5 Reasons To Visit The Great Barrier Reef Now

Sprawling across the East Coast of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is one of the most exciting places to visit in the world. Teeming with marine life and drenched in natural beauty, the endless range of corals and fish is something you will never forget.

However, lest we forget, this natural world wonder is under threat from climate change and in past decades there have been two severe bleaching events (in 1998 and 2002) that affected 60% of corals in the reef which left only 35% of corals unaffected. This precious ecosystem is so fragile, you have to make sure you visit before it’s too late.

With this in mind, here are our top 5 reasons why the Great Barrier Reef should be on everyone’s Australia bucket list…

1. One of the seven wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef stretches over 2300km, which is equal to half of Texas, the whole of Italy, or Japan.

2. The area of the Great Barrier Reef hosts 3000 coral reefs and 600 continental islands. At its deepest measured point the reef reaches 2000 meters in depth and on average 35 meters by the shore area.

3. The Reef hosts over 1600 species of fish, 133 species of shark, and over 600 types of soft and hard corals which means you will see about 10% of the world’s population of marine life in one place.

4. Six different species of turtle come here to breed, and around 30 species of dolphins and whales have been spotted in the area. The area also attracts 215 species of bird, that nest here every year on the islands.

5. The most diverse coral reef ecosystem on Earth hosts a massive 6000 square kilometres of seagrass beds and an area of mangroves over 2000 square kilometres that offer shelter for many of the inhabitants.

By Alja Mozina