The summer of 2010-11 brought unprecedented weather conditions to Queensland. Cyclone Yasi was one of the most powerful cyclones to have affected the Great Barrier Reef since records commenced, while South East Queensland experienced intense rainfall, up to 400 per cent higher than normal.

 

These extreme weather events damaged coral reefs and seagrass beds, leading to additional pressures on important species such as dugong and green turtle. They also had implications for the industries and communities that depend on the Reef, including direct damage to infrastructure and impacts to natural resources.

 

Coral reefs have a natural ability to recover from extreme weather impacts, enabling the Reef to bounce back from these events. While the Great Barrier Reef is expected to cope with the impacts of climate change better than most coral reefs around the world, the spate of severe floods and intensity of recent cyclones will test its resilience.