Great Barrier Reef

One of the seven wonders of the natural world, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is located on the eastern seaboard stretching over 3000 kilometres (or 1800 miles) beginning near the coastal town of Bundaberg and reaching to the tip of Cape York in Tropical North Queensland.   

The Reef is one of Australia’s most extraordinary natural gifts with a bounty of marine life and over 3000 individual reef systems. More than 400 different kinds of coral make up the Great Barrier Reef and it is home to coral sponges, mollusks, sting rays, dolphins, more than 1500 species of tropical fish (including clownfish found in the movie Finding Nemo), over 200 types of bird and around 20 types of reptiles including the sea turtle as well as giant clams.   

The Reef is also a breeding area for humpback whales and the rare Dugong (also known as the Sea Cow) can be found there. This is part of the reason why the Great Barrier Reef has been declared a World Heritage site.   

The Great Barrier Reef can be explored by visitors in so many different ways. There are many cruises leaving regularly at all times of the year (or for those a bit more adventurous, catamaran’s are available for fast sailing), helicopter (scenic) flights can take visitors over the Reef so that tourists can admire the vastness and beauty of this miracle, for anyone wanting to get up close and personal with the Great Barrier Reef and its inhabitants there is scuba diving and snorkeling tours and for something a little bit different the “Seawalker” is in itself an exciting adventure.   

The Green Island Dive Centre provides Seawalker Helmets allowing would-be investigators the opportunity to remain relatively dry whilst walking on the sea floor. The benefits of the Seawalker are endless and include:- no diving experience is necessary to be able to use the helmets so anyone can have a go, the adventure involves walking on the bottom of the ocean so non swimmers will not miss out, wetsuits and shoes are supplied so the explorer can stay dry under water, the helmets allow those who wear spectacles to do so and the whole trip is guided by expert divers.    

With so many different and exciting things inhabiting the Great Barrier Reef and with so many adventures to become a part of it is not surprising that the Great Barrier Reef is the only living organism that can be seen from outer space!