Richard Branson: Virgin Australia partners with Greening Australia to restore Great Barrier Reef

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This was published 7 years ago

Richard Branson: Virgin Australia partners with Greening Australia to restore Great Barrier Reef

Updated
Richard Branson at the launch of Reef Aid, a $100 million three-year initiative to restore the Great Barrier Reef.

Richard Branson at the launch of Reef Aid, a $100 million three-year initiative to restore the Great Barrier Reef.

Sir Richard Branson has announced a new partnership between Virgin Australia and Greening Australia that will see the airline tap into its pool of resources, including millions of frequent flyers, to help restore one of Australia's most famous tourist attractions – the Great Barrier Reef.

The $100 million three-year initiative – Reef Aid – is a significant move for the tourism industry which sees an Australian airline put money behind an environmental project to save one of the Australia's most popular travel destinations and one of the world's seven natural wonders.

"I was lucky enough about 20 years ago to bring my young children and family to the Great Barrier Reef and we had the most an extraordinary week," Sir Richard told a press conference at the Sydney Opera House on Monday, with Environment Minister Greg Hunt and Greening Australia chairman Gordon Davis in attendance.

"[The Great Barrier Reef] it's what makes Australia famous and it's what draws millions of people to come to Australia every year."

Virgin will be putting "hundreds of millions of dollars to the project in cash," Sir Richard said, not disclosing the exact sum, but noted that Virgin's support will include offering flights to scientists and volunteers who work on the project as well as encouraging the airline's 10,000 employees to join the Coastal Wetland volunteering group.

The airline operates 500 flights a week to and from the Great Barrier Reef including Hamilton Island, Cairns Townsville and Rockhampton.

Sir Richard also showed off his horticultural skills by potting a wetland plant – one of many that will be planted to help build a wetland ecosystem to save the reef – and jokingly asked, "can I take it home?"

It's not exactly the flamboyance we've come to come to expect from a man who once dressed up as air stewardess after losing a bet to AirAsia owner Tony Fernandes, but he definitely has the vision that makes Sir Richard a trademark.

"Virgin Australia likes to get involved in all sorts of important causes and we're very fortunate because we've got airlines, we've got seats and we can let Greening Australian use our seats," he said.

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"Obliviously, an airline puts out carbon so we want to try to balance our books as much as we can and we we're doing a lot of things there, but this just seems like a really good, practical way of saving the reef."

Asked when his last visit to the reef was, Sir Richard said it was some 15 years ago. He ruled out a visit this trip – he flies out first thing tomorrow.

Not to worry. He is set to fly into outer space next year – and it is said that the reef looks amazing from outer space.

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The Reef Aid restoration project will include reshaping and re-vegating gullies to stop the plumes of sediments, pesticides and nutrients flowing from farmland into the reef, which chokes marine life. It will also see the rebuilding of coastal wetlands to help act as a filter for chemicals before they reach the reef.

A public appeal has been made to raise $10 million over the next three years, with the Reef Trust matching private contributions dollar for dollar up to $2 million.

Virgin Australia was the first airline in the world to establish a government-certified airline carbon offset program in 2007.

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