are protected and no-take.

DON'T
❌ Fill the esky "just in case".
❌ Take fish you can't confidently identify.
❌ Use prawns meant for human consumption as bait.

Head to our website to learn more.

Reel Destinations Fishing Australia TV Fisheries Queensland

12/06/2026

Let's talk minkes 🐋

It's an exciting time on the Great Barrier Reef as we welcome these curious cetaceans for their annual migration through the Marine Park. Whale lover and Master Reef Guides Heather explains that minkes will often exhibit a great deal of curiosity around boats and divers, making them a popular animal with the fortunate few who meet them in the wild.

The best way to experience minke whales is with a High Standard Tourism Operator – these are certified operators who offer the most ecologically sustainable and respectful encounters with these visitors to the World Heritage area.

Quicksilver Dive Quicksilver Cruises & Wavedancer Low Isles

10/06/2026

Keeping Eyes on the Reef 👀🪸

Did you know our Eye on the Reef program is a Reef-wide monitoring and reporting system? While it includes the handy Eye on the Reef app - more broadly, it’s a suite of tools that allow us to partner with Reef users like tourism operators, fishers, Marine Park rangers and Traditional Owners to provide real-time data and Reef surveillance to help inform our management decisions.

Eye on the Reef is about capturing data, observing incremental changes and responding to the pressures affecting the Reef.

A unique opportunity to live and work on the Great Barrier Reef 🌴 Are you practical, resourceful, and ready for the adv...
10/06/2026

A unique opportunity to live and work on the Great Barrier Reef 🌴

Are you practical, resourceful, and ready for the adventure of a lifetime? A new tender opportunity is now open for caretaker services on Low Isles, a stunning Commonwealth island located 15 km off the coast of Port Douglas, within the iconic Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

This is your chance to play a vital role in the day-to-day care, maintenance and protection of an island with significant environmental, cultural and heritage values. Managed jointly by the Reef Authority and Queensland National Parks, this role is as rewarding as it is unique.

What does the role involve?
🏝️ Maintaining island grounds, buildings, and off-grid systems.
🔧 Conducting repairs and coordinating contracted works
🌿 Monitoring visitor activities, supporting visitors and protecting the island’s natural and heritage treasures.

While the location is extraordinary, this is no holiday. The role is physically demanding and requires resilience, adaptability and the ability to thrive in tropical conditions with limited services and support.

We’re looking for two capable and hands-on individuals with:
✔️ Proven handyperson or trade skills.
✔️ Previous caretaking or property maintenance experience.
✔️ Practical problem-solving abilities and a realistic understanding of remote island living.

If you have a background in practical maintenance and trades, conservation, maritime and remote operations, tourism, or campground hosting, this could be the perfect fit for you!

📅 Key details:
1. Contract term: October 2026 to 2028, with 2 × 1-year extension options.
2. Tender submissions close: 5 pm Monday 6 July 2026.
3. Apply now: https://bit.ly/4vKsUXi

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to contribute to the protection of one of the world’s most treasured natural wonders.

Queensland Environment

📸 Renata Musson

Reely passionate about fish? 🐟Time to test your knowledge: which fish is protected in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park...
09/06/2026

Reely passionate about fish? 🐟

Time to test your knowledge: which fish is protected in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park? Protected species are those that are protected by law and need special management. Hint: only one of these fish is protected in the Marine Park.

Comment your answer below and check our story to find out if you’re a reel expert at fish ID🤓

Did you know species may be protected at an international, national, state or local level? Animals that are protected in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park are listed under:
🐟Section 30 of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Regulations 2019

You cannot take protected species, and if accidentally caught, they must be immediately and carefully returned to the water unharmed.

Fisheries Queensland

The humpbacks are back in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park! 🐋Each year, tens of thousands of humpback whales make thei...
09/06/2026

The humpbacks are back in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park! 🐋

Each year, tens of thousands of humpback whales make their massive migration from the Antarctic waters to the mating and calving grounds of the – and this year is no different!

Humpback whales can provide some of the most spectacular encounters in the Marine Park, which can often be tempting to get up-close to… but it’s important to remember - when you’re getting close to 40 tonnes of whale – size does matter!

When you’re out on the Reef, and with increased whale numbers about, it’s never been more important to breach up on your whale rules, and stay whale wise when you’re out on the water.

Check out the link in our bio to see what you can and can’t do around whales throughout the Marine Park – including specific rules in the Whitsundays Whale Heritage Aera.

Address

235 Stanley Street
Townsville, QLD
4810

Telephone

+61747500700

Website

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