The 135,000 square mile Great Barrier Reef is in the sate of Queensland This biological extravaganza is a 1,250 mile-long chain of reefs and coral islands off the east coast of Queensland. For thousands of years it has grown and to see it, to touch it, to be in awe of its beauty and in fear of its perils is an uncommon experience. The Great Barrier Reef is sometimes referred to as the single largest living animal being in the world.

The coral of the great barrier reef is the living landscape that is created by billions of polyps whose skeletons form the massive reefs. Some of the coral is soft, some hard, some sharp as a needle, some blunt and knobby. There are castles of coral and flowers of coral, lacy fans of coral and mushrooms of coral—a gallery down there, in 20 feet of water, of form and color.

Crown-of-Thorns Starfish are predators of corals. When the reef system is out of balance, Crown-of-thorns populations can explode. Several popular areas of the reef have been severely damaged by Crown-of-thorn attacks in recent decades.

The most significant threat to the future of the Great Barrier Reef is global warming. Many of the corals of the Great Barrier Reef are currently living at the upper edge of their temperature tolerance, as demonstrated in the coral bleaching events of the summers of 1998 and 2002. Under the stress of waters that remain too warm for too long, corals expel their photosynthesizing zooanthellae and turn colorless, revealing their white skeletons, and soon die.

The state is a major supplier to the world of bauxite, used in the making of aluminum. Massive reserves of coal are here. Oil and gas wells have been brought in, and foreign investors are after the uranium known to be in the ground.

Of all the rural economic activity in Queensland, none is more vital to the well-being of the state than the cattle industry. In addition to horses and cowboys, the helicopter is now used for mustering cattle on some large stations.

As one travel the state of Queensland one will encounter cranes, pelicans, eagles, pelicans, geese, kangaroos and wallabies. In jungle areas, cassowary may be found. They are large flightless birds with extremely long broad claws. Recently, they have been invading urban gardens in search of food since typhoons have destroyed their natural habitat in early 2006.