Great Barrier Reef | Travel | Accommodation | Tours

Great Barrier Reef | Sights To See

SIGHTS TO SEE:

ECOLOGY:
The Great Barrier Reef supports a diversity of life, including many vulnerable or endangered species, some of which may be endemic to the reef system.

Thirty species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises have been recorded in the Great Barrier Reef, including the dwarf minke whale, Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, and the humpback whale. Large populations of dugongs live there.
Six species of sea turtles come to the reef to breed – the green sea turtle, leatherback sea turtle, hawksbill turtle, loggerhead sea turtle, flatback turtle, and the olive ridley. The green sea turtles on the Great Barrier Reef have two genetically distinct populations, one in the northern part of the reef and the other in the southern part.
Fifteen species of seagrass in beds attract the dugongs and turtles, and provide a habitat for fish. The most common genera of seagrasses are Halophila and Halodule.
Salt water crocodiles live in mangrove and saltmarshes on the coast near the reef. Nesting has not been reported, and the salt water crocodile population in the GBRWHA is wide-ranging and with a low population density.
Around 125 species of shark, stingray, skates or chimera live on the reef, including the irukandji jellyfish.
Close to 5,000 species of mollusc have been recorded on the reef, including the giant clam and various nudibranchs and cone snails.
Forty-nine species of pipefish and nine species of seahorse have been recorded.
At least seven species of frog can be found on the islands.
215 species of birds (including 22 species of seabirds and 32 species of shorebirds) are attracted to the reef or nest or roost on the islands, including the white-bellied sea eagle and roseate tern. Most nesting sites are on islands in the northern and southern regions of the Great Barrier Reef, with 1.4-1.7 million birds using the sites to breed.
The islands of the Great Barrier Reef also support 2,195 known plant species; three of these are endemic. The northern islands have 300-350 plant species which tend to be woody, whereas the southern islands have 200 which tend to be herbaceous; the Whitsunday region is the most diverse, supporting 1,141 species. The plant species are spread by birds.
Seventeen species of sea snake live on the Great Barrier Reef. They take three or four years to reach sexual maturity and are long-lived but with low fertility. They are usually benthic, but the species that live on the soft sediment differ from those that live on the reefs themselves. They live in warm waters up to 50 metres (164 ft) deep and are more common in the southern than in the northern part of the reef. None of the sea snakes found in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area are endemic to the reef, nor are any of them endangered.
More than 1,500 species of fish live on the reef, including the clownfish, red bass, red-throat emperor, and several species of snapper and coral trout. Forty-nine species are known to mass spawn, with eighty-four other species found on the reef spawning elsewhere in their range.
There are at least 330 species of ascidians found on the reef system, ranging in size from 1 mm-10 cm in diameter.
Between 300-500 species of bryozoans are found on the reef system.
Four hundred species of corals, both hard corals and soft corals are found on the reef. The majority of these spawn gametes, breeding in mass spawning events that are controlled by the rising sea temperatures of spring and summer, the lunar cycle, and the diurnal cycle. Reefs in the inner Great Barrier Reef spawn during the week after the full moon in October, but the outer reefs spawn in November and December. The common soft corals on the Great Barrier Reef belong to 36 genera.
Five hundred species of marine algae or seaweed live on the reef, including thirteen species of the genus Halimeda, which deposit calcareous mounds up to 100 m wide, creating mini-ecosystems on their surface which have been compared to rainforest cover.

HELICOPTER TOURS: (PORT DOUGLAS)
If you're short on time or want a literal overview of North Queensland's two World Heritage Areas, helicopter is the way to go. In an hour-long scenic helitour leaving from Port Douglas, you can pack in a sweeping flight over the Low Isles and Batt and Tongue reefs (hovering to see turtles, rays, and sharks); a stop-off on a pristine coral cay; bird's-eye views of Port Douglas, cane fields, and the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area; and a vertiginous foray into Mossman Gorge.

BIRDWATCHING:(BIBOOHRA)
An hour's drive southwest of Port Douglas but an ecological world away, Mareeba's wetlands give refuge to hundreds of bird species, including ospreys, sea eagles, black swans, red-tailed black cockatoos, pink-eared ducks, rare Gouldian finches, and Australia's only stork, the Jabiru. Closed January to March.

WILDLIFE SPOTTING:
It's hard to wrench yourself away from the water, but once you do, you'll discover that many Barrier Reef islands have great walking trails. Large portions of the islands are designated national parks, with surprisingly varied scenery: Some are shrouded in rain forest; others are rocky and mountainous. The abundant wildlife on islands like Hinchinbrook and Long Island includes colorful lorikeets, kingfishers, possums, lizards, snakes, 'roos, and wallabies. In the World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest, scenic walks abound, but wildlife, though abundant, can be elusive. Touring with a guide will help you spot well-camouflaged natives such as the endangered southern cassowary (a large flightless bird with blue-black plumage), nonvenomous tree snakes, amethystine pythons, goannas (large monitor lizards), bandicoots, the elusive Bennett's tree kangaroo, and estuarine crocodiles (known in these parts as "salties"). Both Daintree Eco Lodge and Coconut Beach Resort run wonderful rain forest tours for their guests.

CAIRNS TO PORT DOUGLAS SCENIC DRIVE:
The picture postcard perfect coastal drive from Cairns to Port Douglas is absolutely stunning. The 68 kilometre drive from Cairns will take you on the road that meanders right beside the ocean, giving spectacular views. With Rex's Lookout and Yule point to take advantage of the views along the way. Don't forget to stop and have a look at Wangetti beach. Port Douglas is the place to go for those in the know. With restaurants, bars, and a great marina with daily departures for outer barrier reef cruises. Who knows, while in Port Douglas you may come across a famous Hollywood movie star!