The Great Barrier Reef is widely recognised as one of the world’s great natural wonders

The Great Barrier Reef is widely acclaimed as one of the world’s great natural treasurers. In 1981, the Great Barrier Reef gained international recognition through its inscription on the World Heritage List. The Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area is the world’s largest and is one of only a few World Heritage Areas that satisfy all four natural World Heritage Criteria. The State of the Reef reporting was undertaken by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) to fulfil Australia's World Heritage obligations.

In 2007 the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 was amended to include a requirement for the GBRMPA to publish a five yearly Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report. The Outlook Report supersedes the State of the Reef reports and is now the GBRMPA's primary reporting mechanism. The first report was released in September 2009.

For the most up to date information on the past and present condition of the environmental, social and economic values of the Great Barrier Reef please see the Outlook Report 2009.

The chapters of the last State of the Great Barrier Reef Report are available here as downloadable PDF files.

Overview

• Overview: the current status of the Great Barrier Reef Feb 2006 [ Acrobat Format 961.16KB]

Environmental Status

• Corals [ Acrobat Format 2466KB]
  
• Crown of thorns starfish [ Acrobat Format 789.44KB]
  
• Inter-reefal and lagoonal benthos [ Acrobat Format 1335.13KB]
  
• Macroalgae (Seaweeds) [ Acrobat Format 1335.13KB]
  
• Mangroves and saltmarshes [ Acrobat Format 1085KB]
  
• Marine mammals [ Acrobat Format 1076.5KB]
  
• Marine reptiles [ Acrobat Format 1386.74KB]
  
• Seagrasses [ Acrobat Format 761KB]
  
• Birds [ Acrobat Format 1061KB]
  
• Sharks and rays [ Acrobat Format 3000KB]
  
• Water quality [ Acrobat Format 1721KB]
  

Management Status

• Fisheries [ Acrobat Format 886.28KB]
  
• Indigenous connections with the Great Barrier Reef [ Acrobat Format 548.45KB]
  
• Shipping and oil spills [ Acrobat Format 1066KB]
  
• Tourism and recreation [ Acrobat Format 625.93KB]