Protecting a UNESCO World Heritage Icon
For more than 50 years, Mike Ball Dive Expeditions has been introducing divers to the very best of the Great Barrier Reef. Every expedition is a reminder that we are privileged to operate within one of the world’s most extraordinary natural environments—a place recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site of Outstanding Universal Value since 1981.
Stretching more than 2,300 kilometres and comprising approximately 2,500 individual reefs and 900 islands, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef ecosystem on Earth. UNESCO recognises the Reef for its extraordinary natural beauty, exceptional biodiversity, ongoing ecological processes and globally significant marine habitats.
Among the thousands of reefs and dive sites that make up this vast ecosystem, Cod Hole is one of the very few locations specifically mentioned by name in UNESCO’s official Statement of Outstanding Universal Value. UNESCO describes it as “the internationally renowned Cod Hole near Lizard Island” and recognises it as one of the Great Barrier Reef’s significant tourist attractions.
For our guests, this recognition simply confirms what generations of divers have experienced. Cod Hole has become one of Australia’s most iconic dive sites, famous for its friendly diver-sized Potato Cod, spectacular coral formations and unforgettable underwater encounters.
From the very beginning, Mike Ball believed that the privilege of exploring the Great Barrier Reef came with a responsibility to protect it. More than five decades later, that philosophy continues to guide every expedition we operate.
Today, our crew proudly contributes to initiatives including Eye on the Reef, the Tourism Reef Protection Initiative (TRPI), scientific research and citizen science projects. The observations collected during our expeditions help researchers and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority monitor reef health, marine life and changing environmental conditions, while our long-standing Peace on the Reef initiative encourages divers to minimise their impact underwater.
Every guest who travels with Mike Ball Dive Expeditions becomes part of that story. By choosing responsible tourism, you’re helping support the ongoing protection of one of the world’s greatest natural treasures while experiencing one of the very few dive sites specifically recognised by UNESCO.
To learn more about our environmental initiatives, research partnerships, reef monitoring programs and conservation efforts, visit our Environment & Research page.
Learn More
- UNESCO Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Listing
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
- Eye on the Reef
- Tourism Reef Protection Initiative (TRPI)
- Mike Ball Dive Expeditions – Environment & Research
