Empowering people to save our reefs and oceans

Reef Check Australia 2011-2012 Annual Report

our philosophy

Our VisionWe envision a world with healthy and sustainable reefs supported by an engaged and informed public.

MissionTo promote healthy local reefs through scientific research, community education and marine conservation.

Core Values1. Empowering and engaging the community in reef conservation and decision-making.

2. Collaborating and cooperating with other partners to achieve our vision. 3. Maximising stakeholder benefits with minimal cost.

4. Acting with professionalism and in-tegrity at all times.

5. Aspiring to excellence and striving for innovation in all our activities.

Objectives

Reef Check Australia aims to ensure a sustainable future for the Australian and Indo-Pacific region’s reef ecosystems. In order to achieve this aim, our objectives are:

To generate and publish reef health data that is highly valued by scientists and natural resource managers on local, national and international scales.

To provide access to select reef health data that is approachable and engaging to the general public.

To generate and distribute select reef health data is thatuseful for tourism partners.

To create meaningful opportunities for the public to engage in reef monitoring and conservation.

To help stakeholders understand the value of coral ecosystems and the threats to reef health.

To produce high-quality educational and public awareness programs that catalyse behaviour change and promote sustainable practices to protect our marine environment.

To enhance Reef Check Australia’s credibility, promote our reputation nationwide.

To progress Reef Check Australia towards a position of financial sustainability.

To facilitate collaborative partnerships that support & reinforce the Reef Check Australia Vision.

board of director’s ReportThis year has been one of consolidation, adjustment and some exciting developments for Reef Check Australia. The move of office to Brisbane in 2011 posed may challenges, which we are delighted to see that Jenn and the rest of the team have risen to meet. Regulatory changes have forced some adjustments upon us as we continue to ensure that our diving practices remain as safe as they can possibly be; there may well be further developments in this field in the coming year. On top of all of that there have been some really exceptional new ventures such as REEFsearch and new monitoring sites established.

The geographic reach of Reef Check Australia has extended in recent years and is set to extend even further in the years to come. For that reason we are actively looking at extending the range of our Board and hope to be able to announce some positive developments on that score in the near future.

Earlier in the year the Board undertook an extensive review of the organisation and developed a strategic framework for moving forward; we are confident that process will pay significant dividends in the form of improved partnerships, more extensive utilisation of our reef health data and ultimately improved outcomes for the reef ecosystems that our teams of volunteers work so hard to protect.

The Board would like to extend its appreciation to the Reef Check Australia team, all our wonderful volunteers and the numerous organisations that partner with us and make the vital work we do possible.

Our DirectorsPete Faulkner, Board ChairPeter took on the role of Board Chair in Sep-tember 2011. Pete has been involved with Reef Check since 2006, first as a surveyor and later as an instructor and training course author. He has been involved with reef con-servation since 1992, when he first went on an expedition with UK based Coral Caye Con-servation. Pete’s reef work has taken him to Belize, Honduras, Fiji, Indonesia and The Philippines. Since 1999 he has been a PADI Professional and is currently a PADI Master Instructor. He has written PADI Distinctive specialties on coral ID and reef surveying.

Mark Nilsen, Board DirectorMark Nilsen has been a Reef Check volunteer since 2004. He has a background in marine sciences with an honours degree in biological oceanography from the uni-versity of NSW. Mark also has over 12 years experience in the financial services industry working with property investment, stock-broking and financial planning. Mark is also an Open Water Scuba Instructor with PADI.

Dr. Terry Done, Board DirectorDr Terry Done is an internationally renowned marine biologist and coral reef researcher. He has been an advisor to governments in Australia, US and Indonesia on coral reef science and management, and he has written over 70 scientific papers and book chapters, with a focus on coral reefs.

Jo Roberts, Board DirectorJo Roberts worked with us for over 2 years as Education Manager. Now, as a Director, she is helping to represent Reef Check in Western Australia. She has worked in various project manage-ment roles in the not-for-profit world over the last few years with a focus on education, behavioural change programs, strategic planning and fundraising.

Greg Bruce, Board DirectorGreg Bruce is currently employed as Executive Manager of the Integrated Sustainability Services (ISS) Department in Townsville City Council (TCC), where he has worked for 14 years specializing in and leading an integrated coastal-water-energy and carbon cycle management approach to on-ground sustainability outcomes. His passion and interest in sustainability is in finding practical new ways to communicate and implement on-ground outcomes in sustainability, including whole of community approaches.

Manager’s Report

Our staff & trainers

This year our dedicated Board, staff and volunteers have been actively working to build the framework for a continuously growing Reef Check Australia program. Although this has required curbing some on-ground activities, we are confident that this process will allow our programs to grow sustainably, build more opportunities for our dedicated volunteers and create a powerful network for the Reef Check Australia community.

We are proud of our accomplishments and excited about plans for the future. We are incredibly thankful for the support of our volunteers, Board, funding agencies, industry part-ners and project collaborators. Our program is only successful because of our diverse and dedicat-ed Reef Check champions. Our volunteer teams have surveyed both brand new sites and long-term locations with years of data, reaching 36 survey locations this year. In addition to growing our science programs, we have been seeking more ways to involve the broader community in our programs. Our REEFSearch pilot programs have received amazing support and we will be launching the national program in 2013. Volunteers have also dived in to underwater and coastal clean-up activities, community events and educational outreach.

With much pride (and extensive social media campaigning!) we doubled our staff at the end of thefinan-cial year. We welcome our second full-time staff member and long-term volunteer, Jodi Salmond. As our Community Engagement Officer, Jodi will be working extensively on expanding participation in Reef Check programs. As we look ahead, we are thrilled with the passionate people involved in our organisation, the strong partnerships helping to achieve more positive outcomes and the great possibilities. We look forward to sharing our success with you.

Jennifer LoderGeneral Manager

Jennifer Loder (General Manager)After coordinating the South East Queensland program for 2 years, Jenn stepped up to the General Manager role in April 2011 to oversee program and business operations. She holds a GDipSci in Marine Biology from James Cook University and a MSc in Environmental Science from Florida International University. Inspired by her first Indo-Pacific experience in Palau, Jenn moved to Australia to pursue a career that unites science and education to protect our oceans.

David Glover (Dive Officer & Trainer)David is an active Reef Check Australia trainer and co-Dive Officer. He has been training Reef Check volunteers since 2007 and helped to establish the Reef Check program in South East Queensland. His diverse experience in marine surveys, coral recruitment studies of natural and artificial reefs allow him to provide excellent guidance on safe and scientifically valid procedures for Reef Check.

Jody Kreuger (Dive Officer & Trainer)Jody is a PADI, DAN & SSI Dive Instructor with Commercial Scientific Diving experience and more than 15 years experience supervising diving and boating activities. Jody’s work experience has included a wide range of marine research, monitoring and conservation activities. He applies his extensive background with Reef Check Australia as both an active trainer and co-Dive Officer.

Jodi Salmond (Community Engagement Officer)Jodi has been a volunteer Team Leader for two years and was one of four candidates chosen to live out their professional dream for one year through the Vodafone Australia Foundation World of Difference program. From June 2012, Jodi will work full-time and on new ways to engage community members in reef monitoring, education and conservation. She is a marine biologist, with a BSc honours in Marine Parasitology from James Cook University in Townsville and brings to Reef Check her global experience working on marine science and conservation projects.

Chris Roelfsema (Science Advisor & Trainer)Chris Roelfsema has been a scientist/lecturer at University of Queensland since 1998. His research focuses on integrating field and remote sensing satellite or airborne imagery to study coral reef and seagrass environments. He has extensive experience in marine survey methods and volunteer monitoring projects. Chris has been a Reef Check Australia trainer since 2010 and is on our Science Advisory committee.

Surveys And DataOur teams continued to monitor locations subject to the 2011 Brisbane floods and North Queensland cyclone during the 2011/2012 survey sea-son. Our teams reached 17 sites on the Great Barrier Reef and 19 rocky reef locations in South East Queensland. We added nine new monitoring locations at Heron Island to our list of long-term sites. These new spots help us continue to close the gap on the Queensland coast between Reef Check sites on the Great Barrier Reef and in South East Queensland.

All data is being displayed to the public via our online Reef Health Database. Launched in 2009, this system has been an incredibly important tool for us to share our data with diverse project stakeholders. We continued to work on developing the functionality and resources for this significant data management and sharing system.

Precision Study Dr Terry Done is also working on finalising a precision study to support theexcellent data collected by our trained volunteers. The study examinesobserver effects of Reef Check volunteers. Results show that differences between observers and subsequent transect deployments are low, with 6.7% of the random variation in hard coral estimates due to observer ef-fects. In summary, we have confidence that observerer errors are only minor contributors to the variability among pooled samples at the scales of individual reefs and across many reefs. This means with adequate training and suitable maps, trained volunteers can collect useful broad-scale reef monitoring information.

With this new data confidence, we are in the midst of investigating long-term trends from our 10 years of Great Barrier Reef data and look forrward to reporting more in 2013.

Building on available dataCoral ecologist, Dr. Lyndon DeVantier took the time to review Reef Check protocols, investigating how Reef Check surveys can build on a comprehensive 2010 Sunshine Coast Marine Biodiversity study. A three year Sunshine Coast Council Community Partnership Funding Program grant is supporting our efforts to continue monitoring these locations and training local volunteers to participate. “Reef Check Australia data form an integral part of the major global assessment of these important ecosystems, widely recognized as key indicators of the impacts of climate change on earth’s natural systems. RCA is a fine example of ‘citizen science’ in action and deserves our continued support.” - Lyndon DeVantier

Surveys And Data Getting Reef Check happening on Heron IslandWith generous support from the University of Queensland’s Biophysical Remote Sensing Group and Heron Island Research Station, we expanded our Southern Great Barrier Reef sites and closed the gap between our established GBR and South East Queensland monitoring locations. The 9 new monitoring sites were selected to represent diverse management and use areas on Heron Reef, including protected Green zones, general use areas and scientific research zones. Reef Check transects were planned to ove lap with geo-referenced photo-transects and benthos photos for further validation of Worldview 2 satellite images. CoralWatch coral colour assessments, spectral reflect-ance signatures and sediment analysis projects were also conducted. This coordinated research trip builds on research conducted by Dr Chris Roelfema and Prof. Stuart Phinn since 2001 and helps investigate synergies between the multiple data collection approaches while developing a long-term monitoring program for Heron Reef.

We have been working on developing our data applications through active participation in advisory and working groups. We contributed our expertise and data to a Gold Coast City Council Coastal Inventory workshop and was one of 190 professionals involved in developing the SEQ Catchments Ecosystem Services Framework.

We also shared regional data findings at the World Marine Biodiversity Conference in Aberdeen, Scotland in September 2011, with assistance from former Science Operations Manager, Marie-Lise Schläppy.

Reef Check also joined newly formed alliance, Lifeline for Moreton Bay, whichincludes Australian Marine Conservation Society, Healthy Waterways, Wild Mob and the University of Queensland Turtles in Troubles program.

Training triumphs Eighteen new volunteers joined the ranks this year. Volunteer training is an essential component of our data collection and community engagement activities, so this year we have focused on improving training for our Reef Check volunteers. This saw the development and implementation of a new Reef Health Surveyor PADI Distinctive Specialty course, online volunteer resources and improved training materials.

We are also planning some additional capacity building opportunities through a new Team Leader course, helping more qualified divers take an active role in leading our volunteer teams to action!

Reaching out for improved data partnerships

Education

Making a World of DifferenceLate in the financial year, wewelcomed Jodi Salmond as our full-time Community Engagement Officer.

After volunteering with the SEQ team for over two years, Jodi secured a coveted placement with the Vodafone Foundation’s World of Difference program this year, allowing her to dedicate her passion for RCA on a full time basis.

Diving into her new role, Jodi started her World of Difference year with clean ups, community events and conferences—helping to share Reef Check activities with hundreds. And that was just the first month on the job!

Jodi has a full year ahead of her, focusing on key projects, which in-clude helping to close the gap in monitoring areas along the QLD coastline, launching REEFSearch throughout schools and the community, increasing brand awareness of RCA throughout Australia and engaging more community members in Reef Check activities through public events and clean ups.

& Outreach

REEFSearchMay 2011 saw the launch of the REEFSearch pilot program for snorkelers and divers. This community engagement program aims to increase understanding and awareness of reefs and reef health issues, with the use of our new in-water observation and identification tool. The REEFSeach program featured on Tourism Queensland’s Best Expedition in the World, with trials on Lady Elliot Island, Magnetic Island and Palm Island. The Expedition also carried out REEFSearches all along the 1,600 kilometer journey up the length of the Great Barrier Reef from May to September 2011.

REEFSearch has even gone international, with a trial in Fiji as part of a University of the Sunshine Coast ecotourism project. We are thrilled to have received such enormous support for this program and with growing support and resources, we will be officially rolling the program out in early 2013.

Reef IQOur free, educational Reef IQ program continues to be used by numerous schools and conservation organisations, despite a lack of dedicated staff and resources for the program. Over the last year, schools from Brazil, Vanuatu and all corners of Australia have downloaded our materials and played the Reef IQ game. In 2013, we will continue expanding on the successful program by adding new hands-on REEFSearch schools activities.

Reef Check eventsWe have been working to share Reef Check with the world through various community events, including the Oceanic Dive & Ecotourism Expo in Brisbane (October 2011), Sunshine Coast State of our Seas event (May 2012) and World Environment Day (June 2012) to name a few. These community events have offered great op-portunities for us to share our data and activities, as well as building awareness, appreciation and interest.

Reef Check on SnorkelA group of University of the Sunshine Coast students was the first to undertake a Reef Check snorkel course. Tak-ing their new skills to Fiji, the students conducted reef assessments on reefs around the remote Nataleira Village on the east coast of Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu. The students – enrolled in the subject International Field Study – completed three tourism-focused projects for the Village. USC’s Lecturer in Tourism, Leisure and Events and Sports Marketing Dr Gayle Mayes said the students would develop tourist snorkelling trails in Dawasamu Bay and assess the health of Moon Reef.

“It’s important for local groups to have long-term data, to assist in decision-making and management of any impacts that climate change and tourism may have on the reef.”

On-Ground ActivitiesCleaning-up our oceansIn addition to collecting data about marine debris on survey dives, Reef Check has been diving in to take action on the pressing issue of debris in our oceans.Sixteen out of 36 survey dives in 2011-2012 found marine debris… and we think that’s 16 too many.

In February 2012, we partnered with Townsville City Council to implement the first ever Tanga-roa Blue clean up workshop in the region. Our collaborative project ensures that clean up efforts are documented in the Australian Marine Debris Initiative to develop solutions to this growing problem. In March 2012, we joined forces with 14 other community groups to run a coastal, mangrove and underwater clean up at Amity Point on North Stradbroke Island. Throughout the year, volunteers collected almost 300kg of rubbish.

We also are working to help reduce rubbish before it enters our oceans. We are continuing to partner with Tangaroa Blue and The University of Queensland’s Turtles in Trouble program to share the data collected by our teams under the water to investigate how it relates to their extensive beach clean ups and analysis.

We went on to share the impacts of plastic with the larger community. We ran several screenings of the movie Bag It: Is your life to plastic? with various partners including: Sea Turtle Foundation, JCU TropEco, Redland CityUnderwater World, Sunshine Coast Council, SEQ Catchments and Redlands Indigiscapes Centre.

Grey Nurse Shark WatchGrey Nurse Shark Watch has entered its second year, following its successful establishment in September 2011. Since then, 130 members have signed up to contribute to the program, including 29 site custodians (who carry out visual and photographic surveys of grey nurse sharks at aggregation sites in NSW and Queensland twice a year). Photo-records of nearly 1000 individual grey nurse sharks are being uploaded to the National photo library and our members have also so far contributed over 100 GNS photos that will be analysed in the coming few months.

Grey Nurse Shark Watch aims to facilitate informed and effective management into the future. Reef Check Australia encourages our members, along with other divers and fishers to support Grey Nurse Shark Watch and submit photos of this engaging, but Critically Endangered, marine species.Funding for this project has been generously provided by Australian Capital Equity and the Ronald Geoffrey Arnott Foundation (managed by Perpetual). Reef Check Australia is honoured to be hosting this citizen science project initiative, offering more opportunities for volunteers to engage in meaningful data collection that improves marine science and manageent efforts.

The project is supported by Australia Zoo, Burnett Mary Regional Group for Natural Resource Management, Fauna & Flora International Australia, Lady Elliot Eco Resort, Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing, Reef Check Australia, Sea World and the University of Queensland.

Our volunteers not only dive into Reef Check work, but also help us make it happen behind the scenes. Volunteers continue to dedicate their time both in the field and in the office to make it all happen.

In the 2011/2012 financial year, volunteers donated their energy, passion and precious time... contributing more than 4,000 volunteer hours to the Reef Check cause.

A huge note of thanks to all our volunteers who contribute; we could not do it without you.

Financials REEF CHECK FOUNDATION LIMITEDABN: 46 108 200 933

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Information on Reef Check Foundation Limited concise financial reportThe concise financial report is an extract from the full financial report for the year ended 30 June 2012. The financial statements and disclosures in the concise financial report have been derived from the 2012 Financial Report of Reef Check Foundation Limited. A copy of the full financial report and auditor’s report will be sent to any member, free of charge, upon request.

The discussion and analysis is provided to assist members in understanding the concise financial report. The discussion and analysis is based on Reef Check Foundation Limited financial statements and the information contained in the concise financial report has been derived from the full 2012 Financial Report of Reef Check Foundation Limited.

Income statementThe profit attributable to members for the year is $97,592 (2011: loss$43,902). There was an increase in grant funding during the financial year. The increase resulted in an increase in the entity’s profit.

Balance sheetTotal assets increased from $113,391 to $280,980. This increase was attributable to an increase in cash holdings mainly due to grants awarded.

Total liabilities increased by $97,592 to $201,999. This increase was attributable to the award of grant & donation monies.

Cash flow statementUpdated: Cash flows generated from operating activities increased to $129,089 (with receipts from customers totaling $318,761). This was mainly attributable to database development, Coral Identification and Capacity Building Program grant auspicing and project coordination as well as survey and training expenses.

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of 2010 were $204,673.

Statement of recognised income and expensesRetained earnings increased due to the $97,592 profit that occurred during the period.

Financials REEF CHECK FOUNDATION LIMITEDABN: 46 108 200 933

INCOME STATEMENT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2012 Note 2012 2011

$ $

Revenue 318,486 208,298

Depreciation expenses (82,935)) (92,822)

Employee benefit expenses (6,207) (7,284)

Other expenses (131,752) (152,094)

Profit before income tax 2 97,592 (43,902)

Income tax expense - -

Profit after income tax 97,592 (43,902)

BALANCE SHEET

AS AT 30 JUNE 2012 Note 2012 2011

$ $

ASSETS

CURRENT ASSETS

Cash and cash equivalents 3 204,673 76,131

Trade and other receivables 4 453 4,206

Inventories - -

Other current assets 5 51,451 2,991

TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 256,577 83,328

NON-CURRENT ASSETS

Property, plant and equipment 6 24,403 30,063

TOTAL NON-CURRENT ASSETS 24,403 30,063

TOTAL ASSETS 280,980 113,391

CURRENT LIABILITIES

Trade and other payables 7 78,981 8,984

TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES 78,981 8,984

TOTAL LIABILITIES 78,981 8,984

NET ASSETS 201,999 104,407

EQUITY

Retained Earnings 201,999 104,407

TOTAL EQUITY 201,999 104,407

The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements.

Financials REEF CHECK FOUNDATION LIMITEDABN: 46 108 200 933

Financials REEF CHECK FOUNDATION LIMITEDABN: 46 108 200 933

STATEMENT OF RECOGNISED INCOME AND EXPENDITURE

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2012 Retained Earnings Total

$ $

Balance at 1 July 2010 148,309 148,309

Profit attributable to the entity (43,902) (43,902)

Balance at 30 June 2011 104,407 104,407

Profit attributable to the entity 97,592 97,592

Balance at 30 June 2012 201,999 201,999

CASH FLOW STATEMENT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2012 Note 2012 2011

$ $

CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

Receipts from customers 318,761 215,903

Payments to suppliers and employees (193,150) (304,628)

Interest received 3,478 3,914

Net cash generated from operating activities 11 129,089 (84,811)

CASH FLOW FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES

Payment for property, plant and equipment (547) -

Net cash used in investing activities (547) -

Net increase in cash held 128,542 (84,811)

Cash at the beginning of the financial year 76,131 160,942

Cash at the end of the financial year 11 204,673 76,131

The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements.

Financials REEF CHECK FOUNDATION LIMITEDABN: 46 108 200 933

Financials REEF CHECK FOUNDATION LIMITEDABN: 46 108 200 933

NOTES TO THE CONCISE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2012

Note 1: Basis of preparation of the concise financial reportThe concise financial report is an extract from the full financial report for the year ended 30 June 2012. The concise financial report has been prepared in accordance with Accounting Standard AASB 1039: Concise Financial Reports, and the Corporations Act 2001.The financial statements, specific disclosures and other information included in the concise financial report are derived from and are consistent with the full financial report of Reef Check Foundation Limited. The concise financial report cannot be expected to provide as detailed an understanding of the financial performance, financial position and financing and investing activities of Reef Check Foundation Limited as the full financial report. A copy of the full financial report and auditor’s report will be sent to any member, free of charge, upon request.The presentation currency used in this concise financial report is Australian dollars.The following applicable Australian Accounting Standards and Australian Accounting Interpretations have been applied:AASB 101: Presentation of Financial Statements; AASB 107: Cash Flow Statements;AASB 108: Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors;AASB 110: Events after the Balance Sheet Date;AASB 1004: Contributions;AASB 1031: Materiality; andAASB 1048: Interpretation and Application of Standards.No other Accounting Standards, Accounting Interpretations or other authoritative pronouncements of the Australian

Note 3: Cash and cash equivalents 2012 2011Public Fund Account - 729Bendigo Account ending 0116 1,594 8,035Bendigo Account ending 9927 111,274 44,970Gift Fund Account 66,655 21,124Cash Drawer 250 650Bendigo Account ending 7561 24,900 623TOTAL Cash and cash equivalents 204,673 76,131

Note 6: Property, plant and equipment 2012 2011Plant and equipment 34,962 34,414Less accumulated depreciation (23,872) (19,566)

11,090 14,848Motor Vehicles 18,173 18,173Less accumulated depreciation (4,860) (2,958)

13,313 15,215Total Property, plant and equipment 24,403 30,063

Note 2: Profit (loss) for the yearRenumeration of the auditor by Accounting standards was $2,825 in 2011/2012 ($2,950 in 2011).

Note 4: Trade and other receivablesCurrent ABN withholding credits total $94 on June 30, 2012 ($94 in 2010/2011) and Good and services taxes totalled $359 ($4,112 in 2010/2011).

Note 5: Other assetsPrepayments at June 30, 2012 totalled $51,451 ($2,291 in 2010/2011).

Financials REEF CHECK FOUNDATION LIMITEDABN: 46 108 200 933

Financials REEF CHECK FOUNDATION LIMITEDABN: 46 108 200 933

Note 7: Trade and other payables 2012 2011Annual leave liability 5,617 3,169Withholding taxes payable 3,491 3,145Superannuation payable 3,034 2,670Unexpended grants 66,839 -TOTAL Cash and cash equivalents 78,981 8,984

Note 8: Events after the reporting periodNo significant events have occured after balance date that requires reporting here.

Note 9: Economic dependenceReef Check Foundation Limited is dependent on funding from various bodies for the majority of revenue used to operate the business. At the date of this report the Board of Directors has no reason to beleive that ongoing funding will cease.

Note 10: Company detailsThe registered office and principal place of business of the company is: Level 2, 183 North Quay Brisbane, QLD 4003.

Note 11: Cash flow information 2012 2011Cash 250 650Cash at bank 204,423 75,481TOTAL Cash and cash equivalents 204,673 76,131

Cash at the end of financial year as shown in the Statement of Cash Flows is reconciled to the related items in the statement of position as above.

Financials REEF CHECK FOUNDATION LIMITEDABN: 46 108 200 933

Financials REEF CHECK FOUNDATION LIMITEDABN: 46 108 200 933

Financials REEF CHECK FOUNDATION LIMITEDABN: 46 108 200 933

Financials REEF CHECK FOUNDATION LIMITEDABN: 46 108 200 933

Sponsors & Supporters TestimonialsOur 2011-2012 projects were supported through funding from the organisations listed below.

We are grateful for the generous support of our funding agencies and partners.

Calypso Reef CruisesCardzillaDive NoosaDive WorldDive Safari Magnetic IslandGo DiveFantasea Cruising MagneticHeron Island Research Station

In-Kind Supporters

James Cook University Dive ClubKalinda ChartersNautilus Scuba CentrePalm Beach DivePoint Lookout Scuba CentreQuickSilverRed CrayonReef Safari Magnetic Island

Thank you to our industry supporters who helped support our programs through in-kind resource donations.

Scuba WorldSEQ CatchmentsStraddie Watersports Stradbroke FerriesSunreef Scuba Diving ServicesUniversity of Queensland: Biophysical Remote Sensing GroupUniversity of the Sunshine Coast

Testimonials

"As the official caretaker of the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef, I really gained an understanding of this unique natural wonder of the world and what it takes to maintain an preserve such a valuable asset. We can preserve the future of this highly sensitive eco0system for generations to come and working with Reef Check Australia on the Best Expedition in the World was a chance to help with the health of the Great Barrier Reef.”

Ben Southall, Tourism Queensland Ambassador

“Reef Check Australia is playing a crucial role locally, regionally and internationally in providing highly useful, quantitative monitoring data on present status and trends of coastal marine ecosystems, with a focus on coral and rocky reefs.”

Dr. Lyndon DeVantier, coral ecologist

“SEQ Catchments view Reef Check SEQ as a valuable program that monitors the reef systems off South East Queensland’s coastal waters. The Reef Check monitoring program has added value to a number of coastal and marine programs that SEQ Catchments operate. One program in particular was the SE Queensland Oil Spill Restoration Program. The data collected was first class and it helped us to under-stand the condition of our reefs after this damaging event. SEQ Catchments highly recommends the Reef Check Program as the number one Community Based Coral Reef Monitoring program for Queensland.”

Sean Galvin, Coastal and Aquatic Systems Manager, SEQ Catchments

“I had the best time at the Pencil Bay when we went snorkelling and checking out the corals and telling what kind we need to save. I would like to go again, but if we can try to go some where else away from the sting rays. Thanks for the trip.”

Neil, Student at Bwgcolman Community School, Palm Island

“I congratulate the management and staff of Reef Check Australia on their protocols, projects, resources, leadership, initiative, and especially their commitment to coral reef monitoring. Their efforts and activ-ties play an important role in raising awareness, education and conservation of our valuable coral reefs. By embedding the Reef Check Australia data gathering methods within our local and international projects, the University of Sunshine Coast students have developed real-world and life-long skills to be able to assist established and emerg-ing tourism destinations in better understanding and managing their most valuable coastal and marine attractions.”

Dr Gayle Mayes, Researcher for the Sustainability Research Centre and Lecturer in the Faculty of Arts and Business for the University of the Sunshine Coast

“Sunshine Coast Council understands that we cannot achieve our sustainability vision for the region without building productive and enduring partnerships with the community. Reef Check is one of a number of organisations that work collaboratively on the Coast with Council, industry and the wider community to raise awareness and capacity about the outstanding environmental values of our home, and the need to manage them wisely. Reef Check’s work also contributes to the long term robust-ness of our economy by helping to conserve, protect and showcase our coasts wonderful marine features.”

Ben McMullen, Coordinator Biosphere and Partnerships with Sunshine Coast Council

Reef Check Australia is dedicated to reducing our environmental impact wherever possible. We limit our energy use, restrict unnecessary travel, offset every plane trip and both reduce and recycle waste. In 2011-2012, we conducted a full Carbon Audit and offset our emissions for office electricity use, organisational car travel, waste production and paper use. We chose to use Climate Friendly to offset our carbon production and continue to seek ways to reduce our carbon footprint and model actions that help to protect our reefs and oceans. Next year, we strive to offset all of our boat travel.