By Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent
Rainbow Warrior, the flagship of the environmental campaign group Greenpeace, is heading up the east coast of Australia targeting coal mining companies.
Activists on board the ship say mining in the state of Queensland is helping destroy the Great Barrier Reef.
Coal exportation in Queensland is forecast to double in size in the next 10 years thanks to huge demand from countries such as China and India.
Environmentalists are worried that expanding mines and ports are damaging the delicate reef through increased shipping traffic, dredging to build new terminals, and the wider issue of carbon emissions from coal-fired power stations.
It is the first visit to Australia by the third vessel to bear the Rainbow Warrior name.
The first Rainbow Warrior was famously blown up by French secret service agents in New Zealand in 1985.
Mining around Australia's coastline Chief executive of Greenpeace Australia Pacific, David Ritter, said: "Wherever the Rainbow Warrior travels all over the world it is a symbol of hope and determination and having the Rainbow Warrior here in Australia to confront the out-of-control coal industry undoubtedly brings a lift to a campaign that tens of thousands of Australians are already part of, tens of thousands of Australians who say it is not OK to industrialise our Great Barrier Reef.
"It is not OK to tip our climate over the edge."
A delegation from UNESCO last year visited the reef and said it could be listed as a World Heritage site in danger due to the rapid increase in coastal developments.
The Australian government must now report back to UNESCO outlining how the reef will be preserved.
Other factors are also seen as contributing heavily to the reef's decline including rising sea temperatures and the Crown of Thorns starfish which feeds on living coral tissue.
The Great Barrier Reef is under threat Australia is the world's leading coal exporter and according to the Australian Coal Association in 2009-2010 the country exported almost 300 million tonnes of 'black' coal to 33 destinations.
The industry says it is doing all it can to limit damage to the environment with sophisticated real time tracking of ships to make sure they are not in danger of hitting the reef as well as investing in research for carbon capture systems to limit emissions from the use of fossil fuels.
Michael Roche, from the Queensland Resources Council, told Sky News the industry has also brought huge financial benefits to Australia: "The mining resources industry got Australia through the global financial crisis.
"We are still at record levels of investment, bringing hundreds of thousands of jobs to Australia, directly and indirectly. So the Australian people understand how important the resources sector is, but we are with the rest of the world in wanting to protect the Great Barrier Reef, it is a truly global icon.
"The mining industry will no longer hold a social licence to operate if the Australian people and global community felt we were damaging the future of the reef. We take that very seriously."
The Rainbow Warrior will be in Australia for a number of weeks and it is believed activists are planning some direct action to publicise their concerns.
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