When the opportunity to trek to Far North Queensland (FNQ) arose, I, a pale, house and office-dwelling Melburnian, jumped at the chance to enjoy blue skies, clear water and most importantly, warm sunshine. For someone who has never travelled further north than Brisbane, the thought of seeing the Great Barrier Reef and enjoying some outdoors time was extremely appealing.
After a long, largely reptile-free life in Victoria, I had a few simple goals: to enjoy a few cold cocktails in the sunshine, to snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef and to see a crocodile (though I had no desire for the last two goals to be achieved simultaneously).
Natural beauty
One of the reasons I wanted to see FNQ was its reputation for untamed natural beauty. The Great Barrier Reef has long been seen as a natural wonder warranting extensive protection. The unique ecosystem is home to 1625 species of fish and more than 1400 coral reef species. This rich animal and plant life makes the Reef one of the most complex natural systems on earth. There are seven species of marine turtles in the world, and six of these species (all
