Habitat Reef Modules 1 year on, fantastic results!!
Aug 26, 2025
One year after deployment, our purpose-built Habitat Reef Modules are showing rapid colonisation by marine life, from encrusting organisms to iconic reef fish like red emperor, saddletail snapper and gold-spot cod. Watch the video.
Deployed in 12m of water, 3.5 km offshore from Mackay in the Great Barrier Reef, these structures were designed to replicate natural reef bommies, with:
- Improved settlement surfaces for coral recruitment
- Separate refuge spaces for juvenile fish
- Large bottom cave-like habitat for demersal species
- Fittings for additional vertical relief to enhance upwelling and productivity
The early results are exciting with the Reef Modules supporting diverse and abundant fish communities, including commercial, recreational and Indigenous fishery species. The rapid recruitment of sessile marine organisms has been encouraging, offering insights for future reef restoration and marine infrastructure design. Additionally, their close-to-shore location offers new opportunities for sustainable fishing – giving local families, recreational fishers, and visitors a chance to connect with the Great Barrier Reef.