Poster Presentation Australian Marine Sciences Association 2026 Conference

Development of novel multi-habitat solutions for coastal zone restoration in the southern Great Barrier Reef (139928)

Carolyn Lundquist 1 2 , Maria Vozzo 3 , Charles Cadier 1 , Conor Mac Donnell 1 , Megan Saunders 4 , Marina Richardson 5 , Rod Connolly 5 , Geoff Collins 6 7 , Harvey Martinez 6 , Kaidon Anderson 6 , Will Hamill 8 , Clarissa Elakis 8 , Emma L. Jackson 1
  1. CQ University, Gladstone Marina, QUEENSLAND, Australia
  2. School of Environment, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
  3. CSIRO Environment, CSIRO, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
  4. CSIRO Environment, CSIRO, Hobart, TAS, Australia
  5. Global Wetlands Project, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
  6. OzFish, Brisbane, QLD, Aust
  7. TropWATER, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
  8. Great Barrier Reef Foundation, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

At the southern edge of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA), the industrial Port of Gladstone is a naturally sheltered harbour framed by coastal islands such as Facing Island. This setting of heavy industry and valuable marine ecosystems provides a compelling site to advance integrated habitat restoration. Restoration and enhancement of remnant tropical seagrass meadows and oyster reefs have the potential to contribute to the management of existing and emerging risks to the natural values of the GBRWHA and the adjacent coastal zone. A new project funded by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation will advance integrated habitat restoration techniques by providing an evidence base to inform future scaling of this multi-habitat restoration approach. The partnership between CMERC, CSIRO, Griffith University, and OzFish Unlimited will: 1) develop and trial novel multi-habitat restoration solutions, quantifying cross-habitat interactions between seagrass, oyster reefs, mangroves and unvegetated habitats; 2) build local stewardship and capacity in seagrass and oyster restoration with local communities and Traditional Owners; and 3) enable replication of the multi-habitat approach at scale, examining how spatial configuration, cross-habitat interactions and environmental conditions influence mutual habitat benefits and ecosystem recovery.