
HEALTHY WATER PROGRAM
Empowering Traditional Owners for a sustainable future
What is the Healthy Water Program?
The Healthy Water Program, pioneered by Traditional Owners, is a dynamic initiative enhancing water quality across the Reef and its Catchments. This program is not just about funding projects, it’s about empowering Traditional Owners to lead and innovate in water management. It serves as a platform to integrate Traditional Owner values and priorities into the water quality conversation, ensuring their perspectives shape future management strategies.
Traditional Owners and their connection to Country
Traditional Owners embody a profound connection to Country, viewing themselves as one with the land and sea. This deep bond is expressed through language, song lines, stories and customary practices. Managing their land and sea Country for over 60,000 years, they have a vital role in water stewardship, a role further elevated by the work of over 200 Indigenous Rangers across Reef and its Catchments.
Why healthy water is important
Poor water quality is one of the most significant threats to the Great Barrier Reef. Pollutants create a constant pressure on Reef health, making it harder for marine life to survive and for the entire ecosystem to withstand other significant threats such as the impacts of climate change.
Learn more about the impact of water quality on Reef health.
Healthy Water grants: Removing barriers, creating opportunities
Healthy Water grants were co-designed by, and for, Traditional Owners. They aim to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles, providing accessible funding and support for a range of water quality projects. This program is a testament to our commitment to facilitating meaningful involvement and providing opportunities for Traditional Owners to develop their projects.
Celebrating progress: Impactful projects and empowered communities
The program has successfully launched 27 Healthy Water projects led by 22 Traditional Owner groups across the Reef and its Catchments, with funding nearing $6M. These projects encompass a wide array of initiatives, from water quality monitoring and rehabilitation of waterways, to preserving cultural knowledge and integrating cultural and scientific approaches to water management.
Healthy Water Forum: A convergence of minds and visions
The inaugural Healthy Water Forum held in Cairns in 2022, and the second Forum held in Port Douglas in 2023 have been significant milestones in the program.
Here, Traditional Owner grant recipients gathered to share experiences and learnings and discuss their concerns, priorities and actions needed to increase Traditional Owner engagement and leadership in Great Barrier Reef water quality improvement efforts.
These forums are instrumental in building connections among Traditional Owners working on water quality projects identified as critical actions required, from a Traditional Owner perspective, to drive increased opportunities for Traditional Owner engagement, leadership and governance in Great Barrier Reef water quality improvement efforts, via productive collaborations with government agencies, scientists and other stakeholders.
Transformative benefits: Strengthening communities and cultures
The outcomes of these projects have been invaluable. Beyond the ecological benefits, they have fostered intergenerational knowledge transfer, youth engagement, community leadership and employment opportunities, thereby nurturing the overall health of land, water, sea, and communities.
Influencing key policies
One of our main objectives is to ensure that Traditional Owner perspectives are included in key water quality policies, programs and research, such as the Scientific Consensus Statement and the Water Quality Improvement Plan. By ensuring Traditional Owner perspectives and experiences are included in these documents, we aim to unlock further investment in Traditional Owner-led water quality initiatives and foster greater collaboration and understanding among all stakeholders.