The Houtman Abrolhos and their surrounding coral reef communities, lie sixty km west of Geraldton, Western Australia (28°57′44″S, 113°57′23″E) and form a unique marine area. Subclasses Alcyonaria Zoantharia See text for orders. ... A reef surrounding an islet. ... Geraldton (28°46′ S 114°36′ E) is a town in Western Australia located 424 km north of Perth. ... Motto: Cygnis Insignis (Distinguished by its swans) Nickname: Wildflower State Other Australian states and territories Capital Perth Government Governor Premier Const. ...

They were probably first encountered by Europeans in 1527 by Portugese navigator Jorge de Menezes. The name Abrolhos is apparently a contraction of the Portuguese, abri vossos olhos – keep your eyes open. Dutch captain Frederick de Houtman arrived there in 1619, prepending his name. Jorge de Menezes was a Portuguese explorer who in 1526-27 landed on Waigeo Island (now Indonesian), taking shelter in the town of Wasai whilst he awaited the passing of the monsoon season. ... Frederick de Houtman (1571—1627) was a Dutch explorer who sailed along the Western coast of Australia (see History of Western Australia) en route to Batavia. ... Events May 13 - Dutch statesman Johan van Oldenbarnevelt is executed in The Hague after having been accused of treason. ...

The Houtman Abrolhos is made up of three main groups, the Wallabi, Pelsaert (or Southern) and the Easter groups. It is the most southern coral reef formation in the world, and has been the subject of intensive marine research. It scores very highly in terms of habitat diversity and species richness, with a unique blend of tropical and temperate species. It is also one of Australia's most important seabird breeding areas. Seabirds are birds that spend much of their lives, outside the breeding season at least, at sea. ...

With 122 islands making up the chain, the sub-tropical reef is warmed by the Leeuwin Current. It serves as a major resource for the local fishing industry, and provides some of the best snorkeling, diving and deep sea fishing in the world, along with some of Australia's most significant historical sights, such as the shipwreck of the Batavia. A snorkeler amid corals on a coral reef near Fiji. ... Diving refers to the sport acrobatically jumping or falling into water. ... A shipwreck is the remains of a ship after it has sunk or been beached as a result of a crisis at sea. ... The replica of the Batavia The Batavia was a ship of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), built in 1628 in Amsterdam, which was struck by mutiny and shipwreck during her maiden voyage, upon which a drama followed. ...

Trivia: Abrolhos / Abra-os-olhos is nearly identical in Spanish "Abre Los Ojos" ("open your eyes"), where it was the name of the popular movie thriller Abre Los Ojos, later remade by Tom Cruise into Hollywood blockbuster Vanilla Sky. Open Your Eyes redirects here. ... This is an article about the actor; for the inventor, see Tom Kruse. ... Vanilla Sky is a 2001 film which tells a story of a young multi-millionaire who is charged with murder. ...