The Great Barrier Reef is found off Queensland’s east coast.

The Great Barrier Reef system consists of more than 3000 reefs which range in size from 1 hectare to over 10,000 hectares in area. The reef is scatterd with beautiful islands and coral reefs.

The area has lots of wild life, including dugong and green turtles, varieties of dolphins and whales, more than 1500 species of fish, 4000 types of mollusc and more than 200 species of bird life. The coral is made of tiny animals called polyps.

Marine plants are enormously important to the Great Barrier Reef. Plants include algae, seagrass and mangroves.

One problem for the Great Barrier Reef System is the Crown of Thorns starfish. Since the 1960’s the Crown of Thorns  has been destroying the corals which make up the reef.