Great Barrier Reef · Australia, New Zealand

Overview

A maze of 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for 2,600 km (1,616 mi), the Great Barrier Reef is one of the world's most spectacular natural attractions, and one of which Australia is extremely proud. Known as Australia's "Blue Outback," the reef was established as a marine park in 1975, and is a collective haven for thousands of species of sea life, as well as turtles and birds. In 1981 the United Nations designated the Great Barrier Reef a World Heritage Site. In 2004, strict legislation was enacted prohibiting fishing along most of the reef -- a further attempt to protect the underwater treasures of this vast, yet delicate ecosystem. Any visitor over the age of four must pay an A$4 reef tax to help support the preservation of the reef.

The reef system began to form approximately 6,000-7,000 years ago, according to scientists. It's comprised of 2,500 individual reefs and 1,000 islands, which lie to the east of the Coral Sea and extend south into the Pacific Ocean. Most of the reef is about 65 km (40 mi) off the Queensland coast, although some parts extend as far as 300 km (186 mi) offshore. Altogether it covers an area bigger than Great Britain, forming the largest living feature on Earth and the only one visible from space.

Most visitors explore this section of Australia from one of the 26 resorts necklaced along the islands in the southern half of the marine park. Although most are closer to the mainland than to the more spectacular outer reef, all offer chartered boats to outer-reef sites. Live-aboard dive boats ply the more remote sections of the northern reef and Coral Sea atolls, exploring large cartographic blank spots on maritime charts that simplyread, in bold purple lettering, "Area unsurveyed."

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