Cairns (liveaboard)
27 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Cairns (liveaboard) →External Territories
Diving in Coral Sea
Beyond the outer Great Barrier Reef the continental shelf drops away and a scatter of isolated oceanic reefs rises from 1,000 m or more of water. Osprey, Bougainville, Holmes, Flinders and Lihou reefs have vertical walls, 40 m-plus visibility, and shark populations that were never fished down. North Horn at Osprey is the best-known shark dive in Australia; the southern reefs are visited by a handful of boats a year.
Custom YouDive mascot art inspired by External Territories. An imaginative illustration, not a photograph or map of this destination.
Your bearings, in a minute
Coral Sea at a glance
Start with the local site mix, explore the map and find people to ask about your trip.
- Explore
- 61 site records
- Recorded settings
- Wall · Reef · Drift
- Map coverage
- 61 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 Coral Sea 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.
61 matching records · 61 with a map location · 0 without a usable position.
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
Around the Bend (Osprey Reef)
Drift · 3–35 m
Approximate area
Between the Wrecks (Bougainville Reef)
Drift · 10–40 m
Approximate area
Cathedral (Holmes Reef)
Wall · 5–40 m
Approximate area
Cato Reef
Reef · 3–25 m
Approximate area
China Wall (Flinders Reef)
Wall · 8–40 m
Approximate area
Cod Wall (Flinders Reef)
Wall · 8–40 m
Approximate area
Coral Canyons (Osprey Reef)
Reef · 10–40 m
Approximate area
Corner Shop (Bougainville Reef)
Wall · 5–30 m
Approximate area
The local notebook
Where should you start in Coral Sea?
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.
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) →Cairns (expedition vessel)
3 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Cairns (expedition vessel) →Gladstone / Hervey Bay (expedition vessel)
2 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Gladstone / Hervey Bay (expedition vessel) →Gladstone (expedition vessel)
1 site record refers to this town or area.
Look for operators around Gladstone (expedition vessel) →Different outings to look into
| Local example | Recorded nearby place | Recorded access | Follow the evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dungeons & Dragons (Bougainville Reef) | Cairns (liveaboard) | Boat (multi-day/liveaboard) | 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 ↗ |
| Anemone City (Flinders Reef) | Townsville (liveaboard) | 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 Coral Sea
Get a feel for the diving
Our Coral Sea directory currently includes 61 published site records. The largest recorded category is wall (27 records). Use the mix below to decide what you would like to read about first.
Coral Sea: 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 Coral Sea. 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 Dungeons & Dragons (Bougainville Reef), Around the Bend (Osprey Reef), Herald Cays. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dungeons & Dragons (Bougainville Reef) | Cave/Cavern | Boat (multi-day/liveaboard) | 5–35 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 |
| Anemone City (Flinders Reef) | Pinnacle/Bommie | Boat (multi-day/liveaboard) | 5–25 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 Coral Sea 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 Coral Sea
These profiles are based in the region or have a sourced link to one of its sites. Shown alphabetically, not as a quality ranking. Ask about the specific trip or course you want.
Source-linked to a site in this region
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions
Cairns
A long-running expedition liveaboard operation associated with Ribbon Reefs and Coral Sea itineraries, including minke whale season trips.
Meet this operator →Source-linked to a site in this region
Spirit of Freedom
Cairns
An expedition liveaboard associated with Ribbon Reefs, Osprey Reef and Coral Sea itineraries.
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
Understand the options around Coral Sea
What this regional directory records Counts describe published records, not bookable trips or confirmed open sites.
There are 61 published site records in Coral Sea. The recorded categories include wall (27), reef (13), drift (7), pinnacle/bommie (7). These categories reflect the database; they are not a ranking, a conditions report or an assessment of your suitability.
Use the Coral Sea site cards to compare recorded access and depth, then open the individual pages for the map accuracy and source notes. Sites grouped in a region are not necessarily close enough to combine in one day.
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 →Questions, answered
How do I choose a dive in Coral Sea?
Begin with the individual site and its source notes, then discuss the proposed trip with a local provider. The 61 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 Coral Sea 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.
Dive sites in this region
Search within Coral Sea, or narrow the list to a recorded dive type. Open a site for its map, sources and access notes.
61 matching site records. Listings do not confirm current access or availability.
EXT
Wall
WallCoral Sea
Secret Caves (Osprey Reef)
Caves along Osprey's walls, especially good in the late afternoon and at night.
EXTWall
WallCoral Sea
Silver City (Osprey Reef)
Silvertip sharks, volcano-shaped bommies and caves on a slope that ends at a 1,000 m wall.
EXTWreck
WreckCoral Sea
SS Francis Preston Blair wreck (Saumarez Reef)
The collapsed remains of a Second World War Liberty ship on a remote Coral Sea reef edge.
EXTWall
WallCoral Sea
The Abyss (Holmes Reef)
A dramatic drift along a 1,000 m wall cut with caves, gutters and canyons.
EXTWall
WallCoral Sea
The Castles (Osprey Reef)
Coral turrets, gullies and fan-filled overhangs above a 1,000 m wall.
EXTWall
WallCoral Sea
The Zoo (Bougainville Reef)
Bougainville's signature site, crowded with sharks, turtles and schooling reef fish in clear oceanic water.
EXTPinnacle/Bommie
Pinnacle/BommieCoral Sea
Turbo (Holmes Reef)
A lagoon pinnacle that comes alive with pelagic fish when the tide runs.
EXTReef
ReefCoral Sea
Turtle Cave (Holmes Reef)
Shallow bommies on sand at the Holmes overnight mooring – excellent visibility by day and a superb night dive.
EXTWall
WallCoral Sea
Walmart (Bougainville Reef)
A 700 m wall covered in colourful invertebrates and swarming basslets.
EXTPinnacle/Bommie
Pinnacle/BommieCoral Sea
Watanabe Bommie (Flinders Reef)
An office-block-sized pinnacle in open water, draped in soft corals and circled by pelagics and sharks.
EXTWreck
WreckCoral Sea
Wreck of the Atlas (Bougainville Reef)
A shallow, coral-covered 1945 freighter wreck spread across Bougainville's reef top and slope.
EXTWreck
WreckCoral Sea
Wreck Reef (HMS Porpoise and Cato wreck sites)
The 1803 wreck sites of Matthew Flinders' HMS Porpoise and the Cato, on a remote reef with outstanding visibility.
EXTReef
ReefCoral Sea
Cato Reef
A remote southern Coral Sea reef with giant bommies, flat reef at 10–15 m and 40 m-plus visibility.
Details need confirmationEXTWall
WallCoral Sea
Deep Six (Bougainville Reef)
A seldom-described Bougainville Reef site (marinelife.org.au's list of additional Bougainville sites and Mike Ball's itinerary…
Details need confirmationEXTWall
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 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 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
ReefCoral Sea
Lihou Reef
The Coral Sea's largest atoll – a vast, rarely visited lagoon with historic wrecks and untouched reef.
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 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 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 confirmationEXTDrift
DriftCoral Sea
Middle Earth (Bougainville Reef)
A rarely described Bougainville drift site on Mike Ball's Far Northern expedition.
Details need confirmation