This evaluation seeks to identify the success factors for and barriers to effective program delivery and provide recommendations, strategies or options to strengthen and improve future Reef Trust water quality investments.

The Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan is the Australian and Queensland Government’s overarching strategy for protecting and managing the Great Barrier Reef, which sets out objectives and management actions to preserve and improve the health of the Reef for future generations. To support the achievement of this Plan the Australian Government has committed greater than $160 million for on-ground water quality improvement activities to date, through the Reef Trust.

The objective of this evaluation is to:

• provide an evidence base that can inform future Reef Trust investment and program design for water quality outcomes
• identify the success factors or key components that could be continued or enhanced
• identify the barriers and potential strategies for more effective program delivery, monitoring and evaluation
• provide recommendations, strategies or options to strengthen and improve future Reef Trust water quality investments going forward from 2022.

Using mixed methods including desktop research, surveys and cost analysis, this evaluation aims to understand the efficiency, effectiveness, impact and appropriateness of water quality investments. 

It covered 43 projects from 2014 to 2022 and across 7 Reef Trust investment phases. These projects cover a total investment of $163.3 million. All projects aimed to address the Reef Trust water quality outcomes. They also contributed to the Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan targets. 

This report provides 36 recommendations across 8 themes that aim to improve future investment in water quality. The outputs of this evaluation serve to: 

• provide an opportunity for flexibility to respond to changing environmental and economic challenges facing the Reef and its communities
• support other forms of reporting by the Australian Government including reporting on management achievements in protecting the outstanding universal value of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.