Being just a short flight from New Zealand, Queensland has long been a mecca for New Zealanders looking for sun, sea and fun. In fact more Kiwis holiday each year in Queensland that in any other part of the world!

The Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Whitsundays and Tropical North Queensland all have their own special attractions and reasons for travel, be it theme parks, shopping and cultural experiences, food and wine and of course the endless kilometers of beautiful beaches.

It is the same for those wanting to experience diving in Queensland.

For some of the most spectacular coral diving in the world, you can’t beat the outer reefs, islands and surrounding waters of Tropical North Queensland, the Whitsundays and Bundaberg and Southern Great Barrier Reef. These waters are a riot of extravagantly coloured reef fish and coral gardens.

Shipwrecks off the coast of Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and Townsville offer a real treat for more experienced divers looking for adventure!

As you dive beneath the calm, clear waters of the Great Barrier Reef you instantly feel your worldly worries melt away. Whatever your pace or experience, Queensland has the right underwater adventure for you!

Liveaboard Diving
Liveaboard diving is like a floating hotel!

There are over 40 dive companies operating on the Great Barrier Reef. There are boats to cater for everyone, from budget to deluxe, from day trips or overnight trips to 7 day expeditions.

Dive Fish Snow Travel staff have dived with most of the operations, and from our 20 years of experience and knowledge, we recommend the following boats. They all go that extra mile to ensure you get to the best locations and dive sites

• Spirit of Freedom
  Spirit of Freedom is one of Australia's most comfortably appointed live-aboard dive vessels.  More..
  
  
• Mike Ball Expeditions
  Goes to the best dive sites over the shortest possible time. They have Cod Hole and Osprey Reef 3-4 night trips and 7 night trips. The best in comfort, food and service More..
  
  
• Deep Sea Divers Den
  They run budget boats with 2 or 3 night trips plus have dive courses. More..
  
  
  

The diving

Experience exciting drift and wall dives, superb fish life with BIG schools of pelagic fish, night dives, soft corals, a shark feeding station and the incredible “SS Yongala” wreck.

At  the world-famous Cod Hole you will see more  spectacular marine life in the course of one day than you would see on a whole trip elsewhere.  You may even dive with Manta Rays and giant turtles.  Combine this with the 45-60 metres visibility only found on the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea and you have the right combination for a fantastic diving holiday.

Dive sites

Dive the remote wilderness of the Coral Sea where great diving is easy and exciting, adventurous yet safe. This is one of the last opportunities to see coral reefs unchanged by man’s interference.

Cod Hole: Swim with and hand-feed giant Potato cod, Maori Wrasse and Moray Eels at famous Cod Hole. Visibility is guaranteed to be at least 30 metres.

Wheelers Reef : A white sand cay in the Coral Sea is set in a lagoon which has become a haven for seabirds and turtles. Coral pinnacles rise from the depths, festooned with golden Gorgonia fans, a mere backdrop to a multitude of other marine life.

Osprey Reef : In the Coral Sea is one of the most spectacular dive sites in the world. At "North Horn" you will see Trevally, Tuna, schools of Barracuda and are most likely meet the resident White Tip Reef Sharks. During the exciting shark feed it is most possible to see Grey reef, Silvertip and Hammerhead sharks as well as Manta Rays.

Holmes Reef and Bougainville Reef lie 240 kms from mainland Australia; one due east, the other north east from Cairns. Holmes Reef has three distinct reefs covering an area of 450 square kms. Diving this area is good all year round. Visibility reaches 100 metres plus and is rarely less than 50 metres. Very few of these reefs have ever been dived, being surrounded by depths of 1000 metres, rising vertically to the surface, offering magnificent wall and drift diving opportunities. Large pelagics, Gorgonia fans, sharks and several species of tropical fish common only to the Coral Sea make these reefs a truly unique dive location.

Ribbon Reefs dive sites include:

• "Temple of Doom" which is a large pinnacle covered in beautiful coral growth and pulsates with reef and pelagic fish.

• "Challenger Bay" has hard and soft corals and a stunning variety of nudibranchs, cuttlefish, flatworms, clams, angelfish, pipefish wrasses and it is not uncommon to spot a Manta Ray.

• "Pixie Pinnacle" is a spectacular coral head that rises from 30m of water to almost break the surface. Experience spectacular fish life, including multitudes of Lionfish & Schooling Anthias.

• "Steve’s Bommie" is a beautiful dive site, with a surprise waiting around every corner, another pinnacle reef that is absolutely teeming with fish life. There are so many schooling fish, of many varieties, that you can literally part them like curtains as you swim through.

Snorkel with Dwarf Minke Whales.
During the months of June - August, dwarf minke whales migrate through the Barrier Reef. They are friendly and not afraid of human contact, and will often approach the vessel and interact with guests by jumping, broaching or presenting their belly. Diving with whales is prohibited, but snorkelling from a Mermaid line will give you a unique opportunity to interact with these magnificent mammals.