Great Barrier Reef recovery underway thanks to late-summer monsoon

New Dispatch Published Aug 13, 2026 Reviewed Aug 14, 2026 ✓ Reviewed by citations.press editors

Scientists examined 121 individual reefs, of which 106 showed moderate to high coral cover.

121 individual reefs · reefs examined106 reefs · reefs with moderate to high coral cover Australian Institute of Marine Science, organization

Just three reefs had hard coral cover below 10 per cent.

3 reefs · reefs with hard coral cover below 10% Australian Institute of Marine Science, organization

In the northern region from Cape York to Cooktown, coral cover climbed from 30 per cent to 35.1 per cent, a rise of 16.7 per cent.

30 % · northern region coral cover35.1 % · northern region coral cover16.7 % · increase in northern region coral cover Australian Institute of Marine Science, organization

In the central zone between Cooktown and Proserpine, coral cover increased by 10.2 per cent, moving from 28.6 per cent to 31.6 per cent.

28.6 % · central zone coral cover31.6 % · central zone coral cover10.2 % · increase in central zone coral cover Australian Institute of Marine Science, organization

In the southern region from Proserpine to Gladstone, coral cover dipped marginally from 26.9 per cent to 26.4 per cent.

26.9 % · southern region coral cover26.4 % · southern region coral cover Australian Institute of Marine Science, organization

Dr Mike Emslie said that detailed surveys of permanently marked sites at 71 reefs showed that reefs dominated by fast-growing Acropora corals were hit hardest by the 2024 mass bleaching event.

71 reefs · permanently marked sites Dr Mike Emslie, lead of AIMS Long-Term Monitoring Program

Six mass bleaching events struck between 2016 and 2025.

6 events · mass bleaching events Australian Institute of Marine Science, organization

Rising crown-of-thorns starfish numbers in the northern reef point to the fifth recorded outbreak wave since the 1960s.

5 outbreak waves · crown-of-thorns starfish Australian Institute of Marine Science, organization

A late monsoon season earlier this year provided the Great Barrier Reef with a crucial breathing space from coral bleaching, helping the world's largest reef system begin recovering from recent damage.

The rainy conditions boosted cloud cover and brought sea temperatures down, curbing both the severity and spread of bleaching during the 2025/26 summer, according to the Australian Institute of Marine Science's latest annual survey.

Findings from the 40th AIMS report reveal that coral cover either grew modestly or held steady across the reef's northern, central and southern zones compared with the previous year.

All three regions maintained coral cover at or close to their long-term averages, suggesting the 2025 mass bleaching event and a regional bleaching episode in early 2026 had only limited effects.

Across the 2025/26 field season, the northern region stretching from Cape York to Cooktown saw coral cover climb from 30 per cent to 35.1 per cent, a rise of 16.7 per cent.

The central zone between Cooktown and Proserpine recorded a 10.2 per cent increase, moving from 28.6 per cent to 31.6 per cent, though this fell within the margin of error.

In the southern region from Proserpine to Gladstone, cover dipped marginally from 26.9 per cent to 26.4 per cent.

Scientists examined 121 individual reefs, of which 106 showed moderate to high coral cover.

A late monsoon season earlier this year provided the Great Barrier Reef with a crucial breathing space from coral bleaching

Just three had hard coral cover below 10 per cent, with data showing 56 per cent of reefs surveyed were unchanged, 28 per cent improved, and 16 per cent declined.

Dr Mike Emslie, who leads the AIMS Long-Term Monitoring Program, said: "The Reef experienced a summer of above-average sea temperatures once again, but the late summer monsoon activity, which increased cloud cover and reduced sea temperatures, likely limited the severity and extent of bleaching in the 2025/26 summer."

Dr Emslie warned that reefs where fast-growing, habitat-forming Acropora corals dominate were hit hardest by the 2024 mass bleaching event, based on detailed surveys of permanently marked sites at 71 reefs.

He said: "The reefs with high levels of Acropora now exist in a highly vulnerable state. It's possible that what looks like complete recovery on these reefs can be reversed in just a year."

The 2024 event also pushed bleaching into unusually deep waters.

Coral mortality increased at depths of 10 to 15 metres across the southern reef, affecting most coral types, a pattern typically confined to shallower areas where temperatures peak highest.

Dr Emslie cautioned that future warming trends would likely expose deeper corals to increasingly severe bleaching impacts.

Despite signs of resilience, the reef remains a system under significant strain.

Six mass bleaching events struck between 2016 and 2025, whereas before the 1990s such episodes were exceptionally rare.

Rising crown-of-thorns starfish numbers in the northern reef point to the fifth recorded outbreak wave since the 1960s, compounding damage from cyclones and flooding.

Dr Emslie said: "While the Reef is showing resilience, it is being pushed and its capacity to recover is limited."

AIMS chief executive Professor Selina Stead stressed that cutting global emissions, sound reef management and developing science-based interventions to support adaptation were essential to helping coral reefs withstand mounting climate threats.

She said: "While evidence of recovery is encouraging, the risks for coral reefs are increasing."

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