The Great Barrier Reef Facts and Information
Great Barrier Reef Facts is one of the World’s Natural Wonders and is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage-list.
This remarkable destination is a must-see for everyone.
The Great Barrier Reef system is the largest in the world. Containing one of the highest concentrations of diverse wildlife found anywhere on the planet!
One-third of the world’s coral species are found on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
Some of the world’s best reef sites are easily accessible from Cairns with just a short trip out to the reef.
Great Barrier Reef facts at a glance:
- Stretching 2,600 km along the tropical far north Queensland coast.
- Covering an area of nearly 350,000 km2.
- The next largest reef is the Belize reef in the Caribbean, spanning only 290 km.
- The reef is so large that it is the only living thing on Earth visible from space.
- It is not actually a single reef but an entire ecosystem.
- Comprised of over 2,500 individual reefs and over 900 islands, and sandy coral cays.
- The reef is home to thousands of species of marine life.
- Fish, coral, crustaceans, birds, sea snakes, sharks, rays, turtles, whales, and dolphins all live on this amazing reef system.
Great Barrier Reef Weather
Being located in the tropics, the reef does not experience the traditional seasons experienced in most countries. Instead of spring, summer, autumn/fall, and winter, the tropical climate has two seasons; “Wet” and “dry”. These are identified by the consistently high and low levels of rainfall in each.
The temperature is always warm, ranging between 25 and 31 degrees (Celsius). This will keep the water warm enough to swim all year round.
November through May marks the stinger season each year. During this time, swimmers are advised to wear stinger suits. In addition, most reef tours include stinger suits in their price.
What is Coral?
Coral Reefs are the Worlds most precious places, and they must be protected. The Coral reefs are teeming with brightly coloured fish and coral.
Of all the facts about the Great Barrier Reef, the one that surprises most people is coral. To the casual observer, coral looks like a plant. Seeming to create a vast underwater garden, they are actually animals! But, in fact, coral is indeed both an animal and a plant.
Each coral structure is actually a colony of thousands of tiny connected polyps. These are related to jellyfish and sea anemones. As the polyps continually divide and connect, they will appear to be a beautiful slow-growing garden.
During the day, corals feed on the algae that live on them. If observed at night, however, coral colonies show their true nature. Each colony is equipped with venomous barbs that will reach out and catch passing zooplankton and other small fish and invertebrates.
There are two main types of coral, hard coral and soft coral.
How was the Great Barrier Reef created?
Over thousands of years! Coral polyps floating along the ocean currents would attach to rocky surfaces on the seafloor.
There, the coral polyps make their home. Growing and spreading until they eventually die to be replaced with new colonies.
As more coral grows on top, the cycle repeats itself. Thus, those submerged rocky surfaces have gradually evolved into the impressive reef structures that make up the reef we know today.
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef over 500,000 years old and is host to an entire marine life ecosystem.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (gbrmpa) is a Government body entrusted to manage the GBR.
It is great to know that Tourism is highly regulated to ensure that everyone can enjoy this fragile environment for years to come.
Cairns is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. Reef day tours and liveaboards depart daily from the Marlin Marina in Cairns.Marlin Marina in Cairns.
Our reefs are green zones meaning no touching and no taking. It is a fantastic bonus that this means the fish that live here are safe. When you visit, you will notice that the fish are bigger and more plentiful because of this.