Author: Izzy Ross

The five-year ReefClean Australian Microplastic Assessment Project (AUSMAP)(2019-2023) has collected 126 samples from 44 sites, providing valuable insights into microplastic pollution in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). The recently added March 2023 samples mark the conclusion of this study, highlighting both the seasonal and varying nature of microplastic loads and the low overall levels of microplastics compared to densely populated areas. However, the project underscores the need for continued monitoring to analyse the effects of climatic variances and address the

Alternatives to Balloons – A Real Reason to Celebrate Article updated in February 2025 Releasing balloons may seem like a harmless and fun way to celebrate, but as Isaac Newton once said, what goes up must come down! This is no different for balloons that are released into the air, and unfortunately they pose a key threat to the Great Barrier Reef and our oceans as a whole.  Most balloon releases occur in suburban or rural areas. This is because

Over the past week a team of 25 people including volunteers, Elders and Custodians were flown by helicopter to a remote beach on Wuthathi Country where they removed a staggering 10.8 tonnes of marine debris. The unique clean-up, which targeted almost three kilometres of coastline along Wuthathi Ngaachi (Country) and Karakara (Sea Country), is one of the hundreds of clean-ups marine debris organisation Tangaroa Blue Foundation runs each year.

As part of the ReefClean project, microplastic surveys have been conducted in coastal areas surrounding the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). These surveys aim to raise awareness about the environmental impacts of microplastics and contribute to mapping the extent of their accumulation in waterways and beaches. To ensure the collection of reliable data, the AUSMAP sampling methodology was employed. This method involves taking multiple sediment samples along the shoreline during the most recent high tide. These samples are then sieved to

We are excited to announce the publication of scientific paper that highlights the invaluable contributions of the citizen science community in monitoring marine debris across Queensland, Australia. The study sheds light on the major drivers of marine debris and provides a crucial baseline assessment of debris accumulation along the coast. Coordinated by the Tangaroa Blue Foundation, the ReefClean monitoring network played a role in gathering high-resolution data, covering a stretch of 18 degrees of latitude, spanning approximately 1800 kilometres.