Great Barrier Reef Foundation

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure on the planet, so large it can be seen from space. Sir David Attenborough describes it as: “one of the greatest, and most splendid natural treasures that the world possesses.”

Today, however, the Reef is under threat from climate change and local stresses. With business as usual approaches failing to create the impact needed to sustain coral reefs and the livelihoods they support into the future, new approaches that are matched to the scale and severity of the challenges are urgently needed. We need the help of all Australians to protect and restore the Reef.

The Great Barrier Reef Foundation is the lead charity dedicated to protecting the Great Barrier Reef. Over the past 18 years we have raised and directed over $90M to collaborative multidisciplinary projects, that draw on advances in science, technology, research and conservation to protect and restore the Reef.

Our projects have had a measurable impact on the health of the Reef including monitoring reef health in near-real time (eReefs) to securing the future of green turtles on Raine Island (Raine Island Recovery Project), to developing the first portfolio of projects to address the resilience of reefs adapting to climate change. We also have a track record in innovation, developing solutions such as the RangerBot which detects and addresses threats to coral reefs.

We cannot do this work alone. With your help we can continue to raise funds to save coral reefs and the animals that depend on them.

Support from Dream Time Believers will be directed to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation’s Reef Islands Initiative – a project that will establish a network of climate change refuges to protect critical habitats on five Great Barrier Reef islands.

Reef Islands – Area of support for Dream Time Believers

“Climate change is the number one threat facing the Great Barrier Reef today. The Reef Islands Initiative will improve the ability of some of the most important places on the Reef to withstand and survive our changing climate.” Anna Marsden, Great Barrier Reef Foundation

The Great Barrier Reef is under increasing pressure from a combination of local threats and global climate change.

Reef Islands are critical to Reef health: they provide places on land and in water for wildlife to rest, feed, shelter and breed.

Islands can be likened to ‘arks’; affording protection and safety in the facing of changing climate for an extraordinary diversity of wildlife.

Put simply, we cannot allow these islands to fail.

The Reef Islands Initiative is a ten year $14M project that will establish a network of climate change refuges to protect critical habitats on five Great Barrier Reef islands – a $AUD 14 million, 10-year program.

This project will create havens to safeguard valuable Reef islands through a combination of science, on-ground action, and working with Traditional Owners, local communities and local businesses to build resilience for Island habitats and wildlife, and the surrounding community

We all have a role and contribution to make. Your support will enable us to have a greater impact.

This project is supported by the Australian Government, Lendlease, Queensland Government and the Stephen Fitzgerald Family Foundation.