Natural Environments
Some Natural Environments that is located within the Eastern Coast of Australia includes rainforests such as The Daintree in Queensland and Minnumurra Rainforests in New South Wales, amazing beaches like Bondi Beach, Islands like the Whitsundays and Fraser Island and a wide range of animal habitats like the Great Barrier Reef.
Minnamurra Rainforest is an amazing environmental tourism destination located in Kiama, and is one of the best examples of Subtropical and Warm Temperate rainforest which once extensively covered the Illawarra region. This rainforest is situated in Budderoo National Park which is less than two hours drive south of Sydney, located approximately 15 kilometres west of Kiama on the NSW South Coast. Visitors regularly see first hand the fauna of the area such as the normally allusive Lyrebird, the Eastern Water Dragons, Swamp Wallabies and a host of bird species which make Minnamurra their home.Half way around the Loop visitors are able to deviate up the paved Falls Walk (2.6km return). This walk is a little more challenging offering the reward of spectacular views over the rainforest canopy and the gorge carved by Minnamurra Rivulet. The walk concludes with a viewing platform and rest area at the base of the Upper Falls.
The Daintree Rainforest is a tropical rainforest north of Mossman, Queensland, on the coast, north of Cairns in tropical far north of Australia. At around 1200 square kilometres the Daintree is the largest continuous area of tropical rainforest on the Australian mainland. Named after Richard Daintree, part of the forest is protected by the Daintree National Park and drained by the Daintree River.
The Daintree Rainforest contains 30% of frog, marsupial and reptile species in Australia, and 65% of Australia's bat and butterfly species. 18% of bird species in the country can be found in this area. There are also over 12000 species of insects. All of this diversity is contained within an area that takes up 0.2% of the landmass of Australia.
Some of the Daintree Rainforest's addition to the World Heritage List in 1988 in recognition of its universal natural values highlighted the rainforest.
The Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres . The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland in north-east coast of Australia.
The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. This reef supports a wide diversity of life, and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. CNN labeled it one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The Queensland National Trust named it a state icon of Queensland.A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which helps to limit the impact of human use, such as fishing and tourism. Other environmental pressures on the reef and its ecosystem include runoff, climate change accompanied by mass coral bleaching, and cyclic population outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish.
The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and used by the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is an important part of local groups' cultures and spirituality. The reef is a very popular destination for tourists, especially in the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns regions. Tourism is an important economic activity for the region, generating A$ 1 billion per year.
