Anthony Albanese. (File Photo: IANS). Image Source: IANS News
Canberra, Aug 23: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has committed funds to rebuild the Great Barrier Reef Aquarium and Education Centre.
Albanese on Friday announced 100 million Australian dollars ($67 million) in government funding to renovate the aquarium, reports Xinhua news agency.
Known as Reef HQ, the aquarium in the city of Townsville in northern Queensland has served as the national education centre for the reef since it opened in 1987 and is the world’s largest living coral reef exhibit.
It was closed in 2021 for a two-year government-funded 80 million AUD ($53.6 million) renovation by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA).
However, in November 2022 the authority announced it would demolish the aquarium tank and rebuild it by 2026, seeking additional government funding for the project.
Albanese said in a statement on Friday that a total of 180 million AUD ($120.7 million) of government funding would allow work to begin on rebuilding the exhibit as a purpose-built facility capable of providing immersive experiences to domestic and international visitors.
“We want to create the Great Barrier Reef on land, make the reef accessible and affordable, while also spreading the reef conservation message and inspiring action to protect this spectacular natural icon,” he said.
The Reef Headquarters attracted 4.5 million visitors between 1987 and 2021.
The federal government also announced an additional 192 million AUD ($128.7 million) in funding on Friday to improve water quality and boost efforts to protect and manage the Great Barrier Reef.
Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek said in a joint statement with the government’s special envoy for the Great Barrier Reef, Nita Green, that poor water quality is one of the biggest threats to the reef’s health.
“Poor water quality prevents corals from regrowing, kills seagrass and blocks sunlight needed for a healthy reef,” Plibersek said.
The money will fund irrigation projects to reduce nutrient pollution, engineering works to restore wetlands, replanting native species to improve soil conditions along the coast and reducing the number of invasive animals such as feral pigs that damage soil and wetlands.
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