Environment & waterStatutory authorityExists today
Australian Institute of Marine Science
AIMS
1972 – present
Australia's tropical marine research agency, based at Cape Ferguson near Townsville with facilities in Darwin and Perth, studying coral reefs (including long-term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef) and other tropical marine ecosystems.
How it came into existence
Established by the Australian Institute of Marine Science Act 1972 as a statutory corporation governed by a council. It had no predecessor body.
Legislation: Australian Institute of Marine Science Act 1972
Main functions
- Tropical marine science research
- Long-term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef
- Coral reef resilience and restoration research
- National Sea Simulator facility
- Marine data and advice to government and industry
Where it sits
In the portfolio of Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
- Type of body
- Corporate Commonwealth entity
- Portfolio
- Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
- Accountable authority
- Council of the Institute of Marine Science – Australian Institute of Marine Science Act 1972 sections 7, 11-12 with reference to sections 16 and 27 notes
- ABN
- 78 961 616 230
Lineage
Loading lineage…
Sources
Primary sources
- List of Commonwealth entities and companies under the PGPA Act, 1 July 2026 (Department of Finance)
- Australian Government Organisations Register (Department of Finance, data.gov.au) (listed from 11 December 2014 to the latest release (30 June 2026))