Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traditional Owners have continuing connections and responsibilities to Sea Country across the Great Barrier Reef. Sea Country can include islands, reefs, beaches, estuaries, seagrass beds and offshore waters. Different groups hold responsibilities for different places. Today, Traditional Owners guide research, manage customary use, care for wildlife and share knowledge on their own terms.
What Sea Country means
Sea Country describes relationships between people and marine and coastal places. These relationships can include law and Lore, family histories, language, navigation, ceremony, food and obligations to care for species and places. They connect land, sea and sky. For example, the condition of a seagrass meadow can matter for dugongs, for families with customary connections to those animals and for the transmission of knowledge between generations. Australian Government Traditional Owner overview
The Reef Authority refers to around 70 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clan groups connected to the Reef and its region. Place names used on tourist maps cover different areas from Traditional Owner estates, and some places have shared connections. Ask the relevant local organisation or Traditional Owner group about a specific place. For the Daintree and Mossman Gorge, see the companion Kuku Yalanji culture guide. Reef Authority Traditional Owner overview
How Sea Country is managed
Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreements. A TUMRA is a community-based agreement developed by Traditional Owners and accredited by the Australian and Queensland governments. It describes how a group manages traditional marine use in a defined area. It can include customary harvesting protocols, monitoring, training and compliance. Terms vary between agreements and areas.
Indigenous Land Use Agreements. An ILUA is a voluntary agreement about the use and management of land or waters between native title groups and other parties. The Reef Authority is a party to the Kuuku Ya’u agreement off Cape York. It recognises native title rights and interests across nearly 2,000 square kilometres of Sea Country.
Rangers and partnerships. Traditional Owner rangers and partner organisations can monitor habitat and wildlife, look after culturally significant places and work with researchers. The Reef 2050 Traditional Owner Implementation Plan brings together Traditional Owner priorities and calls for resources, accountability and a role in decision-making. Reef Authority agreements and maps · Reef 2050 Traditional Owner Implementation Plan overview
How cultural heritage is considered in permit decisions. Woppaburra Traditional Owners have published heritage assessment guidelines for activities proposed within their agreement area. The guidelines help applicants and assessors identify activities that may affect Aboriginal heritage values and provide a framework for Traditional Owners to inform the assessment. They also explain which local committees to approach for different matters, including marine issues. Woppaburra Traditional Owner heritage assessment guidelines
Examples across the Reef
| Traditional Owners or partnership | What the work looks like |
|---|---|
| Girringun saltwater groups, Hinchinbrook region | The first accredited Reef TUMRA was signed in 2005. Work under the agreement has included mapping seagrass and monitoring turtles and dugongs around Hinchinbrook and Goold islands. |
| Gunggandji people, waters east of Cairns | The agreement includes waters around Green Island and Fitzroy Island, and recognises shared management arrangements with Yirrganydji people around Michaelmas Cay. The Reef Authority describes restrictions on customary turtle and dugong hunting in these areas. |
| Wuthathi People and Meriam Nation (Ugar, Mer, Erub) People, Raine Island | Traditional Owners and government partners are working to maintain viable green turtle nesting habitat. Interventions include reshaping parts of the nesting beach and fencing hazardous drops to reduce risks to adult turtles. Public access is closed. |
Reef Authority agreement details · Girringun Aboriginal Corporation · Raine Island Recovery Project · Queensland Parks Raine Island access
A visitor-facing example on Woppa. On Woppa (Great Keppel Island), Woppaburra people worked with the Queensland Government to install a boardwalk that directs foot traffic away from a culturally significant site. Interpretive signs help explain why the area matters. Woppaburra people also helped establish the Balban Dara Guya (Leekes Creek) Fish Habitat Area, which protects a significant ecosystem and cultural heritage site. Reef Authority Outlook Report case study
Visiting respectfully
Learn whose Country you’ll visit. Check the site’s official information or ask a local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander organisation. For a tour, look at how the operator describes its ownership and who leads the experience.
Follow access and recording protocols. Respect closures and restricted sites. Ask before photographing people, recording a guide or sharing cultural stories. Follow site rules and marine zoning when fishing, collecting or travelling independently.
Support locally led experiences. Pay for guided experiences and buy art directly or through sellers who identify the artist and provenance. For a formal Welcome to Country, contact the relevant Traditional Owners or authorised representative. Anyone can offer an Acknowledgement of Country. Reconciliation Australia protocol guide · Reef Authority responsible practices