Where to find Queensland marine life: the Great Eight

Few species of Queensland’s marine life can claim movie star status. Thanks to the 2003 animated film Finding Nemo, the clownfish is one of the most popular of the Great Eight, with many visitors keen to spot one. While Clownfish are just one of the 1,625 fish species that call the Great Barrier Reef home, happily, spotting a clownfish isn’t difficult. Because these adorable, small, orange, white and black fish have a symbiotic relationship with widespread sea anemones, they can be found along the length of the reef.

Where to see them: Clownfish are easy to spot while snorkelling or scuba diving. Because sea anemones require sunlight for photosynthesis they are generally found in clear, shallow waters, and wherever sea anemones are in abundance, you will see clownfish. Head to Green Island, a 45-minute catamaran ride from Cairns. Diving tour operators, Cairns Dive Adventures can get you there.

2. Giant Clams

These extraordinary gentle giants are as beautiful as they are unusual, and can be found in awe-inspiring underwater gardens. Growing up to 1.5 metres in length and weighing up to 200 kilograms, these molluscs feature a pretty ordinary exterior but a stunning mantle – the fleshy part protruding from the shell. It’s said that, like a human fingerprint, no two clams have the same mantle pattern or colours.

Where to see them: Giant clam gardens can be found along the length of the reef. One of the best is at Ribbon Reefs near Lizard Island, home to a dive site called the Clam Gardens. The giant clams of Flynn Reef, off Cairns, should be on your list, too.

3. Manta Rays

The Great Barrier Reef is home to a variety of rays but there’s no more magnificent species to meet in the wild than a manta ray. Some of the most memorable Queensland marine life, these graceful creatures have wings spanning up to seven metres – and to have one sweep within centimetres of you before gracefully somersaulting and looping away is an unforgettable experience.

Where to see them: Lady Elliot Island, in the Southern Great Barrier Reef near Bundaberg, is known as the home of the manta ray, with as many as 450 inquisitive rays congregating regularly, so even a quick snorkel is likely to deliver an encounter. Mantas can also be seen near Lady Musgrave Island, which is reached from The Town of 1770. 

4. Maori Wrasse

There’s no mistaking a Maori wrasse – this distinctive fish has thick fleshy lips and such a prominent bump on its forehead that it’s sometimes known as a humphead wrasse. However, what it lacks in looks it makes up for with personality. The Maori wrasse is an inquisitive fish that often approaches divers and snorkellers – don’t be surprised if you find one following you around like a faithful friend.

Where to see them: You’ll find them in abundance at Reefworld, a pontoon permanently moored at Hardy Reef in the outer reef beyond the Whitsunday Islands. Bait Reef, the closest of the Whitsundays’ outer reef locations, is home to a large Maori wrasse named Wally; Elvis is the resident at Hayman Island’s Blue Pearl Bay.

5. Potato Cod

Potato cod The Ribbon Reefs are a string of 10 coral reefs stretching over 160 kilometres off Port Douglas. Cod Hole is a famous dive spot at The Ribbons and, as the name suggests, this is a prime location to see groups of giant potato cod. This magnificent grey-brown cod species can grow to two metres in length and weigh in at 100 kilograms. They’re not only impressive in size but also extremely friendly, and will follow divers around like puppies.

Where to see them: Cod Hole on the Ribbon Reefs, near Lizard Island.Diving Cod Hole is a once-in-a-lifetime dive recommended for experienced divers (those with 20 or more dives under their belt). Cairns Dive Adventures will get you to Cod Hole for your own special potato cod encounter.

6. Sharks

There are more than 400 shark species in the world, and about 50 of them can be found along the Queensland coast. With such a diverse population, it’s possible to enjoy a variety of shark experiences, from spotting plankton-guzzling whale sharks to diving and snorkelling alongside white-tip and black-tip reef sharks, which are typically harmless to humans.

Where to see them: If you’re chasing goosebumps, diving is the best way to meet a shark.

White-tip and black-tip reef sharks are commonly seen at Bait Reef, an outer reef beyond the Whitsunday Islands. Dive with sharks at Osprey Reef, northeast of Port Douglas. From Rainbow Beach, a three-hour drive north of Brisbane, head to the Wolf Rock dive site, famous for grey nurse sharks. Leopard sharks also frequent these waters during warmer months.

Come face to face with a grey nurse shark diving off Wolf Rock off Double Island Point. Shark Alley, just off North Stradbroke Island, is another popular spot (it’s also home to the timid leopard shark).

7. Turtles

The Great Barrier Reef is turtle central, with six of the world’s seven marine turtle species cruising through its tropical waters. Green, hawksbill and loggerhead sea turtles are the most commonly sighted species.

Where to see them: There are plenty of opportunities to catch a glimpse of a turtle in its natural habitat, whether it’s swimming or nesting and hatching on the beach.

On Lady Elliot Island, the closest reef island to Brisbane, turtles are the main attraction. Between November and February, green and loggerhead turtles return there to nest. On the mainland, Mon Repos, near Bundaberg, is the largest loggerhead turtle rookery in the Southern Hemisphere.

See turtles in their ocean environment from a glass-bottom boat operating out of Bundaberg, or book into a ranger-guided night-time Turtle Encounter tour during nesting season.

This guide for spotting sea turtles on the Southern Great Barrier Reef has more information.

8. Whales

Australia’s eastern seaboard is affectionately known as the Humpback Highway because it’s the route whales take when making their way between their feeding and breeding grounds. From September to November, mothers use the calm, protected waters around the township of Hervey Bay to teach their newborn calves survival skills before continuing their migration. In Tropical North Queensland during winter, dwarf minke whales hang out at the Ribbon Reefs – thus creating the world’s only regular aggregation of these beautiful creatures.

Where to see them: Hervey Bay and the Gold Coast have multiple operators offering whale-watching cruises. Swim with dwarf minke whales in Cairns & Great Barrier Reef or with humpback whales on the Sunshine Coast. Point Lookout at North Stradbroke Island and the headlands at Point Arkwright near Coolum on the Sunshine Coast are excellent spots for land-based watching.

Eye to Eye Marine Encounters runs eco-tourism expeditions to see dwarf minke whales, tiger sharks and green turtles through the Coral Sea and Outer Reef. Aside from its sustainable practices, Eye to Eye also reserves room for research scientists on all trips, funded through the expedition cost. Guests can then become part of the scientific process, joining researchers as they conduct their essential fieldwork.

Keen to meet a gentle giant? This guide to whale watching in Queensland has more information.

The Reef may be vast, but spotting all of the Great Eight in one trip isn’t as hard as it may seem. This Great Eight Five-Day Itinerary has your sorted.