Most people harbour a particular image of Australia, such as the Opera House or Uluru, formerly known as Ayers Rock. Yet these famous icons do scant justice to the richness of Australia's natural treasures and its cultural diversity. Australia offers a wealth of travel experiences, from the drama of the outback and the diving spectacle of the Great Barrier Reef to the cosmopolitan city of Sydney and arguably the best beaches in the world.

Queensland, home of the Great Barrier Reef and commonly referred to as the "Sunshine State", is Australia's ultimate outdoor playground. The World Heritage Listed Great Barrier Reef spans 2,000km from the tip of Cape York past Cairns to Gladstone in the south. A scuba divers paradise with 2,900 individual reefs, 71 coral islands, 10,000 species of sponge, 350 different species of coral, 4,000 species of molluscs, 350 species of echinoderms and over 1,500 species of fish. The Naturalist Joseph Banks lamented in his log that he had too little time to study the wealth of strange creatures he saw in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef. Ribbon Reefs : This 55 mile labyrinth of reefs from Lizard Island to Cooktown is the most prized dive region of Australia ’s Great Barrier Reef . This is where you can see more of the Great Barrier Reefs 1500 fish and 400 coral species than elsewhere. The currents that channel between the ribbon reefs attract large fish populations.

The currents that channel between the ribbon reefs attract bigger fish population than elsewhere. Marine life encounters range from pygmy seahorses to manta rays and whales. One of the Great Barrier Reefs most amazing phenomenon's await you at the Cod Hole. Swim with, ‘small diver size’ or ‘giant fish size’ potato cod. Spend the dive amongst shallow sunlit coral gardens of acropora coral or venture deeper into the parallel gullies forming the front of the reef where huge Queensland groupers face into the current. Minke whales are commonly seen along the Ribbon Reefs north of Cairns between May and August.

Further north on the East Coast are the world famous Whitsunday Islands. Here you can charter a yacht to explore these magic islands, or simply book a stay on one of the many resort islands and be pampered to your hearts content.

The Southern Great Barrier Reef region also offers a range of diving opportunities. Heron Island is located off Gladstone, at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef National Park. For those who don't like boats or are travelling with non-divers, Heron Island is a good compromise. It is a beautiful island right in the Great Barrier Reef . Diving at the southern end of the Barrier Reef is a little different to the north. Whilst the reef here is home to almost all of the tropical water fish of further north, there are several species of temperate water fish also.

The remote Coral Sea situated to the east of the Great Barrier Reef has treasures where only seeing is believing… The Northern Coral Sea is one of the best areas for the adventurous diver. Clear, deep water and lots of sharks are the striking features. The reefs rise from a depth of more than 1,000 metres to just below the water surface. The reefs of the northern (and southern) Coral Sea are different from the ones on the Barrier Reef.

They are like "waterholes" in the "desert" and wide expanses of the Pacific Ocean. Here the reefs are exposed to the never-ending energy of the open ocean and the clarity of water is awesome. Such exposed "service stations" in the middle of the Pacific attract all sorts and sizes of fish in gigantic schools or as single hunters. The reefs of the Coral Sea are famous for their incredibly huge giant gorgonians and pelagic action. A huge variety of reef sharks can be seen here such as silvertips, hammerheads and grey reef sharks. Also the chances to see Manta Rays and Eagle Rays are pretty good. Coral Sea visibility is as good as it gets - average is 30-40 metres (100-130 ft) and more. The reefs climb to the surface from surrounding depth exceeding 1000 metres (3300 ft). These reefs were originally ancient mountains which in the course of time have turned into reefs covered by the sea. Osprey Reef is one of these treasures. It is hard to believe that in 1991 Osprey Reef suffered damage during Cyclone Joy. The regeneration of corals and marine life has been outstanding. Osprey Reef has been a favorite destination on our recent itineraries with the shark dive action creating some great photo opportunities.