Australia is an ocean nation — with the third largest ocean territory in the world, managing approximately 14.5 million square kilometres of marine estate. The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef ecosystem. Australian coastal seas contain extraordinary biodiversity: whale sharks, dugongs, seagrass meadows, kelp forests, deep-sea seamounts, and remote coral reefs. Yet these environments face profound threats — from coral bleaching driven by climate change, plastic pollution, overfishing, coastal development, and poor water quality. Grant funding supports marine science, conservation action, sustainable fishing, and the advocacy that protects Australia's blue estate.
The scale
Key marine ecosystems
Threats
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
Management and protection of the GBR.
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere
Marine science and monitoring.
Parks Australia
Management of Commonwealth marine parks.
Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS)
Major marine conservation organisation:
- Campaign for marine protection
- Sustainable seafood advocacy
- Shark conservation
Reef Check Australia
Community monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef.
WWF Australia
Marine conservation campaigns.
Great Barrier Reef Foundation
Major philanthropic funder for reef science and restoration.
The Myer Foundation
Marine environment.
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Marine protected area advocacy.
Josh's Rainbow Eggs
Supporting shark conservation.
Coral reef conservation
Shark and ray conservation
Seagrass and mangrove
Kelp forest
Whale and dolphin conservation
Marine plastic pollution
Sustainable fisheries
Marine protected areas
Indigenous sea country
Marine research
Community science
The Great Barrier Reef is Australia's most significant natural asset — and is under severe threat from climate change. Six mass bleaching events since 1998 have caused widespread coral mortality. The 2024 mass bleaching event was the most severe on record.
Protecting the reef requires action at multiple scales:
- Global emissions reduction (most important)
- Water quality improvement (reducing local stressors)
- Resilient coral research (heat-tolerant varieties)
- Reef restoration (in heavily bleached areas)
The Great Barrier Reef Foundation — a major philanthropic vehicle — has invested hundreds of millions in reef science and restoration, co-funded by government and private donors.
Climate connection
Marine conservation in Australia is inseparable from climate change. Applications that acknowledge climate as the primary threat and include advocacy for emissions reduction alongside direct conservation action are more sophisticated.
Water quality
For the Great Barrier Reef specifically, reducing agricultural runoff (particularly nitrogen, sediment) into reef waterways is a critical near-term action that philanthropy can support — through on-farm practice change, wetland restoration, and advocacy.
Indigenous sea country
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have managed sea country for millennia. Applications that support Indigenous sea country rights, ranger programmes, and traditional knowledge in marine management are more legitimate and effective.
Science-based
Marine conservation requires rigorous science — monitoring, assessment, intervention evaluation. Applications with strong scientific partnerships and monitoring frameworks are more credible.
Tahua's grants management platform supports ocean and marine conservation funders — with project tracking, reef health data, community engagement measurement, and the reporting tools that help marine funders demonstrate their investment in protecting Australia's extraordinary blue estate.