Choose Your Own Virtual Study Adventure!

Let us bring you an extraordinary education experience and introduce you to the stunning landscapes, native wildlife, and magnificent National Parks found nowhere else in the world virtually.

Future Events!

Smart Green Economy

Student Conference

Dates:

15th & 16th June 2023 (conference date)

In-person and virtual registration available!

smart green economy student conference

Ambassadors of Cairns

Building an ongoing connection to the Cairns region.

Foster Ongoing Relationships

We enable participants to continue developing ongoing relationships.

Empowering Knowledge

Engaging the mind and encouraging the student to greater lengths.

Unable to travel to Far North Queensland as planned this year, and still looking for a unique interactive cultural experience?

The Great Barrier Reef Academy is an on-line virtual school offering Virtual Study Tours and was created as a response to COVID-19. This enabled us the opportunity to continue to provide life changing experiences for some of the many students and schools that were left disappointed by cancelled programs. “Our business and our clients are our family”. Some of our schools have been with us for more than 15 years and we needed to provide a product that would include interactive, engaging experiences and quantifiable learning outcomes.

Through the use of robotics and innovation, together, with our partners from secondary, vocational and university, we can provide a range of practical, innovative Virtual Edu-Tourism Programs that suit the needs of both individuals and groups.

Programs can be focused around vocational or higher education lectures with live streamed virtual classes or students may experience a combination of unique interactive edu-tourism and cultural activities.

Our programs enable participants to continue to develop greater knowledge of the world around us, create potential ongoing relationships, enable our overseas participants to continue to develop their English language skills and be a positive and engaging exercise for everyone involved.

Each student receives a certificate, becomes an ambassador of Cairns and has a tree planted for them in Cairns encouraging an ongoing connection to our region.

Our programs “create life changing experiences; build life-long friendships; achieve lifetime memories”.

Introducing ‘Bazza” the Study Buddy Bot

The Great Barrier Reef Academy is proud and excited to introduce our ‘Intelligent Telepresence Robot’,’Bazza’, the Study Buddy Bot. Bazza will livestream various classes in Australia to classes overseas.

Bazza’ will also participate in various edu-tourism programs, lectures and workshops enabling participants within Australia and Overseas to engage within the local region and with local students and schools in Queensland.

‘Bazza’ the Study Buddy Bot’s features include:

Interactive voice chat
Video chat
Face & voice recognition
Converts text to speech
Live stream classes, workshops, activities, conferences and more
Remote control

Why choose us?

“We are genuinely invested in your future”.

PRODUCTS

Great Barrier Reef Academy Products

Stack of books with laptop on wooden table

Choose Your own ‘Study Adventure’, Virtual Experiences

Custom Designed Length

1 – 2 hour educational webinars, workshops, presentations and edu-tourism products that can be experienced as a group or combined as a ‘Choose Your Own Study Adventure Virtual Program.

Work with one of our skilled, experienced staff to design your own ideal Study Adventure from our list of experiences.

Interactive Virtual Programs

5 Day Programs

Join us on an exhilarating Virtual program where you will learn about local culture and history, experience some of the breathtaking sites in Far North Queensland including stunning landscapes, native wildlife, and stunning National Parks and natural wonders found nowhere else in the world and enhance your knowledge and understanding in a large array of educational topics.

Partner Courses

Online Self-Paced

Enhancing your greater knowledge of the world around you by enrolling in one of the Great Barrier Reef Academy’s partners and affiliates comprehensive range of courses. Topics can range from online yoga, coffee making, 1+ week short courses on a specific topic or long-term courses that can last 3+ years.

Parent Company

Established in 1996, Cairns based Banora International Group (BIG) is a leading licensed and accredited education, tourism and accommodation operator that is internationally renowned for creating innovative, educational focused and tailor-made programs for all ages.

Banora International Group features several divisions catering to specific markets and products as the team continues to deliver on the company’s 25year mission:

“To provide unique tourism and educational products that focus on customer satisfaction and individual growth”.

Our reputation is unsurpassed in the youth and International education market with well recognised study and academic programs created in conjunction with highly reputable education institutions. www.banoragroup.com

TESTIMONIALS

Recent Testimonials

“JTB has been providing travel experiences worldwide since 1912. We are the largest travel agency in Japan and one of the largest in the world specialising in tourism.
In order to meet the needs of our vast array of clientele, it is important for us to partner with professional companies who specialise in their markets and are able to provide our clientele with a world class experience.
JTB has partnered with Banora International Group for more than 20 years and relies on their experienced team to provide homestays, farmstays and study tour programs. We often need their expertise to also provide customised unique ideas for clients that are looking for a program that is tailor-made and outside of the square. Their team are bilingual, easy to work with and have a great network of contacts in the education market. I highly recommend this company.”
~ Chiharu Craig | General Manager, Cairns Branch Office | JTB

“I am very pleased to write the following testimonial to the professionalism of the entire Banora International Group. I have known Janine Bowmaker (CEO of B.I.G) since 2003 when I first started sending students from Japan to the Gold Coast area. On my return to Australia, I continued to bring students from Japan and looked for a competent homestay supplier. I found to my surprise that Janine had married and moved to the Cairns area. I quickly contacted her and was grateful to have her assistance again. My business has grown from 1 program in Cairns to 3 (average of 70 students per year) with another possible program beginning in November 2019. This is partly a testament to the wonderful homestay families Banora provides. I am always certain of the quality of the families and have never been concerned about getting a list of families in a timely manner. It is extremely difficult to find families that can accommodate student wishes and medical problems such as allergies to pets, however Banora always comes through (in particular, Junko Godwin). I would strongly recommend them to agents and to any overseas family looking to have a safe and enjoyable educational program in Australia.”
~ John Power | CEO | Power Japan Tours

“I have been in the position of Director of International Education at Trinity Anglican School for ten years.
During this time, I have worked closely with Janine Bowmaker, Director of Banora International Group. I recommend her services to provide educational experiences for international students from around the world as she has proven to be consistent and dependable over these past years.
Janine has always been professional and organised with the programs we have put together and supportive of the education process. She is both reliable and flexible and always has the customer at heart. Janine has always added a personal touch and genuinely cares for the students and experiences provided to all international visitors.
I have developed a trusting, positive and long-lasting relationship with Janine over the last ten years and I would be happy to recommend her or her business to any client.”
~ Joyce Lester |Director of International Education | Trinity Anglican College

“Thank you very much for arranging school visits today.

Our students really enjoy communicating with you and your students. They are really happy. The school was a fantastic school I have never seen like that school. Thank you for arranging lots of students to join today and chat with our students. They are a great time to spend your arrangement. I really appreciated you for lots of things. I can’t thank you enough. Also home visit host family is great too, they talked lots and students had good experiences”

~ Aki Watanabe | Manager Tokyo Office | JATS

“Thank you for planning this wonderful program! I really enjoy watching the video which is about rare animals in Australia and painting a picture. Also, I got an opportunity to learn the culture of Australia. To be honest, I want to visit Australia more than before but I can’t go there, so I will research the Australian culture and famous places to visit. If I have a chance to join another event, I definitely do. This time, I had a great time. Thank you so much!”

~ Japanese student (17) | Australian Wildlife and Indigenous Experience Program

“I have been in the position of Director of International Education at Trinity Anglican School for ten years.
During this time, I have worked closely with Janine Bowmaker, Director of Banora International Group. I recommend her services to provide educational experiences for international students from around the world as she has proven to be consistent and dependable over these past years.
Janine has always been professional and organised with the programs we have put together and supportive of the education process. She is both reliable and flexible and always has the customer at heart. Janine has always added a personal touch and genuinely cares for the students and experiences provided to all international visitors.
I have developed a trusting, positive and long-lasting relationship with Janine over the last ten years and I would be happy to recommend her or her business to any client.”
~ Joyce Lester |Director of International Education | Trinity Anglican College

“I learn a lot of new things that school don’t teach students a lot. I learn ” One person can make a difference. Be that person.” I agree this, but it’s not enough. To do small things myself, alone are so great activity. We must share it for strangers, parents, friends…It is necessary. To inherit, do together and change the way of thinking, consciousness and this world bit by bit. I want to join activity for this changing in the future. Thank so much for all. They tell us a lot of things kindly. I feel glad that our tutors were they are. In the future, I wanna see them in person and tell appreciate!”
~ Japanese student (16)| 5-Day SDG Virtual Study Tour

“Up until now I was studying only English words and grammar, but now I learned it isn’t enough to speak English with natives. I felt it is important to speak English and not be afraid to make mistakes.

Also, I’ve never been to a place where we can see crocodiles nearby, so it surprised me. The baby wallaby was much smaller than I thought it would be and it was very cute. I want to see them someday.

I have always hoped the coronavirus goes away, but now I feel even stronger about it. If it became, I would like to go to Australia, see wild animals and visit aboriginal art museum”

~ Japanese student (16) | Australian Wildlife and Indigenous Experience Program