Cairns Diving on the Outer Barrier Reef
Protected Area
Michaelmas and Upolu Cays
Why dive here
With 154+ marine species recorded in the area - including hammerhead sharks, sea turtles, tiger sharks and napoleon wrasse - Cairns Diving on the Outer Barrier Reef offers some of Great Barrier Reef's richest reef diving. Water ranges 24-30°C, warmest January, February, March.
Diving the Outer Barrier Reef from Cairns often means drifting along a coral wall, watching for green sea turtles cruising by. It’s a popular spot, attracting a fair few boats, but the sheer scale of the reef means you rarely feel crowded once you’re in the water. We’ve found some excellent macro life tucked into the crevices if you take your time, from nudibranchs to cleaner shrimp. It’s a really approachable dive, great for newer divers looking to get comfortable with reef diving, though experienced eyes will still find plenty to appreciate.
Safety Notes
Strong currents typical this month (avg 30 cm/s). Good buoyancy control essential.
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Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Cairns Diving on the Outer Barrier Reef
Cairns Diving on the Outer Barrier Reef Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for Cairns Diving on the Outer Barrier Reef, sourced from Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU) - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (-15.65, 145.72) (5km away)
October Averages
Sea Temperature
26°C
80°F · Range: 24.5–29°C
Current Speed
30.07 cm/s
Direction: S (183.8°)
Chlorophyll-a
0.057 mg/m³
Very clear (oligotrophic)
Salinity
35.08 PSU
Based on 4 years of monitoring data · Data sources: Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU)
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