From microscopic plankton to whales, the array of life on the reef is unlike anywhere else on the planet. While searching for the charismatic Great 8, what other hidden treasures might you find?

About 10,000 years ago, you could set out on foot from the mainland towards the horizon, and reach what are now the reefs and islands of the Capricorn Bunker group. Kangaroos and all sorts of native Australian wildlife bounced around, and indigenous Australians roamed the lands in harmony with nature. At the end of the last ice age, sea levels began to rise before stabilizing about 6,000 years ago. Corals began to settle on the underwater plateaus and slowly replicated themselves to form colonies, growing up towards the surface.

Marine turtles and their ancestors have been around since before the dinosaurs – that’s almost 100 million years! They survived asteroids that wiped out the dinosaurs, the evolution of mammals and the ice ages. Whether you find them hiding under ledges, camouflaged against corals, floating along the reef flat or munching on a jellyfish, the Southern Great Barrier Reef is one of the best destinations for some unforgettable encounters with these ancient creatures.

Coral reefs are the rainforests of the sea. They provide more oxygen to the earth’s atmosphere than the amazon rainforest! The health of the reef is inextricably linked to our own. Healthy coral reefs are delicate yet resilient; an intricate and intertwined reef ecosystem supports a myriad of life.

David McGonigal
Traveller

How a former camp for collecting poo became an Aussie paradise