It’s the same size of Japan, so there’s a lot to know.

So, you want to see the Great Barrier Reef, hey?

Well, listen up because the reef is approximately 350,000 square kilometres and stretches 2,300km along the Queensland coast. It's around the same size as 70-million football fields and is made up of of 2,900 coral reefs, and 1,050 islands and cays.

The reef is home to over 1,500 species of fish, 215 types of birds, 30 species of whales and dolphins, and one of the world's most important dugong populations.

Yeah, it's pretty bloody special.

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There are a lot of towns and hubs that have access to the reef, so the best way to start planning your trip is to pick a section.

The very bottom of the Great Barrier Reef starts four-hours drive north of Brisbane. It's referred to as the Southern Great Barrier Reef. Just above it is Mackay and the Whitsundays, then the Townsville region, followed by the Cairns area, and finally the tip, which is fondly referred to as the "wild north".

Cairns, Townsville, Airlie Beach, and Bundaberg all have decent regional airports with plenty of flights from major cities.

Tourism & Events Queensland / Via queensland.com

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