Reef Rescue

Overview	Components	How to apply

Overview

Reef Rescue is an ongoing and key component of Caring for our Country. Reef Rescue represents a coordinated approach to environmental management in Australia and is the single largest commitment ever made to address the threats of declining water quality and climate change to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.

In the first phase of the Caring for our Country Reef Rescue program, the Australian Government committed $200 million over five years (2008-09 to 2012-13) to improve the quality of water entering the Great Barrier Reef lagoon.

Over the course of the program more than 3200 individual land managers received water quality grants for on-farm projects.

Through the second phase of Caring for our Country, the Australian Government has committed a further $200 million to continue efforts to protect the Great Barrier Reef through improvements to the quality of water flowing into the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. Over a further five year period the Reef Rescue program will enhance the reef’s resilience to the threats posed by climate change and nutrients, pesticides and sediment runoff through a number of complimentary approaches.

The next phase of Reef Rescue will support activities that will contribute to both the Sustainable Environment and Sustainable Agriculture streams of Caring for our Country.

Key dates for Reef Rescue

Water Quality Grants and Partnerships	Application period opens		24 April 2013
	Application period closes		2pm AEST 22 May 2013
Systems Repair and Urban Grants	Application period opens		24 April 2013
	Application period closes		2pm AEST 29 May 2013