Our Mission The Challenge Our Response Our Values Our Team

OUR MISSION

To be a global leader in marine expeditions, delivering innovative science, education and public engagement to accelerate actions vital to the future survival of coral reefs

OUR VISION

A world where the future of rich, diverse and healthy coral reefs is assured

OUR CORE BELIEF

TOGETHER, THERE ARE NO BARRIERS TOO GREAT TO SAVE OUR REEFS

THE CHALLENGE

Coral reefs are in crisis and time is no longer on our side.

This is a critical opportunity to step up and make a diference.

We are witnessing coral losses on a scale never seen before.

This situation has global ramifications for one of the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems and the millions of people whose livelihoods depend on healthy coral reefs.

Climate change is the major, global threat to coral reefs. Its effects add to regional and local impacts from coastal development, poor water quality, crown-of-thorns starfish, fishing and marine debris.

Despite a growing momentum to tackle the challenges facing coral reefs, efforts are not on a scale large enough or at a speed fast enough to halt or reverse declines.

To succeed, we must amplify our reach and accelerate our efforts to dramatically and quickly reduce the global, regional and local pressures driving coral reef declines and build Reef and community resilience.

We need more effective collaborations and better access to coral reefs to improve our understanding of the multiple impacts affecting their survival, develop innovative solutions and trial new technologies and approaches for building resilience and reef restoration.

We also need to improve and redefine the way we inform and engage the public to build hope, inspire leadership, promote stewardship and achieve the behavioural changes needed to secure a brighter future for coral reefs.

OUR RESPONSE

1

Innovative & collaborative marine research. Providing access and catalysing efforts to deliver world-class marine and citizen science.

Strategic Actions

1.1: Focus on providing access to areas across the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, Coral Triangle and the Pacific.
1.2: Drive innovation through collaborative and multi-disciplinary expeditions.
1.3: Support the delivery of Great Barrier Reef restoration and resilience building programs.
1.4: Communicate and promote the uptake of science findings through multi-media and participatory approaches.
1.5: Enhance institutional capacity to undertake marine research, transfer knowledge and build resilience in remote, poor and vulnerable communities.
1.6: Promote and undertake citizen science on expeditions.

2

Education & leadership. Sharing our passion and knowledge to empower people to act and lead.

Strategic Actions

2.1: Create tailored content and provide access for educators and diverse role models to support and value-add to existing programs.
2.2: Provide opportunities for discovery and learning through citizen science and interactive opportunities with expeditioners.
2.3: Enhance institutional capacity and work with accredited service delivery partners to support the delivery of field education and hands-on training.
2.4: Support leadership in youth and First Nations people through internships and expedition experiences.
2.5: Identify, support and work with industry and community leaders and champions to generate positive and lasting behavioural change and paradigm shifts.

3

Public engagement & stewardship. Connecting people and accelerating efforts to create positive and lasting outcomes.

Strategic Actions

3.1: Create awe-inspiring content and opportunities to connect people with nature to motivate individuals to take action and become stewards for the environment.
3.2: Develop a two-way understanding of issues with key sectors and across communities and identify opportunities for influencing attitudes and modifying behaviours to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
3.3: Operate a volunteer program to harness and share knowledge, and to nurture, develop and empower individuals to create positive change.
3.4: Promote corporate awareness and social responsibility of the need to act now to secure the future survival of coral reefs.
3.5: Enhance existing institutional capacity to deliver engaging and impactful stewardship programs.

4

World-class wilderness & wildlife experiences. Inspiring hope and action through awe-inspiring beauty and immersing people in adventure and discovery.

Strategic Actions

4.1: Provide outstanding marine wildlife encounters and promote ethical and best practice wildlife interactions.
4.2: Access remote and wilderness areas, undertake exploratory expeditions and provide opportunities for scientific discovery.
4.3: Seek opportunities to involve traditional owners and grow cultural awareness and understanding.
4.4: Generate engaging multi-media content and produce documentaries to inspire hope, leadership and stewardship.
4.5: Create a unique calendar of natural phenomena and expedition experiences to promote connections with discovery and science.

5

A high-performing organisation. Providing a safe, enriching and financially sustainable workplace.

Strategic Actions

5.1: Maintain strategic focus, set clear priorities and adapt programs in response to changing circumstances.
5.2: Establish market position, grow relationships and formalise partnerships to maximise the efficient use of resources across the Reef community.
5.3: Ensure governance arrangements support clear, accountable and open decision-making in line with strategic values and objectives, and provide effective risk oversight.
5.4: Create, nurture and grow a unique marine-focused cultural environment that supports, enriches and empowers people and where collaboration and resourcefulness are the norm.
5.5: Develop and maintain a team of highly talented and diverse individuals focussed on maximising impact and value.
5.6: Promote opportunities for Traditional Owners to build cultural awareness, develop new skills and participate in the delivery of operations.
5.7: Establish a single set of policies and implement practices to ensure operations align with strategy and deliver a high level of safety and best practice standards across operations.
5.8: Establish systems to support effective delivery of operations, monitor performance and drive continuous improvement.
5.9: Build technological capacity and secure assets for marine expeditions through cost-effective business models.
5.10: Implement a fund-raising strategy to create a sustainable revenue stream for operations.

OUR VALUES

ENVIRONMENT & COMMUNITY

The conservation of ecological integrity and biodiversity, together with the principles of inter-generational equity and resilience-based management, lie at the core of our work and guide our actions.

COLLABORATION & PARTNERSHIPS

We are committed to collaborative and integrated approaches, working with a wide range of organisations, industries and people, to catalyse efforts and accelerate actions vital to the long-term survival of coral reefs.

Great Barrier Reef Legacy acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the Traditional Owners of the Great Barrier Reef and their strong and continuing connections to country. We pay our respects to the Kuku Yalanji and Yirrganydji Traditional Owners of the Port Douglas region where Great Barrier Reef Legacy is based and the 70 Traditional Owner groups whose sea country extends across the Great Barrier Reef. We pay our respects their elders past and present, and emerging leaders.

INTEGRITY & INDEPENDENCE

Honesty and accountability are core to who we are and how we operate. Our views are evidence-based and founded on the principles of inclusive practice. We take responsibility for our actions, learn from our successes and failures, and are committed to continuous improvement.

TEAMWORK, SAFETY & RESPECT

We place the highest value on the health, well-being and cultural diversity of our people. We care for our people and support their professional and personal development through ongoing training, sharing knowledge and empowering those we work with.

OUR TEAM

John Rumney

Managing Director

John Rumney has a passion that is palpable and contagious. He has been the Great Barrier Reef ’s primary ecotourism pioneer, captain and reef expert for more then 35 years. He is a visionary who created and directed the highly respected Undersea Explorer and Eye to Eye Marine Encounters research and tourism operations. These endeavours have supported hundreds of scientific studies, students and international documentaries, as well as raising the standards in terms of wildlife tourism and adventure diving. Having won numerous awards for his excellence in environmental conservation, sitting on countless boards and committees that have paved the way for reef conservation and preservation and being a key spokesperson in many documentaries about the Great Barrier Reef, John Rumney is to the Great Barrier Reef what Sir David Attenborough is to wildlife films. He is highly respected in Australia and has devoted his life and resources to ensuring the Great Barrier Reef remains the worlds greatest coral reef system for generations to come.

Director Science & Media

Dr Dean Miller

Dr Dean Miller is a scientist, multi-media professional, BBC television presenter and an Australian Geographic sponsored explorer. With a PhD in coral reef management and resource allocation and a wealth of scientific experience in the field from Antarctica to the Arctic and everywhere in between, Dean’s scientific research career has been rich and diverse. Having been involved in over 300 ocean expeditions on ships all over the globe, much of Dean’s life has been at sea in some of the most challenging environments known. In addition, Dean has worked tirelessly to position himself at the very top of the multimedia production field. A self taught and accomplished filmmaker, he has shot, produced and presented more than 50 documentaries all over the planet for every major broadcaster including the BBC, ABC, National Geographic, Disney Nature, Foxtel, Red Bull TV and the Discovery Channel. Dean’s work has been narrated by the legendary Sir David Attenborough on many occasions and has been acclaimed for its breathtaking and stunning natural history and cinematic qualities. Dean has also worked with John Rumney on the Undersea Explorer and Eye To Eye Marine Encounters as the marine science coordinator, researcher, dive instructor and cameraman for the past 15 years, and together they have broke new and exciting ground in the fields of ecotourism, research filmmaking and education. With his diverse background and skill set, unlimited energy and drive, Dean is ready to take GBR research, conservation and communication well into the future with GBR Legacy.

Jenna Rumney

Director Engagement

Jenna Rumney is an experienced marine biologist with a passion for sharing the wonders of the underwater world. Her focus is on educating and inspiring youth about environmental issues using social media, community presentations and educational web videos. She has a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and is an experienced project coordinator having worked on numerous remote research expeditions and natural history shoots (e.g. BBC’s Great Barrier Reef series, Walt Disney’s feature film Oceans, Discovery Channel’s Mysteries of the Shark Coast ). Jenna’s business acumen has led her to becoming the owner/operator of two successful ecotourism ventures and the youngest member of the Great Barrier Reef Marathon Board of Directors, an international sporting event that raises funds for James Cook University marine research projects.