Reef Environmental Management Charge (EMC)

“Every reef visit is a sacred trust — between the traveller, the ocean, and the generations who will swim here long after us.”

What Is the Reef Environmental Management Charge — and Why Does It Matter?

If you’ve started planning your Great Barrier Reef adventure and noticed an extra charge on your booking confirmation, you’re not alone in wondering what it is. The Reef Environmental Management Charge — known as the EMC — is a small daily levy collected by the Australian Government from every commercial visitor to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. It exists for one reason: to help protect and manage the reef you’re about to experience.

The EMC is currently set by the Reef Authority at $8.50 per person for reef trips of three hours or more, and $4.25 for shorter part-day trips. No GST is payable on it. From 1 April 2027 these rates rise to $9.00 and $4.50. Most operators include the charge in the advertised tour price when you book through a licensed operator, so you won’t need to pay it separately at the wharf. Most visitors never even notice it — it simply forms part of the operator’s permit cost and is folded into the standard ticket price.

Where Does the Money Go?

Revenue from the EMC goes directly to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) — the government body responsible for managing and protecting the reef. The funds support reef water quality monitoring, zoning plan management, park ranger operations, research programs, and the ongoing management of the 344,400 square kilometres of Marine Park that the Great Barrier Reef occupies. In short: when you pay the EMC, you are helping to fund the very things that keep the reef beautiful for future visitors.

Do All Reef Tours Include the EMC?

Yes — any licensed commercial reef tour operator in Australia is required to collect and remit the EMC. This applies to day tours, liveaboards, snorkelling tours, diving charters, scenic flights over the reef, glass-bottom boat tours, and island day trips within the Marine Park. If you are visiting a coral cay or reef site inside the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park boundary, the EMC applies.

Visitors who are simply taking a scenic ferry to an island resort and not entering Marine Park waters may not always be subject to the charge, but the vast majority of reef experiences do include it. Your tour confirmation will specify whether it is included.

Is There a Concession or Exemption?

Children under 4 years of age are exempt from the EMC entirely. There is no other concession rate for children, students, or older people — the charge is the same for all paying adult passengers. Some permit categories, such as educational and research vessels, have different arrangements, but these do not apply to standard visitor experiences.

A Charge Worth Every Cent

In the context of a reef day trip that might cost $200 or more, the $8.50 charge is genuinely one of the most impactful small amounts of money you’ll spend on your holiday. The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest living structure — a 2,300-kilometre ecosystem that supports more than 1,500 species of fish, 4,000 types of mollusc, and 134 species of sharks and rays. Keeping it healthy requires ongoing, well-funded management. The EMC is how that happens.

When you book a reef tour with us, you’re not just choosing an experience — you’re choosing to be part of something larger. The reef gives back when we treat it with care.

Sources and Further Reading

The charge amounts on this page come directly from the Reef Authority, which sets them.

Reef Authority — Environmental management charge: what are the charges — the current rates and the increase scheduled for 1 April 2027.
Reef Authority — Environmental management charge — how the charge is collected, and the operator’s legal obligation to advertise it honestly.

Rates verified against the Reef Authority on 1 August 2026. The next scheduled change is 1 April 2027. If you find a different amount on a booking, ask the operator to identify the charge separately — they are legally required to be able to.

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FAQs

What is the Reef Environmental Management Charge (EMC)?

The Environmental Management Charge (EMC) is a small daily levy collected by the Australian Government from every commercial visitor to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. It helps fund the protection and management of the reef.

How much is the reef EMC?

The Reef Authority sets it at $8.50 per person for reef trips of three hours or more and $4.25 for trips under three hours, with no GST payable. Semi-submersible and glass-bottom boat excursions are charged at 40 cents. From 1 April 2027 the full-day and part-day rates rise to $9.00 and $4.50. Rates are reviewed periodically, so it is worth confirming the current amount at the time of booking.

Do I have to pay the EMC separately?

No. When you book through a licensed reef operator, the EMC is automatically included in your tour price. You won’t need to pay it separately at the wharf, and most visitors never even notice it.

Who has to pay the Environmental Management Charge?

The charge applies to most commercial visitors to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Some exemptions apply, such as children under a certain age and certain educational or research visits, which your operator can confirm.

What is the EMC used for?

Funds from the EMC go towards the day-to-day management and protection of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, including reef research, monitoring and conservation programs that help safeguard the reef for future generations.