Undine Reef sits off Queensland and offers a wide depth range, from shallow 5-metre waters down to 30 metres, making the shallower sections a reasonable starting point for beginner divers. Visibility regularly reaches 10 to 30 metres, so you can typically see clearly across the reef. Currents here are variable and can run strong, so always check conditions before you enter and stick to the shallower areas if the water is moving. The reef supports various species typical of Queensland's coastal reefs. Entry is from shore, and it is worth checking locally for current facility information before your visit.

Mackay Reef offers a gentle introduction to Great Barrier Reef diving, with shallow areas starting at just 1 metre making it accessible for first-time divers and snorkellers alike. The reef drops into deeper water around 30 metres, but beginners will find plenty to explore without going deep. Visibility is variable, so conditions can shift, and currents change too, so always follow your guide's advice. Look out for sea turtles, eagle rays, and the occasional manta ray, alongside more familiar reef residents like angelfish, butterflyfish, parrotfish, and Maori wrasse. Giant clams and starfish are common finds closer to the shallows. Take care around sharp coral and give all marine life plenty of space.

Anybodies sits on the outer edge of Agincourt Reef, dropping from a shallow 5 metres down to 30 metres in the deeper sections. Visibility regularly reaches 30 metres in calm conditions, though moderate currents run through the site and can strengthen without much warning. Those currents do the work of bringing in pelagic visitors, so keep an eye on the blue water beyond the reef edge where barracuda, sharks, and the occasional dolphin or whale pass through. Closer to the structure, look for Maori wrasse, parrotfish, angelfish, clownfish in their anemones, and giant clams. Boat traffic is a consistent hazard at this mooring, so always surface with a safety sausage.

St. Crispin Reef sits off Queensland's coast and offers a wide depth range, from shallow areas around 6 metres down to 30 metres in the deeper sections. Visibility can reach an impressive 40 metres in good conditions, though 8 metres is possible when conditions are less favourable. Currents vary, so check conditions before you go. The reef attracts reef sharks, bumphead parrotfish, and sweetlips alongside more approachable species like butterflyfish, wrasse, and sergeant majors. Slow down and look closer to find nudibranchs, feather stars, sea cucumbers, and giant clams. Access is by boat, with guided tours available to help beginners feel confident.

Crack a Jack earns its name from the dense schools of jacks that sweep through the water column here, often accompanied by fusiliers and clouds of glass fish that part around you as you descend. The reef runs from a snorkeller-friendly 5 metres down to 36 metres, putting serious depth on the table for those who want it. Visibility typically ranges from 15 to 30 metres, so you can watch the action from a distance before committing. Current stays mild, which helps. Look carefully into the gorgonian fans for pygmy seahorses, and keep an eye on the sandy margins for marbled stingray and sea snakes. Whitetip and gray reef sharks work the deeper sections regularly. Watch for jellyfish throughout the water column and stay aware of boat traffic on ascent.

Big Buoy offers a proper drift dive along a reef wall studded with pinnacles, where moderate currents carry you past some of Queensland's most reliable marine encounters. The wall drops from 5 to 40 metres, and you'll cover serious ground as the current sweeps you along the structure. Visibility ranges from 15 to 30 metres, giving you excellent sightlines to spot the site's standout residents. Manta rays cruise the blue water off the wall, whilst reef sharks patrol the deeper sections. You'll find giant clams embedded in the reef face, their mantles creating vivid splashes of colour against the coral. Maori wrasse appear surprisingly unperturbed by divers, often approaching close enough for proper observation. The pinnacles harbour cod in the shadows and schools of barracuda in mid-water. Sea turtles graze the reef top, and you'll spot clownfish amongst the anemones, parrotfish working the coral, and sweetlips sheltering in the overhangs. This is a boat-only site with active marine traffic, so surface awareness matters. The current dictates your dive plan here, so you'll need solid buoyancy control and the confidence to work with the flow rather than fight it. The variety of depth and structure means you can tailor your profile, but the real reward comes from letting the current show you the reef.

This site pairs a headland point with an eastward shoreline reef, giving beginner divers a gentle introduction to wall and drift diving. The shallower reef runs from 5 metres, making it approachable for new divers, while the drop-off extends to 25 metres for those ready to go a little deeper. Visibility ranges from 10 to 35 metres in the clearer conditions. Expect to see sea turtles, giant clams, clownfish, and parrotfish on the reef, with eagle rays and manta rays possible in open water. Red bass, maori wrasse, and reef sharks add interest along the wall. Current runs moderate, so stay close to your guide.

The Point at Agincourt Reef 4 delivers the kind of drift diving that keeps intermediate divers coming back. Strong currents sweep along this outer reef site, bringing in the pelagics and keeping the visibility between 15 and 28 metres. The depth range of 5 to 30 metres gives you options, though most of the action happens where the current picks up along the deeper sections. You'll encounter grey reef sharks, white-tip reef sharks, and black-tip reef sharks cruising the blue, whilst big-eye trevally and barracuda patrol the reef edge. Schools of striped fusiliers and yellow-tail fusiliers stream past in the current. Look closer and you'll spot Goldmann's sweetlips tucked into the coral, red bass holding station, and parrotfish working over the reef. The current demands respect and proper buoyancy control. You'll need to be comfortable with drift diving techniques and confident managing your position in moving water. Boat traffic is active in this area, so stay aware during your safety stop. The winter months from May through October offer the most reliable conditions, with calmer seas and consistent visibility.