Natural Wonder · Cairns, Australia
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system, composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300.
Photo: Luka Peternel via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Cairns, Australia |
|---|---|
| Type | Natural Wonder |
| Length | Length: 2,300 km |
| Coordinates | 16.4000° S, 145.8000° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Great Barrier Reef is known for
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system, composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300.
About Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system, composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres (1,400 mi) over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres (133,000 mi2). The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. It is separated from the coast by a channel 160 kilometres (100 mi) wide in places and over 61 metres (200 ft) deep.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Great Barrier Reef website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Cairns |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Cairns International Airport (CNS) |
| Distance from the airport | 33.1 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Cairns International Airport (CNS) · Cairns, Australia · 33.3 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Australia
More natural wonders
Frequently asked questions
What is Great Barrier Reef?
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system, composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300.
Where is Great Barrier Reef located?
Great Barrier Reef is in Cairns, Australia. Its coordinates are 16.4000° S, 145.8000° E.
How do I get to Great Barrier Reef?
The nearest town is Cairns, and the nearest airport is Cairns International Airport (CNS), about 33.1 miles away (straight line).
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Barrier_Reef — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7343 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/ — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.