Monday 27 March 2006

More than 200 children from Camp Quality and their families can experience the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, thanks to the generosity of a Townsville-based marine management agency.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority today (Tuesday 28 March 2006) will give Camp Quality more than $15 000, the proceeds of the Eureka Prize for Biodiversity Research and employee fundraising.

It will enable tourism operators in Townsville, Cairns, Yeppoon and the Whitsundays to work with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to provide special day-long reef trips for the children and their families.

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Chairman Virginia Chadwick said the reef trips would help make a big difference in the lives of the children.

“The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is delighted to provide children and their families with an opportunity to experience the natural wonders of the Marine Park,” she said.

“We are pleased the proceeds of the Eureka Prize will be put to good use and proud of our employees banding together to raise money in their own time for such a worthwhile cause.”

The Botanic Gardens Trust Eureka Prize for Biodiversity Research was awarded to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority for outstanding contributions to the conservation of Australia's biodiversity through the Representative Areas Programme.

Employees topped up the donation to Camp Quality with more funds raised through the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s social club trivia night last year.

Camp Quality’s North Queensland Area Manager Lorraine Duve welcomed the donation from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.

“Fundraising is vital to the continued growth of Camp Quality and we are pleased to accept this contribution from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority,” she said.

“The full-day boat trips will see the children and their families snorkelling or viewing the coral from glass bottom boats. It will be a fun, interesting and exciting experience for them.”

Interviews

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Chairman Virginia Chadwick and Executive Director John Tanzer, and Camp Quality’s Lorraine Duve (with a parent of a child from Camp Quality) will be available from 10.00am – 10.30am today (Tuesday 28 March 2006) for interviews and photographs/vision. Please meet at the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority office, Flinders Street, Townsville.