Water quality scientist Michelle Devlin taking water samples from the Great Barrier Reef off Sarina, North Queensland.
The greatest La Nina event in recorded history delivered record amounts of rain to North Eastern Queensland, Australia, causing near unprecedented flooding across much of the state and flooded many of the Bowen and Fitzroy Basin's open cut coal mines.Millions of litres of flood water from tailing dames was discharged into nearby river systems that sent thousands of tonnes of sediments and toxic sludge onto the Great Barrier Reef creating toxic blooms that stretched hundred of kilometers across pristine heritage listed waters that were visible in NASA satellite imagery.The discharges leave much of the effected area vulnerable to coral bleaching and threaten not only the reef's health but place in jeopardy a multi million tourism industry vital the the states and Nations economy.