Women with interests in the Great Barrier Reef met in Townsville, December 2020, with the purpose of building a supportive network for women involved in research, management and industry . It was evident from the discussions that there is a strong desire for a coordinated network to support further events and professional development opportunities for women. We propose to meet this need through the Women of the Reef network.
Women of the Reef is a professional network that facilitates the trade of information and generation of long-term relationships with mutual benefits for members. Networking during COVID19 is particularly important for women as it builds resilience through the identification of opportunities for employment, funding and professional development. Women of the Reef will support individuals from multiple organisations, including universities, Federal and State government agencies, government research agencies, Indigenous natural and cultural resource management agencies, non-government organisations, natural resource management groups, port authorities, the tourism industry and more.
We acknowledge Aboriginal People and Torres Strait Islander People as the first inhabitants of the nation, and acknowledge Traditional Custodians of the Australian lands where we live, learn and work.