Shipping was not included, if u didn't spend over 150 it added the shipping cost at checkout. I would have liked it to be shipped in water as well. But you gotta figure how much more it would cost to ship in water because of the weight plus its pretty common practice to ship wrapped in paper towels so that shouldnt be a surprise. The companies that ship in water are pulling the rock from the ocean and keeping it wet the entire time all the way to your door, that's gonna be near impossible coming from Australia. As for macro.....idk why you guys are saying there's no macro. I have all kinds of encrusting coraline including some green kind and there's halimeda on it as well. It's loaded like the macro I've had out of the florida gulf sellers live rock. I didn't take the greatest pics bc I was holding the rock in one hand and my camera in the other all while rushing to unpack it and get it in water so I could make it to my son's bus in time. This rock is beautiful and the pictures don't do it justice.
