Category: ReefClean Posts

We are excited to see the Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI) Database being used in this paper to explore how citizen science projects measuring beach plastic debris can support the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals. The UN established the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework for sustainable development, including SDG 14, which aims to reduce marine pollution, specifically plastic debris. However, national data on plastic debris has been limited, despite citizen science projects collecting relevant information for SDG

Wuthathi Ngaachi (Country) and Karakara (Sea Country) is located in the area surrounding Shelburne Bay on the North Eastern coast of Cape York, about 800km north of Cairns. It is a place full of incredible cultural significance and biodiversity, and the landscape absolutely takes your breath away. However, unfortunately the beaches are heavily impacted by marine debris from locations far and wide.

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.