The Great Barrier Reef

But where exactly is this well-known coral reef located? Simply put, it lies in the South Pacific, northeast of Australia. More precisely, it runs almost parallel along the east coast of the Australian state of Queensland, from the Torres Strait between the northernmost tip of Australia and Papua New Guinea to Lady Elliot Island. So now, dear gamblers and self-proclaimed betting mafia, please make a guess at the length of the Great Barrier Reef. Keep in mind, it's a coral reef, formed by the tiniest creatures. Well, what do you think? 1 kilometer? That would be quite long, but maybe even 2 kilometers? Difficult... In fact, it's nearly 2300 kilometers - unbelievable! That's the distance from Amsterdam to Moscow, from Gothenburg to Barcelona, or from Cologne to Istanbul - and we're still talking about a single coral reef, incredible.

It's no wonder that the Great Barrier Reef is considered the largest coral reef in the world; its width, ranging from 60 to 250 kilometers, is also more than impressive. Thus, it is also the largest living organism on our planet and, due to its immense size, the only one visible from space - as a turquoise strip off the northeast coast of Australia. But it's not just the unimaginable size of the reef that makes it so special and interesting for the many tourists who even travel to Australia specifically for it. No, it is rather the nearly limitless diversity of species of animals, plants, and other organisms that thrive here. It's no wonder that the Great Barrier Reef has held the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981.

For instance, 1625 different species of fish, nearly 3000 species of mollusks, and 133 different species of sharks and rays live within the vastness of the enormous reef. Divers among you will truly get their money's worth here; I wouldn't even know where to look first with so many different, exotic, and exciting creatures. But also, or especially, the countless corals and sponge gardens of the Great Barrier Reef in various colors will truly enchant you.

If you wish to explore this fantastic biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef with your own eyes, there are many different ways to do so. The prerequisite, however, is that you first reach the Australian state of Queensland. The best way to get there is via flights to Cairns or Brisbane. If you fly to Brisbane, usually only one stop is required from Frankfurt, for example in Abu Dhabi or Singapore. However, you would also need to add about four hours of driving time to get to the southernmost departure point for ships to the Great Barrier Reef in Bundaberg, as Brisbane is located about 360 km south of the city. But you know, for Australia, 360 km is just a hop away. The other option would be to fly to Cairns, where the Great Barrier Reef is practically right in front of you. The downside, however, is that from Frankfurt, almost always 2 stops are necessary, as the Cairns Airport is rarely serviced by international flights. Usually, you would also initially fly via Abu Dhabi to Melbourne or Sydney and then from there to Cairns.

Once you arrive on the coast, you can freely choose how you want to experience the reef. Of course, classic boat trips are offered to take you to the Great Barrier Reef, sometimes faster, sometimes more leisurely, depending on what you plan to do there. If you want to view the largest coral reef in the world calmly from dry land, a sailing trip or a tour with small boats or even a submarine is recommended. Many boats are also equipped with glass bottoms, allowing for the best view of the incredible biodiversity without getting wet. However, if you wish to explore the Great Barrier Reef at your own pace and spend more time in the reef area, it is advisable to either plan a longer stay on one of the islands like Lizard, Bedarra, or Dunk Island, or, if it's a day trip, take a catamaran to the reef. This is faster and allows you more time on the largest coral reef in the world. The immense scale of the Great Barrier Reef becomes especially evident during a helicopter flight-the view is sure to be spectacular!

There are also underwater observatories that provide absolutely unique insights into the underwater world-also here, without getting wet. However, if you want to experience the diversity of the Great Barrier Reef as closely as possible, there are various offers for diving or snorkeling the reef. Here you can explore the coral reef as you wish, surrounded by numerous exotic animals; you are right in the middle of it all-there really is no better way! By netting in the ocean, you are also protected from the many sharks, allowing you to fully enjoy your dive. If you opt for a snorkeling or diving trip, you should definitely do this in the outer reefs. These outer areas are located closer to the open sea, meaning fewer sediments can settle and thus visibility is much clearer and farther. Here, you'll experience the many vibrant colors more vividly.

Yet as lovely and diverse as the many opportunities for tourists to experience the Great Barrier Reef are, the large masses of visitors are also harmful to the extremely delicate ecosystem. Factors that can often be perceived as negligible are at play here. Did you know, for example, that the nearly life-saving sunscreen in Australian heat is extremely harmful to corals when on divers' skin? Additionally, the nets designed to protect tourists from sharks also significantly harm the coral reef, similar to the fuel and anchor drops of numerous boats. Collecting 'souvenirs' from the reef and careless behavior by tourists also pose major risks. The destructive impact of such seemingly minor factors on the extremely sensitive reef is often underestimated.

Another hidden danger is the intensive agriculture in coastal areas near the Great Barrier Reef. Heavy rainfall can cause large amounts of pesticides and fertilizers to wash into the sea, increasingly destroying individual corals. Global warming also harms the reef significantly; it has already led to dangerous mass coral bleaching, and it takes years to decades for the ecosystem to recover. Furthermore, the increased levels of carbon dioxide are causing water acidification, which reduces the growth rate of the corals. I find it completely incomprehensible that there are plans to drill for oil in the area of the unique reef and to build a harbor for exporting coal and liquefied natural gas. The consequences would likely be disastrous for the delicate coral reef.

I recently reported on the impending death of the Great Barrier Reef in my travel magazine. In that article, you will find further information on the destruction of this unique reef and about the measures to prevent it.

To counter this, UNESCO is threatening to place the Great Barrier Reef on the Red List of World Heritage in Danger or even revoke its status as a World Heritage Site. These consequences are to be enforced if the Australian government does not continue to prioritize the protection of the reef and establish and implement a long-term plan for the preservation of the ecosystem.

The WWF organization is also fighting against the increasing destruction and made a loud demonstration before the UNESCO conference in Bonn, using crocheted corals and other sea creatures. Australians themselves have been protesting against these construction plans for months. Demonstrations and strikes aim to wake the government up. A petition with over 500,000 signatures has also been submitted.

So you see, not everything that glitters is gold, especially regarding the many tourist offerings around the Great Barrier Reef. The offers truly provide unique insights into the highly interesting underwater life, but the other side of the coin-pollution and destruction-should not be underestimated.

Marine researchers have discovered a second large reef off the coast of Australia, which is said to match the biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef. An impressive coral landscape was discovered in Wilsons Promontory National Park in the state of Victoria, southeast of Melbourne, and photographed by an underwater vehicle. Scientists had previously anticipated an extraordinary deep-sea landscape based on maps, but they did not expect to find such a diverse coral reef. The reef exhibits a similarly vast diversity as its famous counterpart in northeastern Australia.

It's truly impressive what incredible biodiversity the Great Barrier Reef holds, isn't it? And over this astonishing length... Incredible! If you want to see this for yourself but don't currently have the time to fly down under, you can also explore the impressive underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef on Google Maps-comfortably from your own PC and completely free of charge. But I'm sure after this little teaser, you'll want to see more!