...Highlights: great white sharks, shark action, turtles, seals/sea lions, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics, non diving activities...
...Diving environment: healthy reefs, walls, drift dives, cage diving, beginner and advanced divers...
Australia is known for many things: diverse landscapes, aboriginal culture, kangaroos, bad soap operas and various forms of 'footy'. But when it comes to visiting below the ocean's surface, one particular part of its marine heritage stands out above all others. Rated as both Australia's and one of the world's top scuba diving destinations, the Great Barrier Reef should be at the top of any true dive enthusiasts' must-do list of places to visit, particularly the main attractions such as the Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs and Osprey Reef. Some patches have suffered damage in recent years, but the reef covers an enormous area and it remains one of the truly extraordinary places on Earth.
Stretching over 2,000 km from Lizard Island in the north down to Great Palm Island in the south, the Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system and the only such structure, made up of living organisms, actually visible from space. The main attraction for divers of the Great Barrier Reef is the dizzying array of marine life it supports, much of which is believed to be endemic, showcasing the best of Australia scuba diving. A more specific attraction of the reef is that it's the breeding ground for 6 species of turtle, attracted by a varied menu of seagrass. The olive ridley, hawksbill, leather back, green, flatback and loggerhead turtle are all frequently spotted at various sites on the reef.
The Great Barrier Reef is also a veritable playground for dolphins, whales and porpoises, including humpback whales, minke whales and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins. Around 30 species have been recorded in the marine park. Dugongs are also commonly spotted by divers. Of sharks, Australia and the Great Barrier Reef has no shortage, with 125 recorded species of shark, stingray or chimera lurking about the reef or on the sandy bottoms, at home among the endless offerings of choice tidbits.
More than 400 species of soft and hard coral can be found on the Great Barrier Reef. An annual mass spawning takes place when the corals of the inner reefs spawn in the week after the October full moon and the outer reefs do the same in November and December. Molluscs, giant clams, nudibranchs, cone snails, pipefish and seahorses all have multiple species hidden among the coral's nooks and crannies, providing colour and life to a reef too expansive to ever explore in its entirety in a single lifetime.
The corals of the Great Barrier Reef also harbour over 1,500 species of fish, including clownfish, red-throat emperor, red bass, several species of snapper and coral trout, lionfish, stonefish and many more. In a demonstration of marine diversity, even saltwater crocodiles have a connection to the reef. Thankfully they are restricted to marshes and mangroves on the Australian coastline and pose no threat to scuba divers.
Australia has other great places to dive too, such as the Rowley Shoals in Western Australia, and in South Australia where you can enjoy incredible cage diving experiences with great white sharks. Here is the best place to find your widest choice of Australia liveaboards.
Detailed information on the dive sites of Australia:
Great Barrier Reef liveaboards are the most popular way to make the most of your diving holiday to Australia. For more information on all the cruise routes, duration options, and all the other travel information you might need to visit, see our Australia liveaboard section.
Due to the distance to the Ribbon Reefs and Osprey Reef, they are accessible through liveaboard cruises only and are your key to the splendour that can only be found on these distant parts of the Great Barrier Reef. This is where the world-class diving is. However, due to the low number and popularity of these trips, we recommend you booking well in advance: Coral Sea.
Dive The World also offers you access to the better Cairns barrier reefs with day-trips, or more often short liveaboard trips to maximise your number of dives: Cairns.
Rowley Shoals and South Australia shark cage diving trips are also very limited in number, so the same recommendation of booking well in advance applies there.
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Australia as a whole is a year round dive destination but, for most part, late August to early December yields the best Great Barrier Reef diving conditions. Other seasonal aspects to consider for the Great Barrier Reef are as follows:
October is the month for liveaboard trips to the Rowley Shoals in Western Australia.
In South Australia, the season for diving with great white sharks runs from May to February. Generally speaking May to October sees the most predator action since this is the time when young seals venture out in search of food. November until February is considered summer time and often sees plenty of action for great whites since thousands of seals gather at this time to give birth. This is also the best time for bronze whalers and mako sharks. May, June and July are the best months for seeing large female great white sharks. So no matter what time of year you visit, there is always something awesome going on (except for March and April). Giant cuttlefish mating season is May to June.
For more information on the climate and sea conditions of Australia, visit the Bureau of Meteorology website.
Review our maps below of Australia and its location in the world. Here, you will find information on how to get to Australia.
5 - >40m
10 - 40m
Gentle to moderate
Usually calm but can be choppy
24 - 29°C
Beginner - advanced
>300
1 - 2 weeks
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Australia liveaboards
