Hardy Reef, Australia Cruise Port

The Hardy Reef is part of the enormous Great Barrier Reef and runs closest to the Whitsunday Islands. The Whitsundays are a chain of continental islands off the central coast of Australia. Hardy is home to thousands of interesting reef fish, including snapper, travelly, coral trout, and a slew of smaller tropical species. The Reefworld pontoon is a permanent structure along the Hardy Reef that has been in place for more than twenty years. Since ships won’t dock on land, this is a perfect spot for passengers to ferry to for snorkeling or diving adventures. Another creative option to see the reef is by ferrying to the Whitsundays and then renting a seaplane or helicopter to take in the wonderful sights by air.

• Many non-fish related creatures occupy the depths and are easier to see via snorkeling or diving. These wonders include turtles, sharks, starfish, jellyfish, rays, and more.
   
• Giant Queensland Groupers can often be more than six feet long. These impressive creatures, while plentiful within the reef, often hang around the Reefworld pontoon.
   
• Heart Reef is a world-famous reef not far from Hardy. It has the same beautiful, colorful coral as its relative; however, the distinction for Heart Reef is the coral has naturally taken the shape of a heart.
   
• The clear view under the water makes underground photography easy and plentiful. It’s said this is the one place in the world where everyone’s photographs wind up looking just as good as the brochure.
   
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