Explore the best places to dive in Australia. 89 dive sites with real reviews and ratings from divers.
Top-30 hard coral site near Lizard Island with staghorn hills, giant clams and reef sharks at 10-20 m, premium northern Ribbon Reefs liveaboard stop.
Advanced wall dive at Agincourt Reef 1 with gorgonians, silvertips and barracudas, drift diving in moderate to strong current from Port Douglas.
Shaded Agincourt Reef site with black coral passages, morays and scorpionfish at 10-20 m, ideal for intermediate divers from Port Douglas.
Agincourt Reefs bommie with swirling barracuda spirals, reef sharks and snapper schools at 10-20 m, accessible from Port Douglas.
Central Ribbon Reefs mooring with bommies and walls to 25 m, snapper schools and whitetip sharks, popular with mid-route liveaboards.
Granite boulder fringing reef at Fitzroy Island with epaulette sharks, lobsters and morays in coral-covered caves at 5-15 m.
Outer Cairns patch reef with coral micro-habitats at 10-18 m, parrotfish and small reef sharks, ideal for beginners and certification courses.
Agincourt Reefs coral pinnacle from 24 m to near the surface with friendly groupers, snappers and trevally, accessible from Port Douglas.
Southern Agincourt Reef 1 coral pinnacle from 24 m to 5 m below surface, with trevally, sweetlips and a resident Malabar grouper, day-trip from Port Douglas.
Cathedral-shaped Flynn Reef formation with arches, swim-throughs and dramatic light, hosting morays, nudibranchs and trumpetfish.
Norman Reef cave network and swim-throughs to 20 m with giant morays, lobsters and 25 m visibility, favorite of underwater photographers.
Amphitheater bay between Ribbon Reefs 9 and 10 with walls to 20 m, garden eels, day-time trevally schools and rich night diving.
Sheltered Ribbon Reefs 9-10 bay with hard coral plains, garden eels and giant trevally schools at 20 m, with strong night-dive potential.
Ribbon Reefs pinnacle covered in red, blue and orange Christmas tree worms, with clownfish and pipefish, rising from 20 m to the surface.
Cylindrical Milln Reef bommie from 5 to 20 m on white sand with giant morays and nudibranchs, regular Pro Dive Cairns liveaboard stop.
Beginner-friendly Flynn Reef bommie from 5 to 18 m with abundant clownfish, nudibranchs and macro photo subjects in mild currents.
Liveaboard-only Ribbon Reefs 9-10 mooring with resident potato cod at 10-25 m, sharks, turtles and exceptional visibility.
Central Ribbon Reefs mooring akin to Cod Hole with potato cod and Maori wrasse at 10-25 m, 20-25 m visibility, liveaboard-accessed.
Saxon Reef patch coral garden with staghorn, brain and plate corals at 5-18 m, turtles and parrotfish, suitable for all levels.
Vibrant Saxon Reef coral garden 55 km NE of Cairns with staghorn bommies, plate coral, whitetips and lagoon rays at 5-20 m.
Northern outer Cairns reef coral gardens at 10-20 m with rich hard/soft coral diversity, turtles and whitetips in mild currents.
Lizard Island sand-cay reef (Banks Bank) at 7-25 m with anemonefish, morays, reef sharks and blue-spotted rays, calm-water day trips.
Second Lizard Island corner beach with fringing reef at 7-20 m, anemonefish, reef-fish schools and morays — calm guided day trip.
Tall pinnacle between Ribbon Reefs 4-5 to 30 m with gorgonians, red whips, fusiliers, jacks and barracuda — advanced liveaboard site.
Remote Bougainville Reef tunnel maze with mantas, whitetips, 1,000 m wall and pelagic sharks in strong currents — liveaboard exclusive.
Aquarium-like Hastings Reef natural pool at 5 m with giant clams, anemonefish and parrotfish, ideal for snorkelers and beginners.
Fitzroy Island fringing reef under 30 km SE of Cairns, beach-access to 15 m, with epaulette sharks, turtles and rays for beginners.
Flynn Reef boulder field at 10-20 m with morays, lobsters and groupers, 18-22 m visibility, popular Cairns liveaboard night-dive spot.
Flynn Reef "tennis court" hard-coral plateau at 10-18 m with surgeonfish, parrotfish, turtles and an edge drop-off with morays and whitetips.
Central Ribbon Reefs sheltered bay at 15-20 m with garden eels, soft-coral bommies and rich night diving, regular liveaboard stop.
Popular Flynn Reef mooring with swim-throughs and overhangs to 25 m, green turtles and nudibranchs, 56 km from Cairns.
Second Gordon's Flynn Reef mooring at 22 m with sandy-bottom bommies, shaded swim-throughs, blue-spotted rays — strong night dive.
Northern Ribbon Reefs vertical wall at 15-35 m with giant gorgonians, red whips and fusiliers — top wide-angle liveaboard site.
Northern Ribbon Reefs night-dive Gotham City at 10-25 m with giant morays, trevally and grey/whitetip reef sharks emerging at night.
Green Island fringing reef 27 km NE of Cairns with bommies at 10-15 m, blacktips, turtles and octopus — ideal for beginners and snorkelers.
Remote Osprey Reef Coral Sea wall from 5 m to hundreds, gorgonians, jacks, barracuda and grey/silvertip sharks in 30-50 m visibility.
Northern Cairns outer-reef isolated bommie from 22 m to 5 m with turtles, nudibranchs and morays, on Agincourt-Ribbon liveaboard routes.
Horseshoe Outer-Reef patch 50 km from Cairns at avg 13 m with swim-throughs, caves, bumphead parrotfish and turtles — all levels.
Green Island current crossing at 10-18 m with converging pelagic schools, trevally and occasional sharks — intermediate-level dive.
Ribbon Reef 10 coral tower from 25 m to surface, turtle cleaning station with snapper, trevally and dwarf minke whales in austral winter.
Smaller Flynn Reef Tracy's Bommie sister site at 5-18 m with clownfish, nudibranchs and small reef sharks — great beginner second dive.
Mushroom-shaped Flynn Reef bommie at 15 m with sea fans, blue sponges, parrotfish and small reef sharks — 3-day liveaboard photo highlight.
Sand-cay seabird sanctuary 45 km NE of Cairns with coral gardens to 15 m, blue-spotted rays, batfish and turtles for beginners and snorkelers.
Flynn Reef 3D coral labyrinth at 10-20 m with arches, morays, nudibranchs and scorpionfish — intermediate macro-photography favorite.
Milln Reef whale-shaped Bommie from 5 to 20+ m with whitetips under ledges and grazing green turtles — Pro Dive Cairns 3-day favorite.
Horseshoe Outer-Reef 47 km E of Cairns with 30+ m walls, hard/soft coral, jack schools, Maori wrasse and blue-spotted rays, all levels.
1961 Italian cargo wreck MV Antonio Tarabocchia on Bougainville Reef at 6-18 m with engine block, giant prop and coral boiler — liveaboard only.
Stonehenge-like upright coral columns at Agincourt Reef, 10-18 m, with sponges, sea fans, morays and groupers, from Port Douglas.
Cairns day-trip Outer Reef 80 km NE with coral gardens, caves, swim-throughs, mantas, turtles and austral-winter dwarf minkes, up to 30 m vis.
Sheltered Agincourt Reefs juvenile-fish nursery at 8-15 m with giant clams, anemonefish and nudibranchs — popular Port Douglas day-trip.
Nursery bommie at Agincourt Reef 2 (8-18 m) with dense coral sheltering juvenile parrotfish, groupers and wrasse; moderate currents, 20-25 m visibility.
Fringing-reef islet near Lizard Island (5-20 m) with turtles, morays and small reef sharks; calm snorkel and dive site for Lizard Island Resort guests.
Milln Reef mooring with coral bommies on sand at 20 m; green turtles and whitetip reef sharks. Visited by 3-day Cairns liveaboards, suitable for beginners.
Milln Reef mooring near Whale Bommie with soft-coral passages to 20 m; whitetip sharks, turtles and parrotfish; regular on 3-day Cairns liveaboards.
Outer Agincourt reef NE of Port Douglas (10-20 m) with lush coral gardens, whitetip sharks, parrotfish and giant clams; suits beginners to certified divers.
Pinnacle north of Green Island rising from 20 m to near the surface; gorgonians, blacktip sharks, blue-spotted rays and lionfish; intermediate day-trip from Cairns.
Shallow bommies at SW Ribbon Reef 10 (15 m) covered with fan corals, sponges and feather stars; macro paradise with shrimp, pipefish, nudibranchs and turtles.
30 m pinnacle between Ribbon Reefs 9-10, top at 2 m, covered in soft corals and gorgonians; whitetips, rays, nudibranchs and pelagics in strong currents — advanced.
Vertical wall at Ribbon Reef 10 next to Pixie Pinnacle, dropping 2-5 m to 25-30 m; fan corals, sponges and gorgonians; great for wide-angle photography.
Flat-topped Norman Reef plateau (10-18 m) with large plate corals; morays, octopuses and scorpionfish under plates, fusiliers and wrasse above.
Norman Reef bommies on white sand at 18 m; staghorn corals, turtles, parrotfish and giant Maori wrasse; suits both certified divers and beginners.
Tip of Agincourt Reef 4 (10-25 m) where currents draw barracudas, snappers and trevally; 25-30 m visibility; intermediate to advanced from Port Douglas.
Central Ribbon Reefs pinnacle covered in pink and purple soft corals, rising from 22 m to near the surface; nudibranchs, pipefish and gorgonian walls.
Mooring in the northern Ribbon Reefs with 1,000 m walls, monolithic corals and exceptional visibility; base for liveaboards between Lizard Island and Cod Hole.
Central Ribbon Reefs wall (12-25 m) with vibrant red and orange soft corals, gorgonians and barrel sponges; reef sharks and fusiliers in moderate currents.
Dramatic canyon in northern Ribbon Reefs near Lizard Island; strong currents bring pelagics, reef sharks and the docile olive sea snake — advanced, liveaboard-only.
Outer reef east of Undine and south of Agincourt, the "flower garden" with soft corals at 9 m; sergeant majors, sweetlips, reef sharks and bumphead parrotfish.
Iconic Ribbon Reef 3 pinnacle (5-30 m) with gorgonians, soft corals and elephant-ear sponges; batfish, reef sharks and turtles; one of the most photogenic spots.
Sheltered Milln Reef lagoon (8-15 m) with calm water, giant clams, anemonefish and colorful corals; ideal for beginners and snorkelers on Pro Dive Cairns.
Flat coral area at Flynn Reef (~20 m) with hard-coral gardens, low gorgonians, surgeonfish, large Maori wrasse and whitetip reef sharks; beginner to intermediate.
Variant of Tennis Court mooring at Flynn Reef with shallow hard-coral platforms; turtles, butterflyfish and small reef sharks; suits beginners from Cairns.
Site near Cod Hole at Ribbon Reef 10 (10-25 m); dense schools of sweetlips, snappers and trevally with crystal-clear visibility typical of the northern Ribbons.
Sheltered Hastings Reef coral lagoons (5-15 m) packed with parrotfish, giant clams and butterflyfish; minimal currents, suits divers of all levels.
Turbulent drift near Lizard Island (15-25 m) with eddies and pelagics along gorgonian walls; advanced liveaboard destination for experienced divers.
Whale-shaped Milln Reef bommie (>20 m); whitetip sharks sleep at the base, green turtles use the top as a cleaning station; classic Pro Dive Cairns site.
Three connected bommies rising from 20 m on outer reef north of Cairns; morays, groupers, butterflyfish; popular second dive on liveaboards and day-trips.
Northern Ribbon Reefs site with strong currents and massive schools of jacks, barracudas and sharks along walls to 30 m; advanced liveaboard only.
Norman Reef plateau (10-18 m) with 1-2 m plate corals sheltering morays, scorpionfish and octopuses; surgeonfish, butterflyfish and wrasse above; popular day-trip.
Totem-shaped Agincourt bommie (5-18 m) with sponges and soft corals; wrasse, morays and nudibranchs in niches, cleaning station for turtles and fish.
Iconic Flynn Reef bommie rising from 20 m to 5 m of surface, with fan corals and tube sponges; whitetips at base, lionfish and barracuda — favorite of 3-day liveaboards.
Main Flynn Reef bommie (5-22 m) with gorgonians and tube sponges; whitetip sharks at base, turtles, trevally schools and large Maori wrasse; top day-trip site.
Informal mooring near Norman Reef (10-20 m) with diversified coral gardens, moderate currents and good reef-fish concentration; day-trip backup.
Outer-reef site near Norman Reef (10-20 m) with bommies, turtles, butterflyfish and whitetip reef sharks; light to moderate currents; popular day-trip choice.
Sheltered Cairns outer-reef bay (10-18 m) with concentrated green and hawksbill turtles grazing and resting on bommies; ideal for guaranteed turtle encounters.
Twin Saxon Reef peaks rising from 20 m to near surface; gorgonians, soft corals, fusilier schools, whitetips and trevally; popular liveaboard and day-trip site.
Outer reef accessible by yacht from Port Douglas (8-18 m); diversified soft-coral gardens, turtles, morays and parrotfish with exceptional visibility.
Whale-shaped Milln Reef bommie to 22 m; whitetip sharks at base, green turtles using top as cleaning station; one of the most photographed Pro Dive sites.
Milln Reef's wild side exposed to Coral Sea currents; 20-25 m walls with soft corals, gorgonians, blacktip sharks and pelagics; advanced divers only.
Coral reef 55 min from Lizard Island; drift and snorkel over nudibranchs, morays, whitetips, rays and garden eels on sand at 15-20 m; vibrant soft and hard corals.