Great Barrier Reef Visitor Info
Currency
Australia's currency denominations include $5, $10, $20, $50, $100 notes and 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, $1, $2 coins.
Drinking Water
Water supply is excellent and tap water is safe to drink in most cases. However water from rivers and lakes should be boiled, treated or filtered before drinking to be on the safe side.
Electricity
Electricity in Australia is supplied at 230/240 volts (50 hertz) however most accommodation providers have 20 watt 110 volt AC sockets for electric razors. For any other equipment you will require a power adaptor. Power outlets accept flat three or two pin plugs only.
Green Season
Without the annual rainfall of the Green Season, the tropics wouldn't be anywhere near as beautiful. These sun showers occur during the summer months and are what give the rainforest, flora and fauna their wild beauty. The rainfall doesn't affect tours or activities such as diving and snorkelling however on the odd occasion the wet season can generate low pressure zones that can develop into cyclones.
Medical Services
The closest major hospital and medical services are in Cairns where advanced and specialised medical care may be administered. The region is also home to emergency services such as fire, ambulance and police services. Most accommodation providers feature in-house doctors.
Stingers and Dangerous Creatures
During the wet season, popular swimming spots are protected by enclosures designed to keep dangerous jellyfish at bay. Staffed by qualified lifesavers, attendants are on hand to provide you with any information you need on the spot. The jellyfish only present themselves on coastal beaches during this limited season and do not interfere with tours, activities or snorkelling and diving on the reef.
Travel Guide Articles
Read our articles on a range of Great Barrier Reef travel topics.
- The Great Barrier Reef is getting its own underwater museum.
- Aussie woman says YES during the world's first scUber experience
- Will 3D Satellite Mapping Save The Reef?
- $60 Million Rescue Package for The Great Barrier Reef
- 3 Adrenaline Pumping Ways To See The Great Barrier Reef
- How To Be Safe This Stinger Season
- Save The Reef: Read A Book?
- Thousands Of Turtles Migrate To Great Barrier Reef
- Great Barrier Beer Fights To Protect The Reef
- Online Search Underway For Owners Of A Camera Found On The Great Barrier Reef
- Our Favourite Great Barrier Reef Cruises
- Coral Crusaders Campaign Launches To Restore The Great Barrier Reef
- Robot Technology Helping To Save The Great Barrier Reef
- Australia Called Out For Lack of Marine Pollution Action
- Freedom Of Information Documents Reveal Intentional Adani Spill
- Tourism Industry Recognises Risk To Reef
- Innovative Solutions To Restore Great Barrier Reef
- Two Less Fish In The Sea: Underwater Great Barrier Reef Proposal
- Senate inquiry into $444 million Great Barrier Reef Foundation grant
- Great Barrier Reef Trialling Safety Tracking System
- Great Barrier Reef to be Patrolled by Indigenous Rangers
- $500 Million Announced To Protect The Great Barrier Reef
- Australian Model Jarrod Scott Announces Project to Help Save the Reef
- Prince Charles Draws Attention to the Reef
- The 'Last Straw' for Marine Biologist Tackling Plastic on Great Barrier Reef
- Are Female Turtle's Taking Over The Great Barrier Reef?
- Grammy-Award Winning Artist Joins Great Barrier Reef Campaign
- Super Corals May Offer Breathing Space For Great Barrier Reef
- Scientists Breed Baby Coral on Great Barrier Reef
- Great Barrier Reef Shows Steady Improvement On Annual Report Card
- The Great Barrier Reef Is Priceless, So Should We Charge More To Visit?
- Wave Glider Drone Dives For Data On Great Barrier Reef
- Wheelchair-Bound Woman Dives The Great Barrier Reef
- President & Knight Join Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef
- Great Barrier Reef: Scuba Diving v Snorkelling
- Reef Credited For International Tourists Booming Billions
- The Great Barrier Reef Goes Live On Twitter
- New Report Values Great Barrier Reef At $56 Billion
- Top Great Barrier Reef Attractions - On Land
- Game Changing Underwater Art Museum Set to Spark Reef Tourism
- Great Barrier Reef Comes to Life in Brisbane
- A Beginners Guide To The Great Barrier Reef
- World's First Underwater Art Gallery
- Have a Whale of a Time on the Great Barrier Reef
- Weather the weather on the reef
- Unique Manta Ray Spotted Off Lady Elliot
- Unique Manta Ray Spotted Off Lady Elliot
- Underwater Hotel the Future of the Reef?
- UN Praises Management of Great Barrier Reef
- Spring Has Sprung on the Great Barrier Reef
- The Reef Goes on Tour
- Great Barrier Reef Attracts David Attenborough Doco
- Must Do Great Barrier Reef Marathon Raises $55K For Marine Research
- NASA To Collect Data On Great Barrier Reef
- New Townsville Research Centre to Save Great Barrier Reef Green Turtles
- A Package at the Bottom of the Sea?
- Rare Whale Sighted On Reef For First Time
- Own Your Own Island on the Great Barrier Reef
- 'Missing' Migaloo Believed to Have Migrated to Great Barrier Reef
- Miss Universe Shines Spotlight On The Reef
- Top Tips For Visiting The Great Barrier Reef
- Great Barrier Reef Most Memorable Says Sir David Attenborough
- Environmental Crusader Peter Gash
- David Attenborough Delves to New Depths
- Great Barrier Reef Sculpture Set To Be Unveiled In August
- Great Barrier Reef More Than Accommodating
- Great Barrier Reef to Have Casino Thanks to Chinese Backing
- Could Tourism Help Save The Great Barrier Reef?
- Commonwealth to Fund Great Barrier Reef Water Quality Projects
- Christmas on the Cairns Esplanade
- Cheers to the Great Barrier Reef
- Cheers To The Great Barrier Reef
- Celebrate Australia Day On The Great Barrier Reef
- British Tourists Begin Lifetime of Love on Great Barrier Reef
- Bacteria Joins The Fight To Save The Great Barrier Reef
- So what's the Attraction of the Great Barrier Reef?
- Ancient Coral Samples Show Reef Almost 'Drowned'