Great Detached Reef sits off Queensland's coast and offers beginner divers a genuine taste of the Great Barrier Reef system. Shallow areas start at around 5 metres, making them comfortable for those new to diving, while deeper sections reach 25 metres for when you build your confidence. Visibility varies depending on conditions, so check locally before you head out. The reef supports hard and soft corals, and you can reasonably expect to see turtles, rays, clownfish, butterflyfish, angelfish, and parrotfish during a typical dive. Reef sharks are also present, which is worth knowing before you enter the water, though they are a normal part of a healthy reef environment.

Crowded Garden lives up to its name, packing hard and soft corals into a reef that runs from about 5 to 18 metres deep. The site suits beginner divers well, with shallow sections to build confidence and visibility regularly reaching 20 to 30 metres, so you can see across the reef clearly. Expect anemonefish tucked into their hosts, butterflyfish and damselfish picking over the coral, parrotfish grazing nearby, and if you slow down and look closely, nudibranchs and crustaceans hidden in the gaps. Currents can vary, so check conditions with your operator before heading in and stay close to your guide.

Rainbow Road is a wall and reef dive off Queensland that demands respect from the moment you enter the water. Strong currents run consistently across this site, so drift diving experience is genuinely required rather than just recommended. The wall drops into deeper water beyond 30 metres, with the shallower sections from 5 metres down supporting hard corals including brain corals and acropora alongside soft coral growth. Nudibranchs reward those who slow down and look closely, while damselfish, parrotfish, and clownfish work the reef in the mid-water zone. Reef sharks and rays are regular presences here. Visibility is variable, so conditions can shift between visits.

Oh My Bommie is a reef site off Queensland that suits beginner divers, though the conditions here deserve real respect. The site runs from shallow areas down to 25 metres in the deeper sections, giving you options depending on your comfort level. Visibility varies considerably, so you may encounter reduced sight lines on any given day. Hard corals and soft corals make up the reef structure, and schools of tropical reef fish move through regularly. The strong current is the main thing to be aware of. Before you enter the water, get a thorough briefing from your boat crew on current direction and any safe havens on the reef.

Twin Peaks is built around two distinct reef structures that rise toward the surface, giving beginner divers a clear visual anchor as they explore. You can stay shallow on the reef top at around 5 metres, then gradually follow the wall as it drops to 21 metres in the deeper sections. Visibility typically runs between 10 and 25 metres, so you can see the structure well from above before descending. Hard and soft corals cover the reef alongside sponges, and reef fish including parrotfish, damselfish, anemonefish, and butterflyfish are common throughout. Rays and stingrays patrol the sandy areas, and sea turtles pass through occasionally. Current is generally mild, though it can strengthen, so stay aware of conditions.

HMS Pandora is the real thing: a genuine 18th-century British naval vessel that sank in 1791 while returning Fletcher Christian's Bounty mutineers to England. She sits at 30 to 35 metres on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef, making every dive a deep one that demands solid buoyancy control and gas management. Visibility ranges from 10 to 30 metres depending on conditions, and while currents are generally mild, they can strengthen without much warning. The wreck sits alongside wall and reef structure, and various reef species move through the site. This is a protected heritage site, so no touching and no souveniring.

The Washing Machine earns its name through the powerful, churning currents that define every dive here. Operating at 30 to 33 metres, this is deep diving territory where nitrogen narcosis is a real consideration and decompression discipline is non-negotiable. Visibility swings considerably, ranging from 15 to 40 metres depending on conditions, so your experience on any given day will vary. Reef sharks patrol the site with purpose, coral trout hold position in the current, and tropical fish work the water column around you. Plan your bottom time conservatively and keep your buddy close throughout.

HMS Pandora sits on the seafloor off Queensland as one of Australia's most historically significant wrecks, a Royal Navy vessel that sank in 1791 while returning Bounty mutineers to England. The wreck rests at 30 to 33 metres, placing this firmly in deep diving territory and demanding solid buoyancy control and dive planning. Visibility ranges from 10 to 30 metres depending on conditions, and strong currents run regularly across the site. The wreck itself has become an established artificial reef, with corals and invertebrates colonising the structure alongside reef fish and the occasional reef shark and sea turtle. Plan your bottom time carefully.