When was the Great Barrier Reef discovered?
Although the Australian indigenous people knew of the Great Barrier Reef for thousands of years, the first European discovery of the reef was made in 1770. In June 1770, Lieutenant James Cook became the first known European to sail up the eastern coast of Australia. He ran aground on the reef just outside where the town of Cooktown now lies, and was forced to spend two months repairing his ship.
