Great Barrier Reef UNESCO verdict confirmed but future status remains murky

By Peter Hannam
Updated July 2 2015 - 12:18pm, first published July 1 2015 - 10:22pm
The World Heritage status of the Great Barrier has been confirmed - for now.
The World Heritage status of the Great Barrier has been confirmed - for now.

The status of the Great Barrier Reef has avoided being downgraded by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee but the future of the ecological treasure remains subject to close scrutiny.