Of the coast of Far North Queensland lies the Great Barrier Reef. An icon of Queensland and Australia, the reef begins around the coast of Bundaberg and continues well past the top of Cape York. Consisting of nearly 3000 islands and running for over 3000km it is the only living organism created structure that is visible from space.
The special eco system is home to many species of animals from the smallest coral polyp to the biggest humpback whale which uses the warm and sheltered waters of the Great Barrier Reef to calve and prepare for the journey down to the cold Antarctic waters. Over the last 100 years since tourism has increased, along with industry in the area has seen added stress on to this wonder that was already fighting the devastating effects of cyclones and the Crown of Thorns starfish. Regulations are now in place to protect the reef from all sorts of devastation be it at the hand of nature or by man.
From the Coast of Port Doulas the reef is available to be explored at your leisure with one of the few reef pontoons that exist between the Whitsundays and Port Douglas. A full day tour will introduce you some of the local fish who live around these pontoons and amaze you with the colours that exist under the sea.