Queensland Islands Attractions

• Great Barrier Reef
• National Parks

The Great Barrier Reef

In the clear warm waters of tropical Queensland in Australia, lies a wonder that has to be seen to be believed. As if experiencing the beautiful climate and atmosphere of the region itself were not attractive enough, visitors are amazed at the stunning pleasure of the Great Barrier Reef.

A coral reef is formed when millions of tiny animals called polyps build a hard limestone skeleton as they live and die, each new layer building on previous layers to form coral rock in a variety of formations. These structures provide a haven for a variety of other sea creatures, producing a community of incredible diversity and colour and filled with remarkable relationships.

Coral reefs grow in shallow water in the warmest parts of the world. Coral generally cannot survive below 20 degrees Celsius explaining why we find the worlds largest coral reef in the warm shallow seas off the northern coast of Australia. Named "The Great Barrier Reef" this underwater wonderland stretches for more than 2000 kilometres and can even be seen from space.

The Great Barrier Reef is home to an awesome array of sea life. There are about 1500 kinds of fish known to live in the reef region including angelfish, cod, manta rays, mackerel, butterfly fish, and surgeon fish. Three species of marine turtles, the green, hawksbill, and loggerhead, are found in reef waters. They breed on beaches of some coral cays. 4,000 species of shellfish live on or near coral reefs. Other animals that live in reef waters include crabs, shrimps, crayfish, sea urchins, sea stars, sea cucumbers, soft corals, sea fans, sponges, sea anemones, and worms. There are a number of ways to take in the spendid views the Great Barrier Reef has to offer including snorkelling, scuba diving, glass bottom boats, semi submersibles and underwater observatories.

Snorkelling involves using goggles and a breathing tube called a snorkel to allow the snorkeller to swim on the waters surface and view the coral below without needing to come up for air. Flippers also make swimming easier. As the waters are quite shallow snorkelling provides a way to get quite close to the coral and fish life for a great experience.

Scuba Diving goes a step further and allows the diver to descend into the heart of the reef. This provides the most spectacular experience allowing close access to some reefs otherwise inaccessible. It does however require certain health requirements and training certifications.

Glass bottom boats and semi submersibles allow passengers to see the reef through glass windows while the operator points out things of interest. Similarly, underwater observatories are fixed structures allowing visitors to view the reef through windows under the water.

National Parks on Great Barrier Reef Islands

Queenslands coastline is lined with magnificent islands many of them National Parks, which are set amongst the spectacular Great Barrier Reef. The Southern Great Barrier Reef Islands are set within the southern areas of the Great barrier Reef and are great for diving. They include Heron Island, Wilson Island and Lady Elliot Island.

Heron Island is great for divers wishing to explore the beautiful coral around the island. The Heron Island Resort is on the northern side of the island, with the rest of the island being a National Park. Lady Elliott Island is a coral cay, which is perfect for divers and snorkellers of all levels. There is plenty of fabulous coral to see, and blowholes and shipwrecks to explore.

North off of the Whitsunday Coast, is the Cumberland Group of Islands. Brampton Island is part of the Cumberland group. Probably the most famous of all the Queensland Island are the Whitsundays Coast Islands which include 74 different islands. Several of the islands include Daydream Island, Hamilton Island, Hayman Island, Long Island and Whitsunday Island.

Hayman Island is the northernmost Whitsunday Island and is only 4 square kilometres. There are a number of small coves and coral beaches that surround the island, making it a fantastic place for snorkelling and scuba diving.

On Hayman Island itself, there are also a couple of walking trails, which offer remarkable scenery and spectacular views. Long Island is mainly National Park with fantastic rainforest and bushland walking tracks. Whitsunday Island is the largest of all of the Whitsunday Islands. This being so there is no accommodation on the island, as it is all National Park. However, you can camp at several places on the island with Dugong, Joes, and Sawmill Beaches offering water supplies. More fabulous beaches cover the 'desert' island.

In Tropical North Queensland the islands continue, with the next major island being Orpheus Island, which is part of the Palm Group of Islands and home to magnificent National Park and fantastic wildlife. North again is Hinchinbrook, which is also home to a fabulous National Park. There are some fantastic bushwalks around the island, and plenty of wildlife to see.

The next group of islands are the family islands home to luxurious Bedarra Island. Nearby Dunk Island also has a resort. There are fantastic walking trails on Dunk Island through its magnificent rainforest. In Far North Queensland off of the coast from Cairns there are a number of islands from where you can visit the Great Barrier Reef. Many of the islands are National Parks where the only accommodation is camping which you will need a permit for.

Islands with resorts include Fitzroy Island and Green Island. The final resort island within the Great barrier reef is Lizard Island, off of the coast from Cooktown. The next group of islands are the Torres Strait Islands, off of the northern tip of the Cape York Peninsula.

Fitzroy Island is a continental island which features fabulous rainforests and nearby coral reefs. The beaches around Fitzroy Island are covered in dead coral, although there is one sandy beach on the island which is a 20 minute walk from the resort. Another must when you visit Fitzroy Island is to follow one of the fabulous walking trails around the island. The walks offer spectacular views across the island and the crystal clear sea. You also get the wander through the attractive rainforest, which covers the island.

Green Island is a tiny coral cay lying about 30km from Cairns, and only 12 hectares in area. The island features spectacular rainforest, as well as beautiful coral beaches. It also lies upon 710 hectares of reef, making it a fantastic diving spot. The island was declared a National Park in 1937, with the waters around it declared a Marine Park in 1974. The best way to see the island is to follow the circuit track which leads around the island. The walk is 2km and takes about 50 minutes, however, you can also join a guided walk by one of the resorts naturalists. Along with the fantastic scenery, Green island is also home to over 60 different species of bird. These include Egrets, Doves, Ospreys, Sea Eagles, Silvereyes and Woodswallows, which can be found all around the island.