June 1st is World Reef Day!
Did you know coral reefs provide a home for at least 25% of all marine life at some point in their life cycle? Furthermore, the corals are animals too – while often mistaken for plants or rocks, they’re actually marine invertebrates. Coral reefs are built up by colonies of living coral polyps and the calcium carbonate skeletons they produce.
The Great Barrier Reef is not just the world’s largest coral reef system; it’s also the world’s largest living structure, so big it can even be seen from outer space! Located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia, It comprises nearly 3000 individual reefs and over 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 km (1,400 mi) over an area of about 344,400 sq km (133,000 sq mi).
Here are some vintage travel posters with artwork featuring underwater scenes of the Great Barrier Reef:
The Marine Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef
1933
World’s Premier Wonderland, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland…Australia.
c. 1935-9
Australia: Great Barrier Coral Reef
c. 1932
Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia
1930s
Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia
1930s
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BONUS #1: not a travel poster, but another 1930s vintage print:
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BONUS #2: This travel poster is from the 1950s, but it’s by a favorite artist and fits the theme!
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia [“Longspined Butterfly-fish and Heron Island Volute”]
c. 1956-9
