Barrier Reef View from space. Great Barrier Reef

05.05.2020

BBR is the world's largest coral reef, which is in Pacific Ocean, near the coast of Australia. One of the most impressive Earth ecosystems is in a terrible state. Here are the main questions threatening this magnificent natural miracle.

Magnificent aerial view of Big Barrier Reef Australia.

As you probably already know, a big barrier reef in great trouble. About 50 percent of the reef coral cover is already lost, and, according to the forecast, the remaining 50 percent will disappear by 2050, if serious measures are not taken.

The clock is ticking, and unprecedented coral discolorations in 2016 and 2017 only demonstrated how fragile and the urgent situation develops today.

The Australian National Government and the Government of Queensland spend about 200 million dollars annually on reef protection. Although many say that this is not enough.

Why reef is so important

Large barrier reef is not in vain called "big". The size of the reef is really huge: it can be seen from space, it extends more than 2575 kilometers (this is like a distance from Moscow to Paris), and covers 344000 square kilometers.

But this massive area is not just an ocean with corals. A large barrier reef consists of 3,000 separate reef systems, 600 tropical islands and about 300 coral reefs. Such a complex maze of habitats provides asylum for the striking diversity of marine plants and animals - from ancient sea turtles, reef fish and 134 types of sharks and rods, up to 400 different solid and soft corals and many seaweed.

Reef acts as a farm for the fishing industry, which feeds hundreds of thousands of people. In addition, tourists flock to reef to experience it incredible beauty And spend about 6 billion dollars per year for it.

What threats to reef?

To protect the reef measures are taken on a number of directions. The solution to the problem of death of corals is expensive and difficult, since there are several major threats to reef health, and all of them must be solved.

What is coral discoloration?

In recent years, large-scale coral discoloration occurred on a large barrier reef due to the high temperatures of the ocean.

Coral discoloration are coral reactions to environmental stress. The discoloration is a visible signal indicating that something is going very wrong.

The discoloration directly does not kill corals, but it strongly relaxes them, often leads to death, as they become more vulnerable to diseases. Corals, as you remember from biology, these are animals that live in symbiosis with some photosynthetic algae, called zoocantellae.

However, these relationships can be collapped due to environmental stress, namely, high temperatures. sea waterwhose risk is growing due to anthropogenic climate change. This thermal stress can force the coral to get rid of its zoocantellons, as they produce corrosive substances in heat. Corals without zoocantellons become colorless (hence the term "bleaching").

Changing of the climate

1. Ocean acidification:
Since the 1700s, about 30% of additional carbon dioxide, which people downloaded to the atmosphere were absorbed by the oceans. This changed the chemistry of oceans, making them more acidic (the process known as the ocean acidification), which creates difficulties for corals (and many other marine animals) in the formation of their calcium-based skeletons.

2. Cyclones:
Climate change also contributes to the development of more powerful tropical cyclones, which can cause significant damage to small coral reefs. In addition, during cyclones or other strong storm events in the ocean, more fresh water and deposits that are essentially souched corals.

3. Raising the level and temperature of the sea:
Fast change coastlinecaused by climate warming means that plants and animals do not have time to adapt to changes in the sea level and temperature.

Excessive catch fish

Protected areas around a large barrier reef, as a rule, have a richer biodiversity.

When it is caught more fish than the ecosystem can withstand over time, it is pens. At a great barrier reef, this is due to the sport and commercial fisheries of some types of large, predatory fish, such as coral trout and Lutanian. Less diverse reef is a less stable reef, and this affects the health of corals. Predatory fish are extremely important for preserving a balanced ecosystem on the reef, but predators, such as coral trout, Lucian, the emperor fish remain the main target, both for relaxation and commercial fishing. In areas where commercial and sports fishing is allowed, the number of predatory fish was lower, as well as biodiversity. In protected, closed zones can be at least two or more than two times more fish, and therefore it becomes attractive for poachers. Illegal fishing in the forbidden zones is growing.

Shipping

In April 2010, in a shallow water in a large barrier reef Marine Park, a carbon carbon transport Shen Neng 1 registered in China.

Large ships filled with fossil in Australia (frequently sent to China), also threaten the Rifu physical damage if they suffer disaster, as the catastrophe proved in 2010. Chinese ship called Shen Neng 1 sat on the reef and dropped tons of toxic fuel oil to fragile corals.

Pollution of coastal areas

It is likely that most of the work on the protection of reef was done in the field of decrease in the drain of toxic chemicals from agricultural areas adjacent to the Quinsland coast, to the ocean.

Ternist Crown (starfish)

The starfish (crown) has become a serious threat to a large barrier reef ecosystem.

Over the past three decades, 40 percent of the coral losses occurred due to the fact that starfish, local coral species that are part of a balanced reef ecosystem were broken. Unfortunately, the population of marine stars increased dramatically in recent decades. This may be due to an excess of nitrogen from agricultural drain, which can increase the number of plankton - the main feed of marine stars. Nitrogen estates with farms in North Queensland leads to flowering algae in reef waters. This algae is the main source of food for larvae of marine stars, producing population explosions that destroy corals.

To combat these marine stars A program was implemented, which will encourage people for catch and destroy the excess of marine stars.

Future of the Big Barrier Reef

Coral reef surrounding green Island, not far from Cairns, Northern Queensland, Australia.

The future of a large barrier reef remains unknown. Many organizations persistently work to minimize a wide range of hazards threatening Rifu, and good news is that at least some of these efforts seem to work, but you need to act quickly to prevent the disappearance of this natural miracle.

The study of this Giant Barrier off the coast of Australia laid the beginning great navigator James Cook. His sailboat "Endeavor" became the first ship in a narrow strait between the big barrier reef and the coast of the mainland. Complete more than a thousand kilometers without maps on the complex fairway, abundant grinding and underwater cliffs, was, of course, a miracle of navigable art. But even the famous Cuku had to experience the cunning of the local waters. His "Endeavor" stumbled upon a coral reef, damaged the corps, and only throwing over the board all the guns and part of the cargo, the English captain managed to play from the rock and get to the coast.

For those who have passed since then, two extreme centuries on the reefs of the Australian coral barrier suffered or went to the bottom of hundreds of ships. Even in the 20th century happened here sea catastrophes. AND geographical names In this part of the Coral Sea they speak for themselves: the cape of trouble, the painful bay, the island of hope. No wonder of the water in the region of a large barrier reef as a magnet attracts numerous treasure crafes of sunken ships.

Big Barrier Reef - the world's largest coral ridge, consisting of more than 2900 reefs and 900 islands of different size, stretching more than 2,600 km along the northeast coast of Australia and occuping an area of \u200b\u200b350000 km². It is almost impossible to install the exact size of the territory, since the islands area varies depending on the tides and tides. Reef is located in the Coral Sea, geographically refers to the state of Queensland. In 1979, the National Maritime Park was founded here, who received UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. The capital of Reef is Cairns.

From the point of view of such sciences as biology, geology, this is one of the greatest wonders of nature. It is fair to be accompanied by only excellent degrees; recognition of it natural Heritage, biosphere Reserve And the sea park reflects his world importance.

Some islands, about 100, are constantly covered with vegetation; 600 more high islands, surrounded by our own reefs. Its total area is more than the United Kingdom.

A large barrier reef can be seen from space, this is the largest structure formed by billions of tiny living organisms known as coral polyps.

Satellite image of a large barrier reef

The age of individual reef fragments reaches 18 million years, but most of the much "younger" - 500 thousand years.

Reef, which in itself is one of the largest geological formations, in essence, complicated from living beings or coral polyps, externally similar to the acts found by the shore. These tiny primitive organisms live with huge colonies, each of which developed from an individual polyp, which has undergone countless divisions.

The first coral reefs on the site of a giant coral barrier arose millions of years ago, but its main part has the age of about five hundred thousand years. During this time, coral polyps managed to build up the construction of the average height of one hundred and twenty meters. The construction of the reef continues and now, although it is not easy to see it.

Coral formations

After all, the "houses" of polyps are growing very slowly. So that the coral twig rose only five centimeters, we need a whole year.

The width of a large barrier reef ranges from three hundred meters in the north to five kilometers in the southern part, and from the bank of the mainland it is removed for the distance from thirty kilometers (at the Cape York Peninsula) to two hundred and fifty (in the tropic Capricorn).

Describing the stunning beauty and diversity of life The underwater kingdom of a large barrier reef, people will not be bought on lush epithets and comparisons: "The world of blue dreams", "the greatest architectural constructions Nature on the whole planet "," Delightful underwater forest "," eighth miracle of the world "," breathtaking underwater scenery "," The richest marine ecosystem of the world. "

Indeed, by the number of inhabitants and their strikingly picturesque appearance, a large barrier reef is not equal in the oceans. Only corals here are about four hundred species other of them look like a human brain (they are called "brain"), others - on strange lace mushrooms, branches or curtains, others - on deer horns. They are rigid and soft, white and colored, and hitting their fabulous underwater kingdom, you start thinking that I found it in some fantastic garden among the wonderful unearthly colors: blue, blue, green, yellow, orange, pink, red and even black .

Huge Tridanka

But corals are only the tenth of the population of the underwater barrier. In addition to them, more than four thousand species of mollusks live on the reef, from snails to giant meter bivalves, both sponges, actsia, crayfish, crabs, starfishes, sea hedgehog And many algae.

But the main decoration of the waters of a large barrier reef is of course fish. According to the exotic coloring and numerous species and forms with the kingdom of coral fish, neither a blooming mountain meadow, nor the world of Disney's fabulous films, will not compare. Only a small tolik of this multitgetary can be seen in the marine aquariums of zoos. After all, the number of fish species in the bizarre coral forests of our planet reaches several thousand!

And the big barrier reef is no exception. One and a half thousand representatives of ichthyofauna graze in its underwater spots werehed warm waters Coral Sea. The names of many of them they speak for themselves: fish-butterfly, gibbon, clown fish, rockozub, parrot fish, sea dog, hedgehog, cardinal and even. Fish-fly. And besides them, sea perch and moray, races and sharks, ferruges and sea pikes and many other representatives of the fish kingdom are found here.

On the islands of the southern part of a large barrier reef at night they sail big sea turtleTo postpone your eggs into the pitched on the beach. Then they fall asleep with sand, tamper and float back to the sea. The offspring that appeared to the light, it is necessary to independently refuse the path to the surface and get to the native marine element in the wet sand of the coral beach.

Sea turtle

It is then torture, which even the shell has not yet hardened, and climb the dangers. Thousands of seabirds living on the islands are just waiting for this moment. Picking down, they grab the turtle kids of one after another, and only a little manifest to get to salute water.

On the islands of a large barrier reef dwells as much as two hundred forty bird species. These are petrels, phaetons, frigates, flashes, paint, stratch, whitening Orlans and many others.

But mammals in waters, wash reef, a little. Mostly it is whales and dolphins.

And besides them, they graze in thickets of algae between the islands and a donony, close relative of the marine cow.

Beautiful underwater forests and meadows, sparkling with all the colors of the rainbow, seem to be invulnerable. Still - after all, they are stone, and what can threaten the stone?

But it turns out, coral reefs are also wounded, as well as any other brainchild of wildlife. And the recent misfortune that happened to the Australian reef was once again reminded of this.

Marine Star "Ternist Crown"

In the 1960-1970s, the existence of a large barrier reef was threatened due to a sharp increase in the number of marine stars. The danger proceeded from one of the species of these iglinders, wearing beautiful name "Ternist crown." Huge, reaching a half-meter in diameter, starfish With numerous tentacles, turned out to be a terrible enemy of coral polyps. Singing to their buildings, the "Ternist Crown" produces digestive juice in the holes of coral "houses" and digested polyps, leaving behind a dead zone. Over the year, one star can destroy life on six square meters of reef.

An excessive increase in the number of these first rather rare polyps, as it turned out, was associated with the disappearance in many places of a large barrier reef of their natural enemies - predatory snails-Tritons. Due to the large beautiful shells, hunters for souvenirs tons were collected by Tritons for the sale of tourists.

As a result, the savings stars are revealed from the natural limiter, starfish began to multiply, and entire sections of the coral barrier turned into a lifeless marine desert. Now the hunt for Triton Snails is prohibited, with the "Ternist", scablasts are fighting, armed with syringes with poison, and little, natural equilibrium on the reef is restored. But in many destroyed areas of a large barrier reef, life will return only in twenty-thirty years.

Fish-Napoleon

Warm waters, deserted beaches, the abundance of small secluded islands and the opportunity for long hours to spend in an exceptional painting by the underwater kingdom attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists in this amazing corner of the Earth.

Some of them are limited to excursions on heats and boats in order to devote the rest of the time to get acquainted with an equally unique animal world of the Australian coast.

But more purposeful fans of the sea fauna settle on the islands for two or three weeks, without tired watching and removing the coral world camcorder. Although Australians organized a maritime reserve here, under strict guard there are only a few particularly vulnerable areas of the Big Barrier Reef.

And according to the reviews of travelers, quite a few of the planet and immersed with scuba at the coast of Maldives and Seychella, Hawaiian Islands and the Archipelago of Galapagos who have seen coral agents of the Caribbean and the Red Sea, French Polynesia. And Palau Islands, the underwater world of a large barrier reef is not equal to scale and variety.

No wonder in the distant Australia fly and float after half a hundred thousand tourists to enjoy anything with no comparable charm of blue lagoons and straits, in which the innumerable living treasures of a big barrier reef are taking.

Along the tropical coast of Australia, the greatest creation of nature was stretched for more than 2,900 km - a large barrier reef. The world's largest coral system part-time is the largest living structure on the planet. It includes almost 3,000 different reefs and more than 900 islands that are creating a broken lagoon. The area covered by the stone marine giant is 344,400 square kilometers. There is a natural miracle in the coral Sea, almost parallel to the coast of Queensland, Australia.

The big barrier reef from the south to the north stretches, taking its beginning at the Tropic Capricorn, located between the cities of Bandaberg and Gladstone, and ending in the Torres Strait, which separates Australia from New Guinea. In the northern part, near Cape Melville, the coral complex is only 32-50 km from the coast, and on the south side it disintegrates into small groups of reefs, in some places, moving away from the coastline for 300 km. It is the last places that are attracted to themselves a huge number of diving fans.

The size of a large barrier reef is so huge that it can be seen from space. This fact is very impressive if we consider the size of the beings that built the largest object ever created by alive organisms. The system is formed by billions of small animals, the size of which usually does not exceed the rice grain, - coral polyps. Their appearance is similar to the tiny inverted jellyfish sitting in the stone bowl. They live together, colonies. Polyps are unable to build reefs, for this, the wise Mother-Nature sent them assistants. Such in this case are millions of microscopic algae, sharpened in animal tentacles. They convert sunlight into the energy meal for corals. This symbiosis allows them to turn minerals into calcium carbonate and build their stony skeletons. So each colony develops and grows, enriching the terrain with whole limestone arrays. However, their world is very defenseless and fragile: even a slight rise in temperature - one degree - can provoke the death of coral polyps.

Coral reefs occupy less than 1% of the Ocean Square of the entire planet, but they live a quarter of the entire famous science of marine life, and the big barrier reef is the largest shelter. It was for this reason that in 1981, UNESCO included him in the list of world heritage sites, and CNN assigned the title of one of the seven wonders of the world.

The history of the existence of Reef takes its roots from distant times. Roast Australia was not always in the tropical climatic zone: a lot of millennia, she was an integral part of Antarctica, and most His coastal waters were too cold for the livelihoods of corals. Moving in the tropics took place about 65 million years ago, coinciding with a period of lifting the sea level, which created favorable conditions for the growth of coral polyps in the northeastern part of its coast.

The birth of reef occurred about 25 million years ago due to the movement of the Australian lithospheric plate. The coast of the region today is called Queensland, it was flooded with tropical waters, as a result of which the larvae of corals brought by warm ocean currents were in these places and entrenched on the ground. Over time, the colonies began to grow and cover the seabed, after the Millennium, thoring a large barrier reef, how can it be seen today. So with an increase in the level of the ocean at the same time there was an intensive growth of new layers. The history of the reef layers under the visible surface observer, which is constant updated, has about 10 thousand years. The youngest sections, located at the peaks of older, were formed over the past 200 years and are at a depth of 15-20 meters.

For many hundreds of years, a large barrier reef attracts the attention of mankind: from a long time to today, it is used by residents of Torres Islands and Australian aborigines as an important component of the culture of local populations. However, Western civilization did not know quite a long time on the existence of this monument of nature.

Europeans learned about the grand living design due to the famous navigator James Cube, who saw and realized the scale of this object in 1770. He in the literal sense of the word came across the reef: Once in the evening, Cook heard the bottom of the ship "Endeavor" about the underwater stone, as a result of which the ship was significantly damaged. Fortunately, the tide helped the situation to end well - the ship was preserved, and the expedition continued.

The main part of the reef is over 2900 separate reefs, the sizes of which range from 0.01 km² to 100 km². Most of them are hidden under water stroking, and in order to consider coral "sculptures" in more detail, you will have to use diving equipment and immerse yourself in warm Pacific waters. You can see the dissection of the water surface of the peaks of coral formations only during sings. Between the coast and greater barrier reef, a fairly shallow water lagoon extends, the depth of which rarely exceeds 100 m.

The world's largest ecosystem is famous not only with a huge variety of coral reefs, but also with its truly rich underwater world - there is hardly in the world a place capable of dealing with the Australian giant in the abundance of marine inhabitants. Thousands of different creatures found their home in this marine metropolis. Many of them are exquisitely beautiful, some seemed to come from the pages of a science fiction magazine, and some are able to bring death in the blink of an eye.

A variety of life forms in a large barrier reef will not be given to rest researchers, because to study all the underwater wealth of his flora and fauna is not such a slight task. At its expanses, there were about 400 types of corals affecting the abundance of forms and species. Like a fabulous submarine garden, the whole territory of a large barrier reef is a bright collar reef paints of all colors of the rainbow. The most common colors are various shades of red, yellow, sometimes white, orange, brown, and occasionally even meets a lilac-purple. Soft representatives of corals, in which, instead of a limestone skeleton, there are solid crystal structures in the tissues, called the "bodies" of their stony conifers.

The giant coral reef complex sheltered in its waters of 1500 varieties of marine fish, of which approximately 500 species belong to the true reef, the most adapted to life in these conditions. Also, there were also 30 types of whales, dolphins and sea pigs, about 125 types of sharks and rods, 6 species of skulls, 14 types of marine snakes, about 5,000 types of mollusks and 1300 species of crustaceans. In the number of fishes here, the largest representative of their representative is a whale shark. In addition, reef sheltered on its expanses more than 200 species of feathered.

The most famous natural attraction of Australia annually takes about two million visitors on its territory, which brings this region More than 3 billion dollars arrived per year. In addition to a favorable influence on the country's economy, it entails and negative consequences that inevitably destroy the coral complex. The government of the country established a number of restrictions focusing on the protection of the ecosystem, but the harm caused by man is impossible to completely prevent. In addition, nature itself creates a lot of dangers. This includes the so-called fading, which very quickly leads to the death of corals, and in huge quantities. This phenomenon is due to global warming that affects the temperature of the water. Another fragile equilibrium of coral reefs is tropical hurricanes. But the status of the chief enemy is the maritime star "Ternaya Crown", the dimensions of which can reach up to 50 cm. These predators feed exclusively by coral polyps. The most destructive period of devastation due to the vital activity of these pests fell on the 80s of the last century.

According to the results of research conducted by the US National Sciences Academy in October 2012, since 1985 reef lost more than half of the coral polyps that make up its structure.

The main resort of the North of Australia, the most exotic its corner and, as they speak in the people, the main "gates" of a large barrier reef - the city of Cairns provides its guests with the opportunity to take rest in the arms of one of the wonders of the world. This area is famous for coral Islands There are extremely close to the coast here, and in just 1.5-2 hours a quick walking boats can be reached before the famous dive points. In addition, it is convenient to configure trips to a nearby national parks, reserves, ancient villages and other equally colorful places.

About it unique place planets were shot a lot documentariesThe most famous of them are "BBC. Walking under water. Big Barrier Reef "(1991) and the series created by the same Air Force already in 2012," Big Barrier Reef ". Films will undoubtedly reveal the overall picture of the terrain, however, in order to feel all the grandeur of a given miracle of nature, you need to see him.

The history of the existence of Reef takes its roots from distant times. Hot, Australia was not always in a tropical climatic zone: For many millennia, it was an integral part of Antarctica, and most of the history of her coastal waters were too cold for the livelihoods of corals. Moving in the tropics took place about 65 million years ago, coinciding with a period of lifting the sea level, which created favorable conditions for the growth of coral polyps in the northeastern part of its coast.

The most famous natural attraction of Australia annually hosts about two million visitors on its territory, which brings more than $ 3 billion dollars to this region per year. In addition to a favorable influence on the country's economy, it entails and negative consequences that inevitably destroy the coral complex. The government of the country established a number of restrictions focusing on the protection of the ecosystem, but the harm caused by man is impossible to completely prevent. In addition, nature itself creates a lot of dangers. This includes the so-called fading, which very quickly leads to the death of corals, and in huge quantities. This phenomenon is due to global warming that affects the temperature of the water. Another fragile equilibrium of coral reefs is tropical hurricanes. But the status of the chief enemy is the maritime star "Ternaya Crown", the dimensions of which can reach up to 50 cm. These predators feed exclusively by coral polyps. The most destructive period of devastation due to the vital activity of these pests fell on the 80s of the last century.

According to the results of research conducted by the US National Sciences Academy in October 2012, since 1985 reef lost more than half of the coral polyps that make up its structure.

The main resort of the North of Australia, the most exotic its corner and, as they speak in the people, the main "gates" of a large barrier reef - the city of Cairns provides its guests with the opportunity to take rest in the arms of one of the wonders of the world. This area is famous for the fact that the coral islands are extremely close to the coast here, and in just 1.5-2 hours a quick walk of the boat can be reached before the famous dive points. In addition, it is convenient to configure trips to a nearby national parks, reserves, ancient villages and other equally colorful places.

The most fashionable islands of resorts - Hyman and Bahámber. Diving lovers will come to the soul of the island of Magnetik, Heron and Lizard. As for the resorts that combine diving, entertainment, excursions and high-class rest, they are the islands of Hamilton, Keppel, Fraser, Dunk and Brampton.

A lot of documentary films were shot about this unique place of the planet, the most famous of them - "BBC. Walking under water. Big Barrier Reef "(1991) and the series created by the same Air Force already in 2012," Big Barrier Reef ". Films will undoubtedly reveal the overall picture of the terrain, however, in order to feel all the grandeur of a given miracle of nature, you need to see him.

Parrot Fish:

August 9th, 2016

The big barrier reef is home to more than 1500 species of fish, but this is just one of its many attractions of this amazing natural miracle. Known by its unsurpassed natural diversity, a large barrier reef is one of the seven wonders of the world of nature, and this is the only living creature on earth that can be seen from space.

Big barrier reef Recently in the news rating and World Report was named the best place In the world to visit. The rating was founded on the methodology that united the opinions of travelers with expert analysis. These exciting photos will be shown why the big barrier reef received the first place.

Big Barrier Reef is the world's largest system of coral reefs. It consists of more than 2,900 separate reefs and 900 islands, and extends more than 2240 kilometers.

A large barrier reef passes along the coast of Queensland in the northeast of Australia, starting from the tip of the Cape York Peninsula and up to Bundaberga.

A large barrier reef can offer tourists an endless list of unique events.

Of course, snorkeling is the most popular activity for tourists. Although the reef suffered from the consequences of climate change, it has an unsurpassed environmental diversity, and a significant part is hidden under the surface of the water.

For not able to swim, these magnificent miracles can be viewed, floating on boats with a glass bottom.

On the coast of Capricorn and in Queensland offer a variety of underwater tours.

Picturesque helicopter tours offer to look at the rope from a bird's eye view - this the best way To fully appreciate how much the big barrier reef is actually.

Flights on balloons They offer to see the same types of air, but at a slower pace.

Day trips to the islands in the Large Barrier Reef area combined the best of both worlds: visitors can swim and tube among the underwater animal of the world, and see the beauty of rainforest and sandy beaches.

For lovers sailing species Rest here ideal conditions. Catamarans and other small boats can be leased. Big boats with their crews can be rented at night or multi-day cruises.

Rafting on the TULL River in Northern Queensland does not require any experience, and makes it possible to see the World Heritage included in the list of tropical forests.

No journey to Australia will be complete, if you do not see some large beings. In Hartley crocodile farm Guests can see crocodiles from close range, to meet Koal.

Rinefest cable car helps visitors to discover the tropical forests of Australia.

District S. rich history And heritage, Northern Queensland also offers scenario restaurants, shops.

Guests can enjoy the best Australian food and wines under the ancient trees of the rainforest.

Not far from the coast of North Queensland, the village of Kuranda is a great place to learn about the life of the root community of the region.

Kuranda is also world famous by its markets. The shops are open every day per year, and offer a wide range of arquard artifacts, handmade leather products, jewelry and works of art.