Regional Programs

A total of $138.1 million was committed to a series of regional water quality programs that directly reduce nitrogen, sediment and pesticide loads from priority Reef catchments. These programs focus on proven, on-ground measures for improving water quality, including through catchment restoration and improved land management practices.

#Priorities for investment

The priority catchments under the 10 regional programs, as well as the level of investment, were selected based on the priorities set out in the Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan, together with a detailed technical assessment prepared by Alluvium Consulting to determine where investments would have the greatest impact. More information on the prioritisation process is available below in the Alluvium 2019 Investment Pathways Report.

#End of Partnership targets

All projects were required to report progress to the Paddock to Reef integrated Monitoring, Modelling and Reporting Program. This provided transparency and accountability on how projects, and the programs as a whole, were performing during the implementation phase.

Reduction of 456 tonnes of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) entering the Reef

Reduction of 462 kilotonnes of fine sediments entering the Reef

Reduction of 250 kilograms of pesticides entering the Reef

#Regional Programs

Bowen, Broken, Bogie Water Quality Program

Preventing 105 kilotonnes of fine sediment entering the Reef every year.

Fitzroy Water Quality Program

Preventing 56 kilotonnes of fine sediment from the Fitzroy River basin from entering the Reef’s waters every year.

Upper and East Burdekin Water Quality Program

Preventing 64 kilotonnes of fine sediment from entering the Reef's waters each year

Mary River Water Quality Program

Preventing 26 kilotonnes of fine sediment from the Mary River from entering the Reef per year.

Upper Herbert Water Quality Program

Preventing 3.7 kilotonnes of fine sediments entering the Reef's waters each year

Tully Johnstone Regional Water Quality Program

Preventing 52.2 tonnes of DIN from entering the Reef’s waters every year.

Lower Herbert Water Quality Program

Preventing 143 tonnes of dissolved inorganic nitrogen from entering the Reef each year.

Mulgrave-Russell Regional Water Quality Program

Progressing towards the prevention of 72 tonnes of DIN from entering the Reef’s waters every year.

Lower Burdekin Water Quality Program

Preventing 49 tonnes of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and 1.6 million Risk Units of pesticides from entering the Reef's waters every year

Mackay-Whitsunday Water Quality Program

Preventing 28 tonnes of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and more than 6 million Risk Units of pesticide from entering the Reef’s waters every year.

#Learnings and Recommendations

Activities such as improved farming practices, reduced fertiliser use, uptake of new technology, landscape remediation and improved land management practices were implemented to achieve an enduring reduction in the long-term end-of-catchment pollutant loads exported to the Great Barrier Reef.

To ensure that program outcomes reported were achieved with this significant investment, independent technical advisors with appropriate skills and experience were engaged to review the extent and quality of on-ground works undertaken by delivery partners through the Reef Trust Partnership between the Australian Government and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. Learnings and recommendations were developed as a result and are available in the following reports: