Scuba Diving Around Townsville
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Things to do · Destination Guide
Central Great Barrier Reef access for the SS Yongala, underwater art, and island hiking
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Townsville is one of the few Great Barrier Reef gateways where you can pair a world-class wreck with reef lagoons and underwater art in the same week. Most visitors book a reef day boat to John Brewer Reef for colorful coral gardens and the MOUA sculptures, then reserve a separate weather window for the SS Yongala. Local operators such as Adrenalin Snorkel and Dive run both styles of trips, plus PADI training and refreshers. Expect boat diving (not shore diving), variable visibility in inshore water, and big-animal surprises when conditions line up.
MOUA Coral Greenhouse (John Brewer Reef)
Sculptural 'greenhouse' designed for coral growth: the site sits around 16 m and rises to within 6 m of the surface, so it works for both divers and snorkelers on calm days.
MOUA Ocean Sentinels (John Brewer Reef)
A shallow sculpture trail (about 3 m to 6 m) in a bright coral lagoon setting, ideal as a second dive or a long, slow photography circuit.
A classic day-boat reef from Townsville with coral bommies, sandy channels, and lagoon dives that pair well with nearby MOUA sites when conditions allow.
Magnetic Island fringing reefs (Arthur Bay)
Sheltered bay diving with granite boulders and fringing reef, great for relaxed fun dives and skill refreshers between offshore days.
Iconic wreck dive with the top starting around 15 m and the seabed near 29 m.
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