In search of Queensland’s
Great Eight
Contents Page 4 Discover The Great Eight A beginners’ guide to the extraordinary marine creatures that make up Queensland’s ocean-dwelling octet
Page 8 The beauty below The top 10 snorkelling sites in the state, from majestic wrecks to pristine coral cays
Page 12 Where the road meets the reef Drive from Brisbane to Port Douglas to discover Queensland’s coastal wonderland
Page 16 How to keep the Great Barrier Reef great Simple ways you can help preserve our most precious natural asset
Page 18 A date with The Great Eight Our calendar details the best times – and locales – to see Queensland’s marine treasures
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etting off to explore something as vast and significant as the Great Barrier Reef might seem daunting. Stretching more than 2,300 kilometres in length and taking in almost 350,000 square kilometres of pristine marine environment, it pays to have some way of structuring your trip. Enter The Great Eight.
Use this legend to spot The Great Eight throughout the e-book. (Check the box when you see one in real life.)
The Great Eight is Queensland’s underwater answer to an African safari’s Big Five. It’s not only a checklist of the reef’s most stunning marine creatures but a great way to ensure you see all manner of other wonderful fish, coral and sea life along the way. Not to mention visiting some of Queensland’s friendliest towns and cities in your quest to encounter them.
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Giant clams Seen
Manta rays
Inside this e-book, you’ll find everything you need to know about The Great Eight, which range from the magnificent manta rays that inhabit the waters of Lady Elliot Island in the Southern Great Barrier Reef to the dwarf minke whales which call the waters of Tropical North Queensland home during the cooler months. (There’s even a calendar on page 18 to help you discover the optimum season to go a-seeking.)
Seen
Maori wrasse Seen
Potato cod Seen
Want to take your time to discover this marine wonderland? We feature a fabulous coastal road-trip that takes in all the highlights of a drive from Brisbane to Port Douglas. Finally, we share some simple ideas about how you can help preserve the reef and its inhabitants for future generations. While everyone will find their own way to discover The Great Eight, this e-book is the perfect place to get started.
Clownfish
Sharks Seen
Turtles Seen
Whales Seen
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Discover The
Great Eight A
frica might be home to The Big Five but Queensland boasts its own collection of mesmerising marine life, The Great Eight. The best news of all is that it’s easy to find the iconic marine creatures – clownfish, giant clams, manta rays, maori wrasse, potato cod, turtles, sharks and whales – that make up this thrilling list.
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Clownfish
Thanks to the 2003 animated Disney film Finding Nemo, many visitors want to see a clownfish – just one of the 1,625 fish species that call the Great Barrier Reef home. That mission isn’t difficult. Because these adorable, small, orange, white and black fish have a symbiotic relationship with widespread sea anemones, they can be found along the length of the reef. Due to a special coating that protects clownfish from anemones’ venomous tentacles, territorial clownfish live among them, hiding from potential predators while protecting the anemones from their own enemies. Where to see them: Wherever sea anemones are in abundance, you will see clownfish. Head to Green Island, a 45-minute catamaran ride from Cairns.
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Giant clams
These extraordinary molluscs, which can grow to 1.5 metres in length and weigh up to 200 kilograms, feature a pretty ordinary exterior but a stunning mantle – the fleshy part protruding from the shell. It’s said that, like a human fingerprint, no two clams have the same mantle pattern or colours. These wild technicolour effects actually come from algae living within the clam’s tissue. In the wild, the world’s largest bivalve mollusc lives for around a century. Where to see them: Giant clam gardens can be found along the length of the reef. One of the best is at Ribbon Reefs near Lizard Island, home to a dive site called the Clam Gardens. The giant clams of Flynn Reef, off Cairns, should be on your list, too.
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Manta rays
The Great Barrier Reef is home to a variety of rays but there’s no more magnificent species to meet in the wild than a manta ray. These graceful creatures have wings spanning up to seven metres – and to have one sweep within centimetres of you before gracefully somersaulting and looping away is an unforgettable experience. Although they can come awfully close, there’s no chance of a collision – mantas have electro-receptors that alert them to other objects in the water. They also have no stinging barb on their tails. Where to see them: Lady Elliot Island, in the Southern Great Barrier Reef near Bundaberg, is known as the home of the manta ray. Mantas can also be seen near Lady Musgrave Island, which is reached from The Town of 1770.
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Maori wrasse
There’s no mistaking a Maori wrasse – this distinctive fish has thick fleshy lips and such a prominent bump on its forehead that it’s sometimes known as a humphead wrasse. However, what it lacks in looks it makes up for with bucket-loads of personality. The Maori wrasse is an inquisitive fish that often approaches divers and snorkellers – don’t be surprised if you find one following you around like a faithful friend. This charismatic fish is the largest in the wrasse family, with the biggest of them clocking in at more than two metres and weighing as much as a person. The Maori wrasse is a protected species within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Where to see them: You’ll find them in abundance at Reefworld, a pontoon permanently moored at Hardy Reef in the outer reef beyond the Whitsunday Islands. Bait Reef, the closest of the Whitsundays’ outer reef locations, is home to a large Maori wrasse named Wally; Elvis is the resident at Hayman Island’s Blue Pearl Bay. Discover more at queensland.com
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Potato cod
The Ribbon Reefs are a string of 10 coral reefs stretching over 160 kilometres off Port Douglas. Cod Hole is a famous dive spot at The Ribbons and the name pretty much gives it away – this is a prime location to see groups of giant potato cod. This magnificent grey-brown cod species can grow to two metres in length and weigh in at 100 kilograms. They’re not only impressive in size but also extremely friendly, and will follow divers around like puppies. They’re also curious. If you pause to peer into an underwater cave or cranny, a potato cod is likely to cruise up alongside you to also take a peek. Where to see them: Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs, near Lizard Island.
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Sharks
There are more than 400 shark species in the world, and about 50 of them can be found along the Queensland coast. With such a diverse population, it’s possible to enjoy a variety of shark experiences, from spotting planktonguzzling whale sharks to diving and snorkelling alongside white-tip and black-tip reef sharks, which are typically harmless to humans. Smaller is the leopard shark, with distinctive spots that help camouflage it when it’s lying on the sandy ocean floor. Where to see them: White-tip and black-tip reef sharks are commonly seen at Bait Reef, an outer reef beyond the Whitsunday Islands. Dive with sharks at Osprey Reef, northeast of Port Douglas. From Rainbow Beach, a three-hour-drive north of Brisbane, head to the Wolf Rock dive site, famous for grey nurse sharks. Leopard sharks also frequent these waters during warmer months.
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Turtles
The Great Barrier Reef is turtle central, with six of the world’s seven marine turtle species cruising through its tropical waters. Green, hawksbill and loggerhead sea turtles are the most commonly sighted species here. Some females are marathon swimmers, travelling from as far afield as Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and New Caledonia. Where to see them: On Lady Elliot Island, the closest reef island to Brisbane, turtles are a big deal. Between November and February, green and loggerhead turtles return there to nest. On the mainland, Mon Repos, near Bundaberg, is the largest loggerhead turtle rookery in the Southern Hemisphere. Or see turtles in their ocean environment from a glass-bottom boat operating out of Bundaberg.
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Whales
Australia’s eastern seaboard is affectionately known as the Humpback Highway because it’s the route whales take when shuttling between their feeding and breeding grounds. From September to November, mothers use the calm, protected waters around the township of Hervey Bay to teach their newborn calves survival skills before continuing their migration. In Tropical North Queensland during winter, dwarf minke whales hang out at the Ribbon Reefs – thus creating the world’s only regular aggregation of these beautiful creatures. Where to see them: Hervey Bay and the Gold Coast have multiple operators offering whale-watching cruises. Swim with dwarf minke whales in Tropical North Queensland or with humpback whales on the Sunshine Coast. Point Lookout at North Stradbroke Island and the headlands at Point Arkwright near Coolum on the Sunshine Coast are excellent spots for land-based watching.
The beauty below The Great Barrier Reef is a pristine wonderland of spectacular corals and fabulous fish, best explored with a snorkel, mask and flippers. Here are 10 fantastic sites for your snorkelling pleasure.
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ou don’t need a dive certificate or expensive equipment to be able to appreciate the immense beauty that lies below the waterline. Here are 10 top spots where you can don a snorkel, snap on your fins and get up close and personal with some of the state’s spectacular marine life, no matter what your level of snorkelling expertise.
Tangalooma Wrecks.
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Tangalooma Wrecks, Moreton Island
Just an hour from Brisbane, Moreton Island is the world’s third-largest sand island and a place of pristine natural beauty. Just offshore are the Tangalooma Wrecks, some 15 decommissioned barges, dredges and flatboats scuttled in 1963 to create an artificial harbour for local boaties. Teeming with marine life, the wrecks are home to more than 175 species of reef fish such as yellowtail, kingfish and lionfish, as well as moray eels, turtles, dolphins, stingrays and harmless wobbegong sharks, all totally unmoved by human presence. Crystal-clear, emerald-tinted water, perfect photo opportunities and easy accessibility (a lazy swim from the beach) make the wrecks highly attractive to snorkellers, especially novices.
Discover more at queensland.com
Lady Elliot Island.
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Lady Elliot Island, Bundaberg
The southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef is easily accessible from south-east Queensland (it’s only a one-hour flight from Brisbane) and has plenty of options for on-reef stays. Lady Elliot, a coral cay island in a protected marine park, offers magnificent snorkelling, with underwater gardens beginning as soon as you step off the beach. A calm lagoon perfect for lessexperienced snorkellers on the eastern side of the island features lots of coral outcrops, starfish, sea urchins and smaller reef fish. On the western side, Lighthouse and Coral Gardens have deeper water and offer the possibility of spotting reef sharks, whales, dolphins and hawksbill, green and loggerhead turtles. Lady Elliot is known as the “Home of the Manta Ray”, so the likelihood of an encounter with these magnificent (and entirely harmless) rays is pretty much a given, particularly in the winter months when they congregate off the island in large numbers.
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Magnetic Island, Townsville
There are two self-guided snorkel trails on “Maggie”, a popular day-trip for locals and tourists being just 25 minutes by ferry from Townsville. Perfect for snorkellers who want to understand what
they’re seeing, the trails are marked out by white surface and subsurface floats. Nelly Bay is the easiest for beginners, starting 100 metres off the beach. Information cards guide the snorkeller through gardens of lettuce, cauliflower, boulder and staghorn corals teeming with colourful clownfish and a few giant clams. The Geoffrey Bay snorkel trail offers the added thrill of viewing the remains of a shipwreck, the SS Moltke, and part of a World War II fighter plane.
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Orpheus Island, Townsville
The first thing you might notice here is a huge field of giant clams outside the Orpheus Island Research Station, squirting seawater during low tide, the result of an abandoned clam-farming experiment. Orpheus has some of the most colourful coral outcrops (known as bommies) on the entire Great Barrier Reef, along with more than 1,000 species of reef fish, 340 varieties of hard corals and one of the region’s largest collections of soft corals. It’s just over an hour from the island to reach the outer reef, home to green turtles, manta rays, bull rays and reef sharks. Visit Orpheus between late June and midSeptember and perhaps spot a migrating humpback.
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Lady Musgrave Island.
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Lady Musgrave Island, Southern Great Barrier Reef
A pristine 1,200-hectare lagoon encircles the uninhabited coral cay of Lady Musgrave Island, 90 minutes from Bundaberg or The Town of 1770. Protected from the current and with fantastic visibility all year round, the lagoon is home to about 350 varieties of corals and 1,300 species of tropical fish, including triggerfish and clownfish, damsels and goatfish. Harmless leopard sharks and whitetip reef sharks can be spotted in the shallows, along with graceful rays, while vivid blue starfish, sea cucumbers and anemones cling to crevices in the coral gardens. An encounter with local turtles – who wait at “cleaning stations” to have algae and parasites picked off their shells by little cleaner fish, and nest on the island in the summer months – is almost guaranteed.
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Hayman Island, Whitsundays
The closest of the Whitsunday Islands to the outer reef, Hayman hotspots include Blue Pearl Bay, where you can swim among soft and hard corals and a multitude of marine life. You may also meet Priscilla, the resident giant Maori wrasse. Nearby Langford Reef has a long sandy spit with a small but richly populated reef encircling the island, as well as fields of seagrass frequented by turtles. Nearby tiny Black Island, also known as Bali Hai, is largely undisturbed by big tour operators. In its shallow aqua waters you can spot green sea turtles, giant clams, colourful corals and reef fish. It’s also possible to visit the outer reef from Hayman by boat and snorkel from a pontoon at Knuckle Reef Lagoon, floating over myriad corals alongside rainbow-hued Maori wrasse and clownfish, reef sharks, rays and green sea turtles.
Maori wrasse, Agincourt Reef.
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Green Island, Cairns
Highly popular with day-trippers – it’s just a 45minute boat ride from Cairns – Green Island’s coral gardens and rich marine life begin almost the moment you step off the sandy beach. Both hard and soft corals proliferate, supporting giant clams, anemones and sea cucumbers, while the rich diversity of fish life includes coral trout, butterflyfish, angelfish, fusiliers, chromis, clownfish and parrotfish as well as turtles and reef sharks. There are also plenty of rays around and you may even spot a humpback whale between July and November. The best snorkelling is around the jetty, particularly in the mornings when the water is calm and visibility is at its best. With its own lifeguard service, Green Island is not only one of the most accessible reef islands to snorkel, but one of the safest.
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Hastings, Saxon and Norman Reefs, Cairns
All within a short boat ride of one another on the outer Great Barrier Reef, these three reefs offer superb water clarity and a rich variety of marine life. Saxon Reef consists of many shallow platforms covered by colourful corals and anemones, home to damselfish, fusiliers and clownfish. Norman Reef’s caves and swim-throughs are probably best left to scuba divers, apart from the northern reef at low tide when the plate corals are visible. You may encounter Barney, the amiable Maori wrasse, here. During winter, Norman Reef is another hotspot for minke whales, which have shown a marked preference for interacting with snorkellers rather than divers. Nearby Hastings Reef is renowned for spectacular coral formations, with residents including parrotfish, turtles, giant clams, small reef sharks and brilliant yellow butterflyfish. Visit the reefs in late October and November (dates vary) to witness the coral spawning.
The Low Isles.
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Ribbon Reefs, Tropical North Queensland
Also beloved by divers, who come for the spectacular drop over the Coral Sea trench along with the kaleidoscope of colourful sea life, the Ribbon Reefs are a long necklace of individual reefs running parallel to the continental shelf. Sitting about 65 kilometres off the coast of Port Douglas, the reefs are notable for their water visibility and pristine ecosystem. Shallow lagoons are rich in coral growth, with spectacular and diverse marine life including damselfish, triggerfish, giant clams, parrotfish, unicornfish, black-tip sharks and hammerhead sharks. Pick an operator with the required licence and you could swim alongside dwarf minke whales.
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The Low Isles, Port Douglas
A small coral cay 15 kilometres off Port Douglas, the Low Isles consists of two small islands separated by a common reef. The tranquil lagoon is home to 150 different species of hard corals and 15 species of soft, from staghorns to brain coral bommies. You may spot clownfish, angelfish, sea cucumbers, reef sharks and rays. It’s a feeding ground for a large group of resident turtles, with numbers increasing during nesting season. A research station on the Low Isles has studied reef health since the late 1920s. Due to the fragility of the islands and the wildlife they support, visitor numbers are limited, which makes snorkelling here close to perfect.
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Where the road meets the reef With almost 7,000 kilometres of coastline – and some of the most iconic marine creatures in the world – Queensland offers an unforgettable road-trip experience.
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t is one of Australia’s epic journeys: the breathtaking Pacific Coast Way along the Queensland coast, a long and revelatory trip with just the right jolt of adventure for the truly intrepid. But while some minds are focused on the near legendary “tip” of Australia – Cape York – there is another prize awaiting those prepared to cast their eyes seaward. That’s where you’ll find the journey’s nearconstant companion, the Great Barrier Reef. The reef’s intricate coral architecture and 2,300-kilometre length tell some of the story. But it is a collection of emblematic inhabitants of the marine ecosystem that help elevate it from a subject of wonder to awe. The Great Eight. You’ve already met the members. Together, they stand (well, swim) as heroes of the reef, a beautiful and diverse reminder of why this is one of the most precious natural environments on the planet. Just as compellingly, they represent the sort of checklist that gives shape to long road trips. Even if you’re the type who likes to aim their vehicle to some point on the compass and come what may, there’s something eminently satisfying in working your way through a list, especially one that has to be earned. (And remember to use the check boxes on page 3 to record each of your Great Eight sightings.) Here, then, is your “other” roadmap to getting to know The Great Eight as you traverse the 1,750 kilometres between Brisbane and Port Douglas, north of which coastal roads and those piercing Cape York are largely limited to 4WD vehicles.
Discover more at queensland.com
Day 1 Brisbane to Mooloolaba The road trip north begins in the capital, Brisbane. Soak in some culture at the renowned Gallery of Modern Art (known as GOMA) and wander along the redeveloped Riverbank promenade featuring a range of impressive cafes and restaurants. The first leg is not an onerous one – just 100 kilometres to Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast. While Mooloolaba’s fashionable shops and restaurants attract visitors year-round, you’ll find a very different group of tourists passing by offshore between July and November. That’s when thousands of humpback whales migrate north after a summer of feeding on Antarctic krill to calve or breed in warm tropical waters before returning to the Southern Ocean. Once valued for their oil and bone, humpbacks are now fully protected in Australian waters, and are loved for their spectacular displays of breaching and tail-waving. At Mooloolaba, not only can you catch sight of these inspiring creatures from whale-watching boats, you can swim alongside them between July and November. The opportunity to don snorkel, mask and flippers is also a good time to assess how you want to approach your pursuit of The Great Eight. For the most part, you have a choice between sharing the sea with the subjects of your quest, either by snorkelling or diving, or keeping your feet dry on boats, beaches and in underwater observatories. And who knows? Your comfort level might see you start out watching whales from a boat, only to be diving with sharks by trip’s end. Really don’t want to get wet? Add a visit to Sea Life Sunshine Coast aquarium. Mooloolaba has a range of beachside accommodation,
ranging from the high-rise Mantra Mooloolaba Beach resort to Oceans Mooloolaba. Hungry? Pop into Lot 104 on the esplanade for a sophisticated wine-bar experience or enjoy some Italian at Bella Venezia.
Day 2-4 Mooloolaba to Hervey Bay via Noosa A further 210 kilometres on from Mooloolaba is Hervey Bay. Acknowledged as Australia’s whalewatching capital, the sheltered waters here are a favourite with humpbacks, with September to November the prime time to witness them performing acrobatics and teaching survival skills to their calves. Among the host of operators are some with audio systems that allow you to listen in on whale songs, one of the natural world’s most affecting sounds. On the way to Hervey Bay, pull into Noosa for one of Australia’s best Japanese eateries, Wasabi. Noosa is generally famous for its food culture, making it the perfect place to recharge. Head to Hastings Street and check out Aromas or Season. In Hervey Bay, Coast Restaurant & Bar is a hit with locals and visitors alike, while you can get a good night’s sleep for the next day’s whale-watching at the Oceans Resort and Spa or the more low-key Emeraldene Inn & Eco-Lodge.
Day 5-8 Hervey Bay to Bundaberg From Hervey Bay, it’s 110 kilometres to Bundaberg, gateway to the Southern Great Barrier Reef. Famed for its sugar and rum, the city of 70,000 is also the focal point of THE GREAT EIGHT ENCOUNTERS
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a remarkable 150-kilometre stretch of coast that plays a vital role in the life cycle of several of the six turtle species that live along the reef. Beginning 20 kilometres south of Bundaberg at Elliott Heads and ending 20 kilometres north of The Town of 1770 at Bustard Head, this area’s beaches serve as nesting and hatching sites for loggerhead, green and leatherback turtles between October and April. For those hoping to see these ancient creatures, most roads lead to Mon Repos Beach, 15 minutes’ drive from Bundaberg and home to the Queensland National Parks’ Mon Repos Turtle Centre. Here, park rangers lead nesting (November-January) and hatching (January-March) tours, with loggerhead and green turtles the most commonly seen. The experience is a profound one for many visitors, who marvel at the turtles’ relentless efforts to haul themselves up the sand and lay their eggs before the vulnerable hatchlings undertake their perilous journey back to the sea.
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Bundaberg is also the jumping-off point for 30-minute flights to the extraordinary Lady Elliot Island, 80 kilometres to the north-east. Boasting an unpretentious eco-resort famed for its sustainability practices, Lady Elliot is not only the reef’s southernmost coral cay but also a magnet for manta rays. The largest of all rays, mantas can grow up to seven metres across. Needless to say, you’re not likely to forget sharing the water with them in a hurry. If that’s not to your taste, glass-bottomed boats offer a bird’s-eye view of an inquisitive creature with the largest brain-tobody-size ratio of any fish. Although manta rays can be seen here yearround, larger groups gather in the winter months. In Bundaberg, stay at the Villa Mirasol or, if you want to be within walking distance of Mon Repos Beach, try the Manta Bargara Resort. When you’re in town, stop in at Cafe 1928 in the Botanic Gardens for a coffee and relaxed lunch.
Day 9-10 Bundaberg to Gladstone From Bundaberg, head almost 200 kilometres north to Gladstone and the chance of another, more spontaneous turtle encounter. Twelve kilometres off Gladstone lies Curtis Island, accessible by a passenger and vehicle (4WD) ferry. If you pitch your tent here between October and January, you have a good chance of seeing flatback turtles nesting high in the dunes facing east. A little further east is Heron Island, where you’ll spot the undeniably cute clownfish on the fringing reef at low tide. Heron also has several world-class dive sites, home to reef sharks, on its outer reef.
Day 11-15 Gladstone to Townsville via Airlie Beach and The Whitsundays The 827-kilometre drive between Gladstone and Townsville passes through the towns of Rockhampton
A turtle hatchling on Mon Repos Beach.
and Mackay before reaching Airlie Beach. Each offers an opportunity to explore the adjacent reef and chance upon whales, turtles or sharks. Airlie Beach is the departure point for the Whitsunday Islands National Park, one of the reef’s most spectacular locales. Day-trips will take you to the outer reef, Whitsunday Island and spectacular Whitehaven Beach; or take the slow route on a yacht, snorkelling, swimming and supping. Leave the car at Airlie, and spend a few nights on Hayman or Hamilton islands, or camp out under the stars. After a decent drive to Townsville, you might feel the need to treat yourself. Consider a trip to Orpheus Island, a high-end resort 30 minutes by helicopter from the city, where you’re likely to encounter even more marine life. Once the site of a now-departed giant clam nursery, Orpheus Island still harbours about 300 of the colourful molluscs. Bunched in Pioneer Bay, they make for a stunning underwater garden. Back on land, make sure you visit Discover more at queensland.com
Townsville’s Reef HQ, the world’s largest living coral reef aquarium, and the Museum of Tropical Queensland for an insight into the region’s history and culture.
Day 16-20 Townsville to Port Douglas via Cairns Next it’s a 350-kilometre drive to Cairns, and a further 70 to Port Douglas. Both destinations serve as launching pads for boat trips to the outer reef, where the remaining members of The Great Eight are most abundant. Many tour companies target the Ribbon Reefs, which run parallel to the Continental Shelf 65 to 80 kilometres offshore. Here, visitors can choose between multiday trips, live-aboard dives, day-trips snorkelling in enclosed lagoons, or staying dry on a permanent pontoon with an underwater observatory, restaurant and showers. If the potato cod is next on your list, sign on for a live-aboard trip to
the Ribbon Reefs around Lizard Island, where you’ll find the Cod Hole, home to a resident population. Back among the profusion of sea life that surrounds the pontoon on Agincourt Reef, expect to see white-tip reef sharks alongside the larger black-tip and grey reef sharks. Less than two metres in length, they pose little threat, albeit coming with an undeniable adrenaline shot. Another popular destination nearby is the relatively shallow, crescent-shaped Opal Reef. It’s here you’re likely to encounter the Maori wrasse, so named for the markings on adult males said to resemble the facial tattoos of New Zealand Maori. Completing the eight is the clownfish, for now and evermore known as Nemo, thanks to Hollywood. Unlike the animated version, clownfish rarely stray more than a few metres from the anemones among whose tentacles they spend their entire lives, impervious, thanks to a mucus coating, to the stings that discourage predators from approaching. Such stay-at-home instincts make the clownfish relatively easy to locate in places like Flynn Reef, where they can be seen darting like dragonflies a short distance below the surface, close to the giant clams. Port Douglas is home to any number of eateries and plenty of accommodation. The Sheraton Grand Mirage, a pioneer of high-end hotels in the region, has recently been refurbished, while the Thala Beach Nature Reserve is an ecoresort on a private peninsula that offers bird and butterfly walks as well as stargazing.
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How to keep the Great Barrier Reef great It’s the world’s greatest natural wonder, an astonishingly diverse living treasure… and everyone can play a part in preserving the Great Barrier Reef for generations to come.
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s the world’s largest living structure, the Great Barrier Reef is arguably the planet’s most precious natural asset. Ensuring it stays that way is a priority at every level – from government-led worldclass management practices to a tourism industry that has advocated for the reef through a range of environmental, educational and research-related initiatives. Every visit to the reef contributes financially to its protection and management, with eco-tourism experiences allowing visitors to both witness and get involved in protecting this national treasure. That is just one way individuals can play their part. For locals, there are any number of organisations where you can join a host of passionate reef guardians, dedicated to preserving the reef and acting as custodians for future generations. While “Take only photos, leave only bubbles” is still the best advice for travellers enjoying the Great Barrier Reef, there are a range of ways you can help protect the reef – some without even dipping your toe in the pristine waters.
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Do your research Knowing exactly what you’re preserving is one of the simplest ways to understand why protecting and conserving the reef is so important. Before you head there, research the most important species and how the reef can be best preserved. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is a great place to start. When you’re in Townsville, drop into Reef HQ, home to the Australian Government’s national research and education program, and the largest living coral reef aquarium in the world. While you’re there, make a donation to the aquarium, or become a member and/or a volunteer in the interpretation and education teams. Banish plastic Our everyday reliance on plastic comes at a global cost. Wherever you live, ensure you take a natural-fibre, reusable bag or basket to do your groceries, cut down on packaging by buying in bulk, buy fruit and vegetables loose instead of in plastic bags, and support local growers by visiting farmers’ markets. Beer and soft-drink lovers can choose eco-friendly rings so there’s less risk of a turtle mistaking them for food.
Eye Eye, Captain Eye to Eye Marine Encounters runs eco-tourism expeditions to see dwarf minke whales, tiger sharks and green turtles through the Coral Sea and Outer Reef. Aside from its sustainable practices, Eye to Eye also reserves room for research scientists on all trips, funded through the expedition cost. Guests can then become part of the scientific process, joining researchers as they conduct their essential fieldwork. Ban the bottle There’s a reason Lady Elliot Island was the first reef island resort to ban the sale of plastic water bottles – not only is bottled water production a big contributor to carbon emissions and climate change, discarded bottles end up as marine debris, creating hazards for the reef’s residents. Whether you are on the reef or at home, choose a glass or aluminium reusable bottle, and fill it with tap or filtered water. Go fish Whether you are fishing yourself or just enjoying the fruits of someone else’s labour, ensure you opt for local operators and retailers that support
sustainable fishing. Check out websites such as the Good Fish Project, aimed at encouraging chefs to use sustainable seafood; Good Fish Bad Fish, and the Queensland Seafood Industry Association, which includes a full list of retailers selling local seafood in Queensland. The Australian Marine Conservation Society has launched an online sustainable fishing guide aimed at helping ordinary folk make informed choices. It’s also available as a free app on iPhone and Android. The clean-up crew The Eco Barge Clean Seas crew are bona fide reef saviours. Collecting marine debris by day and caring for marine turtles by night, these dedicated anti-litter bugs have been responsible for collecting more than 153,000 kilograms of sea-borne rubbish from the Whitsundays since 2009. In addition, the Eco Barge crew run clean streets and creeks programs and coastal clean-up days to prevent man-made litter entering the marine environment. The Eco Barge’s good work relies on the generosity of donors and volunteers to help with activities like removal trips, counting and sorting, working bees and caring for turtles. Register your interest to be added to the volunteer database for the Whitsunday and Mackay regions, or donate resources through the sponsor/ supporter and donor channels. Be water-wise The world’s oceans may be huge but they are connected, and what you do in your own backyard can have an effect thousands of kilometres away. If you’re gardening, for example, avoid chemically enhanced pesticides and fertilisers. The same goes for washing powder – choose eco-friendly products and those without sodium. Choose the right operator Before you book your tour, choose an eco-operator. Look for the Ecotourism Australia Advanced Accreditation, Discover more at queensland.com
EarthCheck or Green Leader logos and/ or Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority branding. Ecotourism Australia has also developed a Green Travel Guide of operators who are following or setting best practice in climate change and eco- or naturebased tourism practices. Removing the crown Over the past 30 years, the crown-ofthorns starfish (CoTS) has been responsible for almost half of the decline of coral cover. At the Lizard Island Research Station, the Australian Museum is just one not-for-profit working towards eliminating this species from the reef. Learn more, and donate, at the website. There are also operators such as Col McKenzie from the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators (AMPTO), who, in concert with James Cook University, has drafted Tropical North Queensland’s long-term unemployed youth to help. About 120 trainees have been through the CoTS program and graduated with dive qualifications, a certificate in tourism and work placement. See the light These days, Australia’s coastlines are full of development and many of the beaches that were significant turtle nesting beaches 50 or 60 years ago are now built up. As a consequence, the glow from direct and indirect lighting discourages turtles from nesting in these areas. People who live in coastal communities can help by reducing the amount of light they produce in their home. It can be as simple as closing curtains, using motion sensor lights and planting shrubbery to block the light. Volun-tour During peak holiday periods, Queensland National Parks offers visitors to North West and Lady Musgrave islands in the Southern Great Barrier Reef the chance to camp for free in exchange for
volunteering as campground hosts, providing island interpretation with a conservation message. You can also join ordinary folk like Nev and Bev McLachlan who make the trek each December to Deepwater National Park, near the twin towns of Agnes Water and 1770, to help nesting loggerhead turtles and to record vital information about their migration and nesting patterns. Join the crusade Feeling inspired? Join one of the many guardian programs, foundations and not-for-profit organisations working towards conserving the reef. Check out Reef Check Australia, Reef Teach, Earthwatch Australia and Conservation Volunteers, or become a Citizen of the Great Barrier Reef. Or learn more about the significant work being done by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. Current research projects include sequencing (or “sea-quencing”, as the foundation likes to call it) the genomes of 10 coral varieties, monitoring the essential algae (known as CCA) that helps keep coral stable and testing a biodegradable surface film that would stop damaging levels of heat and light entering the reef’s waters.
Want to know more when you’re on the reef itself? Check out the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s guide to responsible reef practices. Visitors can help with marine wildlife sightings through the Eye on the Reef program: download the app to record and relay your observations. And share your experiences with the world by hashtagging your Instagram photos with #thisisqueensland, or using @Queensland in your Twitter posts.
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A date with The Great Eight At certain times of the year, Queensland’s most fascinating marine creatures congregate, give birth or come to shelter in warmer waters… offering the opportunity for world-class, one-off experiences. Here, the what, where and when.
January-March
May-June
June-July
Six of the world’s seven marine turtle species live on the reef, returning to the same location to lay their eggs. After an incubation period of six to eight weeks, the turtles hatch and make a life-ordeath dash to the sea. You can observe the hatching supervised by a Parks and Wildlife Service ranger at Mon Repos Turtle Centre near Bundaberg. Heron Island is also a nesting location for green and loggerhead turtles, while Curtis Island off Gladstone is another important rookery. Away from these sites, there’s a very good chance you’ll spot turtles wherever you take to the waters of the reef.
While they can be spotted gliding through the water year-round, manta rays, with wingspans of up to seven metres, are particularly plentiful during May and June. Lady Elliot Island on the Southern Great Barrier Reef is known as “Home of the Manta Ray” and, with as many as 450 inquisitive rays congregating here, even a quick snorkel is likely to deliver an encounter. You’re also likely to encounter them in decent numbers at Osprey Reef, about 350 kilometres off the coast of Cairns, the outer reef of Heron Island in the Southern Great Barrier Reef and North Stradbroke Island in the state’s south-east corner.
The reefs between Port Douglas and Lizard Island in Tropical North Queensland are the only known predictable aggregation of dwarf minke whales and the only place in the world where it’s possible to swim with them. These acrobatic whales can grow up to eight metres long and weigh several tonnes but are known for their gentle nature and curiosity, often approaching snorkellers and divers at close distance and interacting with them for long periods of time. Tours to the Agincourt and Ribbon reefs depart from Cairns and Port Douglas in season.
Turtle hatching
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THE GREAT EIGHT ENCOUNTERS
Manta rays
Dwarf minke whales
July-November
October-December
November-January
Every year, thousands of humpback whales travel from Antarctica along the east coast of Australia in July and August to give birth in the warm waters of northern Queensland. On their return journey between September and November they stop to rest and nurture their calves in the calm waters of the Whitsundays and around the small coastal town of Hervey Bay. The town has become known as the world’s whale-watching capital, with halfa-dozen operators running whalewatching tours. Peak season is from mid-August to mid-October.
The exact dates can vary but between October and December each year, the reef puts on a truly spectacular nocturnal display as hundreds of species of coral polyps simultaneously release tiny colourful egg and sperm bundles into the water. The mass spawning looks like underwater fireworks and occurs four to six days after the full moon, at different times in different areas of the reef, depending on the species and the water temperature. The spawns form a thick pink slick that can be kilometres long. Take a night diving trip from Cairns to witness the phenomenon.
Each year, female turtles, weighing as much as 900 kilograms, haul themselves up the beach beyond the tide line to lay as many as 200 eggs. One of the best places to observe the nesting is Mon Repos Turtle Centre, home to one of the two largest loggerhead turtle rookeries in the Southern Hemisphere. Other species here include flatback and green turtles. Up to 20 turtles may come ashore each night, with park rangers on hand to supervise and explain the process. Heron and Lady Musgrave islands are also home to large turtle populations.
Humpback whales
See these creatures all year-round
Coral spawning
Turtle nesting
Potato cod The aptly
Giant clams Also found
fish that can live within the tentacles of sea anemones without being stung, these brightly coloured Nemo fish are found all over the reef.
named Cod Hole, part of the Ribbon Reefs off the coast of Port Douglas, is the place to experience swimming with these tame oversized fish.
all over the reef, these colourful and massive algae-eating bivalves can grow up to 200 kilograms and live to 100 years of age.
Maori wrasse One of
Sharks Wolf Rock off Double
Giant grouper Lady Elliot
Dolphins Spot them from
the largest – and friendliest – reef fish in the world, the Maori wrasse is found throughout the reef, but loves to hang out around diving and snorkelling platforms.
Island Point is a popular place to dive with the endangered grey nurse shark, as is Shark Alley just off North Stradbroke Island. It’s also home to the timid leopard shark.
and Heron islands, the Reefworld pontoon on Hardy Reef in the Whitsundays and the Yongala wreck off Townsville are likely places to find this friendly giant.
North Stradbroke’s North Gorge walk; at Tin Can Bay, home to a pod of rare humpback dolphins; and at Tangalooma Resort on Moreton Island, where they come into the shallows to be fed.
Discover more at queensland.com
Clownfish One of the only
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