Meet the site
Fuel Buoys takes its name from the Australian Navy's refuelling buoys moored off the shore, which ships use to take fuel from the large storage tanks visible on the rocky coastline. There are at least two buoys, and dive operators and guides refer to them as Fuel Buoy 1 and Fuel Buoy 2; Diveplanit's site report covers Fuel Buoy 2, while the Tourism Association and Wet'n'Dry simply list Fuel Buoys.
The reef here runs from about 5 m down to 24 m and is dominated by healthy Acropora and brain corals, some of the brain corals forming great toadstool-shaped mounds. The oddity of the dive is the anchor chain: each link the size of a dinner plate, it has been dragged back and forth by the buoy until it has cut a dead-straight, foot-wide trench through the living coral and into the limestone beneath – an unnatural line running through otherwise pristine reef. Everywhere else the coral is alive and fragile, so good buoyancy matters, particularly for photographers.
Fish and invertebrate life is dense for a site so close to the harbour. Sea stars, sea fans, hydrocorals and feather stars decorate the reef, and several lionfish usually hang in small caves and overhangs. Reef fish include butterflyfish, angelfish including the endemic Christmas Island (Cocos) angelfish, surgeonfish, triggerfish and groupers, and turtles and reef sharks pass along the slope.
Fuel Buoys is a relaxed, moderate-depth reef dive that suits all levels and is handy as a second dive or when the swell keeps boats close to the cove. It is not somewhere to dive when a ship is refuelling – operators avoid it when the buoys are in use.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Fuel Buoys is recorded as Reef in Christmas Island. The listed access is boat. Confirm the actual meeting point, route and permission to visit; a map pin does not establish any of these.
Topics flagged by the stored research
These are questions prompted by the existing notes, not a verified or complete hazard assessment.
- Other water users
- Ask about vessel activity, exclusion areas and the agreed surface arrangements.
Historical access notes exist for this record, but have not been independently verified for current use. Request current directions from the operator or site manager rather than following an old entry description.
Questions, answered
Is Fuel Buoys suitable for my certification?
The record lists Advanced Open Water. That does not establish suitability for every route or day. Share your training, recent experience and equipment needs with the operator and ask about the specific proposed dive.
Can I book Fuel Buoys through YouDive?
YouDive is an independent research directory. Contact an operator directly to confirm whether it currently runs the trip, the inclusions and the booking terms.
What you might see
Lionfish, Christmas Island (Cocos) angelfish, butterflyfish, surgeonfish, triggerfish, groupers, sea stars, feather stars, sea fans, hydrocorals, Acropora and brain corals, turtles, reef sharks
Location
Reef slope beneath the Navy/ship refuelling buoys moored off the fuel tank farm near Flying Fish Cove; the heavy mooring chains have cut a trench through the reef.
Facilities nearby
Departs Flying Fish Cove jetty/ramp.
Before you make plans
Conditions, access and operator schedules can change. This is a location guide, not a dive plan. Ask a local operator about current conditions and suitability for your training and experience.
Sources & further reading
diveplanit.comchristmas.net.audivingchristmas.comdiveplanit.comRecord updated 27 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.