During mass spawning, eggs and sperm float to the ocean’s surface where they form a slick that becomes part of the planktonic broth. Fertilised eggs develop into larvae that are moved about by ocean currents.

Long-time stalwarts of reef protection, GBR Legacy’s John Rumney (left), who is this year’s recipient of the Australian Geographic Society’s Lifetime of Conservation Award, and the ‘Godfather of Coral’, Charlie Veron, survey hard coral diversity at the GBR Legacy Super Site in the remote far north of the Reef.

John Rumney swims over tabletop coral.

The ‘Super Site’ was discovered by the GBR Legacy Team – it has the greatest diversity of hard corals recorded on the GBR.

Mass spawning is the most common way for corals to reproduce on the GBR: bundles of brightly coloured eggs and sperm are released during
the synchronised natural event.

GBR Legacy ‘super site’ on the far northerrn Great Barrier Reef.

Crown of throns starfish photographed off Townsville.

Coral spawning on the far northern Great Barrier Reef.

Life on the reef.

Coral spawning on the far northern Great Barrier Reef.

A spawning male leopard sea cucumber (Bohadschia argus) on a remote reef in the the far northern Great Barrier Reef. Many echinoderms appear to adopt a particular stance when emitting gametes to allow them to to take advantage of water currents to disperse their gametes.