Dive sites by region · 2026 guide
Coral cays and island resorts — Lady Elliot, Lady Musgrave and Heron Island.
These are the 5 Bundaberg & Southern Great Barrier Reef sites in our database, best-documented first, with the operators who run trips to each.
1Bundaberg & Southern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland
A coral cay at the reef's southern tip, with some of Australia's most reliable manta encounters.
Cleaning stations around the island produce reliable seasonal manta activity, and the clear water typical of the southern reef makes it exceptional for photography.
Look for: Green Turtle, Humpback Whale, Loggerhead Turtle, Manta Ray
2Bundaberg & Southern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland
A coral cay enclosing a navigable lagoon — sheltered diving with excellent clarity.
The lagoon provides sheltered diving and snorkelling regardless of conditions outside, while the outer reef walls offer better coral and more fish activity.
Look for: Green Turtle
Full Lady Musgrave Island guide →3Bundaberg & Southern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland
A research-station coral cay with the Heron Bommie a few minutes from the jetty.
The Heron Bommie, a short boat ride from the jetty, is among the best-known individual dive sites on the Great Barrier Reef and was reportedly a favourite of Jacques Cousteau.
Look for: Green Turtle, Loggerhead Turtle
4Bundaberg & Southern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland
A former navy heavy landing ship scuttled in 2018 off the Bundaberg–Fraser Coast, now a large offshore wreck dive for experienced divers.
It is an offshore boat dive, marketed by operators for experienced divers, with large groupers, rays, turtles and schooling fish around the hull.
Look for: Queensland groper, rays, turtles, schooling fish
5Bundaberg & Southern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland
A 32-hectare artificial reef off Bargara built from scuttled vessels, aircraft and lightships, home to more than 150 fish species.
Structures include the 50-metre gravel dredge Ceratodus II, the 40-metre barge Porteur 77, two Mohawk aircraft nicknamed Alan and Brenda, a King Air, two 24-metre Breaksea Spit lightships and thousands of concrete modules.
Look for: Queensland groper, estuary cod, stingrays, turtles, wobbegong sharks
Full Cochrane Artificial Reef guide →Sites are chosen from our dive-site database and ordered by how well documented they are: flagship status, the number of operators we have confirmed dive there, and the marine life recorded. Nobody pays to be listed.
No. Listings and order come from our research only. Businesses can ask us to correct their details, but not to change their position.
It is generated from the directory's latest research, checked in 2026. Conditions, operators and seasons change — confirm details with the operator before you book.