The Great Barrier Reef off the Queensland coast is home to a wealth of marine life

A UN team has arrived in Australia to investigate possible damage to the Great Barrier Reef by the mining industry.

Fears that coal exports and oil and gas exploration would jeopardise the reef prompted the Unesco delegation's visit.

Environmentalists have urged the government to suspend mining development until a government review is completed.

The reef is home to 400 types of coral and 1,500 species of fish.

The Great Barrier Reef, which holds Unesco World Heritage

status, lies off the coast of the state of Queensland, which is the

largest producer of coal in the country.

The Unesco team is scheduled to visit the reef for a week

before making recommendations to the World Heritage committee. They will

also meet members of the government.

Environmentalists are concerned that an increase in coal

production and the shipping traffic that would follow could affect the

Great Barrier Reef's World Heritage status.

They want the government to suspend all new developments

while a state and federal review of the health of the reef is carried

out.