Best diving by month · 2026 guide

The Best Diving in Australia in December

Q: How is this list ranked?

Ranked from our species seasonality data: each site scores for the species recorded there that are at peak or good levels in December, then by how well documented the site is. Nobody pays to be listed.

Q: Can a business pay to appear here?

No. Listings and order come from our research only. Businesses can ask us to correct their details, but not to change their position.

Q: How current is this guide?

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.

December is peak season for green turtle, leopard shark (zebra shark), loggerhead turtle at the sites below.

Sites are ranked by how many species are at or near their seasonal best in December. See the full month guide for water temperatures and what to avoid.

Tasselled wobbegong resting camouflaged on a rocky reef

Julian Rocks (Nguthungulli)

Byron Bay, New South Wales

Open Water · ≤18 m~15 m typical, 25 m maxBoat divereef · island

Where tropical and temperate waters meet — more than 20 shark and ray species recorded.

The ecological importance of the site comes from the meeting of tropical and temperate influences. Warm water arriving on the East Australian Current mixes with cooler temperate water, and species from both systems occur here together.

Look for: Green Turtle, Grey Nurse Shark, Humpback Whale, Leopard Shark (Zebra Shark)

Who takes you there Sundive Byron Bay Byron Bay Dive Centre

Blue Bay Divers

Full Julian Rocks (Nguthungulli) guide →

Scuba diver and green sea turtle above a tropical coral reef

Cook Island

Gold Coast, Queensland

Open Water · ≤18 m~14 m typical, 20 m maxBoat diveisland · reef

An aquatic reserve off Tweed Heads with a resident turtle population and seasonal grey nurse sharks.

The protected status has produced habituated marine life, and divers regularly encounter multiple turtles on a single dive.

Look for: Green Turtle, Grey Nurse Shark, Humpback Whale, Leopard Shark (Zebra Shark)

Who takes you there Gold Coast Dive Centre Gold Coast Dive Adventures

Full Cook Island guide →

Green sea turtle swimming above a sunlit coral reef

Flat Rock

North Stradbroke Island, Queensland

Advanced · 18–25 m~20 m typical, 30 m maxBoat divereef

Southeast Queensland's premier big-animal site — grey nurse sharks, mantas and turtles.

A gutter on the rock's northern side is a recognised grey nurse shark aggregation area in the cooler months, while manta rays arrive through summer.

Look for: Green Turtle, Grey Nurse Shark, Humpback Whale, Leopard Shark (Zebra Shark)

Who takes you there

Manta Lodge & Scuba Centre

Full Flat Rock guide →

Two equipped scuba divers entering a calm Australian bay from shore

Lady Elliot Island

Bundaberg & Southern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland

Open Water · ≤18 m~15 m typical, 25 m maxShore dive · Boat divereef · island

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

Who takes you there Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort

Full Lady Elliot Island guide →

Ningaloo Reef

Ningaloo & Exmouth, Western Australia

Open Water · ≤18 m~15 m typical, 30 m maxShore dive · Boat divereef · drift

A fringing reef close enough to shore that in places you can swim to it from the beach.

For certified divers, the reef systems and offshore sites around the Exmouth Gulf provide the main scuba product, with drift diving along the reef edge and coral bommies inside the lagoon.

Look for: Green Turtle, Humpback Whale, Manta Ray, Spotted Eagle Ray

Who takes you there Exmouth Dive & Whalesharks Ningaloo Ningaloo Reef Dive Dive Ningaloo Ningaloo Blue Dive

Full Ningaloo Reef guide →

Wolf Rock

Rainbow Beach & Wolf Rock, Queensland

Advanced · 18–25 m~25 m typical, 35 m maxBoat divereef

An offshore volcanic pinnacle and one of the few known aggregation sites for pregnant grey nurse sharks.

The site is particularly associated with grey nurse sharks and large rays. It is one of the few known aggregation sites for pregnant female grey nurse sharks, which gives it genuine conservation significance.

Look for: Grey Nurse Shark, Humpback Whale, Leopard Shark (Zebra Shark), Manta Ray

Who takes you there

Wolf Rock Dive Centre

Full Wolf Rock guide →

Scuba diver touring the exterior of a coral-covered shipwreck

Tangalooma Wrecks

Brisbane & Moreton Bay, Queensland

Easy · <10 m~6 m typical, 10 m maxShore dive · Boat divewreck · reef

Fifteen deliberately scuttled vessels in shallow, sheltered water off Moreton Island.

The wrecks sit in only a few metres of water and have become a dense artificial reef, accessible to snorkellers as well as divers.

Look for: Green Turtle, Spotted Eagle Ray, Wobbegong

Who takes you there Tangalooma Island Resort

Full Tangalooma Wrecks guide →

Heron Island

Bundaberg & Southern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland

Open Water · ≤18 m~15 m typical, 25 m maxShore dive · Boat divereef · island

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

Who takes you there Heron Island Resort

Full Heron Island guide →

Two scuba divers over a sunlit outer Great Barrier Reef coral garden

Great Barrier Reef (Cairns Outer Reefs)

Cairns, Queensland

Open Water · ≤18 m~15 m typical, 30 m maxBoat divereef

The reef systems reached daily from Cairns — the most-dived section of the Great Barrier Reef.

Coral cover, fish density and crowding vary considerably between them. The reefs closest to port see the most traffic; the outer reefs generally offer better coral and clearer water in exchange for a longer steam.

Look for: Green Turtle, Queensland Groper

Who takes you there

Pro Dive Cairns

Divers Den

Dreamtime Dive & Snorkel Ocean Free & Ocean Freedom

Full Great Barrier Reef (Cairns Outer Reefs) guide →

Divers preparing on the stern of a reef liveaboard at sunrise

Lady Musgrave Island

Bundaberg & Southern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland

Open Water · ≤18 m~15 m typical, 25 m maxBoat divereef · island

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

Who takes you there Lady Musgrave Experience 1770 Reef

Full Lady Musgrave Island guide →

Questions about this list

How is this list ranked?

Ranked from our species seasonality data: each site scores for the species recorded there that are at peak or good levels in December, then by how well documented the site is. Nobody pays to be listed.

Can a business pay to appear here?

No. Listings and order come from our research only. Businesses can ask us to correct their details, but not to change their position.

How current is this guide?

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.

All best-of guides →

Questions about this list

More best-of guides