Where to scuba dive in The Whitsundays

It’s no secret that Queensland is home to a huge chunk of the world’s best diving and snorkelling, and The Whitsundays offers its fair share too. From sheltered coral reefs to challenging swim throughs, dive beneath to discover massive coral structures, overhangs and a world teeming with marine creatures who are more than happy to say hello. Here are a few of the best dive locations in the region.

The Hangover

You don’t have to venture too far from the mainland to find gold. The Hangover, located off Airlie Beach, is a wall dive with exciting terrain and large marine life including giant trevally, barramundi, cod and mackeral.

Hardy Reef

Dive amongst batfish, titan triggers and angelfish at Hardy Reef, home to popular feeding spot and day-trip haven; the Reefworld Pontoon. A giant Queensland grouper lives under the pontoon, and turtles visit regularly.

Bait Reef

There’s plenty of dive sites on Bait Reef worth exploring. You’ll wish you could walk under water at popular Stepping Stones, as you float across more than 18 flat-topped coral pinnacles covered with marine residents. This other-worldly scape is home to abundant tropical fish and is a great spot to encounter batfish, groupers, trevally, Maori Wrasse, turtles and Moray eels.

Bait Reef is also home to the spectacular Mantra Ray Drop Off, where shallow underwater cliffs lead to a huge 75metre plunging wall, covered with gorgonians, soft corals, sponges and sea whips, all full of resident reef fish and invertebrate species. Come here in winter to witness manta rays cruise up and down the rock wall, as well as reef sharks, turtles and Maori wrasse year-round.

Hook Island

Nestled in the archipelago, close to Hayman Island, Hook Island is revered by divers who travel to descend down to dive sites like The Pinnacles; where the coral and sea life is often compared to Outer Great Barrier Reef sites. Large coral bommies dominate the terrain here, manta rays can be spotted from May – September, and you’ll probably see a few Maori Wrasse, and black and white tip reef sharks.

The Woodpile is one of the best wall dives in the Whitsundays, best visited when there’s little wind or current. At the northern end of Hook Island you’ll find Luncheon Bay, where you can explore bommies, caves and crevasses to depths of 20metres.

Located at the northern end of Hook Island, in the Whitsundays, Luncheon Bay is a lovely dive site where you can explore bommies, caves and crevasses in depths to 20 metres. Reef fish abound, but divers will also encounter trevally, Maori wrasse, gropers, sweetlips, moray eels, coral trout and quite a few nudibranchs. But also keep an eye out for whitetip reef sharks, turtles and the occasional manta ray.

Dive in the bays

The bays and coves of The Whitsundays offer calm conditions to explore. In Cateran Bay on North Border Island you can dive straight from the moorings when wind conditions are light. Likewise, when there’s a light north wind, White Bay at South Haselwood Island offers a pristine reef in relatively shallow waters, home to plenty of fish life. It’s also close to Whitehaven Beach.

Explore an underwater art gallery

The colour and vibrancy of the Great Barrier Reef makes it one of nature’s best art galleries, but take it one step further on the Ngaro Underwater Marine Sculpture Trail. The Whitsunday Reef Recovery and Public Art Project is a collaboration between industry, scientists, artists and the indigenous community to create something truly unique.

If you like dives that are a little different, wait for the 2020 opening of Townsville’s Museum of Underwater Art. Sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor has created underwater art installations that preserve the region’s local history and stories – and its set to attract divers from all over the globe.

Dive with the experts on a day tour

Dive into the world’s largest natural wonder on an unforgettable day trip with The Whitsundays’ best diving operators.

Venture to the Outer Great Barrier Reef’s best sites with Explore, which offers snorkelling, intro diving and certified diving. Or spend the day on board powerboat Mantaray. This is only day trip of its kind, with the opportunity to do up to two dives on the reef, while also visiting Whitehaven Beach.

Make the middle of Hardy Reef your home base on a day trip to the Reefworld pontoon with Cruise Whitsundays. This is a great option if you have scuba and snorkelers in your group, as all activities take place from the pontoon. They also offer a Discover Scuba introductory dive for those not certified (minimum 12 years of age) to discover the reef under instructors guide, and there’s plenty of watersports to enjoy between excursions underneath.

Want to rent your gear but dive yourself? If you’re experienced and have a group with you, rent your gear from Aqua Dive at the marina in Airlie Beach and set out on your own adventure. Read up before you gear up with 100 Magic Miles, the bible of sailing and dive sites around the Whitsundays, with dedicated dive and snorkelling location advice.

See more of the reef on a liveaboard

Spend three days and two nights sailing on board Kiana with Whitsunday Sailing Adventures to dive some of the best sites on the outer Great Barrier Reef.

A liveaboard experience offers more dives, and more time exploring parts of the reef you’d never reach on a day tour. Scuba dive amongst the coral playgrounds, experience the incredible diversity of the islands and outer reef, and end each day with a toast under the stars – and incredible dinners – on the deck of your boat.  

As well as big dive rewards, this tour will give you the big must-sees too: you’ll get to splash in the shallow waters of Whitehaven Beach, and get back on dry land with a walk up Hill Inlet to witness the swirling sands below.

First time on a liveaboard? Check out this guide.

Need to get certified?

Take your first step into scuba here in the Whitsundays. It’s one of the best places in the world to become scuba certified thanks to accessible warm waters, dive sites with easy beach entries and calm island coves teeming with coral and marine life.

Getting PADI-certified is a commitment, but it’s well worth it. If you’re staying at Airlie Beach, Whitsunday Dive Adventures offers PADI diver certification, and if you’re on Hamilton Island head to Explore Group’s storefront on the marina. With both, the training is local and the qualifying dives are on the outer reefs where you’ll meet at least half of the Great Eight, like turtles, angelfish and giant maori wrasse.

Feature image by Johnny Gaskell.