Cairns Dive Sites Map

Name: Cairns Dive Adventures
Price range: $$

In this hand-built Cairns Dive Sites Map, we have tried to detail every reef site open to recreational scuba diving and snorkeling from accredited authorized marine tourism operators departing from both Cairns & Port Douglas Australia.

To use this map click the title of each reef name to see finer details like dive site names and what you can expect to see diving and snorkeling at each site. Furthermore, you can then click the name of the dive company that visits that dive site.

This interactive map was designed to help you make an informed decision about which dive site you would like to visit, what marine life and landscapes you can expect to see, and which dive company has a reef permit to take you there.

Latitude and Longitude Coordinates

For detailed latitude and longitude coordinates of each dive site, we recommend you take a look at the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Map: Location of public moorings and reef protection areas.

Map Questions & Feedback:

We welcome your feedback and suggestions for our map. For tips and trip recommendations please call our dive crazy reservation team on:
PHONE: +61 7 4041 1638 or Email: reservations@cairnsdiveadventures.com

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Cairns Dive Sites Map - Site Briefings!

Flynn Reef

Flynn reef is located 56.7klm East of the city of Cairns. Generally, it takes 1 hour and 18 minutes to travel here. This reef site is known for its beautiful shallow coral gardens sitting at an average depth of 5 meters underwater. This makes it perfect for snorkeling the shallow waters. The reef also lends itself to scuba diving as the outer edges of the reef drop away to an average depth of 20 meters. Divers can enter the water from the back of the boat and gently drift down to the deeper walls of the reefs. This allows a nice deep dive at the start of the dive before heading up into the shallow coral gardens to finish the dive. This is also where you will complete your 5 meters 3-minute safety stop.

There are 9 dives sites:

Dive Boats that visit Flynn Reef

Technical Aspects of Flynn Reef

Dive Skill Rating: Novice - Intermediate
General Conditions: Mild Currents
Underwater Visibility: 15 to 20 meters
Average Depth: 5 meters to 25 meters

Locations: 16°44.012S 146°16.187E

Please see the map of Flynn reef Cairns below:

Milln Reef

Milln reef is located 54.96klm East of the city of Cairns. Generally, it takes 1 hour and 16 minutes to travel here. This reef site is known by local Cairns divers as a beautiful diving reef. Why? Milln Reef is home to some very famous dives sites particularly the Whale Bommie and Petaj Bommie. It is here you can often find large schools of bright colorful fish called sweetlips hanging around on top of the bommies. Dive sites round the bend and wild side are also a crowd favorite due to their untouched nature. Not many boats dive these sites due to consistent South Easterly weather conditions. But when the weather is fine Milln reef offers beautiful diving with both soft and hard corals.

There are 11 dives sites:

Dive Boats that visit this Reef

Technical Aspects of Milln Reef

Dive Skill Rating: Novice - Intermediate
General Conditions: Medium to Mild Currents
Underwater Visibility: 15 to 21 meters
Average Depth: 5 meters to 26 meters

Locations: 16°47.361S 146°16.362E

Please see the map of Milln reef below:

Pellowe Reef

Pellowe Reef is located 61.49klm East/South East of the city of Cairns. Generally, it takes 1 hour and 22 minutes to travel here. This reef site is a bit smaller than Milln reef and Flynn reef, it is located a little further south and is located a little closer to the continental shelf of Australia.

One of the dive sites has been named Cucumber Alley due to the vast amount of sea cucumbers that can be found here. Sea cucumbers belong in the Echinoderm family, which includes starfish and sea urchins.

The other dive site Darth Vader is named due to long deep valleys and caverns that cover up the light creating a dark gloomy atmosphere! Don't worry beautiful diving is waiting for you at Pellowe Reef.

Due to the size of Pellowe reef, it can only be accessed in extremely good weather conditions. Being a smaller reef the dive sites are a lot more exposed to windy weather conditions compared to Flynn and Milln reefs, this makes it a lot more difficult to Moore safely. But if conditions become favorable diving at Pellowe reef offers scenic underwater landscapes.

There are 2 dives sites:

Cucumber Alley
Darth Vader

Dive Boats that visit this Reef

Technical Aspects of Pellowe Reef

Dive Skill Rating: Novice - Intermediate
General Conditions: Moderate Currents
Underwater Visibility: 15 to 28 meters
Average Depth: 5 meters to 30 meters

Locations: 16°52.160S 146°12.353E

Please see the map of Pellowe reef below:

Moore Reef

Moore Reef is located 46.78klm East of the city of Cairns. Generally, it takes 1 hour and 14 minutes to travel here. This reef site is massive, it is in the shape of a giant horseshoe. It is so large that 3 outer reef pontoon companies are parked on this reef. Don't worry the reef is so big you cannot see the pontoons. A large deep wall can be found on the Eastern side of this reef making it perfect for Semi-submarines to explore. The Western side of the reef is also well protected this is why the pontoons are located at this reef. Divers, snorkelers, and families with small children will love Moore Reef. The pontoons offer an easy way to explore the reef in the protected waters close to the pontoon.

There are 16 moorings, two pontoons, and two helicopter pontoons permitted on Moore Reef:

Dive Boats that visit this Reef

Technical Aspects of Moore Reef:

Dive Skill Rating: Novice - Intermediate
General Conditions: Mild to Moderate Currents
Underwater Visibility: 12 to 18 meters
Average Depth: 5 meters to 28 meters

Locations: 16°52.160S 146°12.353E

Please see the map of Moore reef below:

Thetford Reef

Thetford Reef is located 45.36klm East/South East of the city of Cairns. Generally, it takes 1 hour and 22 minutes to travel here. This reef site has 11 x dives sites with both Cathedral and TUSA Canyons being some of the most famous. Rosco's is also famous for its large array of staghorn corals that extend from about 12 meters thru to 5 meters under the surface. Many different species of marine fish live here like glassfish, fusiliers, tusk fish, moon wrasse, giant mauri wrasse, harlequin tusk fish, seahorses, cuttle fish, nudibranchs, and moray eels. Often moray eels can be seen hunting for prey on night dives. Whalesharks and dwarf Minke whales have been seen passing near to this reef although not common divers have seen large grey reef sharks hunting on the outer edge walls.

There are 11 dives sites:

Dive Boats that visit this Reef

Technical Aspects of Thetford Reef

Dive Skill Rating: Novice - Intermediate
General Conditions: Moderate Currents
Underwater Visibility: 15 to 28 meters
Average Depth: 5 meters to 30 meters

Locations: 16°48.472S 146°11.757E

Please see the map of Thetford reef below:

Upolu Reef

Upolu Reef is located 31.46klm East of the city of Cairns. Generally, it takes 1 hour and 14 minutes to travel here. This reef is a small protected lagoon-shaped reef with shallow coral gardens. Upolu Reef is classed as an inshore reef making for a quick travel crossing from Cairns. Divers and snorkelers will find scattered bommies extending from around 12 meters thru to the surface and with shallow sloping walls, this is a great place for first-time introductory diving (No experience necessary). Calm clear shallow water makes visiting Upolu reef a relaxing day for passengers. A wide variety of marine animals will be found here such as giant clams, sea cucumbers, nudibranchs, cleaner wrasse, yellowtails, giant trevally, and large green mauri wrasse. Often hawksbill turtles can be found chewing on the red seagrass found growing between the hard and soft corals of the reef.

There are 6 x dives sites:

Dive Boats that visit this Reef

Technical Aspects of Upolu Reef:

Dive Skill Rating: Novice / Fist time divers
General Conditions: Mild Currents
Underwater Visibility: 12 to 18 meters
Average Depth: 5 meters to 16 meters

Locations: 16°40.768S 145°56.274E

Please see the map of Upolu reef below:

Norman Reef

Norman Reef is located 57.92klm East/North East of the city of Cairns. Generally, it takes 1 hour and 22 minutes to travel here. This reef site has 15 x dives sites with most located on the Western side of the reef.

Norman reef is a reasonably large reef, it offers shallow water snorkeling on top at a depth of 5 meters. Scuba divers will also enjoy Norman reef due to the gently sloping walls running North to South on the Eastern side of the reef.

Drifting along the deeper walls you can find giant clams, seagrass, anemonefish, coral trout, trumpet fish, humphead wrasse, cuttlefish, moray eels, glass shrimp, and sea turtles. On extremely low tides the top of the reef comes out of the water for the chance to spot epaulette reef sharks.

There are 16 dives sites:

Dive Boats that visit this Reef

Technical Aspects of Norman Reef:

Dive Skill Rating: Novice - Intermediate
General Conditions: Moderate Currents
Underwater Visibility: 15 to 28 meters
Average Depth: 5 meters to 30 meters

Locations: 16°25.749S 145°59.893E

Please see the map of Norman reef below:

Saxon Reef

Saxon Reef is located 54.41klm East of the city of Cairns. Generally, it takes 1 hour and 14 minutes to travel here. This reef is large enough to allow up to three boats at a time to Moore.

Saxon Reef is a popular transit reef between Norman and Saxon reef. Liveaboard dive boats will stop here allowing scuba divers to try night diving. A large array of reef sharks can be seen night diving at Saxon reef, you can expect to see whitetip, blacktip, and grey whaler reef sharks. Also, a common sight is Moray Eels free swimming in search of food.

Red bass and Giant Trevally will also follow divers very closely on the night dives trying to snatch quick meals from unsuspecting reef fish that show up in the diver's flashlights.

During the day large shallow coral gardens are exposed with shallow bath tub-type corridors on top of the reef. With bright sunlight, many soft and hard corals thrive here and can be viewed as both snorkeling and diving.

There are 6 x dives sites:

Dive Boats that visit this Reef

Technical Aspects of Saxon Reef:

Dive Skill Rating: Novice to Advanced
General Conditions: Mild Currents
Underwater Visibility: 12 to 18 meters
Average Depth: 5 meters to 22 meters

Locations: 16°27'54.0"S 145°46'47.9"E

Please see the map of Saxon reef below:

Hastings Reef

Hastings Reef is located 50.20klm East/North East of the city of Cairns. Generally, it takes 1 hour and 15 minutes to travel here. This reef site has 9 x dives sites with most located on the Western side of the reef.

One of the main highlights of Hastings reef is a dive site named Fish Bowl. Sitting around 5 meters under the surface of the water Fish Bowl is home to a large array of healthy strong coral growth. Soft and hard corals are found tightly packed together creating a safe haven fother hundreds of smaller reef fish that live there.

Turtles are often sighted at Hastings reef along with a large school of humphead parrotfish usually only found schooling together at the early hours of the morning before the sun comes up.

There are 9 dives sites:

Dive Boats that visit this Reef

Technical Aspects of Hastings Reef:

Dive Skill Rating: Novice - Intermediate
General Conditions: Moderate Currents
Underwater Visibility: 15 to 28 meters
Average Depth: 5 meters to 30 meters

Locations: 16°31'07.0"S 146°00'56.0"E

Please see the map of Hastings reef below:

Opal Reef

Opal Reef is located 50.01klm East of the city of Port Douglas. Generally, it takes 1 hour and 14 minutes to travel here. Opal Reef is roughly 9 square km in size and is located very close to the continental shelf of Australia. Consider that the Great Barrier Reef has over 3000 reefs and the entire marine park covers 344,400 square km. Opal Reef could be classed as a stunning gem! It is home to large plate corals, clear blue waters with wonderful soft & hard coral coverage. A large array of marine animals live here like giant clams, octopuses, sea turtles, moray eels, anemonefish, many species of wrasse and sometimes manta rays visit the area.

There are 15 x dives sites:

Technical Aspects of Opal Reef:

Dive Skill Rating: Novice to Advanced
General Conditions: Mild Currents
Underwater Visibility: 12 to 18 meters
Average Depth: 5 meters to 22 meters

Locations: 16°13'30.8"S 145°53'40.8"E

Please see the map of Opal reef below:

Agincourt Reef

Agincourt Reef is located 62.26 klm East/North East of the city of Port Douglas. Generally, it takes 1 hour and 15 minutes to travel here. These reef sites have over 30 x dives sites with most located on the Western sides of the reef.

One of the main highlights of diving on the Agincourt Ribbon Reefs is the water clarity. As the reefs are located on the edge of the continental shelf of Australia, water quality is spectacular. This creates and pristine environment for marine life, soft and hard corals colonies. Some of the highlights of diving here are deep 26-meter bommies and coral walls which are home to hundreds of species of fish, turtles, corals, pelagic species nudibranchs, sharks, and much more.

There are 30 dives sites:

Dive Boats that visit this Reef

Technical Aspects of Agincourt Reef:

Dive Skill Rating: Novice - Intermediate
General Conditions: Moderate Currents
Underwater Visibility: 15 to 28 meters
Average Depth: 5 meters to 30 meters

Locations: 16°02'31.5"S 145°50'00.1"E

Please see the map of Agincourt reef below:

Mackay Reef

Mackay Reef is located 18.94 klm East of Cape Tribulation Beach. Generally, it takes 35 minutes to travel here.

Mackay Reef is a bright healthy coral covered reef system, home to many species of giant clams, sea cucumbers, spaghetti coral, brain corals, wrasse, cleaner fish, turtles, octopus and epaulette sharks.

The reef can only be accessed by fast rubber ribbed boat that departs from Cape Tribulation. Tours run here as a half-day service and only offer snorkeling.

There are 5 x dives sites:

Angels
Turtles
The Wall
Angles North
Mackay Reef

Technical Aspects of Mackay Reef:

Dive Skill Rating: Novice to Advanced
General Conditions: Mild Currents
Underwater Visibility: 12 to 18 meters
Average Depth: 5 meters to 22 meters

Locations: 16°03'00.5"S 145°38'42.8"E

Please see the map of Mackay reef below:

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