Innovative local response to cyclone damaged reef leads to rapid tourism recovery

ABSTRACT

Climate change poses substantial risks to natural and human systems and effective response is essential. Underwater sculptures have been installed at multiple global locations to restore damaged reefs, increase tourism and educate visitors. There has been limited research that evaluates the environmental, social, cultural and economic costs of impacts such as cyclones and interventions such as underwater sculptures. Thisresearch investigated the social acceptance of underwater sculptures in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Following three months of planning and consultation, four sculptures were temporarily deployed at several habitats to facilitate action research on underwater sculptures and tourism. Respondents were supportive of installing sculptures in subtidal zones. The consultation and ‘proof of concept’ action research informed environmental assessment processes for installing permanent subtidal underwater sculptures. We report that tourist satisfaction of coral reefs damaged by a cyclone was low and following an intervention and installation of underwater sculptures satisfaction was high.

KEYWORDS:

• Cyclone
• underwater art
• marine sculptures
• Great Barrier Reef
• Whitsundays
• marine tourism
• resilience
• recovery

Acknowledgements

This is one of several key projects under the Tourism Recovery Fund, part of the jointly funded State and Federal Government $10 million tourism recovery package to support the rebuilding and recovery of the tourism industry in the Whitsundays. We thank Dr Bronwyn Jewell and Louise Kuzevich for project management. We thank the artist Adriaan Vanderlugt for participating in consultation on underwater public art and for offering existing artworks for research. We thank Whitsunday Local Marine Advisory Committee, Tourism Whitsundays, Whitsunday Charter Boat Industry Association and Whitsunday Regional Council for supporting the research. We acknowledge the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service for advice on our research permit application, site supervision during installation and removal of sculptures and discussions on current management. We acknowledge David Edge Marine Contracting Pty Ltd for expertise on installation and storage of the sculptures. We acknowledge consultation and support of the Whitsunday traditional owners from the Ngaro, Gia and Juru people.

Declaration of interest statement

Adam Smith, Nathan Cook and Joanne Stacey declare that they are consultants and receive income from several grants including Australian and Queensland government. Adam is an Adjunct Professor with James Cook University, fellow of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand and Australian Rural Leadership Foundation. Allen Grundy was the Chair of the Board of Tourism Whitsundays and Marketing Manager of Explore Whitsundays and is now a Councillor with Whitsundays Regional Council.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the jointly funded Queensland/Australian Governments' Tourism Demand Driver Infrastructure Program as part of the recovery measures for the region post ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie.