Curtin Artificial Reef Clean Up

The Curtin Artificial Reef Clean-up project was initially funded by the State Government Everyone’s Environment Grant Program and Tangora Blue Foundation. The project was a 3-year program that commenced in August 2015 and was aimed at reducing the marine debris that accumulated from recreational fishing. Members were based at Cowan Cowan, Moreton Island for a weekend from where it was a short trip out to Curtin Artificial Reef. Dives were planned for slack water and specific wrecks were targeted for clean-up!

This project represented a unique opportunity for URGQ volunteers to work cohesively towards clearing marine debris from our local environment. It highlighted the cumulative impact of recreational fishing on Curtin Artificial Reef and threatened species whilst promoting an awareness and interest of Moreton Bay Marine Park in the broader community.

The project attracted the following partners who provided equipment, vessels and funding:

• Dive Dive Dive, Tingalpa – equipment and vessel
• Sea World Rescue and Research Foundation and Healthy Waterways joint funding.
• Clean-Up Australia Initiative 2016

On Sunday 5 March 2016 - The project attracted Chanel Seven news coverage. A news team traveled to Moreton Island and filmed members diving and the clean -up effort. Click here to view the news footage. 

While this particular grant has concluded, URGQ continues to engage in underwater cleanup dives across many sites in southeast Queensland.