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SEE THE GREAT BARRIER
REEF AT ITS BEST
One of the most biologically diverse ecosystems
on the planet sits right in our backyard, so we
really owe it to ourselves (and our kids) to
explore it beyond a few hours of snorkelling.
Enter the likes of Quicksilver, whose state-of
-the-art catamaran vessels depart Port Douglas,
skipping across the sea, delivering you to the
outer Agincourt Reef in no time at all.
Once there, children can snorkel, with
flotation aids on hand if they’re not confident in
the sea, and with Agincourt Reef being on the
edge of the continental shelf the water is crystal
clear – you might be joined by a curious green
turtle or two. But every kid will be clamouring
to get into the ship’s submersible, with marine
biologists on hand to explain the differing
behaviours of the many species of fish and coral
to see out of the sub’s big windows. But if you
really want to blow their little minds, there’s
an optional helicopter flight over this region
of the Barrier Reef so they can see why it’s
earned its ‘Great’ moniker.
TASMANIA’S NOAH’S ARK
The thrill of spotting animals in the
wild never wanes, so wildlife warriors of
all ages will love Maria Island, a World
Heritage-listed national park off Tasmania’s
east coast, which provides its very own
native Big Five experience – wombats,
eastern grey kangaroos, wallabies, cape
barren geese and Tasmanian devils. Tassie
devils were released onto the island in 2013
to become a successful, breeding population- an insurance policy for the animals that
earned the island the nickname Australia’s
‘Noah’s Ark’.
It is also a haven for twitchers, boasting
11 of the state’s endemic bird species, while
whales, dolphins and seals frequent its coast.
Accessible by a 30-minute ferry from the
town of Triabunna, you can explore the
island via the walking tracks, join a guided
tour, or hire a bike.