Great Barrier Reef Information
A Queensland Holiday or “Vacation” in Queensland as our American friends call it wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Great Barrier Reef.
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and supports the greatest concentration of life on earth; in fact it is so large it can be seen from outer space.
Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef stretches more than 2000km along the Queensland coast form Port Douglas in the north to Bundaberg in the south.
But why is The Great Barrier Reef one of the natural wonders of the world? And what makes it such a popular Queensland holiday destination? Well here are some facts about the reef that might surprise some, but will be well known to others:
There are 1500 species of fish known to inhabit the reef along with 350 types of coral, 10,000 species of sponges, 4000 species of molluscs, and the reef also provides breeding grounds for Humpback Whales, sea turtles, dugong and a myriad of seabird species.
The Great Barrier Reef is World Heritage Listed and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) acts as regulator for the use of the reef and also promotes sustainable practices and education of visitors to the reef.
Of course Diving and Fishing are popular activities at the reef but it should be noted that because the reef covers such a vast area, some planning is required if visiting from the mainland, the best places to use as you base for reef visits are; Cairns, Port Douglas, Townsville, Airlie Beach and Mackay. The alternative of course is to use the Island accommodation that is available throughout the islands of the reef.
There are many reef islands that have resorts on them and they are a great way to explore the reef at length. Some of these are Green Island, Lizard Island, , Lady Elliot Island, Wilson Island, Heron Island and Orpheus Island.
All of these towns and islands run Scuba Diving trips to the reef and some even run PADI Courses which include trips to parts of the reef which are both beautiful and spectacular, so underwater cameras are well worth the investment.
Fishing off the reef is world famous and there are a vast number of charter vessels available to take you to the reef, the skippers are also expert at finding the best spots for various types of fish, and very helpful if you have novice fishermen in your party.
All these things are of course great, but we haven’t even mentioned the fun activities that are on offer at the resort islands such as Golf, Spa, canoeing, Sailing, dancing & music, the list is almost endless, so be sure to check what’s on offer wherever you decide to stay in beautiful Queensland.
