In terms of marine protected areas, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area remain the best known globally and the most comprehensively managed.
| Size (km2) |
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park |
Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area |
|---|---|---|
| Landward (inner) boundary |
Low water mark, but excludes internal waters and various small exclusion areas (eg.ports) |
Low water mark on the mainland |
| Islands |
Includes only 70 Commonwealth Islands |
Includes all 1050 islands (including Commonwealth islands) |
| Tidal waters/tidal lands |
Not included along the coast and around Queensland-owned islands |
Included where they occur around islands |
| Date declared |
Progressively declared since 1975 |
1981 |
Today nearly 99% of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area is within the multiple-use Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
The remaining section falls under Queensland Government jurisdiction – this amounts to 3,600 km2 and includes most islands, ports and other internal state waters.
The Great Barrier Reef on a global perspective
Largest marine protected areas:
| Marine Protected Area |
Country |
Area (km2) |
|---|---|---|
| Cook Islands Marine Park |
Cook Islands |
1,065,000 |
| Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve |
Australia |
989,842 |
| Kermadec Benthic Protection Area |
New Zealand |
620,467 |
| Chagos Environment Preservation and Protection Zone |
British Indian Ocean Territory |
544,000 |
| Phoenix Islands Protected Area |
Kiribati |
408,250 |
| Papahānaumokuākea (North-western Hawaiian Islands) |
United States |
362,075 |
| Great Barrier Reef |
Australia |
348,000 |
Largest World Heritage areas:
| World Heritage Area |
Country |
Area (km2) |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Islands Protected Area |
Kiribati |
408,250 |
| Papahānaumokuākea (North-western Hawaiian Islands) |
United States |
362,075 |
| Great Barrier Reef |
Australia |
348,000 |