In this this episode of Reef in Focus, we’re stepping back in time to the earliest days of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park for an episode that’s been 50 years in the making! Special guest Rod Williams, the Reef Authority’s very first employee, served as Executive Officer from 1976 through to 1981. He sat down with host Lincoln Bertoli to reflect on the highlights and challenges of protecting the world’s largest coral reef during a pivotal moment in Australia’s environmental history… initially with no staff, no office, and no boats!

Caring for the Great Barrier Reef is strongest when marine science and Indigenous knowledge work side by side. For 20 years, Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreements (TUMRAs) have shown how Traditional Owners, scientists and managers can come together to respect culture, protect Sea Country and build a healthier future for the Reef. At its heart, this is a story about connection — to place, to people and to the wisdom passed down through generations. In this episode of Reef in Focus, host Lincoln Bertoli speaks with Jade Pryor, a Bandjin and Girramay Traditional Owner and coordinator of the Girringun TUMRA, whose lifelong ties to her community and Country have shaped her work and her identity.

Jade reflects on her early memories of listening to Elders, her first childhood experience on the Reef, and the responsibility she now carries in supporting the six saltwater groups of the Girringun region. She explains how the TUMRA has evolved to include seagrass, dugong, mangrove, fish and blue carbon monitoring, and describes the essential role of Girringun Rangers and Elders in both traditional practices and modern marine management. She also shares the deeply moving experience of returning to her Sea Country with her daughter and seeing healthy coral and marine life through the lens of culture and ancestry.

Jade highlights the importance of respectful collaboration, the strength that comes from combining Indigenous knowledge with contemporary science, and the need for Traditional Owners to have a stronger voice in caring for the Reef.

In this episode, we sit down with Justin Bovery-Spencer to explore how tourism is playing a powerful role in protecting the Great Barrier Reef. Justin explains how responsible travel practices and strong partnerships with operators are making a real difference, showing that visitors aren’t just experiencing the Reef, they’re helping to save it.

Justin shares stories about how tourism supports reef monitoring and research, highlights operators leading conservation efforts, and explains why every visitor’s choices matter for reef health. We also hear how communities and travellers are working together to secure the Reef’s future.