From microscopic plankton to whales, the array of life on the reef is unlike anywhere else on the planet. While searching for the charismatic Great 8, what other hidden treasures might you find?

Marine turtles and their ancestors have been around since before the dinosaurs – that’s almost 100 million years! They survived asteroids that wiped out the dinosaurs, the evolution of mammals and the ice ages. Whether you find them hiding under ledges, camouflaged against corals, floating along the reef flat or munching on a jellyfish, the Southern Great Barrier Reef is one of the best destinations for some unforgettable encounters with these ancient creatures.

Concrete Playground

See turtles hatch, swim with manta rays and feed baby goats.

David McGonigal
Traveller

How a former camp for collecting poo became an Aussie paradise

The Southern Great Barrier Reef dive sites are amongst those places that will make you want to hover in complete stillness as you watch the underwater world drift on by. Of course you’ve got to be lucky, but if you want a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see a pod of humpback whales, trains of mantas, schools of trevally and barracuda, even the odd hammerhead and great white shark, this is the place for your next adventure!