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Flying above Queensland, the turquoise diamond embellished in the heart of the Mediterranean can not go unnoticed. It is the Great Barrier Reef, the state Icon of Queensland Australia.

Here are some of the most interesting facts about the largest coral Reef in the world.

1. Biologically, the Great Barrier Reef belongs to the class: Anthozoa i.e., corals, anemones and sea pens. The Reef is formed by the abundance of the hard corals that build reefs by growing atop the stony skeletons of previous coral colonies. They consist of limestone cases made by coral polyps extracting calcium from seawater. Coral reefs are found in shallow water habitat ranging to depths of 60 m. Some species prefer either cooler temperate water while others are found along tropical reefs, such as the Great Barrier Reef, with waters ranging in temperatures from 18 – 33 °C.
2. What makes the Reef, “Great” is its gigantic size. You can say it’s roughly parallel to the coast of Queensland, Australia, spanning for almost 2,000km. This makes Australia a country with almost 1/5th of the world’s reef area and most, of course located in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR).
3. The Great Barrier Reef is often called as the largest organism or the largest structure built by the organism composed of almost 3,000 individual reefs. This UNESCO World heritage site is protected under the extreme care of Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
4. Although the Reef is not divided in Atolls, like other such sites round the world but it consists of 900 islands, created when sand gathers on the top of coral just beneath the surface.
5. Reefs form where temperatures don’t fall below 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees Fahrenheit) for long periods, so are usually found between 30 degrees north and south of the equator. Most require very saline water; also the water must be very clear so light penetrates. This makes it one of the world’s best diving sites with crystal clear water and abundance of marine life so diverse that one can hardly imagine.
6. As the 2000 km long reef runs predominantly in the North-South direction, therefore spanning a wide range of climates provides diversified marine life experience. Rain forests and mountains are predominant in the northern islands, while the southern islands are composed mainly of Coral Cay.
7. Apart from its environmental value, the area offers visitors a variety of activities including scuba diving, snorkeling and water sports. Ship wrecks, coral gardens, the thousands of species of marine animals and under water canyons mark the uniqueness of the Great Barrier Reef. Also, Cairns has many qualified scuba diving courses available and are amongst the safest in the world, with strict guidelines that trainers must follow. Her, you can easily become a certified scuba diver and enjoy all the underwater attractions that the reef has to offer.

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the many reasons for tourists to flock Australia. It is considered as one of the seven NATURAL WONDERS OF THE WORLD. As tourism is the largest commercial activity in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, generating over $1b per annum, the marine tourism industry is a major contributor to the local and Australian economies. Many Airlines offer cheap flights to Australia, most direct flights yet the cheapest ones are indirect flights to Australia. Also there are some promotional fares in the market every now and than to facilitate people with all budgets. For current and most recent prices see cheap tickets to Australia.

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