Other places of historic significance in the Region include tangible components, such as structures, ruins or wrecks. Intangible historical components are also significant to the Region’s heritage values, such as: sites of significance to Kanaka labour, historical aspects of the Reef as a world-class tourism destination, or the history of scuba diving on the Reef.12
Reef names honouring prominent people document their connections to the Reef
Reef names and the associated stories honouring prominent people connected to the Reef also provide an important record of the individual’s historic significance. For example, in 2019 the name Joe Baker Reef (20–374) was assigned. Its namesake was a marine sustainability advocate who was instrumental in achieving the World Heritage listing for the Great Barrier Reef in 1981, among other visionary work.
In 2023, an unnamed reef in the Preservation Zone near Raine Island was named Kenchington Reef (11–091) in recognition of the late Professor Richard Kenchington. Professor Kenchington was one of the first staff appointments to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority in 1977 and was foundational in developing the zoning system for the Reef. A reef in the ‘pink’ zone was specifically chosen as it encompasses many key aspects of the system he championed.1155
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