The Great Barrier Reef

The biggest coral reef system in the whole world can be found in Australia. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the whole world. It is composed of 3,000 different kinds of coral cays and reefs. It has more than 900 islands that can reach up to 2,600 kilometers. The Great Barrier Reef is located by the Coral Sea near the coast of Queensland, Australia. This is a world heritage site that is filled with different kinds of marine life. The Great Barrier Reef covers 344,400 square kilometers.

Animals

There is a very huge variety of animal and plant species in this area. There are thirty different species of porpoises, dolphins, dugongs and whales in this area. There are also different kinds of turtle that breeds in this area every year. Some of these turtles includes hawksbill turtle, flatback turtle, loggerhead sea turtle, leatherback sea turtle, and the green sea turtle. The Great Barrier Reef is also home to 125 species of chimera, skates, stingrays and sharks. There are also salt water crocodiles that lives in the saltmarshes and mangrove in this area. There are also 5,000 different species of mollusks in this area. This includes the giant clam.

Plants and Birds

There is a breath taking garden that you will see under the ocean surface in the Great Barrier Reef. There are more than 400 species of different kinds of corals in this area. This means, it is the largest coral and reef system in the whole world. This is the only natural structure that can be seen from the moon. The Great Barrier Reef is also home to 215 species of birds including the white-bellied sea eagle.

Tourism

There is a wide area of landscape in the Great Barrier Reef with 2,195 different kinds of plants. The biodiversity in this area makes it one of the top tourist destinations in Australia. Snorkeling and diving is the favorite activity of the tourists in this area. The Great Barrier reef is at its best during the winter season. There are floating guest facilities that will cater for the needs of the tourists in this area. There are also so many resorts present in the islands of the Great Barrier Reef. Tourists can also try the day trips, boat tours, longer voyage and the famous helicopter flights. Tourism is the biggest commercial activity by the Queensland Coast. With all the natural attractions that Queensland can give to the tourists, they will definitely keep coming back for more. There are over a million people that visits the Great Barrier Reef every Year. This is also one of the reason why the Great Barrier Reef is world heritage protected. There are a lot of means to arrive to this area is you are a tourists, but the best route is by the parallel coast of Queensland.