Marine life
Green Turtle Diving in Australia
Chelonia mydas
The most commonly encountered turtle on Australian reefs, and a reliable sight at Cook Island and the southern Great Barrier Reef.
Green turtles are the turtle most Australian divers meet, and on the southern Great Barrier Reef cays and at sites like Cook Island they are close to guaranteed.
Adults are herbivorous, grazing on seagrass and algae, which is unusual among sea turtles and is where the name comes from — the green refers to the colour of the body fat, not the shell.
They rest under ledges and on the reef, and a resting turtle will often tolerate a diver at very close range provided nobody blocks its route to the surface.
| Scientific name | Chelonia mydas |
|---|---|
| Typical size | Shell commonly 80–120 cm |
| Conservation status | Endangered |
| Peak months | October, November, December |
| Documented sites | 9 |
| States | Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia |
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possible good peak
- single pair of scales between the eyes
- smooth, rounded shell, olive to brown with darker mottling
- blunt, serrated beak suited to grazing
- smaller head relative to body than a loggerhead
- Adults graze seagrass and algae; juveniles are more omnivorous.
- Rests under ledges and overhangs, often for extended periods.
- Nests on sandy cays and beaches, returning to natal beaches to breed.
In-water etiquette
Green Turtle is endangered. How divers behave around it genuinely matters.
- Never block a turtle's path to the surface — they are air breathers and this is genuinely stressful.
- Do not touch, ride or chase.
- Keep clear of resting animals under ledges; give them an exit.
- On nesting beaches, follow local rules on lights and distance.
Dive Sites for Green Turtle Encounters
Sites where this species is documented as a reliable encounter.
Cook IslandAn aquatic reserve off Tweed Heads with a resident turtle population and seasonal grey nurse sharks.Heron IslandA research-station coral cay with the Heron Bommie a few minutes from the jetty.Lady Elliot IslandA coral cay at the reef's southern tip, with some of Australia's most reliable manta encounters.Lady Musgrave IslandA coral cay enclosing a navigable lagoon — sheltered diving with excellent clarity.Flat RockSoutheast Queensland's premier big-animal site — grey nurse sharks, mantas and turtles.Julian Rocks (Nguthungulli)Where tropical and temperate waters meet — more than 20 shark and ray species recorded.Ningaloo ReefA fringing reef close enough to shore that in places you can swim to it from the beach.Great Barrier Reef (Cairns Outer Reefs)The reef systems reached daily from Cairns — the most-dived section of the Great Barrier Reef.Tangalooma WrecksFifteen deliberately scuttled vessels in shallow, sheltered water off Moreton Island.
Ranked guide: the best places to dive with green turtle in Australia →
Businesses documented as diving the sites above. Confirm seasonality and requirements directly.
Gold Coast Dive AdventuresRunaway BayPADIA Gold Coast operation focused on guided local diving and charter access to offshore sites.BoatCoursesHireSource-backed profile
Heron Island ResortPADIA resort on a no-day-tripper coral cay off Gladstone whose PADI Marine Centre runs three boat dives a day plus night dives to around 20 nearby sites.BoatCoursesAdvancedHireStaySource-backed profileLady Elliot Island Eco ResortPADIAn eco-resort on a no-take coral cay reached only by air, with beach and boat diving and a resident manta ray population of about 40.BoatCoursesAdvancedNitroxHireStaySource-backed profileLady Musgrave ExperienceBurnett HeadsSSIA Bundaberg operator running daily trips to Lady Musgrave Island's lagoon and its wind- and solar-powered reef pontoon, with overnight stays and ex-HMAS Tobruk dives.BoatCoursesAdvancedHireStaySource-backed profile
Manta Lodge & Scuba CentrePoint LookoutSSINorth Stradbroke Island's only full-service scuba centre and an SSI Instructor Training Center, with two boats, on-site lodging, and technical and freediving training.BoatCoursesAdvancedProTechHireSource-backed profile
Sundive Byron BayByron BayPADIByron Bay's PADI 5 Star dive centre, running three daily departures to Nguthungulli Julian Rocks with training from Try Scuba to Divemaster.BoatCoursesAdvancedProNitroxPoolSource-backed profileByron Bay Dive CentreByron BayPADISSIByron Bay's original dive centre, running daily Julian Rocks dive and snorkel trips from The Pass with PADI and SSI training and an onsite pool.BoatCoursesAdvancedPoolHireSource-backed profile
Blue Bay DiversBrunswick HeadsA Brunswick Heads charter running the 8.5-metre catamaran Bay Warrior to Julian Rocks and less-visited Byron sites such as Windarra Banks and the Cape Pinnacle.BoatSource-backed profile
Exmouth Dive & Whalesharks NingalooExmouthPADIExmouth's original dive centre and Ningaloo's only PADI 5 Star IDC, running whale shark and humpback swims, reef diving and Navy Pier trips from three boats.BoatCoursesAdvancedProNitroxHireSource-backed profile
Pro Dive CairnsCairnsPADIA PADI 5 Star Career Development Centre operating since 1983, pairing a Cairns training centre with two deep heated pools with three-day outer reef liveaboard trips.BoatCoursesAdvancedProNitroxPoolSource-backed profile
Divers DenCairnsPADICairns' longest-established dive company (founded 1974), a PADI Career Development Centre and Eco Centre running day trips and the OceanQuest reef-based liveaboard.BoatCoursesAdvancedProNitroxPoolSource-backed profile
Dreamtime Dive & SnorkelCairnsCairns' Indigenous-guided reef day trip, run by Reef Magic Cruises, visiting two outer reef sites with optional introductory and certified dives.BoatCoursesHireSource-backed profile
Heron Island ResortPADIA resort on a no-day-tripper coral cay off Gladstone whose PADI Marine Centre runs three boat dives a day plus night dives to around 20 nearby sites.BoatCoursesAdvancedHireStaySource-backed profileLady Elliot Island Eco ResortPADIAn eco-resort on a no-take coral cay reached only by air, with beach and boat diving and a resident manta ray population of about 40.BoatCoursesAdvancedNitroxHireStaySource-backed profileLady Musgrave ExperienceBurnett HeadsSSIA Bundaberg operator running daily trips to Lady Musgrave Island's lagoon and its wind- and solar-powered reef pontoon, with overnight stays and ex-HMAS Tobruk dives.BoatCoursesAdvancedHireStaySource-backed profileManta Lodge & Scuba CentrePoint LookoutSSINorth Stradbroke Island's only full-service scuba centre and an SSI Instructor Training Center, with two boats, on-site lodging, and technical and freediving training.BoatCoursesAdvancedProTechHireSource-backed profileSundive Byron BayByron BayPADIByron Bay's PADI 5 Star dive centre, running three daily departures to Nguthungulli Julian Rocks with training from Try Scuba to Divemaster.BoatCoursesAdvancedProNitroxPoolSource-backed profileByron Bay Dive CentreByron BayPADISSIByron Bay's original dive centre, running daily Julian Rocks dive and snorkel trips from The Pass with PADI and SSI training and an onsite pool.BoatCoursesAdvancedPoolHireSource-backed profileBlue Bay DiversBrunswick HeadsA Brunswick Heads charter running the 8.5-metre catamaran Bay Warrior to Julian Rocks and less-visited Byron sites such as Windarra Banks and the Cape Pinnacle.BoatSource-backed profileExmouth Dive & Whalesharks NingalooExmouthPADIExmouth's original dive centre and Ningaloo's only PADI 5 Star IDC, running whale shark and humpback swims, reef diving and Navy Pier trips from three boats.BoatCoursesAdvancedProNitroxHireSource-backed profilePro Dive CairnsCairnsPADIA PADI 5 Star Career Development Centre operating since 1983, pairing a Cairns training centre with two deep heated pools with three-day outer reef liveaboard trips.BoatCoursesAdvancedProNitroxPoolSource-backed profileDivers DenCairnsPADICairns' longest-established dive company (founded 1974), a PADI Career Development Centre and Eco Centre running day trips and the OceanQuest reef-based liveaboard.BoatCoursesAdvancedProNitroxPoolSource-backed profileDreamtime Dive & SnorkelCairnsCairns' Indigenous-guided reef day trip, run by Reef Magic Cruises, visiting two outer reef sites with optional introductory and certified dives.BoatCoursesHireSource-backed profileMarine Life Seen with Green Turtle
Grey Nurse SharkAustralia's most recognisable dive shark — ragged teeth, entirely harmless, and critically endangered on the east coast.Humpback WhaleHeard far more often than seen — the soundtrack to winter diving on both Australian coasts.Leopard Shark (Zebra Shark)A docile, spotted bottom-resting shark that arrives on the east coast with summer's warm water.Loggerhead TurtleHeavier-headed and less common than the green turtle, with a nationally significant nesting population near Bundaberg.Manta RayReef mantas at cleaning stations — Lady Elliot and Ningaloo are the most reliable encounters in Australia.Queensland GroperThe largest reef-dwelling bony fish in the world, and a defining feature of the SS Yongala.
Green Turtle Diving FAQs
Where is the best place to dive with turtles in Australia?
Cook Island off Tweed Heads and the southern Great Barrier Reef cays — Heron, Lady Elliot and Lady Musgrave — are the most reliable.
When do turtles nest on the Great Barrier Reef?
Roughly November to March, with hatchlings emerging from around January.
Last researched: September 2026. Dive businesses change frequently — confirm current services, prices and requirements directly with the operator before booking.