4. Great Barrier Reef poster, 1932
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The Australian Travel Association was formed in 1929 to promote Australia as a 
holiday destination overseas. The association also encouraged locals to explore 
their own beautiful backyard. One of the key destinations promoted by the 
Association was the majestic Great Barrier Reef along Queensland's northern coast, 
which still flourishes today as a major tourist destination.

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the natural wonders of the world. The first 
recorded charting was by the Dutch navigator Willem Jansz in the ship Duyfken in 
1606. Later in 1770 Captain James Cook in the Endeavour struck the reef at a 
point now know as Endeavour Reef, forcing the crew to spend six weeks repairing 
the damage. 

An unmatched phenomenon, the Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest reef 
ecosystem, and the largest World Heritage Area extending two thousand kilometres 
and covering an area of 35 million hectares along Australia's north-east 
continental shelf. It is so large, it can be seen from the Moon.

Scattered with beautiful islands and idyllic coral cays, the reef's crystal 
clear sapphire blue waters contrast with the powder white sands of the beaches 
and the exquisite colours of the marine life. 

Declared a World Heritage area in 1981 for its outstanding natural universal 
values, the reef's ecosystem has evolved over hundreds of thousands of years.  
Consisting of a broken maze of two and a half thousand coral reefs and cays, 
the Reef is home to a diverse range of marine life. 

Today, two million tourists visit the Great Barrier Reef each year, generating 
about five billion dollars to the local economy. Tourism also plays a role 
in educating a wide range of visitors on the World Heritage value of the area.  
The Great Barrier Reef is one of 16 Australian World Heritage places.