FACT SHEET

TOP 10 THINGS TO DO ON THE

This Top 10 List of things to do is just some of the adventures you can have on the Great Barrier Reef.

The 2,300-kilometre Great Barrier Reef is SEAPLANE OVER HEART REEF the largest system in the world. Home to diverse marine life of the most Create the perfect romantic surprise for a vivid colours, experiencing the Reef is a loved one by flying over the world-famous life-changing adventure, whether you do natural wonder that is Heart Reef. This it in luxury or on a budget. See the Reef scenic flight is just one of the tours offered by scuba, snorkel, glass-bottom boat, jet by Air Whitsunday and GSL Aviation with ski, semi-submersible, sail boat, from the the white silica sand of Whitehaven Beach air or even skydive to completely immerse on is also on the menu. yourself in this wonder of the world. It’s a great opportunity to see from the amazing beauty of the Great Barrier Reef. SNORKEL ’S REEF HQ Hire a mask and snorkel to explore the island’s colourful reef. Magnetic See the sights without getting wet at Island is just a 25-minute ferry ride this educational, interactive coral reef from Townsville. This is just one of the aquarium. Perfect for young children and many places from which you can access non-swimmers who want to understand the Reef and there are just as many the majesty of the coral kingdom, Reef HQ tourism operators eager to help you boasts a Turtle Hospital, where sick and experience this underwater wonder. injured turtles are rehabilitated. It also offers sleepovers, where you can observe the nocturnal habits of reef creatures. FACT SHEET

SPEEDBOAT TO stateroom with private bathroom and THE GREAT BARRIER REEF air-conditioning. Enjoy two days diving, USEFUL LINKS snorkelling, fishing and glass-bottom Race to the Reef from Port Douglas in just boat tours without having to return Magnetic Island www.magnetic-island.com.au 15 minutes aboard a 500-horsepower to land. Add to the excitement by speedboat. The Reef Sprinter offers joining Reef Encounter by helicopter. Air Whitsunday 14 guests at a time the chance to snorkel www.airwhitsunday.com.au vast coral gardens and witness the HERON ISLAND abundant fish life of the Low Isles. The GSL Aviation www.whitsundayscenicflights.com.au whole tour takes only two-and-a-half hours. Snorkel right off the beach or scuba- dive 20 sites just minutes away by Townsville’s Reef HQ MICHAELMAS CAY AND PARADISE REEF boat from Heron Island. It takes only www.reefhq.com.au 20 minutes to walk around Heron, Reef Sprinter Visit the Reef in style on board Passions and you can revel in both sunrises and www.reefsprinter.com.au of Paradise 25-metre, high-performance sunsets over the water. Turtles lay and catamaran. Sailing daily from Cairns to hatch here between November and Passions of Paradise - Michaelmas Cay Michaelmas Cay and exclusive Paradise March and both events are amazing. and Paradise Reef tours Reef, you can dive and snorkel the www.passions.com.au Reef among the turtles and colourful ONE & ONLY Skydive Airlie Beach fish, or just lie on the deck and soak www.skydiveairliebeach.com.au up the sun. You can even join a glass- Explore, relax, enjoy – you can do it all (Skydive above Whitsunday Islands) bottom boat tour at Michaelmas Cay. on Hayman Island, located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. Wake up to Reef Encounter www.reefencounter.com.au SKYDIVE ABOVE incredible natural beauty before taking THE WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS advantage of a range of services and Heron Island activities, including bushwalks, snorkelling, www.heronisland.com You’ll take home bragging rights and private dining and wildlife experiences. Hayman Island lifelong memories when you see the If that’s not enough, how about a www.hayman.oneandonlyresorts.com/ Great Barrier Reef from this mind-blowing massage while you float in the sea? perspective. Skydive into the most picturesque drop zone in the world and DAYDREAM ISLAND www.daydreamisland.com experience the greatest reef thrill there is. The experienced tandem instructors Wade into the man-made Living Reef will handle the parachute, so all you and hand-feed the de-barbed stingrays. have to do is enjoy the incredible view. Experienced marine biologists will explain the life cycle of these amazing STAY ON A LUXURY CATAMARAN creatures, as well as show you local coral and how to handle and Join a sleepover on the Reef aboard sea cucumbers. Daydream Island’s the luxurious Reef Encounter, a superb, 2,650 square-metre Living Reef is 35-metre catamaran based at Cairns. home to more than 140 species of You’ll enjoy gourmet meals and a spacious marine fish and 83 species of coral.