1 Cairns and District, North Queensland
2 The Gold Coast, Queensland
3 The Great Barrier Reef, Queensland
4 Great Ocean Road, Victoria
5 Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory
6 The Kimberley, Western Australia
7 Blue Mountains, New South Wales
8 Sydney Harbour & Sydney Opera House
9 Tasmania's World Heritage Site
10 Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Northern Territory
The Great Barrier Reef is often described as the eighth wonder of the world, and a visit to this marine wonderland will be long remembered.
Running parallel to the Queensland coast for over 2,000km - from Papua New Guinea to just south of the Tropic of Capricorn - the Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest living structure. This extraordinary ecosystem is, in fact, made of over 2,000 linked reefs and around 700 islands and fringing reefs, and is composed of and built by countless tiny coral polyps and algae. This famous natural attraction is protected by its Great Barrier Reef Marine Park status and World Heritage listing.
The reef itself is home to many different types of coral: some are brightly coloured, while others, like the aptly-named staghorns, take on strange formations. The reef's tropical waters host an incredible variety of marine life - everything from tiny, luminously coloured fish to sharks, manta rays, turtles and dolphins. There are many ways to view and explore this fabulous underwater world: scenic flights, boat trips, snorkelling or scuba diving, and glass-bottom or semi-submersible boat trips. For the very best Great Barrier Reef experience, it is possible to stay right on the reef. The idyllic coral cays of Green Island, Heron Island and Lady Elliot Island offer resort accommodation, while Lady Musgrave is for campers only. Other options are to base yourself at a coastal resort (Townsville, Cairns and Port Douglas in the north, or the Whitsunday Islands further south are the best bets) or on one of the many non-reef islands. Some island suggestions are Lizard, Dunk and Magnetic Island in the north; Hayman, South Molle and Hamilton in the Whitsunday region; and Great Keppel Island in the south.Train: Proserpine, Townsville, Cairns
Air: To Proserpine, Townsville, Cairns
Info: Queensland Travel Centre, 243 Edward Street, Brisbane (Phone: (07) 3874 2800, fax (07) 3221 5320 Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-5, Sat 9-2); www.queensland-holidays.com
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