Great Barrier Reef Australia’s Queensland main tourist attraction

By jossie
November 27, 2024

The Great Barrier is not only the main tourist attraction of Queensland’s, but also one of the natural wonders of the world. It is the largest coral reef in the world and one of the most accessible. Sadly, "Coral Bleaching" has impacted this Great Reef paradise as documented on Netflix's "Chasing Coral" documentary.

Chasing Coral

Coral reefs are the nursery for all life in the oceans, a remarkable ecosystem that sustains us. Yet with carbon emissions warming the seas, a phenomenon called “coral bleaching”; a sign of mass coral death has been accelerating around the world and the public has no idea of the scale or implication of the catastrophe silently raging underwater (Netflix/Chasing Coral).

The Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef in the world – and one of the most accessible.
The largest coral reef in the world is made up of 2,500 separate reefs, interconnected, that extend over an area of over 2,900 km, from the northern end of Australia‘s continental shelf to Bundaberg in the south. The barrier is comprised of numerous layers of polyps – small marine invertebrates that reproduce very quickly and secrete limestone. Large colonies of polyps are connected horizontally, forming a thin film over their hard skeletons, uniting them and eventually, after several hundred years, creating reefs.

The approximately 20 islands on the barrier offers many attractions. The main islands that can be visited, from south to north, are:

Southern Reef Marine Park Capricorn

A quiet and beautiful coralier reef that extend on 42 hectares, located on the lower end of the barrier, with accommodation in bungalows and tents standing. Lady Elliot resort, which can be reached by plane is a little cheaper than many others, with the advantage of being on a coralier reef.

Lady Elliot Island – Central Queensland, Australia
YouTube Video by Fun Travel TV Show

A small coralier reef, suitable only for daily hikers or for those who came by boat from Bundaberg. Provides excellent diving opportunity within a lagoon , camping can be made only with the permission from the national park.

Lady Musgrave Island – Southern Great Barrier Reef
YouTube video by Australian Sunset Safaris

With a length of only 1 km; this is the most famous barrier reef and coralier and the number one place in terms of diving. The Barrier is very accessible with coral reef at the end of beach.

Marine life is abundant with all kinds of corals. Located near the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern Great Barrier Reef, 80 kilometres north-east of Gladstone, Queensland; it’s of easy access from Gladstone by plane or by fast catamaran.

Heron Island – Southern Great Barrier Reef World Heritage-Listed Marine National Park
YouTube Video by Fun Travel TV Show

The island is 15 kilometres from the coast off Yeppoon along the Capricorn Coast of Central Queensland. The island is the largest of the eighteen islands in the Keppel Group and was party central for young Australians visiting the “Great Keppel Holiday Village” which used the selling slogan “Great Keppel Shipwrecked”, “Get wrecked on Great Keppel Island” tagline and showed off the famous “Keppel Sandwich” (a shirtless guy lying in the sand with a shirtless woman on top of him, another shirtless guy on top of her and another woman on top).

The land here is dry, but there are some excellent white sand beaches, hiking long trails, views from shore and plenty of social activities. Access by plane or boat from Rockhampton to Rosslyn.

Great Keppel Island – Capricorn Coast, Queensland
YouTube video by Jeremy Hales Travel

An island mountain, one of the Cumberlands, located 32 km from Mackay. Navigation and water skiing within bay, beautiful beaches and rainforest walks, when the flow is small you can walk along a bench sand to nearby Carlisle Island.

Brampton Island – Queensland, Australia

Whitsunday Group Middle Reef

At the southern end of the archipelago, Lindeman Island is one of seven developed islands in the Whitsundays; the existing resort (Club Med) closed after suffering considerable damage from Cyclone Yasi in 2011.
The development and expansion of the resort is to include a 6-star Spa Resort, a 5-star Beach Resort, a 5-star Eco Resort, and a Tourist Villa Precinct and village centre.

The project will also provide restaurants, bars, an eco-tourism centre, conference centre, airport, and supporting amenities.

The proposed project will hopefully start mid-2019 and is to be completed by 2022.

It is the closest island in the Whitsunday group to the mainland of Australia (at only 1 kilometre from the coastline) featuring stunning palm fringed white sandy beaches and a unspoiled rainforests. A boat transfer to the island from Shute Harbour on the mainland takes about 20 minutes.

Long Island has two different resorts, both within a very short distance by car from the port of Shute.

Club Crocodile is a resort for all ages and is especially loved by young people.
Palm Bay Hideaway is ideal for a holiday in nature. It has beautiful beaches, clear waters and reefs, and provides isolation.

Long Island – Queensland | image credit: By S. Newrick [CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons]

the largest in the group with the most aggressive resort “sold”. It has a high hotel, a floating boat port, an airport with direct flights to
the main cities and a complete sports complex. With a street reminiscent of the Great Southern, once described as “Disneyland Daiquiri” Hamilton Island is a real scene.

Whitsundays – Queensland | YouTube Video by Fun Travel TV Show

The largest in the Whitsunday group, covering an area of 109 square km, has a great beach and is an excellent option for those who want to stay in tent.

Whitsunday Island – Queensland | YouTube Video by Salty Wings

A big island with many hills. especially loved by families; diving, swimming, sailing, golf, fishing and shopping. access from Shute port or from Hamilton Island.

South Molle Island – Queensland | CLOSED

Right next port of Shute, a popular resort for families, with all the necessary conditions to spend some pleasant moments at a reasonable price. Superb beaches and a wide range of activities.

Daydream Island – Queensland | Rebuilding after Cyclone Debbie

This is the second largest island in the Whitsunday group, offering campsites and accommodation in cabins and boat rides services. Here is an excellent underwater observatory.

Hook Island, Whitsundays – Queensland | YouTube video by jwinters87

An exclusive five stars resort, situated in a coral lagoon, close to the outside of the barrier and beloved of Australians who come here on their honeymoon. Beautiful beaches and fishing are complemented by facilities offered by the resort. In Hayman Island, you will find the most exclusive restaurants, and the services are excellent. This is certainly not a resort for sports outfits.A

Hayman Island, Whitsundays – Queensland – YouTube video by Roberto Neves

Whitsunday Island Popular Hotel Selection

The Northern Part of the Barrier

Is a large island and a national park located just 7 km from Townsville, which has a wide range of accommodation and facilities for daily hikers. Many places for walking through the rainforest, or on the Cook Mountain 500 meters high. In the Nelly Bay you can find the Sharks World Aquarium and in the Horseshoe Bay, a Koala Park and a mango plantation.

Is part of Palm Group from Townsville, is very close to the outer part of the reef. On the beach, there are beautiful shells visible from afar. The Orpheus Island Resort is a modern getaway gem hidden among the island trees, offering accommodation and entertainment and accessible from within Townsville.

A large island and spectacular, dominated by steep mountains. Nearly the whole island is a national park dedicated, including tropical forests, marshes and beaches with mangliers.

A small piece of the islands family, with a very exclusive resort, seated in the middle of a rich tropical forests. For a very expensive fee, guests can stay in bungalows, placed so far apart that they feel they are alone on the island. Beautiful beaches with white sand and quiet bays. Access through Dunk Island.

Hermit EJ Banfield has lived here for 26 years, in the early twentieth century, writing his classic work Confessions of a Beachcomber. Lush tropical forest, a national park with a large resort in a sheltered corner and a camping ground along it. Access is from Townsville, Cairns and Mission Beach.

Dunk Island – Mission Beach Queensland, Australia by DB Cuts Daley & Beck

Mission Beach/Dunk Island Hotel Finder Map

Is completely surrounded by coral reefs, an excellent place for diving and fishing. Reent expanded resort. Access is from Cairns to just 6 km from shore.

The northernmost of the resorts (accommodations by the Lizard Island Resorts), during the season being the fishing boats home. Lizard as well as the southern end Heron Island allows the access to the barrier, directly from the beach. It is also the starting point for diving site known worldwide, Cod Hole.

Green Island is coral cay 27 km offshore from Cairns and located within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park World Heritage Area. A small coralier reef with a good underwater observatory and very suitable for daily hikers.

The island was formed approximately 6,000 years ago by waves depositing sand, coral and other debris onto its coral foundations.[3] Today the island supports a range of vegetation, including dry coastal/beach plants and a vine thicket rain forest. There are no natural freshwater springs on the island so all vegetation relies on rainwater and a small freshwater lens located under the island.

Wikipedia

Green Island – Queensland, Australia by Aquarius Traveller