Tourism and recreation history

Visitors to Green Island. Source: Tourism Review Steering Committee, 1997.

Visitors to the Whitsundays. Source: Tourism Review Steering Committee, 1997

Day trip travel range in the Marine Park.

1890s to 1950s

• The earliest instance of tourism use was in 1890 when Green Island became a destination for pleasure cruises offshore Cairns.
• Resorts began to develop in the 1930s at Green Island and Heron Island.
• The world’s first glass bottom boat for coral viewing was commissioned in 1937.
• Tourist activity was primarily close to regional centres and was limited by poor transport links to southern capitals.
  

1960 and 1970s

• Rapid growth of visitor numbers, particularly at Green Island and in the Whitsundays.
• Increase in tourism numbers linked to improvements in transport services.
• Small tourism operations to nearby reefs and islands a few kilometres offshore and within the normal day trip range of 2 hours travel.
• By the late 1970s displacement hull type vessels, capable of 10 knots, extended the range for a day trip to 15-20 nautical miles.
  

Since 1980s

• Increased awareness of the Great Barrier Reef and its values.
• Rapid increase in visitors through 1980s and early 1990s.
• Air access improved with more island landing strips and an international airport for Cairns.
• By 1989 there were 24 resorts on the continental islands.
• Forty knot wave-piercing vessels extended the day trip operating range to 80 nautical miles.
• Modern vessels are not only faster but they are more stable in most sea conditions and can carry much larger numbers of passengers.
• More visitors can now experience a wider range of the reef in one day.
• Visitor numbers to the Great Barrier Reef have remained static since mid 1990s.