The Coastcare Story

How did Coastcare come about?

In the early 1990s, the Australian Government’s Resource Assessment Commission undertook an inquiry into the management and use of the resources of Australia’s coastal zone. It was one of the most comprehensive investigations ever undertaken into the coastal zone. One of the recommendations of the Commission was that a national coastal action programme should be established involving all governments, community and industry groups with responsibility for, and interests in, the management of coastal zone resources.

In 1995 the initial Coastcare programme was established by the Australian Government, and in 1997 the Coastcare programme was rolled into the Australian Governments’ Natural Heritage Trust Clean Sea Programme.

While there were community groups undertaking environmental works along the coast before this, the term Coastcare and Coastcare groups started around the mid 1990s. Coastcare is, in many ways, an extension of the Landcare movement focusing on the coast.

Landcare Australia supports, promotes and raises funds for the Coastcare group movement across Australia.