PEOPLE
KNOWLEDGE
ACTION
Bringing people, knowledge, and action together
The Reef & Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC) is a not-for-profit charitable trust dedicated to creating healthy environments, resilient communities and sustainable economies across northern Australia, Papua New Guinea and the Torres Strait. Over 20 years we have delivered more than $600 million in large-scale, complex environmental programs, transforming world-class science into practical solutions that protect ecosystems and strengthen communities.
Through our network of 80+ partners – including Traditional Owners, researchers, government, industry and community organisations – we act as a trusted knowledge broker, ensuring science is co-designed, communicated and applied where it matters most. This unique role allows us to translate evidence into action, foster innovation, and build capacity on the ground, achieving lasting impact for people and ecosystems.
What we do
Manage programs
We design, coordinate and deliver complex research programs across northern Australia, the Torres Strait and Papua New Guinea. We bring together researchers, governments, industry, Traditional Owners and communities to deliver practical environmental outcomes. With a proven record of managing more than $600 million in investment, we ensure projects are well governed, collaborative and focused on lasting impact.
Broker knowledge
We connect researchers, governments, Traditional Owners, industry and communities to ensure knowledge is shared, translated and applied where it can have the greatest impact. By identifying knowledge gaps, coordinating research and making knowledge accessible, we help turn evidence into practical decisions for policy, environmental management and communities.
Strengthen communities
We strengthen community capability, build partnerships and create lasting opportunities through education, governance and practical environmental management. By supporting local leadership and connecting people with knowledge, training and resources, we help communities deliver environmental, social and economic outcomes that continue long after individual projects are complete.
A diversity of expertise and experience
RRRC brings together a diverse network of expertise across northern Australia and beyond. Our partners include leading researchers, industry organisations, businesses, local councils, government agencies, Traditional Owners and community groups. By uniting voices across these spheres of influence, RRRC builds strong partnerships that generate practical solutions, shape policy relevance, and deliver lasting impact.
Partners
Connection, culture, and knowledge
The RRRC acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia. We recognise that enduring connections to land and sea are the foundation of culture, community, and spiritual and physical wellbeing.
We honour the deep ecological and cultural knowledge built over tens of thousands of years and understand its vital role in sustaining healthy ecosystems and resilient communities. At RRRC, this knowledge is not only respected but actively embedded in our programs through genuine consultation, collaboration, and Indigenous-led approaches.
We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Caring for Country
