Attractions

It's the only living structure on earth visible from the moon; at 348,700 sq. km (135,993 sq. miles), it's bigger than the United Kingdom; it's over 2,000km (1,240 miles) long, stretching from Lady Elliot Island off Bundaberg to just south of Papua New Guinea; it's home to 1,500 kinds of fish, 400 species of corals, 4,000 kinds of clams and snails, and who knows how many sponges, starfish, and sea urchins. The Great Barrier Reef is a World Heritage Site and is the biggest marine park in the world.

There are three kinds of reef on the Great Barrier Reef -- fringing, ribbon, and platform. Fringe reef is the stuff you see just off the shore of islands and along the mainland. Ribbon reefs create "streamers" of long, thin reef along the outer edge of the Reef, and are only found north of Cairns. Platform or patch reefs are splotches of coral emerging off the continental shelf all the way along the Queensland coast. Platform reefs, the most common kind, are what most people think of when they refer to the Great Barrier Reef. Island resorts in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park are either "continental," meaning part of the Australian landmass, or "cays," crushed dead coral and sand amassed over time by water action. Dazzling coral and marine life surround cays. On continental islands, the coral can be of varying quality.

Apart from the impressive fish life around the corals, the Reef is home to large numbers of green and loggerhead turtles, one of the biggest dugong (manatee) populations in the world, sharks, giant manta rays, and sea snakes. In winter (June-Aug), humpback whales gather in the warm waters around Hervey Bay and the Whitsunday Islands to give birth to calves.

To see the Reef, you can snorkel, dive, fish, or fly over it. For most people, the Great Barrier Reef means the Outer Reef, the network of platform and ribbon reefs that lie an average of 65km (40 miles) off the coast (about 60-90 min. by boat from the mainland). You should get out and see that, but there is plenty of fringing reef to explore around islands closer to the mainland.

Learning about the Reef before you get there will enhance your visit. Reef Teach (tel. 07/4031 7794) is an evening multimedia presentation by a team of experienced marine biologists, conservationists, and researchers. You will learn everything you need to know about the Reef, from how it was formed and how coral grows, to what dangerous creatures to avoid and how to take successful underwater photos. The presentation takes place throughout the year at 14 Spence St., Cairns, Monday through Saturday from 6:30 to 8:30pm, and costs A$13 (US$10/UK£5.20) adults and A$7 (US$5.60/UK£2.80) children under 14.

Townsville is the headquarters of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, and a visit to its showcase, Reef HQ, is a superb introduction. The star attraction at the aquarium is a re-created living-reef ecosystem in a massive viewing tank. Find out more about the Reef from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (tel. 07/4750 0700; fax 07/4772 6093; www.gbrmpa.gov.au or www.reefhq.com.au).

The Reef Tax -- Every passenger over 4 years old must pay a A$5 (US$4/UK£2) daily Environmental Management Charge (EMC), commonly called "reef tax," every time they visit the Great Barrier Reef. This money goes toward the management and conservation of the Reef. Your tour operator will collect it from you when you pay for your trip.