Trade-A-Boat - July 2018

Great Barrier Reef, QLD

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT On the idyllic shores of tiny Lady
Musgrave Island; Not the only storm on the horizon for the GBR; A
different kind of window cleaner; This area remains relatively
untouched by coral bleaching.

GREAT BARRIER REEF – QUO VADIS?

Our most valuable tourist asset, the Great Barrier Reef is also the most vulnerable to

a whole spectrum of natural and man-made threats–overexploitation by tourism,

deforestation, commercial overfishing, floods and farming nutrient runoff, cyclones,

crown-of-thorns starfish and coastal dredging. But climate change through global

warming is clearly the single greatest threat, causing rising ocean temperatures that

bleach coral, and increasing ocean acidification due to the absorption of atmospheric

carbon dioxide by seawater. So great is their impact and so rapid the Reef’s decline

that some scientists predict the Reef as we know it could be largely extinct by the

middle of this century.

It is timely – some would say long overdue–that the Federal Government recently

unveiled a $536 million package to help deal with the problems facing the Great

Barrier Reef. The funding will go towards improving water quality through changed

farming practices, combating the crown-of-thorns starfish, enhancing reef health

monitoring and reporting, expanding environmental management and compliance

operations, and scientific research to develop more resilient and adaptive coral.

As welcome as this investment is, many commentators believe it is woefully

inadequate and fails to address the “elephant in the room”, climate change. With the

42nd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee scheduled for June/July

2018, the world will be watching what we do in protecting and restoring our valuable

marine parks. We need to get this right, not just in the short term but for the benefit of

future generations.

to make the 100km (54nm) open ocean

crossing out of the Port of Bundaberg

Marina at Burnett Heads in about 2½

hours. It’s capable of accommodating

200 guests in air-conditioned comfort

over 3 levels, with 126 seats on the

main deck, 48 seats in the upper/VIP

deck lounge and seating for up to 25 on

the open air sundeck.

The day-trip package includes

morning and afternoon tea, with a

buffet lunch in between, and a licensed

bar provides a seemingly endless

supply of ‘popular local beverages’.

It’s not all ‘beer and skittles’, however,

for arrival at the island heralds an

action-packed program of activities

that includes glass-bottom boating

in the lagoon, a guided 45-minute

nature walk on the island, snorkelling

and scuba-diving. Whereas coral in

the northern part of the GBR has been

dramatically affected by bleaching,

the southern offshore reefs, including

those around Lady Musgrave, remain

relatively unaffected and still provide

spectacular underwater scenery.

It has to be said that the ‘Experience’

isn’t cheap but it’s worth every penny

for the opportunity of seeing our

magnificent Great Barrier Reef in all it’s

glory, perhaps before it’s gone forever.

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