Moreton Bay was officially declared one of 14 new Hope Spots by IUCN and Mission Blue at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in September. Hope Spots are unique marine environments that are critical to the health of our oceans. The successful nomination was jointly submitted with the awesome crew at The University of Queensland Underwater Club (Unidive). After rigorous scientific vetting and policy analysis of the submission, this subtropical location joined the ranks with just 76 other locations around the world.  We're thrilled to see this acknowledgement of the unique marine wildlife and habitats of Moreton Bay, It is an outstanding commendation for the dedicated people who are committed to looking after this place. What an awesome example of the power of citizen science in action. We're proud to be a part of this movement and grateful to the huge range of people and organisations who are champions for Moreton Bay/Quandamooka. Stay tuned for next steps!

In 2016, the Reef Check Team established four new survey sites in the Mackay region. With help from the Mackay Dive Club and Megaforce Charters new sites were created on Keswick and Wigdon Islands. These reefs are located in the South Cumberland islands. While perhaps not as well-known as neighbouring reefs to the north in the Whitsundays, surveyors were thrilled to visit these new fringing reef locations. Good to only see relatively low levels of bleaching (6-12%), given some more startling bleaching reports from other areas further north. Will be keeping in contact with local operators for any updates on condition. These sites help provide new knowledge of reef health and monitor changes in years to come. This project is supported through Reef Catchments and we look forward to continuing to expand our work in this region.

Our teams braved the chilly winter waters off the Fraser Coast to establish the first long-term monitoring locations in the area, helping to close the gap between our Great Barrier Reef sites and South East Queensland sites. The team visited 5 sites, including 3 sites inshore Hervey Bay and two off the Woongara Coast near Bundaberg. We worked with local management authorities and researchers to select sites with existing baseline data and important management priorities, with water quality as a particular focus. Reef Check sites will help to provide additional long-term reef health data for these unique subtropical reef systems. Thanks very much to Great Sandy Marine Park, Bundaberg Aqua Scuba, Bundy Dive Charters, the Hervey Bay Boat Club and a few passionate locals for all of your help implementing this new project. This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government’s Caring for Our Country.