Adele & Stuart: Guardians of the Great Barrier Reef

Finalist - Veolia Sustainabilty Award

Adele Pile loves the sea. A marine scientist, she has spent most of her working life exploring the uncharted depths of the world's oceans. In 2019, Adele and her husband Stuart, established Great Barrier Reef Safaris in the tropical paradise of Mission Beach, Far North Queensland.

Their company offers unforgettable, marine biologist-led private tours of the Great BarrierReef, along with bespoke boating and island camping adventures. Their day tripshave earned a place on the “10 Best” list by Tourism & Events Queensland.

Adele and Stuart’s business is driven by a passion for the natural environment.

“Our ecotourism business is founded on education and stewardship. It is the framework that we use to teach others about The Reef and what we all need to do to save it,” said Adele.

“We are the only operator between Townsville and Cairns certified by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to conduct reef health surveys. That’s a whopping 5% of The Reef. And about 25% of our business is dedicated to supporting scientific research by some of Australia’s world class institutions.”

But their impact goes beyond science. At the heart of their work is a deep, respectful collaboration with Traditional Owners - particularly the Girringun and Mandubarra peoples. To date, they’ve facilitated over 100 sea country visits for Traditional Owners; helped to train six Indigenous Rangers in snorkeling and reef monitoring skills; and developed two groundbreaking educational programmes to empower the next generation to care for their sea country.

Looking to the future, Adele and Stuart are now co-developing seagrass, oyster, and coral reef restoration projects with Girringun and Mandubarra Traditional Owners. These efforts will help rebuild critical habitats lost to climate change, while laying the foundation for First Nations-led regenerative tourism.

“We believe tourism needs a cultural reset,” says Adele. “Operators must take ownership of their patch and be active stewards of the environment.”

Find out more: https://www.greatbarrierreefsafaris.com