The Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Queensland in northeastern Australia, is the largest living thing on Earth, and even visible from outer space. The 2,300km-long ecosystem comprises thousands of reefs and hundreds of islands made of over 600 types of hard and soft coral. It’s home to countless species of colourful fish, molluscs and starfish, plus turtles, dolphins and sharks.
Shimmering in luminous turquoise water, the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland is the star tourist attraction in Australia. The only living thing visible from outer space, this 2,300-kilometer-long World Heritage-listed beauty is a fragile mosaic of coral cays; seagrass beds; mangroves; and tropical islands, like the idyllic Whitsunday Islands. SCUBA dive or snorkel in the warm, clear waters to see the colorful coral and fish up close, or hop aboard a helicopter or seaplane for a bird’s-eye view.
