Wonders of the world

3. The Great Barrier Reef

One of the natural wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef off the east coast of Australia is the world’s
largest coral reef. It has the distinction of being placed in the World Heritage as well as the National
Heritage lists.

The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) stretches 2,300 kilometers along the Queensland coast and includes over
2,900 reefs, and around 940 islands and cays.

The reef is immensely diverse. It is home to more than 1,500 species of fish, 411 types of hard coral, one-
third of the world’s soft corals, 134 species of sharks and rays, six of the world’s seven species of threatened
marine turtles, and more than 30 species of marine mammals, including the vulnerable dugong.

The Great Reef Marine Park is a huge tourist attraction with millions of tourists visiting the area each year.
Sporting activities include reef sailing, scuba diving, and snorkeling, amongst others.

Protecting the reef has benefits beyond conservation; it is also an investment in the continued security of
coastal communities and provides significant benefits to the Australian economy.

Reef industries, such as tourism and fishing, which contribute approximately $5.4 billion dollars annually to
the Australian economy and employ about 63,000 people, are reliant on a healthy environment.