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How Cairns locals are banding together to protect the world’s largest living structure

Words by Liz Bond Photos by Mark Lehn

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ead any news piece about The 30-year-old Azri is a chatty ball of energy with the a wide smile and laughing eyes. As he talks about the and chances are it’ll be reef, his enthusiasm is palpable. “It is so gigantic, there focused on the natural are still parts unexplored,” he says excitedly. “The wonder’s parlous state, size and diversity of the reef make it such a wonder.” with everyone from the However, his mood changes when asked if the reef is New York Times to the on its last legs. “No!” he answers, emphatically. “It’s not Atlantic reporting that large sections of the reef are dead. It’s simply a little sick.” dead or dying. If you’ve not been to Cairns and seen Ocean conservation has always been Azri’s passion. theR reef for yourself, it’s easy to conjure up visions of While studying at South ’s Flinders University, lifeless, bleached coral, with rampaging crown-of- he founded the Sukamade Turtle Refuge in East thorns starfish and coral-eating snails leaving a trail Java, to educate volunteers on compiling data and of destruction. Contrary to popular belief, however, handling sea turtles. Currently employed as resident the situation is not that bleak. With no coral bleaching marine biologist on Fitzroy Island, part of Azri’s job recorded this past summer, local scientists who live, is to train volunteer divers to clean small samples of breathe and care for the reef every day are confident heat-resilient coral in the tropical waters surrounding that it is actually just unwell and that their combined the island for the Reef Restoration Foundation (RRF). efforts will help it recover and thrive in the future. The RRF is a not-for-profit social enterprise focusing There is no doubt, though, that the reef is under on regenerating high-value coral reefs. Cuttings stress, especially by warming waters – a consequence from these healthy coral samples are transplanted of global change. Some areas have indeed from coral nurseries to damaged sections of the reef suffered serious bleaching, but according to nearby, aiding the rebuilding process. Singapore-born marine biologist Azri Saparwan, this Covering approximately the same area as Italy, is simply a defence mechanism against rising water the Great Barrier Reef stretches over 2,300km in temperatures and increased agricultural pollution that ’s tropical north. Home to around 1,500 reduces the levels of oxygen in the water.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT CUTTINGS FROM FROM LEFT HEALTHY CORAL TOURISTS ENJOY SAMPLES ARE THE SANDY TRANSPLANTED TO BEACHES AND DAMAGED CLEAR WATERS OF SECTIONS OF THE FITZROY ISLAND; REEF; LEISURE MARINE BIOLOGIST DIVERS CAN AZRI SAPARWAN IS VOLUNTEER TO OPTIMISTIC ABOUT CLEAN CORAL THE REEF’S LONG- SAMPLES; SETTING TERM FUTURE UP A CORAL NURSERY

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FROM LEFT DIVING AND SNORKELLING ARE POPULAR WAYS OF EXPLORING THE REEF; SIX OF THE WORLD’S SEVEN MARINE TURTLE SPECIES ARE FOUND AT THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

fish species and six of the world’s seven marine turtle species, it is one of the planet’s most diverse ecosystems. It’s no wonder the people who live and work here are so committed to protecting the reef. One shining example of this community action is HOW TOURISM HELPS Fitzroy Island Resort, an idyllic retreat surrounded by its own fringing reef and palm-lined beach. THE GREAT BARRIER REEF Besides being a haven for divers and snorkellers, • Tourists can volunteer to monitor marine life Fitzroy Island Resort has also rolled out various on cruises like those offered by Sunlover Reef initiatives to protect and preserve the world’s largest Cruises (sunlover.com.au) or clean up a beach living structure. The resort supports the Cairns Turtle with Tangaroa Blue (tangaroablue.org), an Rehabilitation Centre (CTRC), where tourists can organisation involved in removing marine debris. visit recovering sea turtles. In December last year, it supported the work of the RRF with the establishment • Plastic is killing turtles and massively increasing of the reef’s first offshore coral nursery. disease risk in corals. More than 50 tour boats The RRF is currently headed by the quietly and over 400 hotels and bars have taken up the spoken Stewart Christie, who also used to lead challenge to go plastic-straw-free. Find out more Advance Cairns, the regional advocacy and economic about the Last Straw on the Great Barrier Reef development organisation for Tropical North campaign at thelaststrawonthegbr.org. Queensland. On a trip back to Cairns aboard the Fitzroy Island Fast Cat, the Scottish-born Christie • Holidaying in and around Cairns also supports shares how he now spends his time knocking on the the reef. A small levy from each boat and tourism doors of philanthropists, big business and government operation within the Great Barrier Reef Marine agencies, trying to enlist their support. Park goes towards managing the park. A pragmatist, Christie explains, “It’s about making partnerships. We need to recognise that some things + will work and some won’t. But, we can’t just keep

monitoring [the situation] – we need to intervene.” MILLER (Turtle) ; CHRISTIAN BRIAN CASSEY (Snorkelling) by Photos

40 | SILKWINDSMAGAZINE.COM RIGHT GARETH PHILLIPS, WHO SKIPPERS PASSIONS OF PARADISE, ALSO CO-FOUNDED THE REEF TEACH CENTRE

Evidence of this partner-led approach is apparent in the ongoing coral nursery scheme, which adopted a highly successful method developed in the Florida Keys to establish an initial six growing frames in late 2017. The project was seed-funded by Fitzroy Island Resort, Cairns Dive Centre, the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators, Gem Pearl and Government’s National Environmental Science Programme. The National Australia Bank awarded a substantial grant earlier this year while Japan’s largest travel agency JTB further boosted the effort with funds this April. While big corporations are starting to throw their weight behind reef conservation, individuals are also looking to do their bit. By day, South African Gareth Phillips skippers the Passions of Paradise, which offers day trips to the outer reef. At night, along with fellow marine biologist Abby Seymour, he works as a lecturer offering information and tips on how best to experience and enjoy the wonders of this diverse ecosystem through a unique educational programme called Reef Teach. During the two-hour presentation, while passing around coral specimens, the lively Seymour explains, “Many people see

+ WHEN TO The best times to visit are during Australia’s winter and spring (July to November), when humidity is lowest. Stinger suits are mandatory during the VISIT THE REEF as it coincides with jellyfish season (from November through May).

Turtles nest Swim with dwarf Humpback and hatch minke whales whales visit

Jellyfish breeding Swim, snorkel or dive

NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT

WET SEASON CAIRNS

+ MEET THE For Birtles, this commitment is borne from WHALE passion. “I know I’m biased, but they are exquisitely the bleached coral and think it’s dead. WHISPERER However, some of these sections are a beautiful,” he says of the thousand years old – you can imagine whales. “They shine – that black, white and grey how many bleaching events they’ve been Don’t try to book an contrasting pattern; it’s lovely through and yet, they’re still here.” appointment with Dr Alastair being in the water with a large Bobbing on a perfectly turquoise Birtles in June or July. For and attractive animal.” lagoon at Hastings Reef on board two months of the year, the For this two-month Passions of Paradise, the solidly built Australian research professor window, Birtles and his Phillips doesn’t mince words when he is largely incommunicado, research team piggyback on discusses how some American media hopping between dive boats vessels licensed outlets misreported that 93% of the reef in a quest to find out more by the Great Barrier Reef was dead in 2016. “No,” he says firmly, with about the Great Barrier Reef’s Marine Park Authority to a steady hand on Passion’s wheel, “93% most mysterious inhabitants: operate minke whale swims. of the reefs surveyed were bleached but dwarf minke whales. Permits are capped at eight not dead. Bleaching is a natural physical Birtles is the head of operators, giving just 2,000 response, like a fever to an infection”. the Minke Whale Project, people a season the chance to “Last year, I shut down a site we go MIKE BALL by ; Photos BEST CATHERINE by Words based at ’s James interact with the minkes. to called Spit Bommie. Between Cook University in North Birtles, a zoologist TOP Queensland, and has and marine biologist, says THALA BEACH the crown-of-thorns starfish NATURE RESERVE spent 25 years and the partnership between RESORT, LOCATED ravaging it and some BETWEEN CAIRNS bleaching, it wasn’t fair to over 2,000 hours researchers and dive boats AND PORT in the water is an example of responsible DOUGLAS, IS ONE take tourists there. A few OF THE MANY studying these tourism at its best. “It’s BUSINESSES weeks ago, I had a good creatures. Visit expensive doing research ELIMINATING look and the recovery is THE USE OF the southern out here and it would be PLASTIC STRAWS outstanding – in just a year! hemisphere impossible if we had to It shows that recovery is in winter, and [deploy] a research vessel. “very possible”. you’ll find him in But these boats enable us to So what can you do for a wetsuit dangling be out here.” the reef? For a start, according SilkAir flies from a rope line, It seems that ecotourism between to Phillips, just visit it. “Come see the photographing and sketching might hold the key to Singapore Great Barrier Reef – there is no other and Cairns five whales and collecting unlocking the minke’s secrets. times a week place like it on earth.” fragments of their shed skin. minkewhaleproject.org

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