Tourism Australia has launched a bid to rally support for the country’s two finalists in the remaining five months of the global 'New7Wonders of Nature' campaign.

The newly launched application invites fans of Tourism Australia’s SeeAustralia Facebook page to upload images and stories about Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef and share these with friends and fellow Facebook fans, encouraging them to cast their votes too.

Tourism Australia Managing Director Andrew McEvoy believes that the international exposure gained by making the new application available to its 1.6 million-plus Facebook fans will help generate votes for Australia’s two New7Wonders of Nature finalists.

“We are asking our Facebook fans to share their stories and images about Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef with their friends to encourage them to cast their vote for our finalists in the New7Wonders of Nature campaign,” Mr McEvoy said.

“Tourism Australia has already witnessed the value of social media, advocacy and word of mouth endorsement in turning people on to Australia, through the launch and roll out of our successful There’s Nothing Like Australia global campaign.

“With the support of our huge Facebook following and their friends I’m sure we can get both Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef over the line as two of the final New7Wonders of Nature.”

The Great Barrier Reef and Uluru are part of a shortlist of 28 natural wonders from around the globe all vying to be named a New7Wonder of Nature. Others include:

• The Amazon - South America
• Dead Sea - Israel, Jordan, Palestine
• Galapagos Islands - Ecuador
• Kilimanjaro - Tanzania
• Komodo National Park - Indonesia
• Milford Sound - New Zealand

Supporters can also text their vote for the Great Barrier Reef and Uluru by sending an SMS “GBR” or “Reef”, and “Uluru” or “Ayers Rock” to 197 88 555*.

Public voting will continue until midnight, 10 November 2011 and the final seven New7Wonders of Nature will be announced on 11 November 2011.