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Australia Scuba Diving - Reef Locations |
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Not surprisingly, Australia's Great Barrier Reef provides
more than enough environments for scuba diving and snorkelling. Its 2000
kilometre length
and 72 kilometre width make it one of the largest ecosystems on the planet
and is the only indication of life in the ocean that can be seen from
space. Although the name suggests that the Great Barrier Reef is one
entity, it is actually a reef system that is made up of hundreds of
smaller coral reefs. These smaller reefs may be grouped into sections and
covered by a certain settlement on the East Australian Coast. The City of
Cairns covers what is called the Outer Great Barrier Reef and has a few
operators that visit the Northern Ribbon Reefs and the Coral Sea Reefs.
There are also a few continental or "high" islands and coral
cays the are frequented by trip operators in the Far North Queensland
area.
The Northern Reefs & Coral Sea
As you head past the continental shelf and into the Coral Sea, you will find excellent visibility where 20 metres is known as a "bad day." On Osprey Reef, divers can experience a shark "feeding-frenzy" where unbelievable amounts of sharks converge on bait provided by the trip operator. Other fish that seem to enjoy the attention (and food sources) at this site include trevally, barracuda, and mackerel. Trips operating to the Coral Sea normally last around 4 to 5 days and have you sailing out overnight to the Osprey Reef. The Northern Reefs are visited regularly by Taka Dive Adventures, Mike Ball Dive Expeditions, Tusa Dive's Spirit of Freedom, and Explorer Ventures' Nimrod Explorer.
These reefs are found near or on the edge of the continental shelf. Some vessels are fast enough to get here in a day, and travellers get the chance to take part in snorkelling the more shallow areas, and divers can get up to 3 dives in, engaging in spectacular wall and drift dives. The isolation of these locations from the coast results in more pristine environments and a wider array of marine life and coral formations. Swimmers can expect to see clownfish, sharks, triggerfish, rays, and sometimes even whales & dolphins in these areas.
The Inner Reef gardens are found relatively close to the mainland. Depths in these areas range from as deep as 15 metres, to as shallow as 2 metres, allowing safe and enjoyable environments for both scuba diving and snorkelling. These are normally visited by sailing vessels such as Ocean Spirit, Passions of Paradise, Falla, and Vagabond.
These "islands" are masses that were once part of the mainland and submerged by rising sea-levels. What is left is an island that has it's own rainforest and rocky coastline. Lizard and Fitzroy Island are examples of these.
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The sites contained in the Reefs toward the Northern
parts of Australia are commonly known as a "haven" for
experienced divers. Predominantly consisting of the Ribbon Reefs, the
Northern Reefs stretch up to to world-famous Cod Hole, where divers
interact with the schools of giant Potato Cod and Maori Wrasse that dwell
there. On the Ribbon Reefs, you will find a variety of walls, towering
coral heads (some hundreds of metres tall), huge schools of fish life, and colourful gardens teeming with
all kinds of marine life. If you're lucky you might even see the odd manta
ray or whale! 
Continental/"High"
Islands
Cays
are bodies made entirely of animal and coral products that are
swept together by the wind and currents. As they mature, birds may
start to nest on these "islands," and the seeds that
they carry through feeding mature into plant life. These result in
coral cays such as Green Island & Michaelmas Cay. Upolu Cay on the
other hand is young and therefore has no plant life. Cays are ideal for
those who prefer a beach-like environment and would like to see the Great
Barrier Reef as well. 