Lady Elliot Reef
Protected Area
Halifax
Why dive here
With 154+ marine species recorded in the area - including hammerhead sharks, sea turtles, tiger sharks and napoleon wrasse - Lady Elliot Reef offers some of Great Barrier Reef's richest reef diving. Water ranges 24-30°C, warmest January, February, March.
Lady Elliot Reef, part of the southern Great Barrier Reef, is an excellent spot for divers who appreciate consistent turtle encounters and manta ray sightings, especially in the cooler months. The reef itself is healthy, with plenty of branching corals providing shelter for reef sharks and a good variety of schooling fish. It’s a comfortable dive for most skill levels, often with gentle currents and good visibility.
Safety Notes
Strong currents typical this month (avg 30 cm/s). Good buoyancy control essential.
Reviews for Lady Elliot Reef
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Lady Elliot Reef
Lady Elliot Reef Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for Lady Elliot 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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