Reef Catchments has released the Mackay Whitsunday Regional Water Quality Strategy 2025–2035, along with the technical Synthesis Report behind it and a summary flyer covering the key points. All three are now available under the resource section of our website.
The Strategy sets out how we can improve water quality across our region’s four catchments over the next decade, guided by three goals: improved water quality, resilient landscapes and empowered communities. It was developed with C2O Consulting and the University of Queensland, drawing on strong science and input from local landholders, industry and Traditional Owners.
Our region covers just 2% of the Great Barrier Reef’s catchment area, but punches well above its weight: 20% of the Reef’s coastline, over 500km² of seagrass meadows, more than 3,000km² of coral reef, and nationally significant wetlands including Goorganga Plains. What happens on our land has a real and measurable effect on the Reef.
That’s why this Strategy is designed to align with the Queensland and Australian governments’ Reef 2050 Catchment Water Quality Strategy – the reef-wide plan that our region’s efforts feed into. Progress across the whole Reef is tracked through the Reef Water Quality Report Card, released just this month, and work including the streambank repair, revegetation and sustainable farming practices in our own Strategy are part of what drives reef-wide results.
Whether you are a landholder, a local council, an industry group or just someone who cares about this region, there is a role for you to play. Read the full Strategy, the Synthesis Report, or the short summary version to find out where your part fits in.