The Hon Virginia Chadwick was appointed as Chairman of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority in July 1999 and reappointed in 2004.

Prior to her appointment, she served in the NSW Legislative Council, holding various Shadow Ministerial and ministerial positions. She was the first woman elected as President of the Legislative Council. She has received an Honorary Doctorate from the Southern Cross University and an Australian Centenary Medal.

Mrs Chadwick was awarded an Office in the General Division of the Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday 2005 Honours List.

Mrs Chadwick currently is a Board member of the Co-operative Research Centre Reef, a Board member of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, a Board member of the Marine and Tropical Research Facility Interim Board, and a Board member of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies.

Abstract:

Stretching from Cape York to Bundaberg, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is a massive marine protected area that supports billion dollar industries and welcomes millions of visitors each year. Tourism is the most significant industry in the Marine Park, with over 1.9 million visitors using a tourism operator to experience the Reef each year. The Marine Park is the centre of a $5.1 billion tourism industry providing over 54 000 jobs throughout the catchment.

The marine tourism industry depends on a healthy Great Barrier Reef and a stable operating environment. In turn, the health of the Reef is dependent on a complex web of factors. Management of such a significant natural area and tourism icon cannot happen in isolation. It must occur in a way that recognises and builds on the Park's place in the community and its place in the overall landscape of coastal Queensland.