TRAVEL POSTER - Great Barrier Reef Vintage Poster

🐠 The Marine Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef — Vintage Travel Poster (c.1940)
A Classic Celebration of Australia’s Underwater Paradise

Vivid, exotic, and brimming with colour, this striking vintage poster captures the early romance of reef exploration, when Australia’s tropical north was promoted as a place of wonder and discovery. Originally produced around 1940, it presents the Great Barrier Reef as a dazzling natural aquarium—alive with coral gardens, tropical fish, and crystal-clear waters.

Above the surface, small boats drift quietly; below, an entire world unfolds in radiant colour. It’s a powerful piece of early Australian tourism art, designed to ignite curiosity and inspire travel to one of the world’s great natural marvels.

🌊 Why This Poster Captivates

• A dramatic split view of life above and below the reef

• Brilliantly stylised coral and tropical fish in mid-century colour palettes

• A strong sense of discovery and untouched natural beauty

• Bold typography announcing the Reef as a world-class destination

• An iconic piece of Australian travel and environmental history

This artwork celebrates the Reef not just as a destination, but as a living wonder—long before mass tourism and modern photography.

📐 Size

• 700 mm (H) × 450 mm (W)
  Carefully reproduced to honour the original proportions and impact.

🎨 Premium Print & Display Options

• 📄 Heavyweight Paper — Printed on 170 gsm high-quality paper; ideal for framing under glass.

• 🧽 Laminated — True encapsulation using 2 × 80-micron gloss laminate; durable, wipe-clean, and long-lasting.

• 🪵 Laminated + Timber Hang Rails — Natural lacquered timber rails with hanging cord; ready to display.

• 🖼️ Canvas — 395 gsm HP Professional Matte Canvas, printed with pigment-based, fade-resistant inks.

• 🪵 Canvas + Timber Hang Rails — Gallery-style canvas presentation with timber rails top and bottom.

⏳ Please allow up to 10 working days for hang-railed finishes, as each piece is professionally assembled by our framer.

🎁 Perfect For

• Lovers of marine life and coastal Australia

• Vintage travel and tourism art collectors

• Beach houses, coastal homes, and relaxed interiors

• Anyone inspired by the natural wonders of the reef

🇦🇺 A Window Into Australia’s Tourism Golden Age

Produced when the Great Barrier Reef was still a distant dream for many, this poster reflects an era when travel posters carried the responsibility of imagination—inviting viewers to picture places they might one day see for themselves.

🖼️ Bring the Reef Indoors

Whether framed, laminated, or displayed on canvas, The Marine Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef brings colour, life, and timeless Australian character to any space.

A luminous tribute to one of the world’s greatest natural treasures—captured in classic mid-century style.