Why is the Great Barrier Reef important to Queensland?

The

Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland, Australia, is the

largest coral reef in the world, almost 2000km long, with its coral

cays and islands spreading over 300,000 square kilometres. It is

unique and important to Queensland for several reasons.

It was

placed on the World Heritage List in 1981 because of all its

colourful marine life and its unique ecosystem. The Great Barrier

Reef is significant for its scientific value: the health of the

Reef points to the health of the ocean, and the creeks and rivers

that feed into it, as well as signifying the general effects of

pollution. It is of considerable concern that numbers of unique

species such as dugong and loggerhead turtles have declined

significantly since the 1960s, largely due to human intervention.

The Reef shelters many endangered species.

On an

economic note, the Great Barrier Reef generates $AU2 billion in

tourism dollars every year. All countries trade on their

commodities, and tourism is one of Australia's. To lose the reef

would be to lose an enormous source of trade for Australia.