| Destinations
/ Australia / Queensland
/ GBR / Southern
Region
This region includes the Whitsundays and the Capricorn & Bunker Groups and is
the largest region of the Great Barrier Reef. Water is more temperate, distance
from land is further and diving options are fewer.
Heron Island is most famous for excellent dive sites and
fantastic coral gardens and pinnacles. It is populated with
reef fish, turtles, mantas, reef sharks and countless varieties
of invertebrates can be found on the reefs as well. Diving
is relatively shallow, the average depth is around 15-25
metres only. Snorkellers will enjoy the shallow reefs that
come up to within 2 or 3 metres of the surface in places.
The beginner diver will be just as happy as the advanced diver in
this area. We recommend those two islands for divers, who don't like to be on
live aboard vessels. Diving is good all year round. As a holiday destination,
the Whitsunday Islands are an excellent place to go sailing or lie on the beach.
We wouldn't recommend this as a diving destination. The reefs are rich in
marine/fish life, however, the health of reefs and visibility can be consistently
disappointing for the experienced diver - especially for those people who travel
long distances to get to Australia, we think that you should not compromise on
the dive region. Location
 Capricorn
& Bunker Group: The Capricorn Marine Park is the southernmost
part of the Great Barrier Reef. It begins northeast of Bundaberg
with Lady Elliot Island, and stretches about 140 kilometres
north to include Heron Island and Lady Musgrave Island.
There are over 300 coral cays in this region. Calm lagoons
formed by the coral reefs that encircle them surround most
of these cays.
Whitsunday
Islands: The Whitsunday Islands are continental islands lying off the Queensland
coast, east of Proserpine, between Mackay and Bowen. The region consists of 74
islands - only eight of which are inhabited - and most of them can only be explored
by those prepared to sail these waters. Logistics For Dive Excursions
Heron Island: Access to Heron Island is organised
and convenient. Heron Island is accessed from Gladstone
by Helicopter or fast catamaran (2 hours one way). Due to
the distances involved in travelling ( and flying after
diving restrictions ), we recommend spending at least 2
days and nights minimum, on either of the islands.
Lady Elliot Island: Lady Elliot Island is one of
only three resorts on the Great Barrier Reef with direct
flight access to the island airstrip. Seair offers exclusive
flights from Hervey Bay and Bundaberg to Lady Elliot three
times daily. The flight time is approximate 30-40 minutes.
4 and 7-night fly/dive packages are available.
Whitsunday Islands: Day trips around the Whitsunday
Islands depart daily from Airlie Beach and its deep-water port, Shute Harbour.
We do not take bookings for diving in this area, as diving opportunities are better
and more consistent elsewhere. What To See
 Manta
rays are regulars around Heron Island and Lady Elliot Island,
along with resident loggerhead turtles, and visiting green
turtles. You might see leopard sharks, moray eels and guitar
sharks. Also nudibranchs and clown triggerfish make these
areas enjoyable.
Types Of Diving
Heron Island and Lady Elliot Island offer the options
of boat diving or shore diving. Shore Diving is from the
beach across the reef flat, whilst boat diving is from purpose-built
aluminium dive tenders. The diving on both islands is rather
shallow with average depths of around 15-25 metres. Maximum
depth on only a few dive sites would be around 28 meters.
Both islands offer easy, relaxed diving.
Dive Sites 
- Blue
Pools: On Heron Island, this site will surprise the
diver with a great selection of fish in depths from 5m
to 20m. Imperial angelfish are common and very friendly.
Other resident fish include gropers, coral trout, batfish,
lionfish, wrasse, parrotfish, surgeonfish and a variety
of butterfly fish. Invertebrate life around the corals
is impressive and a number of nudibranch and flatworm
species are common. Here the reef forms a bowl shape,
like a protected swimming pool, and offers an easy, relaxing
dive.
- Gropers
Grovel: Gropers
Grovel is off the northern end of Lady Elliot Island.
Here numerous caves and ledges are found along the reef
wall. Coral growth is extremely prolific - sea whips,
gorgonians, sponges, ascidians, soft corals and tubastrea
corals cover the reef. Pelagic fish are everywhere - barracuda,
trevally, rainbow runners and fusilliers. A giant Queensland
groper is occasionally seen in the area. Regulars are
reef sharks, eagle rays, turtles and silvertip sharks
that zoom in to check out divers and disappear just as
quickly.
- Marion
Reef: Marion Reef is beyond the Continental shelf
in the deep blue Coral Sea off the Whitsundays. It is
a large circular atoll formation that is comprised of
three small sandy cays located on the Eastern side: Marion,
Long and Wansfell; and a number of smaller reefs on the
west. With crystal clear water and visibility often exceeding
50m, you often feel you are suspended in air while diving
against a wall dropping off into thousands of meters of
water. Walls laced with massive gorgonian fans, bright
soft corals, anemones, invertebrates and unusual tropical
fish. This is a truly untouched underwater oasis.
Seasonal Events - Humpback Whales: They frequent the
area from June to October (keep an ear tuned in for their 'whalesong' whilst you
are diving).
- Manta Rays: Seen regularly, particularly during the plankton
blooms in summer months (Dec-Feb)
- Turtles: Very common from late October
to late February, as they arrive to lay their eggs and the rare sight of diving
of diving with hundreds of newly hatched baby turtles can sometimes be experienced
mid-January to April.
Dive Operators
Accommodation and Tours
Accommodation and tour options, and general destination information, are also
available for the adjacent
mainland region from the Whitsundays south to Brisbane.
|
Independent
