Great Barrier Reef Australia Accommodation & Tours


Tim Thelen in Cairns....Awesome!!!

The Great Barrier Reef is just one of many natural attractions that the far
north has to offer visitors to our region. From our World Heritage listed Tropical Rainforests, the outback just a short drive away and of course the Reef.


The Great Barrier Reef is important on a global scale for its natural, unique beauty and economic values. The Great Barrier Reef was written into the World Heritage List in 1981 and the Area was given the highest recognition for its universal value. Outstandingly it is the largest world Heritage site on earth. This unique tropical marine ecosystem attracts visitors from all over the globe.

Although the Great Barrier Reef stretches more than 2000 kilometres offshore from Queensland, it is only at Cape Tribulation, just north of Port Douglas that the reefs come right to the shore and meets the tropical rainforests of the Wet Tropics. The Reef has over 1000 islands which are easily accessible from North Queensland and coastal cities like Cairns and Port Douglas.

The coral islands are very popular tourist attractions. Some even have varied vegetation including rainforest and are encircled by the coral reefs.

Off the Cairns coastline are outer edge ribbon reefs which may be up to 25 kilometres long. This is the outer limits of the continental shoreline of prehistoric times.

Great Barrier Reef

Coral

Great Barrier Reef