Today is World Nature Conservation Day – 28 July 2025 – so I thought it fitting to mark the occasion with a small celebration of Norfolk Island’s reef. After the drought of 2024, many of our corals are looking surprisingly vibrant. As the saying goes, it’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good.
While the dry spell has been a challenge on land – empty tanks, thirsty gardens – it seems to have offered the reef a brief reprieve. With less rain, there’s been less nutrient- and sediment-laden runoff flowing into the lagoon. Anecdotally, this clearer water has allowed some corals to bounce back, and the difference is noticeable.
Most of the photos below were taken in June and July 2025. They’re a glimpse of what’s possible when pressure on the reef is eased – but it’s also a fragile moment. With the return of heavy rains, runoff could again cloud the lagoon and stress the reef. Recovery is possible, but it’s precarious.
Coral reefs are resilient. If we give nature a chance – even a small one – she often steps up.
