Reef Authority welcomes the Traditional Owners Reef plan

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has welcomed the release of the Traditional Owner Implementation Plan which details the priorities and aspirations of Traditional Owners in partnership with the Australian and Queensland governments’ Reef 2050 Plan.

The implementation plan, released today in Townsville, is an initiative of the independently formed Traditional Owner Steering Group and provides a way forward for Traditional Owners to be represented at all levels of Reef governance, fostering equal partnerships in the management and protection of the Reef.

This Plan builds on the significant number of Reef planning processes that Reef Traditional Owners have engaged in during the last three decades to culminate in a document that reiterates their aspirations and priorities.

This plan, however, represents a significant departure from a government led process to one which is led and owned by Reef Traditional Owners.

The plan continues to reinforce the correlation between the health of country and people and the value of Traditional Owners’ cultural knowledge and their enduring connections to their land and sea country.

The Reef Authority was honoured to join with Traditional Owners to celebrate the launch of this plan.

We are deeply committed to our continued partnership with Traditional Owners and value the knowledge, connections and respect they bring to all aspects of Reef protection.

The Traditional Owner Implementation Plan is a vehicle for securing enduring benefits for the Reef and its Traditional custodians.

For more information visit https://www2.gbrmpa.gov.au/learn/traditional-owners