Flying Fish Cove (The Settlement)
42 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Flying Fish Cove (The Settlement) →AUSTRALIAN DESTINATIONS
Diving in External Territories
Explore 169 listed dive sites and find the local knowledge to help plan your visit.
Custom YouDive mascot art inspired by External Territories. An imaginative illustration, not a photograph or map of this destination.
Your bearings, in a minute
External Territories at a glance
Start with the local site mix, explore the map and find people to ask about your trip.
- Explore
- 169 site records
- Recorded settings
- Reef · Wall · Pinnacle/Bommie
- Map coverage
- 169 locations to explore
- Plan with local help
- Meet the listed operators
Directory counts describe published records, not bookable trips. Location confidence is shown separately in the map list. How we check information →
Sources, authorship and review status
Prepared by YouDive editorial with AI assistance. No firsthand visit, equipment test or instructor review is implied.
Independent specialist review: pending. We publish a reviewer’s name, qualifications, date and exact review scope only after the review has actually happened.
Who can contribute and how reviews work →Find your bearings
Explore External Territories on the map
Compare where the recorded sites sit, then open a site to read its access and source notes. Locations are for orientation, not marine navigation or entry instructions.
169 matching records · 169 with a map location · 0 without a usable position.
Admin Wall
Wall · 5–30 m
Approximate area
Admiralty (Osprey Reef)
Wall · 10–40 m
Approximate area
Amazing (Holmes Reef)
Wall · 3–20 m
Approximate area
Anchors Away (Bougainville Reef)
Wall · 10–28 m
Approximate area
Anemone City (Flinders Reef)
Pinnacle/Bommie · 5–25 m
Approximate area
Anson Bay
Shore/Rock Platform · 1–8 m
Approximate area
Around the Bend (Osprey Reef)
Drift · 3–35 m
Approximate area
Ashmore Reef
Reef · 2–30 m
Approximate area
Barracuda Bay
Reef · 5–25 m
Approximate area
Between the Wrecks (Bougainville Reef)
Drift · 10–40 m
Approximate area
Black Bank
Reef · 8–21 m
Approximate area
Boat Cave
Cave/Cavern · 4–16 m
Approximate area
The local notebook
Where should you start in External Territories?
Use the actual places attached to the local records to narrow your research. These are recorded nearby towns and areas, not verified departure points or accommodation recommendations.
West Island
32 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around West Island →Kingston / Burnt Pine
29 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Kingston / Burnt Pine →Cairns (liveaboard)
27 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Cairns (liveaboard) →Lizard Island (fly-dive) / Cairns (liveaboard)
13 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Lizard Island (fly-dive) / Cairns (liveaboard) →Townsville (liveaboard)
11 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Townsville (liveaboard) →Different outings to look into
| Local example | Recorded nearby place | Recorded access | Follow the evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalina JX435 Wreck | West Island | Boat (day trip) | Recorded source ↗ |
| Boat Cave | Flying Fish Cove (The Settlement) | Boat | Recorded source ↗ |
| Around the Bend (Osprey Reef) | Lizard Island (fly-dive) / Cairns (liveaboard) | Boat (multi-day/liveaboard) | Recorded source ↗ |
| Herald Cays | Townsville / Cairns (expedition vessel) | Boat (multi-day/liveaboard) | Recorded source ↗ |
How to use this shortlist
Choose the named outing that interests you first. Compare its recorded place and access with your accommodation plans, then obtain the actual meeting address and schedule from the provider. The site links show the underlying depth, location confidence and source notes. Similar town names or map positions do not establish that two outings can be combined in a day.
A closer look at External Territories
Get a feel for the diving
Our External Territories directory currently includes 169 published site records. The largest recorded category is reef (51 records). Use the mix below to decide what you would like to read about first.
External Territories: what’s in the directory?
A visual guide to recorded site types. Counts show coverage, not popularity or current availability.
Source: published YouDive directory records for External Territories. Bars use the same scale within this graphic; the longest is the largest category, not 100% of the destination.
A few local records to compare
Start with Catalina JX435 Wreck, Boat Cave, Around the Bend (Osprey Reef). These are examples from different recorded categories, not a recommended route or a list of the best sites. Open each record for its sources, map and review notes.
| Site | Recorded type | Access | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalina JX435 Wreck | Aircraft Wreck | Boat (day trip) | 4–6 m |
| Boat Cave | Cave/Cavern | Boat | 4–16 m |
| Around the Bend (Osprey Reef) | Drift | Boat (multi-day/liveaboard) | 3–35 m |
| Herald Cays Details need confirmation | Island | Boat (multi-day/liveaboard) | 5–40 m |
How the recorded depths compare
A dot shows a recorded maximum. A line joins the recorded minimum and maximum when both are available. These are site descriptions, not target depths or certification limits.
The table above contains the same depth values. Depth alone cannot establish suitability, and records may require correction. Source: the linked site records.
Give an island diving trip a little more planning room
The external-territory collection groups separate island destinations for browsing. Choose the actual island first, then research its transport, accommodation and diving as one connected itinerary.
Plan for the island you mean
A listing under External Territories does not describe a single travel region. Keep each island’s itinerary separate and confirm the current transport options with the relevant suppliers. Ask the dive provider which arrival dates and local transfers fit the proposed activity. Decide what needs booking together and what is a separate purchase before comparing package prices.
Check support before deciding what to bring
Describe the equipment, training and services you need for the intended outing. Ask what is available locally and what must be arranged in advance. Use the actual airline or transport provider’s baggage information for your route. Do not assume that a service available on one island is also available on another simply because both appear in this directory collection.
Give the itinerary room to change
Write down who to contact if transport or diving changes, and read the relevant booking terms before paying. Consider how an altered arrival affects accommodation, hire reservations and the first planned activity. Keep medical, travel and insurance questions with the appropriate professionals and suppliers. A tidy list of confirmed arrangements is more useful than an ambitious list of unconfirmed dives.
Three conversations worth having before you book
Island choice
Which exact island and arrival route are we planning?
Keep separate destinations as separate itineraries.
Equipment support
What can be reserved locally?
Confirm specific items and services.
Travel changes
What happens to dependent bookings?
Save contacts and written terms.
From “that looks lovely” to a plan
Make External Territories your kind of dive trip
Find your starting point, meet the local options and keep your ideas together. You do not need to have the whole trip worked out yet.
Where are you on your diving journey?
I’m just getting started
Find out how a first course works, compare your options and get comfortable asking questions.
I’m ready to explore more
Connect your next outing with useful reading and a conversation about the right training and support.
I’m thinking about teaching
Explore the professional pathway and prepare better questions for a training centre.
These are learning paths to explore, not prerequisites for every local site. Confirm the actual course, instructor and your readiness with the provider.
People to talk to about External Territories
A few operator profiles from this state or territory to start exploring. Shown alphabetically, not as a quality ranking. Ask about the specific trip or course you want.
Listed in this state or territory
Bounty Divers
Norfolk Island
Open the profile for contact details and recorded services, then ask about current arrangements.
Meet this operator →Listed in this state or territory
CI Wet'n'Dry Adventures
Christmas Island
Open the profile for contact details and recorded services, then ask about current arrangements.
Meet this operator →Listed in this state or territory
Cocos Blue Charters
West Island
Open the profile for contact details and recorded services, then ask about current arrangements.
Meet this operator →Listed in this state or territory
Cocosday Tours
West Island
Open the profile for contact details and recorded services, then ask about current arrangements.
Meet this operator →Let’s put the pieces together
Start with the place and your questions. Add dates and prices once you have spoken with the people running the trip.
Open my trips
Creates a new trip with this destination, useful reading and starter questions. Saved on this browser; export a backup from My trips.
THE LOCAL PLANNING BRIEF
Research each territory as its own destination
The external-territory collection groups geographically separate destinations for directory browsing. Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Norfolk Island and offshore reef records do not form one convenient travel region. Open the individual region page and build a separate transport, access and operator plan for that destination.
Choose the setting, then the trip Counts describe published records, not bookable trips or confirmed open sites.
There are 169 published site records across External Territories. The recorded categories include reef (51), wall (45), pinnacle/bommie (18), drift (13). These categories reflect the database; they are not a ranking, a conditions report or an assessment of your suitability.
Start with one of the regional pages below. State-wide totals are useful for browsing, but the actual choice should be made at the level of an operator, a site and a proposed itinerary.
Research operators in External Territories →Ask before booking
- Which territory and jurisdiction does this itinerary visit?
- What park or access permissions apply to the exact location?
- What is the contingency if transport changes?
Save the answers with the contact name and date. Separate confirmed arrangements from items still waiting for a reply.
Record your trip questions →Island stays
Confirm the route, accommodation, equipment availability and actual departure schedule with local providers. Do not assume a mainland travel pattern applies.
Offshore reefs
A mapped reef may have restricted access or no ordinary visitor departure. Check the responsible park manager and the operator’s permitted itinerary.
Contingency planning
Keep time and budget flexibility around transport. Identify which bookings depend on another service arriving as planned.
Questions, answered
How do I choose a dive in External Territories?
Begin with the individual site and its source notes, then discuss the proposed trip with a local provider. The 169 published records are research options, not a list of trips available today. Match the plan to your training, recent experience and the operator’s current requirements.
When should I visit External Territories for diving?
Choose dates with a provider who runs the activity you want, then discuss seasonal patterns, recent conditions and alternative itineraries. A generic best-month claim cannot establish the conditions at your exact site or guarantee a wildlife encounter.
Can I use these maps to enter or navigate a dive site?
No. Recorded and approximate map positions support orientation only. Confirm the exact access, permissions, meeting point and route with the responsible local provider or manager.
Regional planning context: Parks Australia — Australian Marine Parks ↗. Directory counts come from published YouDive records. Individual site claims remain subject to their source and review notes.
Find your region
Ashmore Reef1 sitesChristmas Island42 sitesCocos (Keeling) Islands36 sitesCoral Sea61 sitesNorfolk Island29 sites
Dive sites to explore
Search within External Territories, or narrow the list to a recorded dive type. Open a site for its map, sources and access notes.
169 matching site records. Listings do not confirm current access or availability.
EXT
Wall
WallCoral Sea
Fan Fair (Flinders Reef)
A Flinders Reefs site on Mike Ball's Yongala & Coral Sea expedition, named for its sea fans.
Details need confirmationEXTReef
ReefCoral Sea
Flora Reef
A tiny, rarely visited atoll with a sharp drop-off, silvertips and unusual lava-tube-like caves.
Details need confirmationEXTShore/Rock Platform
Shore/Rock PlatformChristmas Island
Greta Beach
A sheltered ocean pool below a steep staircase, with nesting turtles and one of the best red crab spawning spectacles.
Details need confirmationEXTReef
ReefNorfolk Island
Hard Belly Stone (Phillip Island)
Rarely documented Phillip Island site on the island's northern side.
Details need confirmationEXTIsland
IslandCoral Sea
Herald Cays
Some of Australia's most isolated reefs and cays, with nesting turtles, seabird colonies and the Coral Sea's last Pisonia forests.
Details need confirmationEXTJetty/Pier
Jetty/PierCocos (Keeling) Islands
Home Island Jetty and Foreshore
Easy swimming and snorkelling off the Home Island foreshore beside the ferry jetty.
Details need confirmationEXTIsland
IslandCocos (Keeling) Islands
Horsburgh Island
Uninhabited palm island with WWII six-inch guns and shallow lagoon snorkelling, surrounded by some of Cocos' best dive sites.
Details need confirmationEXTReef
ReefChristmas Island
Isabel Beach
Convenient Settlement-coast reef and drop-off a few minutes from the jetty.
Details need confirmationEXTReef
ReefNorfolk Island
Kings Chair
Shallow reef with some of Norfolk's most pristine coral.
Details need confirmationEXTPinnacle/Bommie
Pinnacle/BommieCoral Sea
Leopard's Lair (Holmes Reef)
Numbers of leopard sharks resting on the sand around a coral pinnacle.
Details need confirmationEXTReef
ReefNorfolk Island
Liars Strait
Reported by the island's former operator as an exceptional site with many green turtles.
Details need confirmationEXTReef
ReefCoral Sea
Lihou Reef
The Coral Sea's largest atoll – a vast, rarely visited lagoon with historic wrecks and untouched reef.
Details need confirmationEXTShore/Rock Platform
Shore/Rock PlatformChristmas Island
Lily Beach
A safe, sandy-bottomed rock pool in a dramatic keyhole cove, with the island's best picnic facilities.
Details need confirmationEXTDrift
DriftCoral Sea
Line of Sight (Holmes Reef)
A drift along the ridge in the channel between the two Holmes atolls.
Details need confirmationEXTPinnacle/Bommie
Pinnacle/BommieChristmas Island
Lynnie's Bommie
A small coral bommie off Middle Beach, usually combined with the Middle Beach reef.
Details need confirmationEXTReef
ReefCoral Sea
Marion Reef
A vast, remote atoll with excellent soft-coral walls, lagoon pinnacles and three sand cays.
Details need confirmationEXTReef
ReefCoral Sea
Mellish Reef
Australia's most remote Coral Sea reef, with a sheltered 12 m lagoon and seabird colonies.
Details need confirmationEXTReef
ReefChristmas Island
Merrial Beach
The island's smallest and one of its prettiest beaches, with grotto-like overhangs and a pristine west-coast fringing reef.
Details need confirmationEXTPinnacle/Bommie
Pinnacle/BommieCoral Sea
Mid Reef (Flinders Reef)
45 m bommies and a current-swept gully alive with feather stars, fans and soft corals.
Details need confirmationEXTReef
ReefChristmas Island
Middle Beach
Relaxed north-coast reef dive below a boat-access beach, often combined with Lynnie's Bommie.
Details need confirmationEXTDrift
DriftCoral Sea
Middle Earth (Bougainville Reef)
A rarely described Bougainville drift site on Mike Ball's Far Northern expedition.
Details need confirmationEXTWall
WallCoral Sea
Nautilus Wall (Osprey Reef)
A wall named for Osprey's isolated dwarf nautilus population, historically the site of dawn nautilus releases for photographers.
Details need confirmationEXTDrift
DriftCoral Sea
Northern Lights (Holmes Reef)
A strong-current drift through gutters between very large pinnacles.
Details need confirmationEXTPinnacle/Bommie
Pinnacle/BommieNorfolk Island
One Ton
Scattered bommies on clean sand to 30 m – a deep shore dive with unpredictable currents.
Details need confirmation