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Match the operation to the job
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions is most relevant to multi-day itineraries and repetitive diving. The documented fit includes experienced divers, photographers and divers seeking remote reef itineraries.
Cairns · Queensland
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions — Cairns
A Cairns liveaboard operator running the Spoilsport on three- to seven-night expeditions to the Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs and Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea.
Contact & location
- Address
- Shop 2, 3 Abbott Street, Cairns QLD 4870 · Open in maps
- Phone
- +61 7 4053 0500
- Website
- mikeball.com
Taken from the operator's published details. Hours and locations change — confirm before you travel.
At a glance
- Own dive boatConfirmed by a source
- Learn-to-dive coursesNot confirmed
- Advanced & specialty coursesNot confirmed
- Pro training (Divemaster+)Not confirmed
- Technical trainingNot confirmed
- NitroxAdvertised
- Training poolNot confirmed
- Gear hireNot confirmed
- ServicingNot confirmed
- AccommodationAdvertised
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Region
Cairns
Queensland
Business type
Liveaboard operator
Water temp
23–29°C
seasonal range
Dive sites
2
documented
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions is one of the most established expedition liveaboard operations in Australia, and it sits at the serious end of the Queensland market. Itineraries reach the northern Ribbon Reefs and the Coral Sea — reef systems that are simply not accessible to day boats or shorter trips.
The operation is best known for two things. The first is Cod Hole, the famous site on the northern Ribbon Reefs where enormous potato cod approach divers closely, habituated over decades. The second is the dwarf minke whale season, a tightly defined window in June and July when these whales voluntarily approach snorkellers on the northern reefs — an interaction conducted under permit and limited to a small number of operators.
Coral Sea itineraries reach isolated atolls including Osprey Reef, where visibility routinely exceeds thirty metres and vertical walls drop into thousands of metres of open ocean. Shark activity is a defining feature of those sites, and the reef quality is materially better than anything reachable on a shorter trip.
This is an operation aimed at experienced divers, photographers and people prepared to commit several days to diving rather than fitting diving around a broader holiday. Trips are multi-day, the diving is frequent, and the itineraries are built around dive quality rather than around a general tourism experience.
Nitrox is part of the offering, which matters considerably on a trip involving four or five dives a day across consecutive days. Divers should confirm mix availability, cost, and whether their certification covers it before departure.
Practical planning points: itineraries and seasonal schedules change, particularly around the minke season, so current departure dates should be checked directly. Certification prerequisites vary by itinerary, with the more remote Coral Sea trips generally expecting more experience than the Ribbon Reef departures. Technical diving support, rental equipment sizing and any specific requirements for your own equipment are worth establishing well ahead given the remoteness of the destinations.
Use the documented profile as a shortlist, then confirm the details that can change with staff, weather and season.
Confirm before travel
Turn the listing into a booking
Confirm boat schedule, accommodation, including what is included and what must be reserved separately. Ask which of the 2 linked sites is realistic for your date and experience.
Local context
Prepare for Cairns, Queensland
Regional water temperature is roughly 23–29°C, warmest January to March, with visibility commonly 15–30 m on outer reef sites, less on inshore reefs. Build exposure protection and experience around the actual site, not the state-wide average.
Continue with the operator checklist, how to read conditions and the insurance guide.
Services documented for this business. A green tick means a current primary source states it directly; other entries are advertised but have not yet received the same source-backed verification.
Gas
- NitroxAdvertised by this business; confirm current availability
Diving & facilities
- Dive boatConfirmed by a current primary source
- LiveaboardConfirmed by a current primary source
- AccommodationAdvertised by this business; confirm current availability
What a primary source states
- Operates the liveaboard Spoilsport on 3, 4 and 7-night expeditions from Cairns.
- The 3-night Fly Dive Cod Hole trip departs Mondays with a low-level flight to Lizard Island and around 12 dives.
- The 4-night Fly Dive Coral Sea trip departs Thursdays for Osprey Reef, including a shark-feed dive; it requires Advanced certification or 15 logged ocean dives, five in the last 12 months.
- Holds Advanced Ecotourism certification.
- Experienced divers
- Photographers
- Divers seeking remote reef itineraries
Worth confirming when you call
Dive businesses change what they offer constantly. These are the details we would want nailed down before booking — useful questions to run through on the phone.
- Nitrox availability and cost
- Rental equipment range
- Courses available on board
Dive sites this operation services
Sites documented as being regularly serviced by this business.
Training relevant to this centre
Courses that connect to what this operation is documented as offering.
Services documented here
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions FAQs
What kind of business is Mike Ball Dive Expeditions?
A Cairns liveaboard operator running the Spoilsport on three- to seven-night expeditions to the Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs and Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea. It is documented here as: liveaboard operator.
How much does diving or training with Mike Ball Dive Expeditions cost?
Prices and inclusions change too quickly for this independent profile to quote reliably. Ask Mike Ball Dive Expeditions for the complete checkout cost, including equipment, materials, certification, guide fees, marine levies, transfers and cancellation terms where relevant.
Does this listing mean Dive Centres Australia endorses Mike Ball Dive Expeditions?
No. This is an independent research profile, not an endorsement or ranking. Verified statements are linked to sources, advertised capabilities are labelled separately, and divers should make their own current checks before booking.
Where is Mike Ball Dive Expeditions located?
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions's published address is Shop 2, 3 Abbott Street, Cairns QLD 4870, in the Cairns region of Queensland. The listed phone number is +61 7 4053 0500. Confirm opening hours before visiting, as dive businesses change hours seasonally.
Does Mike Ball Dive Expeditions teach entry-level courses?
We have not established entry-level training for this business, which does not mean it is unavailable. Check directly, or browse other Cairns operations where training is documented.
Can I get fills at Mike Ball Dive Expeditions?
Nitrox is documented. Analyse your own cylinder before use regardless of what a fill sheet says, and check opening hours and whether externally owned cylinders are filled.
Which dive sites does Mike Ball Dive Expeditions visit?
This operation is documented as servicing 2 sites listed on this page. Site access varies with conditions, season and the certification of the group, so confirm the planned itinerary directly.
What should I ask Mike Ball Dive Expeditions before booking?
Specifically: Nitrox availability and cost; Rental equipment range; Courses available on board. More generally, ask about instructor experience, group sizes, what equipment is included and what happens if conditions cancel the day.
Sources
What the verified statements on this page are based on. We link primary sources so you can check them yourself — and so you can see the date they were consulted.
- Mike Ball — Tropical North Queenslandchecked September 2026
- Mike Ball — Queensland.com expeditionschecked September 2026
- Mike Ball — contact detailschecked September 2026
Last researched: September 2026. Dive businesses change frequently — confirm current services, prices and requirements directly with the operator before booking.