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Reefclean®

Removing and preventing marine debris in the Great Barrier Reef region.

reefClean.landscape.logo.CMYK

ReefClean is funded by the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and is delivered by Tangaroa Blue Foundation in partnership with a variety of organizations. Launched in early 2019, the project aims to remove and prevent marine debris in the Great Barrier Reef region.

 

A program of targeted and integrated marine debris activities, ReefClean has reduced the volume of debris generated in or entering the Great Barrier Reef that may impact threatened and migratory species and ecosystems. It has also increased awareness in Reef catchment communities about marine debris and actions they can undertake to prevent litter from entering Reef waterways.

 

This has occurred through:

  • Community clean-up events
  • Site monitoring
  • The Great Barrier Reef Clean-up event annually in October
  • Community Source Reduction Plan Workshops
  • School and community engagement activities
  • Data analysis
  • Disaster management clean-ups
  • Microplastics surveys
Keep an eye on our events calendar for information on our activities.
VIEW UPCOMING EVENTS

 

Tangaroa Blue Foundation acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the Great Barrier Reef and their strong and continuing connections to Country.

2024 - Today

In 2024, the ReefClean program received funding from the Federal Government’s Reef Trust for a further three year program. This program builds on and complements the initial program as well as existing programs and activities operating across the Great Barrier Reef and its catchment.

 

The 2024 – 2027 program aims to:

 

  • reduce the volume of debris generated in or entering the Great Barrier Reef, which may impact listed threatened and migratory species, such as dugongs and turtles, and the Reef’s ecosystems.
  • Increase awareness in Reef catchment communities about the issue of marine debris and actions they can take.
  • Embrace the circular economy principles to divert marine debris into ReefCycle and Rig Recycle programs.
  • Provide an integrated framework for addressing marine debris that connects all relevant stakeholders and provides scalable resources, case studies, and solutions.

2019 - 2023

The initial five year program funded by the Federal Government’s Reef Trust, started in 2019. The project aimed to remove and prevent marine debris in the Great Barrier Reef region through to 2023.

 

To do this, Tangaroa Blue Foundation partnered with several organisations to achieve success: Reef Check Australia, Capricornia Catchments, Eco Barge Clean Seas, OceanWatch Australia, South Cape York Catchments and AUSMAP.

 

The initial ReefClean program was delivered by Tangaroa Blue Foundation and more than 400 stakeholders from 2019-2023.

ReefClean® Partners

Check out ReefClean on Instagram

Data is key to marine debris prevention, and #Reef Data is key to marine debris prevention, and #ReefClean collects a lot of it!
But where do we store it?

The AMDI (💡that stands for Australian Marine Debris Initiative) collates data on marine debris from over 3,100 contributing organisations, so we can get a detailed and more accurate view of when, where and how marine debris ends up on our Reef. 

Anyone can contribute to AMDI using the free app 📱 
Learn more about #AMDI 👉 Link in Bio.

Pictured: Volunteers using the AMDI app at Baku (Cape Kimberley).

#marinedebris #Tangaroablue #tangaroabluefoundation #ReefTrust #Reef2050 #GreatBarrierReef @Reeftrustausgov @DCCEEW @TangaroaBlue @gbrmarinepark
2024 Data Spotlight: Mackay - Whitsunday 📊 Las 2024 Data Spotlight: Mackay - Whitsunday 📊

Last year 234 volunteers across 33 events helped bring in 921 kgs of marine debris in the region! This year synthetic rope remnants were in the top three items for the first time since 2021. 

Top Items:
1️⃣ Hard Plastic Remnants
2️⃣ Plastic Lids
3️⃣ Synthetic Rope & Net Remnants

Microplastics sampling at Half Tide Beach revealed some of the highest levels we recorded for 2024 🔎

Over the next few weeks, we'll share snippets of our 2024 #ReefClean data. Click the link in our bio for the complete, easy-to-read report.

Pictured:  Half Tide Beach Clean-up with the Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal team.

#AMDI #marinedebris #Tangaroablue #ReefTrust #Reef2050 #GreatBarrierReef @Reeftrustausgov @DCCEEW @TangaroaBlue @gbrmarinepark
It's National Volunteering Week and we're celebrat It's National Volunteering Week and we're celebrating all our volunteers who help to protect the Reef from marine debris!

Whether you've come to one clean-up or you're a plastic pollution veteran, you make a difference by helping to reduce and prevent marine debris across the Great Barrier Reef catchment 💙🪸

Not volunteered with us before? Get involved 👉 LINK IN BIO

#NVW2025 #AMDI #marinedebris #Tangaroablue #tangaroabluefoundation #reefclean #ReefTrust #Reef2050 #GreatBarrierReef @Reeftrustausgov @DCCEEW @TangaroaBlue @gbrmarinepark
2024 Data Spotlight: Burdekin 📊 Last year, dat 2024 Data Spotlight: Burdekin 📊

Last year, data from 43 clean-up events was submitted to the Australian Marine Debris Initiative Database from Burdekin. This helped us calculate an estimate of where the marine debris was coming from. The Land Sea Source Index shows that 38% was likely to have come from the land!

Top Items:
1️⃣ Hard Plastic Remnants
2️⃣ Plastic Lids
3️⃣ Soft Plastic Film Remnants

Over the next few weeks, we'll share snippets of our 2024 #ReefClean data. Click the link in our bio for the complete, easy-to-read report.

Pictured: Taking debris off Goolboddi (Orpheus) Island. 

#AMDI #marinedebris #Tangaroablue #ReefTrust #Reef2050 #GreatBarrierReef @Reeftrustausgov @DCCEEW @TangaroaBlue @gbrmarinepark
That's a wrap on sorting the marine debris from ou That's a wrap on sorting the marine debris from our Curtis Island Clean-up! 

The most standout item from the 164 kgs was the incredible amount of plastic lids - 1585 in total. In particular, the number of dark blue AQUA brand lids, we counted 285! 🤯

#AMDI #marinedebris #Tangaroablue #tangaroabluefoundation #reefclean #ReefTrust #Reef2050 #GreatBarrierReef @Reeftrustausgov @DCCEEW @TangaroaBlue @gbrmarinepark
2024 Data Spotlight: Wet Tropics 📊 In 2024, Re 2024 Data Spotlight: Wet Tropics 📊

In 2024, ReefClean volunteers collected more than 2 tonnes of marine debris from the Wet Tropics! That's 1023 hours of volunteers time dedicated to protecting the Reef.

Top Items:
1️⃣ Hard Plastic Remnants
2️⃣ Plastic Lids
3️⃣ Foam Insulation & Packaging

Plastic Lids have been the second most common item found here for the last five years!

Over the next few weeks, we'll share snippets of our 2024 #ReefClean data. Click the link in our bio for the complete, easy-to-read report.

Pictured: Snapper Island Clean-up 

#AMDI #marinedebris #Tangaroablue #ReefTrust #Reef2050 #GreatBarrierReef @Reeftrustausgov @DCCEEW @TangaroaBlue @gbrmarinepark
While others were hunting for chocolate eggs this While others were hunting for chocolate eggs this Easter, the @reefcheckaustralia crew hunted for a different treasure - at their underwater clean-up at Welcome Beach, Fitzroy Island! 💎

Armed with fins, tanks, and the spirit of environmental egg-cellence, the team dove into the southern end of the jetty. This time, collecting a whopping 30 m of fishing line that was lurking around the public moorings.

Local legend Deejuan even gave one curious fish a crash course in marine ID using the Tangaroa Blue booklet. 

Massive thanks to Resilient Reefs Foundation for supplying the scuba tanks, and shoutout to Maddy, Annette, Frank, Deejuan, and Jasmine for their good work! 🙌

We acknowledge the Gurabana Gunggandji people as the Traditional Owners of the land and sea country where these activities took place, and we pay our respects to their Elders, past, present, and emerging.

#FitzroyIsland #reefcheckaustralia #AMDI #marinedebris #Tangaroablue #tangaroabluefoundation #reefclean #ReefTrust #Reef2050 #GreatBarrierReef @Reeftrustausgov @DCCEEW @TangaroaBlue @gbrmarinepark
We've got tons of clean-ups to get involved in wit We've got tons of clean-ups to get involved in within the first two weeks of June! The ReefClean program and its brilliant volunteers conduct monitoring four times a year to get a true and accurate picture of marine debris in the Great Barrier Reef catchment. 

Help us make a difference and join us at one of these locations:
(Visit our Facebook Events page for more info 👉 LINK IN BIO)

2nd | Shelly Cove (Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park)
2nd | Canoe Point (Tannum Sands)
3rd | Flying Fish Point Beach
3rd | Alva Beach
3rd | Half Tide Beach (Hay Point)
4th | Coconut Beach
4th | Alva Estuary 
4th | Louisa Creek Beach (Hay Point)
4th | Endeavour Park (Seventeen Seventy)
4th | Surf Beach (Agnes Waters)
5th | Barney Point Beach (Gladstone)
6th | Googarra Beach (Tully Heads)
9th | Hull River Estuary (Hull Heads)
9th | Secret Beach 
11th | Fly Point (Somerset)
11th | Four Mile Beach
17th | Dickson Inlet (Port Douglas)
19th | Quintell Beach

No experience necessary! 

#AMDI #marinedebris #Tangaroablue #tangaroabluefoundation #reefclean #ReefTrust #Reef2050 #GreatBarrierReef @Reeftrustausgov @DCCEEW @TangaroaBlue @gbrmarinepark
Attention Cairns and Douglas Shire locals! 📢 Re Attention Cairns and Douglas Shire locals! 📢 Recycle your mint tins with us so we can repurpose them into personal cigarette butt bins, and help us reduce cigarette butt litter in the Douglas Shire. 

Simply drop your empty mint tins at the following locations: 

Cairns 📍Stratford Library, Cairns City Library, Manunda Library, Earlville Library, Smithfield Library 

Mossman/Port Douglas 📍Mossman Library, Port Douglas Library, The Daintree Shop

And our team will repurpose them for our #DitchtheFlick campaign.

Fancy your own personal cigarette butt bin? Pick one up from the @crystalbrooksuperyachtmarina or @thedaintreeshop in Port Douglas. 

#AMDI #marinedebris #Tangaroablue #tangaroabluefoundation #reefclean #ReefTrust #Reef2050 #GreatBarrierReef @Reeftrustausgov @DCCEEW @TangaroaBlue @gbrmarinepark @douglasshirecouncil
2024 Data Spotlight: Cape York 📊 Last year, Re 2024 Data Spotlight: Cape York 📊

Last year, ReefClean held 23 clean-ups, recovering 6631 kgs of marine debris from the Cape York coastline. 89% of this was estimated to come from sea sources (using the Land Sea Source Index). 

Top Items:
1️⃣ Hard Plastic Remnants
2️⃣ Plastic Lids
3️⃣ Plastic Drink Bottles

The top two items have remained consistent across 6 years of monitoring!

Over the next few weeks, we'll share snippets of our 2024 #ReefClean data. Click the link in our bio for the complete, easy-to-read report.

Pictured:  One Mile Beach Clean-up with the Lama Lama Rangers 

#AMDI #marinedebris #Tangaroablue #ReefTrust #Reef2050 #GreatBarrierReef @Reeftrustausgov @DCCEEW @TangaroaBlue @gbrmarinepark
🌊🌿 New and experienced volunteers joined us 🌊🌿 New and experienced volunteers joined us for our latest monthly clean-up at Four Mile Beach in collaboration with @sheratongrandportdouglas

Together, they removed 7.5kg of marine debris from the seemingly clean beach and contributed valuable data to the AMDI Database 📋🙌

"Our monthly clean-ups are not only a great opportunity to help the local environment but also a great way to meet like-minded people." says Project Coordinator Lucy.

Why not join us next month? 📨 Email lucy@tangaroablue.org to register or find out more on our Facebook Events.

#AMDI #marinedebris #Tangaroablue #tangaroabluefoundation #protectouroceans
What an awesome day we had for the Facing Island B What an awesome day we had for the Facing Island Beach Clean-up ☀️

 24 brilliant beach-lovers joined the #tangaroablue team, removing 457 kg of marine debris! They didn't stop there, they also sorted and entered a massive 66 out of 71 bags into the Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI) Database 🏆

 The top items collected were:
 🔹 1750 hard plastic remnants
 🔹 1206 Lids
 🔹 180 Soft plastic remnants
 🔹 152 Synthetic rope scraps
 🔹 290 Plastic drink bottles (all but 37 of them were identified as foreign) 

Huge thanks to everyone who joined in and to @gladstoneportscorporation and @curtisferryservices for their support! 💙

#AMDI #marinedebris #Tangaroablue #tangaroabluefoundation #reefclean #ReefTrust #Reef2050 #GreatBarrierReef @Reeftrustausgov @DCCEEW @TangaroaBlue @gbrmarinepark
Have you spotted these on the beach? 👀 At firs Have you spotted these on the beach? 👀

At first glance, they look like small pieces of polystyrene, but these are actually plastic resin pellets (AKA nurdles)!

Poor environmental practices in the plastics industry supply chain mean these small but dangerous microplastics regularly escape into waterways ⚠️

Image: Nurdles found at a recent clean-up at Kangaroo Point 

#AMDI #marinedebris #Tangaroablue #tangaroabluefoundation #reefclean #ReefTrust #Reef2050 #GreatBarrierReef @Reeftrustausgov @DCCEEW @TangaroaBlue @gbrmarinepark
March #ReefClean monitoring stats are in! 📋This March #ReefClean monitoring stats are in! 📋This month, we counted and recorded 15,675 items in the Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI) Database, giving us vital insights into what’s washing up and where.

Site standouts:
• Eastern Foreshore (Boyne River, Benaraby) hauled in the heaviest load (154 kg).
• Harbour Beach (Mackay) took the top spot for item count — 4,406 items filled 38 #tangaroablue bags!

In total, we cleared 605 kg of marine debris, including these top offenders 🔍

🪣  Hard plastic remnants – 8,223
🥤 Lids & bottle caps – 2,050
📦 Foam insulation & packaging – 786

We also recorded microplastics for later analysis 🔬

#AMDI #marinedebris #tangaroabluefoundation #ReefTrust #Reef2050 #GreatBarrierReef @Reeftrustausgov @DCCEEW @TangaroaBlue @gbrmarinepark
See the impact of your hard work! 💪🪣Read the See the impact of your hard work! 💪🪣Read the 2024 ReefClean Public Report to see the results for your region 👉 LINK IN BIO

----

ReefClean is funded by the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and is delivered by Tangaroa Blue Foundation  in partnership with: @ausmap_au, BehaviourWorks Australia, @cleanupaustralia, @gmyppbc , @pioneer_landcare, @reefcheckaustralia, @southcapeyorkcatchments, @whitsundaylandcare, Woppaburra TUMRA, Wuthathi Aboriginal Corporation

#AMDI #marinedebris #Tangaroablue #tangaroabluefoundation #reefclean #ReefTrust #Reef2050 #GreatBarrierReef @Reeftrustausgov @DCCEEW @TangaroaBlue @gbrmarinepark
🚨 Reef Communities Unite to Remove 11 Tonnes of 🚨 Reef Communities Unite to Remove 11 Tonnes of Marine Debris! 🚨

The 2024 ReefClean Report is here – showcasing the incredible efforts of our volunteers, partners, and team over the past year. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the ongoing protection of our Reef 🪸

You joined us at over 230 clean-ups and educational initiatives. Together, we assessed microplastics, collected vital data on marine debris, and picked up a whopping 11 tonnes of debris from the beaches! 

👀 Delve into the data across 6 NRM regions 👉 LINK IN BIO

----

ReefClean  is funded by the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and is delivered by Tangaroa Blue Foundation  in partnership with: @ausmap_au, BehaviourWorks Australia, @cleanupaustralia, @gmyppbc , @pioneer_landcare, @reefcheckaustralia, @southcapeyorkcatchments, @whitsundaylandcare, Woppaburra TUMRA, Wuthathi Aboriginal Corporation

#AMDI #marinedebris #Tangaroablue #tangaroabluefoundation #reefclean #ReefTrust #Reef2050 #GreatBarrierReef @Reeftrustausgov @DCCEEW @TangaroaBlue @gbrmarinepark
Are you in the Daintree area next week? Why not co Are you in the Daintree area next week? Why not come volunteer with us and help protect Baku/Cape Kimberley and its wildlife from marine debris? 

Beginners welcome. We provide all the clean-up kit you need.

⛴️ Meet us at the Daintree River Ferry Terminal.
💧 Light lunch and water top-ups provided by @tangaroablue.
😎 Remember sun protection and enclosed shoes.

Book your place or get more info by contacting lucy@tangaroablue.org

What are you waiting for? 🏝️

#AMDI #marinedebris #Tangaroablue #tangaroabluefoundation #reefclean #ReefTrust #Reef2050 #GreatBarrierReef @Reeftrustausgov @DCCEEW @TangaroaBlue @gbrmarinepark
We've had some new followers recently, so we thoug We've had some new followers recently, so we thought we would introduce ourselves 👋

The #ReefClean program started in 2019, now in our 6th year, we're enthusiastic as ever about reducing and preventing marine debris in the Great Barrier Reef catchment. Oh and we love teaching others about it too! 

Whether you're an ocean-loving individual, part of a community group or a school - we've got an opportunity for you to get involved. Get in touch at volunteer@tangaroablue.org

ReefClean is funded by @Reeftrustausgov and is delivered by @TangaroaBlue Foundation.

#AMDI #marinedebris #Tangaroablue #tangaroabluefoundation #ReefTrust #Reef2050 #GreatBarrierReef @DCCEEW @gbrmarinepark
11 TONNES of marine debris removed in 2024! To all 11 TONNES of marine debris removed in 2024! To all #ReefClean partners and volunteers - you rock 💪

Look out for the full 2024 report coming soon 👀 

#AMDI #marinedebris #Tangaroablue #tangaroabluefoundation #reefclean #ReefTrust #Reef2050 #GreatBarrierReef @Reeftrustausgov @DCCEEW @TangaroaBlue @gbrmarinepark @ausmap_au @cleanupaustralia @gmyppbc @pioneer_landcare @reefcheckaustralia @southcapeyorkcatchments @whitsundaylandcare
Plastic doesn’t belong in the ocean—but it’s Plastic doesn’t belong in the ocean—but it’s everywhere 💔

Every year, 20 million tonnes of debris enter the environment, devastating marine life (source: IUCN). Entanglement, ingestion, toxic pollution—plastic threatens entire ecosystems.

In 2024 alone, the #AMDI Network removed 2.2 million pieces of marine debris from Australian coastlines 💪

But if all we do is clean-up, that’s all we’ll ever do. 
That’s why we use data to stop plastic at the source. By tracking debris and working with communities and stakeholders, we drive long-term change to protect our seas.

📸 Coral growing on a plastic bottle found on Tangaroa Blue's recent clean-up at Indian Heads. 
#marinedebris #Tangaroablue #tangaroabluefoundation #reefclean #ReefTrust #Reef2050 #GreatBarrierReef @Reeftrustausgov @DCCEEW @TangaroaBlue @gbrmarinepark
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ReefClean News

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ReefClean Unearths Toxic Hazards

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