The Marine Park

The Great Barrier Reef is undisputed as one of the world’s most important natural assets. It is the largest natural feature on earth stretching more than 2,300km along the northeast coast of Australia from the northern tip of Queensland to just north of Bundaberg.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) is a series of over 2900 individual reefs, stretching from the tip of Cape York in the north to Lady Elliott Island in the south. Covering over 348 000 km^2, it comprises fringing and barrier reefs, continental islands, coral cays and 70 different bio-regions, making it the most ecologically diverse system in the world.

Although coral reefs have been around for over 500 million years, the GBR is relatively young at 500 000 years, and this most modern form is only 8000 years old, having developed after the last ice age. The GBR supports over 1500 species of fish, 400 species of coral and 4000 species of molluscs just to name a few!  

Outer Reef Platform

The Benefits of marine tourism for the Great Barrier Reef

Quicksilver Connections is a large marine operator based in Port Douglas, Queensland. As an established operator for over 20 years, it is often used as an example of best practises within the industry. Below details what a responsible operator is required to do to be sustainable.

When Quicksilver established the first pontoon (platform) in 1984 our only requirement from GBRMPA was a half page letter outlining our plan, there were no environmental monitoring requirements. Reef Biosearch with Quicksilver's encouragement established an environmental monitoring program at this time to ensure this new concept in reef tourism would not significantly impact the reef. Such monitoring programs became a GBRMPA requirement soon after this study was completed. Since this time we have established 4 other pontoon sites with 2 now in operation. A few of the requirements for establishing our newest pontoon included:

• detailed mapping of the reef area involved.
• identification of potential impacts and methods to minimize these.
• completion of a detailed 18 month environmental monitoring program by and independent body, in this case Marine Environmental Monitoring with the assistance of Reef Biosearch.

Coral cover in the snorkelling and diving area adjacent to this pontoon is higher now then when operations began over 12 years ago. 

At each of our 27 remote dive and snorkel sites we have established permanent moorings. This eliminates the need for our dive and snorkel vessels to use an anchor thus protecting the coral. A code of practice specific to our snorkelling and diving adventure tours has been developed minimising the chance of human impacts.

Tourism & the Environment

This includes Eco friendly diving and snorkelling protocols. A long term monitoring program covering all of these sites was established in 1986 and provides important information with respect to biological, environmental and anthropogenic occurrences and how these may affect the environmental health and visual amenity of these sites.

Operating to the same sites on a daily basis creates a strong sense of stewardship and responsibility along with the ability to react immediately should deleterious change be observed.

Between 1998-2002 we have conducted a COTS eradication program funded entirely by Quicksilver. The success of this program demonstrates that a persistent and well organised program can protect reef areas from the impacts associated with COTS.

Study into the biology of the Irukandji jellyfish

Marine stingers are an issue, and Quicksilver Connections funded an initial study into the biology of the Irukandji jellyfish ($4000), which led to further funding by CRC Reef Research into the potential development of an antivenom.

Codes of Practice. To ensure that our reef sites are maintained in pristine condition, codes of practice are in place, such as handling of animals protocol, fish feeding protocol, dive site protocol, etc.

Environmental audits are undertaken internally and externally (for advanced ecotourism accreditation). We are also participating in the Greenhouse Challenge, a federal initiative to reduce greenhouse gases.