Facts About the Great Barrier Reef

Facts About the Great Barrier ReefOne inescapable fact about the Great Barrier Reef is that it is a truly incredible natural wonder.

It is a World Heritage Site and is therefore a protected place, that is home to a huge variety of marine animals, some of which are extremely rare. It is also an extremely popular place for divers and snorkllers to visit.

The facts about the Great Barrier Reef below attempt to give you some indication as to why it is such a remarkable diving location, and why you might want to dive or snorkel there if you have not already done so.




11 Facts that Make the Great Barrier Reef an Absolute Must

  1. Located along the north eastern coast of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is actually a collection of around 2,900 coral reefs. It is the largest collection of interconnected reef systems on Earth… so large in fact that it can actually be seen from space.
  2. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest protected marine area on earth.
  3. The Barrier Reef is approximately 2,500 kms long stretching along the coast of Queensland from the Cape York Peninsula at its most notherly point to the town of Bundaberg at its most southerly.
  4. Contrary to popular belief, divers visiting the Great Barrier Reef are not destined to meet sharks. Most encounters with sharks on the Barier Reef are with black or white tip reef sharks.
  5. The Great Barrier Reef is home to over 6,500 animal species. This number includes; 4,000 varieties of mollusc, 1,500 fish species and 400 different types of coral.




  6. Another myth is that you cannot dive at the Great Barrier Reef during Australia’s summer months of October to March because of the lethal box jellyfish. The box jellyfish is a creature that remains close to the coast, and as the Barrier reef is located far offshore you will be unlikely to encounter one.
  7. The Great Barrier Reef is also home to a number of creatures that are faced with extinction such as 6 of the world’s 7 types of enfangered turtles and the dugong (sea cow).
  8. Every year, 30% of the coral species contribute to a mass spawning session. Great Barrier Reef spawning events takes place in November (inner reef) and December (outer reef). Spawning always occurs at night up to six days after a full moon.
  9. The visibility of the water around the Barrier Reef is generally high although this can be affected by tides, storms and winds.
  10. Approximately 1.5 million people visit the Great Barrier Reef every year.
  11. Whales. In the shallower coastal waters of the Great Barrier Reef you have a good chance to see humpack wales during the Australian winter months of April to September. The humpback whales migrate north from the Antarctic past the Barrier Reef in order to mate. You can also see a smaller whale species all year round: dolphins.

The fact is the Great Barrier Reef simply offers some of the best diving on the planet.


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