Executive summary
The Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan (Reef 2050 Plan) is the Australian and Queensland Government’s overarching framework for protecting and managing the Great Barrier Reef to 2050. The Maintenance Dredging Strategy for Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area Ports (the Strategy) resulted from an action within the Reef 2050 Plan.
The Strategy was developed to provide a framework for sustainable, leading practice management of maintenance dredging at ports in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. The objective of the framework is to build on the strong regulatory requirements and ensure the ongoing protection of the Great Barrier Reef’s outstanding universal value and the continued operating efficiency of ports within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. The Strategy aims to improve transparency and consistency, and better manage and lessen impacts of maintenance dredging in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area by requiring improved levels of consultation, monitoring and reporting.
Maintenance dredging is the removal of accumulated sediments such as sand and silt that have built up in existing port infrastructure, including channels, berths, and swing basins. It is a vital component of operations in most Queensland ports and is used to maintain the required depth for ships to safely enter and exit the ports. Since the development of the Strategy in 2016, annual maintenance dredging within Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area ports has occurred at Cairns, Townsville, and Gladstone ports. Maintenance dredging has also taken place at the Port of Abbot Point in 2017, the Port of Hay Point in 2019, and the Port of Mackay in 2020.
The Strategy sets out 17 principles and 5 actions to be adopted to ensure maintenance dredging continues in an environmentally sustainable manner and provides efficient navigation within Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area ports. Action 5 of the Strategy required the Department of Transport and Main Roads to review the Strategy to assess its effectiveness in achieving the objectives of ensuring the ongoing protection of the Great Barrier Reef's outstanding universal value and the continued operating efficiency of Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area ports.
The review included a desktop assessment of the progress of actions and how Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area ports have applied the principles of the Strategy, a review of relevant reports published since the Strategy was developed, and consultation with stakeholders including Queensland port authorities, state and federal regulators, and conservation groups.
Stakeholders recognised the Strategy has resulted in positive outcomes including improved data access and transparency, more streamlined and consistent application/assessment processes for maintenance dredging, new project initiatives and consideration of the Great Barrier Reef’s outstanding universal value. Stakeholders recognised the Technical Advisory and Consultative Committees provided a means to identify maintenance dredging issues impacting stakeholder and/or port activities. Opportunities for improvement related to membership of the Technical Advisory and Consultative Committees, communication and engagement processes and further opportunities for streamlining and coordination of assessment processes associated with maintenance dredging applications.
The review determined the decision-making principles that underpin the Strategy, adopted from the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan 2015, remain aligned to the revised Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan 2021–2025. All 5 actions of the Strategy have been completed, and all 17 principles are being applied in Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area ports. Potential opportunities for improvement were identified, resulting in 4 recommendations. A summary of the key findings and associated recommendations is described below.
The review found there are a range of communication channels used by Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area ports to share and seek input about maintenance dredging. However, a consistent theme throughout the review was that stakeholders were seeking more engagement and information about maintenance dredging. For example, stakeholders sought more information and input into the methodology, options, and impact analyses for the management of dredged material. Stakeholders also sought notification about when maintenance dredging activities occurred, when permits were granted, and when scientific studies and monitoring were published.
To address this, and to maximise engagement and involvement of key stakeholders, Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area ports should regularly review membership of Technical Advisory and Consultative Committees. Ports should consider ongoing involvement of government agencies and include relevant non-government members such as community groups, conservation groups, and Traditional Owners. Ports should ensure Technical Advisory and Consultative Committees continue to be fit-for purpose, including, for example, regularly reviewing the terms of reference for the Technical Advisory and Consultative Committees and information distribution processes.
| Recommendation 1 |
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| Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area ports should regularly review membership of Technical Advisory and Consultative Committees to include government agencies and relevant non-government members such as community groups, conservation groups, and Traditional Owners. |
Stakeholder feedback throughout the review identified other opportunities relating to communications. Like Recommendation 1, regular review of communications plans would improve transparency and access to information and data. Ongoing review of communications plans would result in positive outcome such as greater understanding of assessment methodologies for identifying dredged material placement areas, decision-making processes, and cumulative impact management.
| Recommendation 2 |
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| Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area ports should regularly review their communication plans for maintenance dredging to ensure maintenance dredging activities are shared with stakeholders. |
The review included assessment of key reports since the release of the Strategy. The Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report 2019 recognised the diverse range and number of monitoring programs that Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area ports conduct, but suggested there were gaps in the range, quality and consistency of data collected across the ports generally. The Report on the Reactive Monitoring Mission to the Great Barrier Reef (Australia), 21-30 March 2022 recommended the comprehensive and transparent scientific assessments recommended in the Strategy were undertaken and made publicly available.
Feedback received through the review provided differing perspectives on whether the Strategy had improved regulatory processes related to maintenance dredging. Regulatory agencies indicated application processes had been streamlined through the development of Long-term Maintenance Dredging Management Plans, however port authorities suggested further opportunities for streamlining. This included, for example, improving consistency across state and federal jurisdictions (such as information requirements for permit applications, management plans and monitoring), timeframes for assessments and permits, and the transition from capital to maintenance dredging.
To address these findings, it is recommended Queensland Ports Association host regular forums with government agencies and each port authority to exchange information, new port initiatives, data, research findings and experiences. While all ports operate in different environments with varying levels of utilisation and dredging requirements, regular forums would promote consistency and transparency. Regular forums could also be used to discuss potential opportunities to streamline and/or standardise elements of the application and assessment processes relating to maintenance dredging and material management.
| Recommendation 3 |
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| Queensland Ports Association should host regular forums with government agencies and Queensland port authorities to exchange information, share new port initiatives, data, research findings and experiences, and discuss opportunities to streamline regulatory processes related to maintenance dredging. |
| Recommendation 4 |
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| As the Reef 2050 Integrated Monitoring and Reporting Program Data Management System develops, the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area ports should share their maintenance dredging, monitoring and reporting datasets through the Data Management System. |
Overall, the review concluded the Strategy is effective in achieving objectives and should continue to be implemented by Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area ports. One of the key decision-making principles from the Reef 2050 Plan that underpins the Strategy is to adopt a partnership approach to the protection and management of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. The additional recommendations in this review, as detailed above, will continue to support this partnership approach and ensure governance arrangements are transparent and accountable.
Implementation of the recommendations should continue to guide maintenance dredging within Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area ports in a predictable and adaptive manner and achieve optimised environmental outcomes. Commitment to continual improvement of maintenance dredging practices remains an ongoing obligation of government, regulators, and the ports industry and is essential to achieving the Strategy's objectives.
Ongoing implementation of the Strategy, in conjunction with the recommendations of this review, will continue to ensure the ongoing protection of the Great Barrier Reef's outstanding universal value and operating efficiency of Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area ports.
Acknowledgement of Country
The Department of Transport and Main Roads acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout the Great Barrier Reef and Australia, and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters, and community. We pay our respects to their cultures and their elders past, present and emerging.
- Last updated
- 6 February 2025