Sands of Fortune
Deep beneath the turquoise waters of the Coral Sea, a living coral wonder has been formed in a breathtaking palette of colour by thousands of tiny polyps: the Great Barrier Reef.
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Long Nose Trigger Fish (1950-01-01/1980-12-31) by Premier's Department, State Public Relations Bureau, Photographic UnitQueensland State Archives
It is an intricate ecosystem of over 3,000 reefs, 900 islands, 600 types of coral, and has an incredible array of fish, sharks, birds, turtles, molluscs and sea snakes.
Various clams, Heron Island (1950-01-01/1980-12-31) by Premier's Department, State Public Relations Bureau, Photographic UnitQueensland State Archives
A site of sacred connection
Over 70 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traditional Owner clan groups retain a sacred connection to this unique part of the Earth.
Fish swimming around Red Fan Coral (1950-01-01/1980-12-31) by Premier's Department, State Public Relations Bureau, Photographic UnitQueensland State Archives
Their songs, dances and stories that tell of rising sea levels, extreme cold and the formation of coral go back almost 10,000 years and have been substantiated by scientific research.
Giant clam, Magnetic Island (1950-01-01/1980-12-31) by Premier's Department, State Public Relations Bureau, Photographic UnitQueensland State Archives
Snorkeller diving for crustaceans (1950-01-01/1980-12-31) by Premier's Department, State Public Relations Bureau, Photographic UnitQueensland State Archives
A place of research and discovery
Scientists have long been fascinated by the Reef and field expeditions were popular in the early 1900s.
Sailing near Pentecost Island (1970-01-01/1980-12-31) by Premier's Department, State Public Relations Bureau, Photographic UnitQueensland State Archives
Queensland Government Tourist Bureau window display on George Street, Brisbane (1932-01-01/1932-12-31) by Agriculture and Stock Department, Publicity BranchQueensland State Archives
A tropical playground
Tourism was the natural consequence of such ventures and expanded rapidly during the 1960s and 1970s, playing a significant role in the state’s economy.
Two women strike a pose on South Molle Island (1950-01-01/1980-12-31) by Premier's Department, State Public Relations Bureau, Photographic UnitQueensland State Archives
Happy Bay, Long Island (1950-01-01/1980-12-31) by Premier's Department, State Public Relations Bureau, Photographic UnitQueensland State Archives
Beachgoers at Picnic Bay, Magnetic Island (1950-01-01/1980-12-31) by Premier's Department, State Public Relations Bureau, Photographic UnitQueensland State Archives
Woman scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef (1980-01-01/1980-12-31) by Premier's Department, Public Relations Branch, Government News and Information Services,Photographic UnitQueensland State Archives
A World Heritage site
The Great Barrier Reef became a Marine Park in 1975 and was the first coral reef system in the world to receive UNESCO world heritage status in 1981.
Underwater image of Great Barrier Reef coral (1950-01-01/1980-12-31) by Premier's Department, State Public Relations Bureau, Photographic UnitQueensland State Archives
Between 1986 and 2012, over half of the living coral in the Reef was lost.
Marine wonders of the Great Barrier Reef coral, artist Percival Albert Trompf (1930-01-01/1939-12-31) by Queensland Government Tourist BureauQueensland State Archives
Although it was placed on the National Heritage List in 2007, it is estimated that half of the Great Barrier Reef is now dead due to coral bleaching that occurred in just four years, from 2016 to 2020.
