Reef ‘Not In Danger’

The Queensland community and State government efforts to protect the Great Barrier Reef have not gone unnoticed, with UNESCO announcing this week that it has decided not to list the World Heritage site as "in danger".  

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The recognition follows the State Government's record-breaking $330.5 million Budget commitment to reef protection in the 2026-27 budget, with the funding set to support water quality improvements, practical conservation projects and long-term management of the World Heritage-listed ecosystem.  

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Minister for the Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell said the draft decision recognised the efforts of Queenslanders working to protect the Reef for future generations.

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"Queenslanders care deeply about the Reef and we welcome the draft decision because it recognises the progress being made to conserve it," Minister Powell said.

"Our focus remains on practical action and delivering outcomes that protect the Reef and support the regional communities and jobs that depend on it.

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However, a local conservation group has been left unsatisfied by the decision, claiming it to be a missed opportunity to acknowledge the real issues the reef faces.  

“These threats have not disappeared simply because the Reef has avoided an "in danger" listing,” said Whitsundays Conservation Council President Tony Fontes.  

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“An "in danger" listing is not a sanction or a mark of failure, it is an internationally recognised conservation mechanism designed to focus global attention on World Heritage sites facing serious and ongoing threats.”

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UNESCO's draft decision is expected to be considered for formal adoption by the World Heritage Committee later this July.  

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