World Visits: Natural Wonders Great Barrier Reef, Australia World Heritage Site

Great Barrier Reef is world’s largest and most remarkable coral reef system in Coral Sea which lies at the coastline of Queensland in Australia. It is one of the seven wonders of natural world. It consists of nine hundred islands which covers an area of 2,600 kilometers, and nearly 2,900 individual reefs. All these in total stretch over 344,400 km2 .

It can also be pictured from the satellites in space, being ranked as number 1 largest structure made of living organisms. Individual coral polyps build this reef structure. The site was selected as World Heritage Site in 1981. Similarly it has been named a state icon of Queensland. The breathtaking scenery is what attracts people from all over the world. It supports marine life in its ecosystem. It is even larger the Great Wall Of China.

Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park protects the reef from pollution and excessive human usage. The environmental pressures, however, plays an important role in damaging the beauty. These may be runoffs, coral bleaching or cyclic population outbreaks.

The reefs played an important role in the lives of the inhabitants of Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander People. Whitsunday Islands Cairns Regions are the most popular tourist spots. The tourism factory is very active in the region earning as much as $1 billion annually.

Great Barrier Reef Big Shark Fish

The Reef Area is divided into 70 bioregions out of which 30 are reef bio-regions. In the north lie ribbon reefs and deltaic reefs. The existence of Barrier Reef supports a diverse culture. Many species of Dolphins, whales, porpoises, turtles, clown-fish, red bass, dugongs, crocodiles, snapper, stingray, skates, chimaera, mollusc, pipe-fish, seahorse, nudibranchs, frogs, cone snails and coral trout are found living there. There are 49 species of mass spawn, 1500 fish species, and 84 other species spawn. Other than this, 215 birds live and nest on the islands and reefs. More than 1.5 million of birds use the sites to breed there. Since it is very diverse in biology, live a boards or also known as clear waters tourist boats are popular for traveling. Scuba divers had the time of their lives. Many of the coral Islands are now rich resorts. The most popular is Lady Elliot Island. Boat tours and ship cruises are always present for trips. Most of the people love activities such as snorkeling and diving.