Summary

First published in 1923 by the Queensland Government Intelligence and Tourist Bureau, this booklet was compiled by the Great Barrier Reef Committee (GBRC), which had been formed in Brisbane the previous year. The majority of the content was written by Charles Hedley, who was at that time perhaps the foremost authority in Australia on matters pertaining to the natural sciences. He had published widely in scientific journals and had significant experience in field research. In 1890 Hedley had accompanied Sir William McGregor on a scientific expedition to New Guinea and in 1896 he participated in an expedition to bore the atoll of Funafuti in the Ellice Group of islands. In the two decades between 1900 and 1920, Hedley made many trips to north Queensland to study coastal and reef environments.

When this booklet was published Hedley worked for the Australian Museum in Sydney but by the following year (1924) he was the scientific director of the Great Barrier Reef Committee. Shortly before his death in 1926 Hedley supervised an exploratory boring operation at Michaelmas Cay, Queensland, with the aim of discovering more about the foundations of coral reefs.

The Great Barrier Reef of Australia provided the general public with an understanding of the current state of knowledge about one of the country's most important natural resources. There was still much to learn about the Great Barrier Reef, and the GBRC's primary aim was to investigate its origin, growth and natural resources. This publication was a departure from the Queensland Government Tourist Bureau's usual productions, in that it contained information of a factual nature with no overt appeals to the potential tourist. The Bureau's previous publications unashamedly focused on Queensland's scenic attractions and pleasant climate, while this booklet, though still written for a popular audience, was firmly scientific in nature.