Australian Institute of Marine Science

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

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”