Cooktown workshop looks at water quality improvements

Engagement and consultation were the key objectives behind the Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan (WQIP) review workshop held in Cooktown earlier this month, led by the joint Australian and Queensland Government WQIP review team.

The Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan 2017–2022 is a joint commitment of the Australian and Queensland governments that seeks to improve the quality of water flowing from Reef catchments to the Great Barrier Reef. The plan guides how government and communities including Traditional Owners, the agriculture industry, local government, natural resource management bodies and others, work together to improve water quality.

The Reef 2050 WQIP review will build on successes and discuss new opportunities for how Reef catchments will be managed in the future to support a healthy Reef and better reflect the connection between the catchment, the Reef and the community.

The review workshop was a success, bringing together multiple stakeholder groups and creating an opportunity that encouraged open, lively discussions and offered diverse perspectives.

“We had a great turnout with a broad mix of stakeholders and landholders actively contributing to the review and updating of the WQIP,'' Cape York NRM Program Manager David Preece said.

‘’The workshop gave us valuable insights into what was working well, and areas needing improvement, and helped us identify priority actions and any existing gaps.’’

Cape York NRM would like to thank Benny Callaghan from Systems Collaborations Partners for facilitating the workshop and the WQIP review team for presenting and joining us in Cooktown. 

For more information on the Reef 2050 WQIP and review, visit: https://www.reefplan.qld.gov.au/ 

This workshop was presented as part of the Paddock to Reef Integrated Monitoring, Modelling and Reporting Program, which is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments.