Australia Thursday hailed a United Nations decision to keep the Great Barrier Reef off its in danger list as "tremendous", but activists warned more must be done to improve the marine park's health.
The world's biggest coral reef ecosystem, which has had World Heritage Site status since 1981, has been under increasing threat from climate change, farming run-off, development and the coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish.
The decision by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization will see the reef -- a major tourist attraction off the Queensland coast -- remain under surveillance but not listed as endangered.
Australia is required to report back to the UN on its progress on implementing its "Reef 2050" plan by December 1, 2016. The plan outlines the government's vision to improve the health of the reef over successive decades.
Queensland state's Deputy Premier Jackie Trad praised the efforts of civil society groups and environmental activists in calling attention to the reef's condition, which was described as "poor" in an August 2014 Australian government report.
Conservation group WWF welcomed the UN announcement, calling it a "powerful decision that places Australia on probation over the health of the Great Barrier Reef".
"The (World Heritage) Committee must continue to play this crucial role holding the Australian and Queensland governments to account and ensuring that promises are translated into real action and improvements in the health of the reef," WWF-Australia chief executive Dermot O'Gorman said.
Greenpeace warned that the reef, which runs along Australia's resources-rich northeast coast, would not be fully protected unless the country drops its expansion plans for coal and port developments in the area.
Australia last year gave the green light to a Aus$16.5 billion (US$12.7 billion) mine development by India's Adani Group near the Great Barrier Reef.
It also approved a major coal port expansion for Adani at Abbot Point on the reef's coast subject to environmental conditions.