DISCOVERY
GUIDE TO BARRIER REEF
MAMMALS and MARINE LIFE JIGSAWS
THE GREAT
BARRIER REEF
 |
..... |
A World heritage listing - Now belongs
to the World..
It is protected (under the
World Heritage listing, against the ravages of pollution and unbridled development. The
reef is considered the eighth wonder of the world and is the only life-form visible from
the moon.
The most northern point is in the
Gulf of Papua and it extends south to the Tropic of Capricorn along 2,300 kilometres of
coastline and covers an area of 230,000 square kilometres, and is dotted with hundreds of
islands which have their own fringing reefs. |
The reef is young as reefs go - a mere 2 million years old. The tiny corals - the reef builders - whose skeletons
accumulated over millions of years have created this great living structure and are very
simple animals, only 1-10 mm across, consisting of a mouth and stomach surrounded by a
ring of stinging tentacles.
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Reefs, like
rainforests, have very productive ecosystems.
The coral receives 95% of the food made by single celled plants zooxanthellae, and in
return they are fertilised by
the coral's waste products. |
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The reef which is
composed of millions of tiny coral creatures acts as a shelter for over 500 fish species,
more than are found in the Atlantic Ocean. The
outer reef moves closer to the coast at certain
points, and is only 20 kilometres from the shore
at Cape Melville. Further south at Mackay it is 200 kilometres away. |
Protected on one side by the
Australian mainland, and on the other by the Great Barrier Reef, the beautiful Whitsunday
Islands are in a unique position. Surrounding them are calm, warm waters ideal for
sailing, swimming, diving and fishing. Skirting them are wide clear sandy beaches.
Covering them are unspoiled tropical rainforests brimming with wildlife and
colourful birds.
And above them is the bright
Queensland sun, shining down on a myriad of things to do - from simply relaxing on a beach
to getting among the action at the parties and discos held at some
of the resorts.
The Whitsunday
region actually consists of over 70 islands, many of them uninhabited. Around them are
thousands of reefs and coral cays. The individual islands allow you to choose
the things to do on an island packed with exciting adventures. Plus any combination in
between.
On Hayman Island
you'll find a pampered, luxurious holiday in an elegant international resort. On Hamilton Island you'll find more things to do for the whole family than you
could possibly imagine.
On South Molle you
can enjoy a great family holiday, where almost everything, including three hearty meals a
day, is included in the cost.
Or there's Daydream Island
where
you can go bushwalking through a tropical rainforest. Heron Island
- actually located on
the Great Barrier Reef, and Lindeman Island where you can enjoy a relaxed village
atmosphere or Long Island where your accommodation is right on the beachfront.
Islands of The Great
Barrier Reef (Qld)
| Tangalooma Moreton Is Resort |
Fraser Island |
Lady Elliott Island |
Heron Island |
Keppell Island |
| Gt Keppell Island |
South Molle Island |
Brampton Island |
Hamilton Island |
Whitsunday Islands |
| Hayman Island |
Daydream Island |
Long Island |
Green Island |
Hinchinbrook Island |
| Orpheus Island |
Bedarra Island |
Dunk Island |
Fitzroy Island |
Double Island |
| |
Lizard Island |
|
Hook Island |
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Places to go and how
to get there
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|
Birds
Down Under, Box 425 P.O. Nanango, Queensland, 4615 Australia.
est 1995
Ph 61 7 41631605
rebecca@ozbird.com |
