Australia created the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in 1975 under the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act.
The Act established a federal framework for protecting the reef while allowing carefully managed activities such as tourism, shipping, fishing and research. The marine park covers a vast area along Queensland’s coast, but it does not include every reef, island or adjacent coastal habitat in the same way.
The park’s creation followed growing public concern about proposals for oil exploration, coral mining and other potentially damaging development. It became a major milestone in modern marine conservation and helped establish zoning as a practical management tool.
The marine park is often confused with the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. UNESCO listed the broader natural region in 1981, while the Australian marine park itself was created in 1975.