Relax, unwind - discover yourself and a natural beauty beyond compare on the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef. Time spent on a Great Barrier Reef Island is time out in one of the most beautiful places on earth. From the exclusivity and unbridled luxury of five-star resorts to the back-to-nature simplicity of tented accommodation in sublime natural settings, the reef’s islands offer a retreat from whatever your client seeks - romance, seclusion, relaxation, adventure or easy access to the wonders of the world’s best reef - you will find it on the idyllic Islands of the Great Barrier Reef.

Where are the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef?

The Islands of the Great Barrier Reef follow the Queensland coastline from Lady Elliott Island in the south to Poruma Island at the northern tip of the Great Barrier Reef.

Facts

Over 600 islands, 300 coral quays and 2,500 individual reefs can be found on the Great Barrier Reef, with over 25 island resorts for your client to enjoy.

Some other things you should know about the Great Barrier Reef;

• Largest coral reef system in the world
• Approximately 348,700 square kilometres in area
• Stretches for over 2000km along Queensland’s coastline
• Around 500,000 years old
• Home to approximately:
  
  - 1500 species of fish
  - 400 species of coral
  - 4,000 species of molluscs
  - 500 species of seaweed
  - 215 species of birds
  - 16 species of sea snake
  - 6 species of sea turtle
  - And some of the largest populations of dugong in the world

What is the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef campaign?

The Islands of the Great Barrier Reef is an exciting international marketing
campaign designed to;

• Reintroduce the Great Barrier Reef Islands as a key point of difference in the international marketplace
• Repackage the Great Barrier Reef Islands in a new way
• Build upon the strength of the Great Barrier Reef Islands by highlighting different aspects of the reef experience
• Create a defined product in the minds of internationalConsumers
• Coordinate marketing activity under a single campaign to provide strength and cohesion in the marketplace

More ways to experience the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef

Sailing

There are endless ways to enjoy the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef, but seeing it all from the deck of a boat is hard to beat. The variety of sailing vessels varies from catamarans and luxury yachts to retired America’s Cup maxi yachts and historic square-riggers. You can sail for a day or spend a week or more cruising through the island-studded cobalt-blue waters of the Coral Sea. If your idea of paradise is sailing in search of uninhabited tropical islands and secluded coral reefs and beaches, then bareboat (sail-yourself) chartering is a perfect choice. Drop anchor in deserted island coves, scuba dive and snorkel on vibrant coral reefs, walk through island rainforests and dine on deck under the stars. If you don’t feel confident enough to try bare boating, you can book a professional cruise guide to accompany you. Alternatively, you can take part in a multiday trip on board a crewed luxury yacht or tall ship, where it’s all hands on deck, heaving together to unfurl the huge sails. Day-sailing trips are a great option for those on tighter budgets, with many operators offering luxury sailing laced with restaurant quality food, comfortable decks for sunning, and snorkelling gear for passengers who want to get wet. If you can’t decide between a sailing holiday and a stay at an island resort, then opt to do both with a combined resort/sail package. You’ll enjoy several nights of cruising through the Coral Sea followed by several nights on an island, where you can avail yourself of all the pleasures and comforts of tropical resort life.

Whatever your preference, be it the slap of sail and creak of timber, the adrenalin surge of an ocean racer, the pleasures of luxury cruising or a resort/sail package, the Great Barrier Reef has a craft for you.

Diving and islands

The Great Barrier Reef offers divers some of the world’s greatest dive experiences. There’s nothing like swimming through a school of iridescent fish or observing the beauty of a turtle glide by you 20 metres underwater. With more than 5,000 different dive sites spread across the reef’s islands and cays, there’s a diving opportunity for every level of experience, from beginner to advanced. Island resorts all provide equipment and lessons for a fee and run daily diving and snorkeling trips to various reef sites. Combination resort/dive packages are also available.

Newcomers can try a fully supervised introductory or resort dive. These are designed for beginners with no prior experience who want a taste of diving without committing to the full Open Water Certification course. After “classroom” instruction, its time to enter the pool, practise your skills and then head offshore with your instructor for a guided tour of the reef. Not surprisingly, certain islands have become meccas for scuba divers all over the world. Green, Heron and Lady Elliot islands are coral cays with superb diving right straight off the beach. Lizard Island in the far north also offers excellent fringing reef and is close to several top dive sites including the famous Cod Hole, where you can hand feed a 150-kilogram fish. Many Whitsunday islands are within a short boat ride of some of the reef’s best dive sites.

For more information www.queenslandholidays.com.au/dive-queensland

Sleeping on the Reef

Most people experience the Great Barrier Reef by day, but the world’s largest coral reef, which stretches more than 2,000 kilometres along the Queensland coast, is a non-stop event.

On a coral cay or continental island, you’re very close to the nocturnal reef action, but at Reefworld, a purpose-built pontoon anchored at Hardy Reef, in the Whitsundays, you can be right on top of it. By day, the pontoon is a launch pad for guided expeditions of the reef. But by night, it becomes a unique form of accommodation for six guests, known as “Reefsleep”. You can view the nocturnal activities of colorful reef fish and corals after canapés and champagne at sunset, and enjoy alfresco dining surrounded only by reef systems and a blanket of stars above. Dedicated divers can immerse themselves more fully and frequently in the reef by taking a live-aboard dive trip. These range from two days to a week or longer and include luxury launches, dive research boats and small, personalised vessels that visit some of the reef’s most remote and amazing dive sites.

Camping in national parks on Islands of the Great Barrier Reef

Stretching more than 2000 kilometres along the Queensland coastline and covering 35 million hectares, the Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef. Home to an abundance of marine wildlife – including more than 1500 brilliantly coloured species of tropical fish, 4000 species of molluscs, 400 species of sponge and 300 species of hard corals – it is also the site of hundreds of continental islands, reef islands and cays, small bare sand cays, and permanent vegetated cays – many offering campsites in stunning natural settings. And for visitors wanting to experience the wonders of the reef for very little cost, camping is the way to go. Seasonal closures apply to some islands and some activities are restricted or not allowed. The reef islands are fragile and easily damaged by careless visitors. They are also a refuge for marine wildlife. Be self-sufficient and take everything you need: few islands have water or facilities.

It's a small price to pay for getting close to nature – and away from it all – in the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef.

Postal address: Environmental Protection Agency,
P.O. Box 15155
City East Queensland 4002, Australia
Telephone: 61 7 3227 8185
Fax: 61 7 3227 8749
Email: csc@epa.qld.gov.au
Website: www.epa.qld.gov.au