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Great Barrier Reef

ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIA

We acknowledge and pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of the Great Barrier Reef region. In sharing elements of their history, heritage and culture we acknowledge the Dingaal people – the traditional custodians of Jiiguru (Lizard Island) and the Ngaro people – the traditional custodians of the land upon which qualia stands. 

We pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and emerging. 

LOCATION

The Great Barrier Reef is located in the tropical waters of Far North Queensland. The marine park stretches over 3000km (1800 miles) almost parallel to the Queensland coast, from near the coastal town of Bundaberg, up past the tip of Cape York.

CLIMATE

The Great Barrier Reef has a tropical climate, with average temperatures in summer of between 24 and 33 degrees Celsius, in winter 14 to 26 degrees. The region averages over 300 days of sunshine per year.

The Great Barrier Reef is a world heritage listed, natural inspiration. One of Australia's most remarkable natural gifts, the Great Barrier Reef is blessed with the breathtaking beauty of the world's largest coral reef.

The reef which stretches over 3000km, is between 15 kilometres and 150 kilometres off shore and around 65 Km wide in some parts, is a gathering of brilliant, vivid coral providing divers with the most spectacular underwater experience imaginable.

Two special island luxury lodges, one located on the northern-most tip of The Great Barrier Reef and the other south to the languid breezes of the Whitsunday Islands, offer a luxe opportunity to experience this great natural wonder of the world in all its diversity and extraordinary beauty.

The reef contains an abundance of marine life and comprises of over 3000 individual reef systems, 300 coral cays and picturesque tropical islands with some of the worlds most beautiful sun-soaked, golden beaches.

The Great Barrier Reef Region is rich in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and heritage, with evidence of their sustainable and symbiotic relationship dating back over 60,000 years, long before the Reef was formed 7000 years ago. With this culture remaining strong, there are today approximately 70 Traditional Owner clan groups whose Sea Country includes the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

The reef is home to the world's largest collection of corals (in fact, more than 400 different kinds of coral), coral sponges, molluscs, rays, dolphins, over 1500 species of tropical fish, more than 200 types of birds, around 20 types of reptiles including sea turtles and giant clams over 120 years old.

The Great Barrier Reef is a breeding area for humpback whales, migrating from the Antarctic and is also the habitat of a few endangered species including the Dugong (Sea Cow) and large Green Sea Turtle. In recognition of its significance, UNESCO listed the Great Barrier Reef as a World Heritage Site in 1981.

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven wonders of the natural world, and pulling away from it, and viewing it from a greater distance, you can understand why. It is larger than the Great Wall of China and the only living thing on earth visible from space.