Great Barrier Reef Advantages

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The advantage of visiting the Whitsundays is that not only does it offer the same outer reef experience but there are also 74 continental islands with fringing reefs that are part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and actually have far more individual species of coral. The islands actually protect the reefs from strong winds and damaging ocean swell, also the large tides allow the currents to deliver essential food and nutrients allowing many more soft corals to thrive, as well as the same hard corals found further out, whereas the outer platform reefs are primarily made up of hard corals and therefore is not as dynamic and colourful. Both reef systems have lots of amazing fish, as well as dolphins, manta rays and much more. The islands …show more content…
Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island for example is made of pure white silica sand and is usually listed amongst the top ten beaches in the world. When you visit Whitehaven, it is imperative that you choose a tour that takes you to the Hill Inlet lookout, as some tours will only take you to the main beach, which is beautiful, but to see one of the best views in the world ( type Hill Inlet into google image search and you will see what I mean) you must go to the lookout or take a scenic flight, as the breathtaking view of the swirling sands can only be seen from above, and yes, it really does look just like the postcards. (Although many of the amateur pictures don't do it justice.) The track is an easy 600m stroll and suitable for all ages. The Whitsunday Islands are about 99% covered with pristine rainforests, as most of the 74 islands are National Parks. They are home to many mammals including wallabies, flying foxes etc, birds including cockatoos and sea eagles, fascinationg reptiles and more. There are also many signs of previous Aboriginal habitation. Scattered around the islands are ancient camp sites, some primitve rock art and a stone tool making