Archival materials were sought to help understand the condition of the Great Barrier Reef to 1981, when the Reef was inscribed on the World Heritage List. The report included brief thematic histories relating to places and activities with commentary on the sources most relevant to each theme; timeline articulating the establishment and expansion of major settlements along the coast and the development of key industries; and extensive annotated bibliography listing sources used in the thematic histories along with much other material useful for specialist analysis. Subjects included the physical condition of the reef; condition and extent of coastal habitat; use of the Reef for recreation, traditional Indigenous uses, industry, agriculture etc; and damage by natural events such as cyclones and subsequent recovery.
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