Fear for Australia's Great Barrier Reef after mass bleaching

The Great Barrier Reef is suffering one of the worst coral bleaching events ever – its seventh in five years - and scientists fear it might not be able to recover.

Australian Museum's Lizard Island Research Station Director Anne Hoggett has lived on the reef for over 30 years, studying its changes amid increased heat stress on the reef.

Lizard Island, a small tropical slice of paradise 270 kilometres north of Cairns, is among the worst bleached areas.

The island hosts a research centre where scientists from around the world study Australia’s unique marine ecosystem.