Reef Conservation & Science Walk
Learn about Great Barrier Reef conservation and climate science at Reef HQ Aquarium and the Australian Institute of Marine Science — understanding the reef's health and the work being done to protect it.
- 1
Reef HQ Aquarium
Reef HQ Aquarium in Cairns presents the Great Barrier Reef in controlled conditions — the exhibit on coral bleaching and climate impacts gives essential context for what visitors will experience on the reef itself.
- 2
AIMS Townsville Campus
The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in Townsville is the world's leading reef research institution — public tours of the facility show the cutting-edge science monitoring the reef's health and developing interventions.
- 3
Coral Nursery Research Site
AIMS researchers grow coral in nurseries and transplant heat-resistant strains to degraded reef sections — the coral restoration program is one component of a wider effort to give the reef the best chance of surviving climate change.
- 4
Bleached Reef Section
Scientists guide visitors to sections of the reef showing both bleaching damage and recovery — understanding what bleaching looks like and how reefs can recover is essential context for appreciating the reef's resilience.
- 5
Traditional Owner Sea Country
The Great Barrier Reef is Sea Country for numerous Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups — their traditional management knowledge is being integrated with Western science in the reef's contemporary governance.
- 6
Healthy Reef Recovery Zone
After learning about threats, visiting a healthy reef section shows the system's remarkable resilience — in areas with reduced local stressors, coral coverage and fish abundance demonstrate what the entire reef could look like with action on climate change.
Walk this route with audio
Stories play automatically as you reach each stop — no tapping needed.
