The great thing about our southern coastline

The Great Southern Reef Research Partnership is focused on understanding how we can better protect the GSR, and brings together Australian universities, management agencies and non-government organisations in a coordinated effort.

From early 2025, the partnership’s socio-ecology team (including BehaviourWorks Australia) has been studying how people relate to the reef. This work explores our perceptions of the GSR, the behaviours that can help protect it, and the engagement strategies that could strengthen its conservation. We’ve gleaned some interesting insights from a survey sampling more than 2,000 Australians living near the GSR.

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What a difference a map makes

At the start of the survey, respondents were asked: "Before today, had you heard of the Great Southern Reef?" 41% stated they had, 45% had not, and 13% weren’t sure. Once shown a map of the GSR, 86% then reported that they had visited the areas in and adjacent to the reef. 

So regardless of whether they had heard of the GSR, most respondents had visited the coastal areas that form part of the reef.

Those that had ever visited the GSR were more likely to have heard of it, and those who had heard of it were more likely to have visited...

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And those who had heard of the reef were more likely to have visited than those who had not heard of it...

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The closer we are, the more we visit

A quarter of the respondents lived within 10kms of the GSR, 35% lived 11km to 50km away, and 40% lived more than 50km away. Unsurprisingly, those that lived further away tended to visit less often; once or twice a year compared to fortnightly or more if within 10kms. 

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Proximity and care

This project looked at how Australians perceive the GSR, and the ways we feel connected to it. So that conservation strategies can be targeted most effectively, it will pay to keep in mind that proximity is clearly an important factor when it comes to identifying those most likely to value the reef and seek to protect it.

Those living within 50km of the GSR were more likely to value the GSR “a lot” as a place to spend time with family and friends, and engage in lifestyle and recreational interests, than those living further away. Similarly, those living within 50 km of the GSR showed higher levels of hands-on engagement in reef protection efforts - including beach clean-ups and citizen science - than people living at greater distances.

To quote Melissa Hatty, BWA’s lead researcher on the GSR project ;

“This survey is the first time researchers have looked at what Australians know about the Great Southern Reef, how they connect with and value it, and what they’re doing to protect it. These insights can help to inform policy and conservation programs to better protect the GSR.”

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