One of Australia's most remarkable natural gifts, the Great Barrier Reef is blessed with the breathtaking beauty of the world's largest coral reef. The reef contains an abundance of marine life and comprises of over 3000 individual reef systems and coral cays and literally hundreds of picturesque tropical islands with some of the world’s most beautiful sun-soaked, golden beaches.
What
Is The Great Barrier Reef?
The Great Barrier Reef is a breeding
area for humpback whales, migrating from the Antarctic and is also the habitat
of a few endangered species including the Dugong (Sea Cow) and large Green Sea
Turtle. In recognition of its significance, UNESCO listed the Great Barrier
Reef as a World Heritage Site in 1981.
Because of its natural beauty, both
below and above the water's surface, the Great Barrier Reef has become one of
the world’s most sought after tourist destinations.
In 2006 there were approximately 820
operators and 1500 vessels and aircraft permitted to operate in the Great
Barrier Reef Marine Park providing ease of access for all to experience the Great
Barrier Reef and learn firsthand about its natural delights and World Heritage
values.
A Natural Wonder
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven wonders of the natural world, and pulling away from it, and viewing it from a greater distance, you can understand why. It is larger than the Great Wall of China and the only living thing on earth visible from space.
Where
Is The Great Barrier Reef?
The marine park stretches over
3000km (1800 miles) almost parallel to the Queensland coast, from near the
coastal town of Bundaberg, up past the tip of Cape York. The reef, between 15 kilometers
and 150 kilometers off shore and around 65 Km wide in some parts, is a
gathering of brilliant, vivid coral providing divers with the most spectacular
underwater experience imaginable.
A closer encounter with the Great
Barrier Reef's impressive coral gardens reveals many astounding underwater
attractions including the world's largest collection of corals (in fact, more
than 400 different kinds of coral), coral sponges, mollusks, rays, dolphins,
over 1500 species of tropical fish, more than 200 types of birds, around 20
types of reptiles including sea turtles and giant clams over 120 years old.