New $9.7m Reef Resilience vessel to be based in Gladstone
The Reef Resilience vessel will cover the southern Great Barrier Reef from its base at Gladstone.
Gladstone
Don't miss out on the headlines from Gladstone. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A state-of the art $9.7 million vessel based at Gladstone will bring new capabilities in compliance, surveying and research on the southern Great Barrier Reef.
The 24-metre Reef Resilience vessel was unveiled on Friday by Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley, Queensland Environment and Great Barrier Reef Minister Meaghan Scanlon and Manufacturing, Regional Development and Water Minister, Member for Gladstone Glenn Butcher.
Ms Ley said the Reef Resilience vessel was jointly funded by the Federal and Queensland governments under the Reef Joint Field Management Program.
She said it would enhance the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s capabilities in undertaking compliance patrols, field activities with traditional owners and Indigenous rangers, protected species management and incident response.
“The Reef Resilience vessel is a new weapon in our armoury as joint ministers and joint governments managing the Great Barrier Reef,” she said.
“Traditional owners, scientists and Queensland Parks and Wildlife (will be) out on the water seeing what’s happening on the reef.
“Reef Resilience has three separate smaller tenders that can go out and visit island, monitor turtles, investigate illegal fishing and check out what’s happening over 344,000 square kilometres of reef.
“Reef Resilience in the southern Great Barrier Reef has an important role to play and I’m so excited that the Gidarjil Rangers are going to be front and centre of that management of sea country.”
Similar to a vessel in the northern Great Barrier Reef, the vessel can host 16 people in comfort, is capable of up to 27 knots and has a range of 2000km.
Ms Scanlon said Reef Resilience would greatly enhance island and protected species management, and in-water surveys.
“This is essentially a floating ranger base that allows our teams to go further and faster on the reef,” she said.
“It will allow our rangers to do things like compliance, to manage our reef islands as well as doing important survey work.
“We have an incredible team that will be on-board this vessel doing great work to protect the southern Great Barrier Reef.
“The Great Barrier Reef creates about $6 billion for the economy and supports around 60,000 jobs, so its incredibly important that we are protecting the reef for its economic opportunities but also for its ecological and environmental significance.”
Mr Butcher said the new vessel provided fantastic local job opportunities and valuable employment in its construction.
“As Manufacturing Minister in Queensland I am so proud that we are delivering vessels like this,” he said.
“This is an amazing vessel and we built it here in Queensland, by Queenslanders.
“We deserve on the southern Great Barrier Reef the opportunities to protect what we have right here on our doorstep.
“It accommodates up to 16 people for overnight voyages and can carry additional support vessels and up to six tonnes of cargo on the upper deck.”
Federal Member for Flynn Ken O’Dowd said he was proud the new vessel would service the Great Barrier Reef from its home port in Gladstone.
“Gladstone has a proud boating history and is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef so it is only fitting that it acts as the home of the reef’s newest patrol vessel,” Mr O’Dowd said.
Other stories
Why you should get COVID-19 jab despite reports of clotting
Man airlifted after alleged attack by five people in Gladstone
Gladstone detectives have charged five people following an alleged assault on a 22-year-old man on Tuesday, February 4.
‘Idiotic’: Teen caught drink driving twice in as many hours
Security at Yeppoon’s Strand Hotel gave police the initial tip about a drink driver but things were about to get a whole lot worse for the teen.