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Great Barrier Reef Aquarium redevelopment insights
Since opening in 1987, the Great Barrier Reef Aquarium (formerly Reef HQ) has provided millions of people a chance to experience the magic and wonder of the Reef without getting wet. It’s home to the world’s largest living coral reef aquarium and has inspired curiosity, learning, and love for the Reef across generations.
After closing to the public for major upgrades, questions have been raised. Will it reopen? Is there funding to finish the job? What does the future hold for this iconic tourism and education facility in Townsville?
In this episode, we speak with Fred Nucifora, the Reef Authority’s General Manager of Major Projects, to get the facts on the redevelopment and the vital role the Aquarium continues to play in Reef education, science, and storytelling.
50 Years of the Reef Authority
Sea Country Connections
A legacy for the generations
As a child, sitting in a room full of her Elders, too young to fully understand, Jade Pryor would watch on and listen eagerly to conversations and plans about future aspirations for her People and her Country. As a proud and strong Bandjin and Girramay woman, Jade has always felt a deep connection to the community and the environment around her – a legacy instilled by her Boompa (Adrian Pryor) and Nanna (Shirley Pryor).
Long-term monitoring of Reef reveals coral declines
The Australian Institute of Marine Science has released its Long-term Monitoring program results for 2024, finding substantial declines in coral cover across the Great Barrier Reef. Following record highs reported in 2022−23, coral cover is now around the long-term average across the Reef - signalling the importance of ongoing targeted management actions to boost Reef resilience alongside urgent global action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
World Heritage Committee decision on the Reef
The 47th session of the World Heritage Committee (47COM) was held between 6-16 July 2025, in Paris. The Committee adopted the draft decision from UNESCO released in May 2025, which was not to place the Reef on the 'In Danger' list. The decision recognised the sustained action Australia has taken to protect the Reef and that we continue to deliver on our commitments.
Whale love songs echo along Australia's humpback highway
Whale love songs and courtship rituals are captivating marine researchers and visitors on the annual humpback whale migration to the Great Barrier Reef. Male humpback whales, the most vocal and acrobatic of all the whales, perform complex soulful song patterns that can travel underwater for up to 50 kilometres.
Drones and AI to protect the Reef
High-tech drones using the latest AI advances will be trialled on the Great Barrier Reef to detect illegal fishing in no-take green zones and protect the biodiversity of this iconic, natural wonder. The Reef Authority and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service’s “Drone in a Box” project will enhance aerial surveillance in high-risk areas to tackle poaching by recreational fishers.
Crown-of-thorns control boosts coral recovery
Work to combat coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish across the Great Barrier Reef is working even under increasing environmental pressures, according to an assessment by University of Queensland researchers.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority acknowledges the continuing Sea Country management and custodianship of the Great Barrier Reef by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traditional Owners whose rich cultures, heritage values, enduring connections and shared efforts protect the Reef for future generations.
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