Flynn Reef - Coral Gardens
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 - Flynn Reef - Coral Gardens offers some of Great Barrier Reef's richest reef diving. Water ranges 24-30°C, warmest January, February, March.
Flynn Reef's Coral Gardens is one of those sites that just feels right. We love dropping in here, especially first thing in the morning when the light slants through the water. The visibility is often fantastic, pushing 20 metres, and the maximum depth of 16m means plenty of bottom time. It’s not about grand walls here; it’s about the sheer density of small reef fish. You’ll find butterflyfish – the Onespot and Redfin are always around – darting through the plate corals. We’ve seen Humpback Groupers patrolling the bommies and it’s always worth a peek into the crevices for Banded Cleaner Shrimp. Keep an eye out for whitetip reef sharks resting under ledges; they’re pretty common here. The barracuda often school in the bluer water just off the main reef, shimmering as they turn. For macro enthusiasts, there are always dotted and bandcheek wrasse foraging, and the occasional Deep Flounder trying its best to disappear into the sand. This site is brilliant for photographers who love capturing reef life in calm conditions, and it’s an ideal spot for newer divers to really get comfortable and explore without strong currents.
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 Flynn Reef - Coral Gardens
Flynn Reef - Coral Gardens Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for Flynn Reef - Coral Gardens, 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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