UQ Healthy Moreton Bay Initiative: Toward a thriving Moreton Bay by 2032

Moreton Bay is internationally recognised as one of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems in the world.

Approximately 1,000 native animal species, many threatened, live in Moreton Bay or rely on its diverse, interconnected habitats during migration. However, it is damaged ecologically, heavily impacted by human development. Now is the time to act. Robust conservation strategies and practice, including substantive intervention, are imperative to achieving and maintaining a healthy bay and surrounds.

The UQ Healthy Moreton Bay Initiative is about ensuring that this extraordinary place is protected, preserved, enjoyed and respected for generations to come.

Our vision

The goal of the UQ Healthy Moreton Bay Initiative is to identify, develop and embed sustainable ecological management processes and practices to minimise the catastrophic threats and losses now facing Moreton Bay. These include sediment that smothers coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangroves, killing the many and varied species that rely on them for life, as well as pollutants and land erosion.

Integral to the success of the initiative is the leadership of the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation (QYAC) and our strong partnerships with The Moreton Bay Foundation and other key stakeholders. The strength of the initiative lies in collaboration.

Why now?

Brisbane and Australia will be showcased to the world through the 2032 Games. A thriving and sustainably managed Moreton Bay by 2032 depends on a deep understanding of ecological pressures and on identifying viable, actionable strategies for relieving them to preserve the exceptional biodiversity found there. UQ is well positioned to play a transformative role in the restoration and ongoing conservation of the bay through targeted research to inform decision making and action.

Stage 1: goals and funding

The Healthy Moreton Bay Endowed Research Chair is the first, exciting step of the initiative. The Chair will bring the research framework to life, working closely with UQ academics in the Centre for Marine Science, the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, the Moreton Bay Research Station and the School of the Environment, as well as key community, government and industry partners.

A $5M endowment will secure the position in perpetuity and enable the recruitment of the inaugural Chair, a global leader with a proven track record of innovation in conservation research and practice.

Read the case for support to find out how your contribution can help:

UQ Healthy Moreton Bay Initiative: Toward a thriving Moreton Bay by 2032 (PDF, 2.6 MB)

A generous $1M gift from The Goodman Foundation, a long-term supporter of UQ’s Centre for Marine Science, has brought us one step closer to realising this vision for Moreton Bay.

We invite inspired philanthropists with a similar, shared vision to join us in this once-in-a-generation, transformative opportunity.

manta ray

Stage 1 of the initiative requires funding of $8.5M:

Healthy Moreton Bay Endowed Research Chair — $5M
Interdisciplinary research fellows/early career researcher cluster — $2.5M
Interdisciplinary PhD student cluster — $500K
Indigenous Scholars in Residence program — $500K

The key areas of research focus include:

Establishing baselines to monitor ecosystem health, environmental variables and biodiversity

Comprehensive ecosystem and biodiversity assessments of Moreton Bay against which to measure future impacts are lacking. To fill this gap, intensive sampling of environmental variables, including water quality, will be undertaken across the bay. High resolution underwater imaging, remote sensing and environmental DNA will be used to inventory biodiversity in coral and seagrass habitats.

Understanding human uses and values

Sustainable management of Moreton Bay requires an understanding, currently lacking, of the value it has to people. To build that understanding, social scientists will survey diverse constituents and communities, creating a comprehensive picture of the places they value, the activities they undertake there, and what makes these places important. Informed by this research, enduring conservation practice that hinges on public ownership can be developed.

Effective conservation planning, ecological modelling and testing for long-term success

Ecological modelling and spatial prioritisation will be employed to determine the range of management actions and solutions required for a healthy, sustainable bay. These include actions focused on land-based human activities resulting in run-off of nutrients and sediments (e.g. urbanisation, agriculture), and marine-based human activities (e.g. boating, fishing, dredging). Collaboration with management agencies will support ongoing conservation initiatives, including marine park zoning and land-use/run-off management.

The Goodman Foundation continue to champion marine conservation

whale

In a groundbreaking commitment to the health of Queensland’s iconic Moreton Bay, The Goodman Foundation has generously donated $1 million to support a University of Queensland Healthy Moreton Bay Research Chair.

Read the full story