The Geological Story of the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef has formed over hundreds of thousands of years through natural processes of coral growth, erosion, and sedimentation.

Its complex geological history is recorded in the layers of coral that have built up over time. Core samples reveal ancient climate patterns, sea level changes, and environmental conditions stretching back hundreds of thousands of years.

The reef system is a globally outstanding example of ongoing geological and biological evolution. From ancient reef platforms to submerged terraces and lagoons, its unique geomorphological features showcase the natural forces that continue to shape this ecosystem today.

These ancient processes have created one of the most diverse and dynamic reef systems on Earth — a place where past and present meet in every coral formation.