A swag of moorings and reef protection marker buoys now dot the reefs of the Whitsunday Islands, making boating easier and safer as well as protecting the corals from anchor damage. But it hasn’t always been this way.
Back in the bad old days, circa 1980-1990, boating and diving around the Whitsundays was pretty basic. When visiting a reef, the idea was to get right on top of the reef, drop an anchor (on the coral!) and hop in the water. No swimming required as you were already over the reef.
But as the popularity of boating and diving in the Whitsundays increased, anchor damage to local reefs increased. It is amazing how much damage a single anchor can do to a coral reef. It is not just the anchor hitting the coral, it is the anchor and chain dragging through the coral as the boat swings and the tide changes. It was devastating.
Around 1990, dive operators finally recognised the extent of the damage as their divers could actually see the smashed coral. The alarm was sounded and the reef management agencies alerted. Unfortunately, little was done.
Local politicians were notified but showed little interest.
It is now 1994, coral is still being smashed and the community is tired of waiting for the government to step up. Divers and boat crews pulled together and formed a community group, appropriately named the OUCH Volunteers (Order of Underwater Coral Heroes). After all, what does a coral say when an anchor is dropped on it? OUCH!
OUCH’s first project was to video an anchor dragging through coral and send it to the ABC 7:30 Report.
After the video was aired on national television, the government could not do enough.
The Reef Protection Program was launched by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and the OUCH Volunteers, resulting in the installation of reef protection marker buoys and moorings throughout the Whitsundays, significantly reducing anchor damage to the coral reefs.
This program has spread across the Great Barrier Reef as well as overseas. But it all started right here in the Whitsundays. And don’t worry. The OUCH Volunteers are still working hard to protect the Great Barrier Reef.
Contributed by Tony Fontes, Volunteer for OUCH.
Caption 1: Volunteers with their OUCH marker buoy
Caption 2: The OUCH volunteers
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