The objective of the Reef Water Quality Grants and Partnerships funding, under the Reef Programme (formerly Reef Rescue) is to improve the quality of water entering the Great Barrier Reef lagoon by providing landholders with advice and assistance to improve land management practices and reduce nutrient, pesticide and sediment run-off from agricultural land.

This project was rolled out in the coastal areas of the Burnett, over 3 years, with all contracted projects to be finished works by June 2016.

The program area included the Burnett River downstream from Paradise Dam, the Kolan downstream from Lake Monduran, as well as the Elliot, Isis, Gregory, Burrum and Baffle Creek catchments.

Funding was available for a range of on-ground projects that address a reduction in sediment going into the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. Projects could include, but not necessarily be limited to, riparian fencing, fencing and rehabilitation of erosion and degraded areas, fencing to reduce stock tracking and patch grazing, and installation of off-stream and paddock water points.

Funding was be limited to a maximum of $10,000 per landholder, and must be matched 50:50 by cash and/or in-kind expenditure by the landholder.

The program is supported by the Burnett Mary Regional Group, through funding from the Australian Government.

Over the three years, 92 landholders received funding totaling $616,337 (inc. GST). On-ground activities ranged from fencing for improved rotational grazing and spelling, fencing of creeks and watercourses, additional water points, off-stream water points, and erosion control.

The total area of grazing land that was improved through the 3-year project was 11,064 hectares, on participants total property area of 23,439 hectares. The maximum amount of funding was capped at $10,000 per property, but the average funding amount paid per project was less than that at $6,119. The funding paid was only 38% of total project costs, meaning landholders invested a considerable amount of cash and in-kind support into their projects. This represents a good value for money of taxpayer investment.

This project had a much increased emphasis on education, awareness and training than the previous Reef Rescue projects. Landholders were asked to complete two modules of the Grazing BMP program, conduct paddock assessments with BCCA field officers, and attend workshops where possible. Over 100 landholders attended the workshops that were organised during the 3-year period. Workshops were generally focused on sustainable grazing practices, with soil health and pasture health workshops being popular events.

Over the three years of the project, fencing has been the largest activity funded, with 83 kilometres of fencing constructed for grazing management (subdivision for rotational and cell grazing) and 27 kilometres of creek and river fencing constructed. There have been 140 new water points funded, both for off-stream water and additional paddock water.