AUSTRALIAN DESTINATIONS
Diving in External Territories
Explore 169 listed dive sites and find the local knowledge to help plan your visit.
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
Dive sites to explore
Shore/Rock PlatformChristmas Island
Pirate Cove
Sheltered pocket of submerged rock formations and rock pools at the southern end of Flying Fish Cove – a family-friendly snorkel.
Details need confirmationReefCoral Sea
Predators Playground (Holmes Reef)
A historic Coral Sea shark-feed arena on sand at 9 m.
Details need confirmationReefCocos (Keeling) Islands
Pulu Keeling Outer Reef
Near-untouched national park reef with 40 m-plus visibility and plentiful sharks, dived by permit only on rare calm days.
Details need confirmationReefChristmas Island
Rocky Point
A point on the Settlement coast between the gentle Morgue and the current-swept Coconut Point.
Details need confirmationReefCoral Sea
Scuba Zoo (Boomerang Reef)
A historic caged shark-feed site with four permanent cages on sand at 15 m.
Details need confirmationWallCoral Sea
Silver Slope (Bougainville Reef)
A seldom-described Bougainville Reef site (a list of possible Bougainville sites on Dive the World).
Details need confirmationWallChristmas Island
Smith Point
Proper wall diving a few minutes from the jetty, on the headland that shelters Flying Fish Cove.
Details need confirmationPinnacle/BommieCoral Sea
Soft Spot (Flinders Reef)
Pinnacles covered in hundreds of colourful soft coral trees.
Details need confirmationWallCoral Sea
Southern Wall (Bougainville Reef)
A seldom-described Bougainville Reef site (a list of possible Bougainville sites on Dive the World).
Details need confirmationWallChristmas Island
Steep Point
An exploratory east-coast headland with a steep drop-off – rarely dived.
Details need confirmationCave/CavernChristmas Island
The Grotto
A tiny sea cave pool of crystal-clear, mixed fresh and salt water, 30 m from the road.
Details need confirmationWallCoral Sea
The Junkyard (Bougainville Reef)
A seldom-described Bougainville Reef site (marinelife.org.au's list of additional Bougainville sites).
Details need confirmationDriftCoral Sea
The Sticks (Bougainville Reef)
A clear-water wall drift with sharks, rays and schooling fish.
Details need confirmationReefCocos (Keeling) Islands
The Towers
Reef with coral growing over every available surface and busy reef-fish life.
Details need confirmationReefCoral Sea
Trigger Happy (Flinders Reef)
A Flinders Reefs site on Mike Ball's Yongala & Coral Sea expedition.
Details need confirmationReefCocos (Keeling) Islands
Turks Reef
A lagoon reef stop on glass-bottom boat tours.
Details need confirmationShore/Rock PlatformCocos (Keeling) Islands
Turtle Beach (Home Island)
Shallow seagrass snorkelling with feeding green turtles on Home Island.
Details need confirmationReefCocos (Keeling) Islands
Turtle Rock
A reef dive known for turtles and busy parrotfish.
Details need confirmationReefCocos (Keeling) Islands
Unicorn's Playground
An unspoiled coral garden full of reef fish, with fire and dart gobies on the sand.
Details need confirmationShore/Rock PlatformCocos (Keeling) Islands
West Island Lagoon Foreshore
Shallow, warm lagoon water steps from West Island accommodation, with juvenile blacktips and turtles.
Details need confirmationWallCoral Sea
West Point (Bougainville Reef)
A seldom-described Bougainville Reef site (marinelife.org.au's list of additional Bougainville sites).
Details need confirmationDriftCocos (Keeling) Islands
Western Boat Passage
The tidal passage between West Island and Horsburgh Island, seen from a glass-bottom boat and feeding the north-western dive…
Details need confirmationWallCoral Sea
Whaler Station (Flinders Reef)
A seldom-described site associated with China Wall in the Flinders group.
Details need confirmationReefNorfolk Island
White Rock (Phillip Island)
Rarely documented Phillip Island site on the island's northern side.
Details need confirmation