One in three Australians have named the Great Barrier Reef as the place they wanted most to visit before they die, edging out rivals Uluru in the Northern Territory and Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. In a nationwide survey undertaken by totaltravel.com, 472 people out of 1,460 named the Great Barrier Reef as the Australian icon they would most like to visit before they die.

“The Great Barrier Reef is one of the great wonders of the world,” said Paul Fisher, Totaltravel.com Global Marketing Manager. “It is the largest coral system in the world and supports a wide diversity of life [and] Snorkelling or scuba diving there is a truly unforgettable experience.” Uluru in Northern Territory came in second with 304 votes, representing 21% of the total respondents, while Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia came third with 9% of the votes. Mr Fisher adds that right now more Australians may consider a domestic holiday.

“The effects of the 2008 financial crisis are still being felt and some people do not have a lot of money to spend on holidays, [as such] Australia is a cheap alternative to overseas destinations.” Other destinations also named were the Sydney Harbour/Opera House with 8% of the vote, Kakadu National Park with 6%, and The Great Ocean Road with 5%.