Spotlight on Australia

The Great Barrier Reef

If you happen to be crusing around in outer space, you might spot a large reef off the Australian east coast.  This is known as the Great Barrier Reef and is one of Australia’s 17 World Heritage Site listings.

The Great Barrier Reef in its entirety has about 600 islands, as well as about 3000 reefs, which range from sizes of 1 hectare to about 10,000 hectare. Despite its size, the reef is a delicate organism with thousands of species of fish, corals and sea plants.

Already under threat from climate change, the reef is also under threat from pollution caused by mankind. This has caused the fine natural balance of the many eco systems found within the reef to be placed under great strain and sometimes even the slightest of changes can cause irreparable damage. The best way to enjoy the reef whilst helping to protect it from damage would be to do one of the local organised activities such as snorkelling and scuba diving. In addition to their awareness of the reef, these tour professionals know about the local wildlife and be able to show you the best spots to visit.

Because such a wide range of beautiful corals live on the reef, it can be tempting to take some home. However removing coral can cause a great deal of damage which takes a very long time to be repaired.

Any reef makes a great natural habitat for a variety of marine creatures and the Great Barrier Reef is no exception. In addition to the beauty of the coral, a wide variety of beautiful fish species can be found along with whales, dolphins, loggerhead turtles, dugongs and manatees. If you are a keen angler, the area has a wide range of large game fish such as Sailfish, Marlin, Tuna and even a fish known as a Sooty Grunter.

The distance from Darwin to Cairns is 1679.88 km, (1043 miles) so the easiest way to get to the reef is on one of the budget Jetstar flights. When on sale, these flights can be as low and A$175!

Photos Courtesy of Tourism Queensland