One of the most famous Queensland icons, The Great Barrier Reef, is a UNESCO World Heritage area and listed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. It’s so large it can be seen from outer space!
It’s one of the largest living structures on the planet, stretches 2300km, and is home to more than 450 types of corals, 100 species of jellyfish, 3000 types of molluscs, 500 species of worms, 1500 types of fish, 133 varieties of sharks and rays, and more than 30 species of whales and dolphins. Around 10% of the world’s fish species can be found in the reef.
Before you embark on your Great Barrier Reef adventure, here are 5 amazing facts about this incredible natural wonder.
1. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park covers 344,400m2, which is larger than the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Holland combined.
2. The coral reefs only make up around 7 per cent of the Marine Park area.
3. The Great Barrier Reef has over 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres.
4. More than 2 million people visit The Great Barrier Reef each year.
5. The Great Barrier Reef is the size of 70 million football fields.
The Great Barrier Reef can be explored via boat, snorkelling, helicopter, and is an amazing site for diving.
AND………. GO!