Healthy waterways underpin our lifestyles and livelihoods. When waterways thrive, so do we.
There’s many people and groups around the region working
to improve reef and waterway health. We think their work
should be celebrated. We’re committed to telling their
stories and hope that it sparks important conversations.
Focus: Range of activities including water quality monitoring, wetlands restoration and preserving cultural knowledge Catchment: Several Funder: Great Barrier Reef Foundation and Australian Government's Reef Trust Delivery partners: 14 Traditional Owner groups
After the end of Reef Trust III and the GBRF extension in Nov 2020, the WTSIP (Wet Tropics Sugar Industry Partnership) partners agreed to end their arrangement since GBRF's investment strategy is focused on catchment by catchment projects rather than a collaborative regional approach.
2021-2024 Focus: Reduction in DIN runoff from cane farms Catchments: Russell-Mulgrave catchment Investment: $6.2 million Funder: Great Barrier Reef Foundation & Australian Government's Reef Trust Delivery Partners: Reef & Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC) and Canegrowers Cairns
The Wet Tropics Sugar Industry Partnership was expanded in 2016 to include all 17 organisations in the oversight and delivery of the Reef Trust 3 cane targets. This was in response to the GBR Water Science Taskforce recommendation for greater coordination and collaboration across reef projects. Read more
Reef Assist 2020-2026 Focus: Environmental projects and regional jobs Catchments: All Funder: Queensland Government Investment: $13.4 million Delivery Partners: Wet Tropics Management Authority, Local Councils, NRM's, various Indigenous and community organisations
Figtree Lagoon/Palm Creek 2017-2021 Focus: Restore priority wetlands adjacent to the reef to improve coastal ecosystem ecological processes and connectivity Catchments: Russell-Mulgrave, Herbert Funder: Australian Government through Reef Trust Phase 5 and Greening Australia's Reef Aid Investment: $10 million Delivery Partners: Greening Australia and Mulgrave Landcare
Reef Credits was launched in June 2018 by Green Collar, Terrain NRM, Dry Tropics NRM and the Queensland Government. It is Australia's first market-based system for paying landholders to make changes to reduce nutrient, pesticide and sediment runoff to the Reef. Listen to our Reef & Rivers podcast for more information.
Cane to Creek 2.0 2019-2022 Focus: Assisting cane growers to achieve nutrient management best practice Catchments: Russell-Mulgrave, Mossman, Johnstone, Murray, Herbert Funder: Reef Trust Partnership (Great Barrier Reef Foundation and Australian Government) Investment: $2.2 million Delivery Partner: SRA
Cane to Creek 2016-2019 Focus: Assisting cane growers to achieve nutrient management best practice Catchments: Russell-Mulgrave Funder: Queensland Government Delivery Partner: SRA
SmartCane BMP 2014- to date Focus: Accreditation program for cane farmers to record and verify practice changes Catchments: Herbert, Tully, Johnstone, Russell-Mulgrave, Mossman Funder: Queensland Government Delivery Partner: Canegrowers More information: www.smartcane.com.au
Simon has over 30 years’ experience advocating for waterways across academia, government and the private sector. He started out in marine botany with a fascination for seagrass, mangroves and macroalgae, and has gone on to lead major environmental initiatives both in Australia and overseas. He has established report cards in eight countries.
Martine joined the Wet Tropics Waterways team as a Science Technical Officer in early 2024 and is keen to apply her experience in statistical programming and database development for the Report Card.
She is an environmental scientist and ecologist and has worked on water quality and aquatic ecology projects as a consultant and in private industry for over 20 years.
Martine has many hobbies and is currently dabbling in horticulture.
James joined Wet Tropics Waterways as Executive Officer in 2021 and is passionate about working with stakeholders to communicate the value of our unique waterways. His role involves facilitating and coordinating our partnership program, growing our network and investment into the report card program, and science communication. James oversaw the 2022 Innovations in Waterway Health Forum, and hosted season four of the Reef and Rivers podcast.
James is an ecologist and has previously worked on wetland management in the Murray Darling basin, fish passage in Mackay, and aquatic research in the Wet Tropics.
Outside of work you’ll find him in a local waterway with a mask and snorkel, or hiking or biking around our beautiful region.
Richard has been the Science Technical Officer for Wet Tropics Waterways since 2016. His role involves producing the annual results for the waterway health assessment of the wet tropics region using data from a wide range of sources, to present as scores and grades, as well as developing new indicators to address knowledge and monitoring gaps. He works in collaboration with technical staff at other regional report cards.
Richard has a background in freshwater ecology research projects and environmental assessments with CSIRO, University of Queensland, Queensland Government and as a consultant. For a long time he’s been interested in freshwater aquaculture and continues this interest through farming freshwater crayfish, alongside other farming activities.