Globally, many coral reef ecosystems are in a degraded state resulting from the cumulative impacts of anthropogenic and natural stressors. The scale of declining reef health has inspired a diversity of Reef stakeholders from government and scientific institutions to tourism and non-government organisations, to explore active interventions as an opportunity to increase stewardship activities to support social, economic and ecological resilience on local and potentially larger scales. Working to connect a broad swathe of organisations, Traditional Owners, government and non-government organisations and private industry Reef Ecologic have been a catalyst for change and innovation in the field of coral reef restoration in the GReat Barrier Reef. We share lessons learned through the development and implementation of five collaborative reef restoration and research projects implemented across four locations (Port Douglas, Fitzroy Island, Magnetic Island and the Whitsundays) highlighting the successes and challenges. These include new coral gardening projects, larval enhancement, macroalgae removal and reef stabilisation methods. Taking into account the complicated legislative space and recent acceptance of active interventions as an adaptive management action, we examine the lessons learned that will influence the future of in-situ coral restoration on the GBR.