Image Source: Sports Illustrated

The Great Barrier Reef and far north Queensland will be featured throughout this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition.

2011 Swimsuit issue ‘Rookie of the year’, Kate Upton and three other models spent a week shooting at the tropical far north location for the popular international publication.

Ms Upton was photographed at Vlasoff Cay, a sand island off the coast of Cairns on the Great Barrier Reef.

Queensland’s top-end destinations have suffered in recent times and this bout of free publicity is sure to provide some much-needed interest and tourism revitalisation.

Other photographical locations included the Skyrail Cableway, Cairns Tropical Zoo and the beach at Palm Cove.

The magazine hit shelves Tuesday and received further promotion on a special edition of The Late Show with David Letterman in the United States this week.

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue is the largest selling magazine issue with a print run of 1.5 million copies distributed.

Advertising slots in the magazine start at US $400,000 per page.