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Australia is home to some of the world's greatest coral reefs, including the Great Barrier Reef, Ningaloo Reef, and the reefs of the Whitsunday Islands. The Great Barrier Reef, a World Heritage Site, is the world's largest coral reef system, stretching over 2,300 kilometres off the coast of Queensland, Australia, and is even visible from space. The Ningaloo Reef, also in Western Australia, is the world's largest fringing reef, where the coral reef system can be accessed directly from the beach. The Whitsunday Islands offer a magnificent vista of green vegetated islands and sandy beaches, with globally important breeding colonies of seabirds and marine turtles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Off the northeastern coast of Australia, in the Coral Sea |
| Distance from Coast | 10-100 miles (16 to 160 km) |
| Length | 1,250-2,300 miles (2,000-3,700 km) |
| Width | 37-155 miles (60 to 250 km) |
| Area | 133,000-135,000 sq mi (344,400-350,000 sq km) |
| Number of Individual Reefs | 2,100-2,900 |
| Number of Islands | 900 |
| Number of Species of Coral | 400 |
| Number of Species of Fish | 1,500-1,600 |
| Number of Species of Molluscs | 4,000 |
| Number of Species of Birds | 240 |
| Number of Cetaceans | 30 |
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What You'll Learn
The Great Barrier Reef, Queensland
The Great Barrier Reef is a distinct feature of the East Australian Cordillera division, located in the Coral Sea off the coast of Queensland, Australia. It is the world's largest coral reef ecosystem, stretching over 2,300 kilometres (1,430 miles) and covering an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres (133,000 square miles). The reef is composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands, including the Whitsunday Islands, Hinchinbrook Island, and Lady Elliot Island, its southernmost island.
The Great Barrier Reef is a site of remarkable variety and beauty, boasting the world's largest collection of coral reefs, with around 400 types of coral, over 1,500 species of fish, and about 4,000 types of mollusc. It is also home to vulnerable and endangered species, such as the dwarf minke whale, the humpback whale, the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, the dugong, and six of the world's seven marine turtle species. The reef provides a stunning display of colourful coral gardens, giant clams, and diverse marine life, making it a popular destination for scuba diving and snorkelling.
The development history of the Great Barrier Reef is complex and influenced by sea level changes. Around 24 million years ago, when Queensland entered tropical waters, some coral growth occurred. However, a sedimentation regime soon developed, creating conditions unfavourable for coral growth. The current living reef structure is believed to have started growing on an older platform about 20,000 years ago, when sea levels were significantly lower than they are today.
The Great Barrier Reef faces various threats, including climate change, coral bleaching, pollution from farming and dredging, and overfishing. The Australian and Queensland governments are working together to protect the reef, committing funds and implementing initiatives to phase out unsustainable practices and improve water quality. The Queensland National Trust named the Great Barrier Reef a state icon of Queensland in 2006, and it is recognised as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
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![David Attenborough Great Barrier Reef [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81aavGAS2FL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
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Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
Ningaloo Reef is a fringing reef located in the north-west coastal region of Western Australia. It is approximately 1,200km (745mi) north of Perth, along the East Indian Ocean. The reef is a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, recognised for its rich biodiversity and cultural significance.
The reef is known for its spectacular marine life, including whale sharks, manta rays, turtles, humpback whales, dolphins, dugongs, and various species of fish, corals, and molluscs. The beaches of the reef are important breeding grounds and nesting sites for turtles, including loggerhead, green, and hawksbill turtles.
Ningaloo Reef has two main hubs: Coral Bay and Exmouth. Learmonth Airport serves as the gateway to both destinations, with flights available from all Australian states and territories. From the airport, it is a 36km (22mi) journey to Exmouth and a 117km (73mi) journey to Coral Bay. It is recommended to hire a car or join a guided tour to explore the region conveniently.
The reef offers enjoyable weather and swimming opportunities all year round. However, if you specifically want to swim with the famous whale sharks, it is best to visit between March and July. The winter months, from March to August, are also when whale sharks feed at the reef and when the reef is part of the migratory routes for other marine species.
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Lord Howe Island, New South Wales
Lord Howe Island is a crescent-shaped volcanic remnant in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand. It is part of the Australian state of New South Wales and is located 600 km (370 mi) directly east of mainland Port Macquarie, 780 km (480 mi) northeast of Sydney, and about 900 km (560 mi) southwest of Norfolk Island. The island is about 10 km (6.2 mi) long and 0.3-2.0 km (0.19-1.24 mi) wide, with an area of 14.55 km2 (3,600 acres).
The island is named after Richard Howe, the 1st Earl Howe. Along its west coast is a semi-enclosed, sheltered coral reef lagoon with white sand. This is the most accessible of the island's 11 beaches. The north and south sections of the island are high ground covered by relatively untouched forest. The south includes two volcanic mountains, Mount Lidgbird (777 m / 2,549 ft) and Mount Gower (875 m / 2,871 ft), the highest point on the island.
Lord Howe Island Marine Park is the site of the world's most southern coral reef ecosystem. The island is surrounded by a large lagoonal reef system along its leeward side, with 28 small islets along its coast. The marine park was established in 1999 to protect the unique marine biodiversity of the area. The park is managed by the New South Wales Marine Parks Authority and complements the island's status as a World Heritage Site.
The marine life around Lord Howe Island comprises both subtropical and temperate species due to the influence of the southerly-flowing East Australian Current (EAC). This unique biodiversity includes a diverse inshore fish fauna with over 400 species recorded. 10% of the marine inshore fish species are endemic, meaning they are only found at Lord Howe Island. The island is also home to a high diversity of marine benthic algae, fishes, and marine invertebrates, with many endemic species.
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Coral reefs off Cocos-Keeling, Christmas Island, and Norfolk Island
The Great Barrier Reef, a globally outstanding and significant entity, is the world's most extensive coral reef ecosystem and is found on the north-east coast of Australia. It is a site of remarkable variety and beauty, with the world's largest collection of coral reefs, about 400 species of coral, 1,500 species of fish, 4,000 species of molluscs, and a great diversity of sponges, anemones, marine worms, crustaceans, and other species.
Apart from the Great Barrier Reef, coral reefs are also found off Cocos-Keeling, Christmas Island, and Norfolk Island. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are a group of islands in the Indian Ocean, an Australian territory. The coral reefs around these islands have provided valuable information about changes in sea level. The corals grow laterally, living only around their perimeter, and radiocarbon ages on fossil microatolls indicate that the sea level was higher than it is now about 3000 years ago.
Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean, is another site of coral reefs. Biologists have studied the reefs around the island and discovered how some corals survived a globally unprecedented heatwave during the 2015-2016 El Niño, which triggered a coral bleaching event. This provides new hope for the long-term survival of coral reefs and suggests that better reef management and protection from human-caused stress can lower the risks posed by climate change.
Lastly, Norfolk Island, located in the Pacific Ocean, also has coral reef lagoons. These reefs are facing threats such as disease and water quality issues, which are causing the corals to deteriorate. Despite this, Norfolk Island's reefs are known for their unique characteristics, such as the Astrea curta corals, which are often a beautiful rich gold colour, and the "feisty" and colourful Paragoniastrea spp.
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Coral cays and reefs off Australia's northeast coast
The Great Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the world's largest coral reef system, stretching over 2,300 kilometres (1,430 miles) along Australia's northeast coast. It is composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands, including small sandy cays and larger vegetated cays, as well as large rugged continental islands. The Great Barrier Reef is home to an incredibly diverse array of marine life, including over 1,500 species of fish, about 400 species of coral, 4,000 species of molluscs, and some 240 species of birds. It also supports vulnerable and endangered species, such as the dugong, large green turtle, and dwarf minke whale.
The Coral Sea, off Australia's northeast coast, is home to the Great Barrier Reef and numerous other isolated coral reefs, such as Osprey, Bougainville, and Holmes. The Coral Sea Marine Park, covering almost one million square kilometres, is one of the world's largest marine parks. It encompasses a diverse array of habitats, including coral reefs, sandy cays, deep-sea plains, and canyons, supporting almost 600 species of fish.
The World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Marine Park on the west coast of Australia is the world's largest fringing reef, where the reef is easily accessible from the beach. Ningaloo Reef, 260 kilometres (162 miles) long, is known for its diverse marine life, including turtles, tropical fish, manta rays, humpback whales, and whale sharks.
Lord Howe Island Marine Park, also a World Heritage site, is the world's southernmost coral reef, with over 80 coral species. It offers opportunities for swimming, snorkelling, and diving among colourful fish and sea turtles, with over 50 dive sites to explore.
While the Great Barrier Reef is the most well-known coral reef system in Australia, there are other incredible reef systems, such as those within the Coral Sea, that showcase the diverse and vibrant marine life off Australia's northeast coast.
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Frequently asked questions
The Great Barrier Reef is located off the northeastern coast of Australia in the Coral Sea. It spans over 2,300km (1,430mi) down Australia's eastern coastline.
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system, composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands. It is home to an abundance of marine life, including 1,500 species of fish, about 400 species of coral, 4,000 species of molluscs, and some 240 species of birds.
Generally, May to October is a great time to visit the reef as the water is still warm enough for a swim and the underwater visibility is at its best.
Other coral reefs in Australia include Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia, Lord Howe Island Marine Park, and the Kimberley Coast.
