Australia Diving the Great Barrier Reef

Osprey Reef

Situated nearly 350 km away from Cairns, Osprey Reef is the most northerly of the reefs in the Coral Sea. It is separated from the continental shelf by a deep water trough and is regarded as one of the premier Great Barrier Reef dive liveaboard destinations, both for the visibility that it offers and the big fish action.

Roughly oval in shape, Osprey Reef consists of a lagoon area, that is only 30m deep, but within 1 km of the reef the water shelves to 1,000m deep. This creates the perfect meeting ground for huge amounts of pelagic action including the famous shark feed at North Horn. Osprey Reef is in pristine condition with spectacular colourful soft corals that often exceed 2m in height. Shoals of pelagic fish and amazing walls will leave you wanting more no-stop time.

Diving in Australia at Osprey Reef, you will marvel at the sheer size of the gorgonian fans and catch sight of marine life such as green and loggerhead turtles, both of which are listed as being conservation dependent. Chances of encountering a manta ray or an eagle ray are good, as these are regularly seen in the area thanks to the reef acting as a huge magnet, drawing in vast amounts of marine life from the surrounding blue.

Also seen at Osprey Reef are some of the big-ones such as whale sharks, beaked whales, sperm whales, bottlenose dolphins, sailfish and marlin. You may be lucky enough to have these visiting whilst you are enjoying your Great Barrier Reef diving, but regardless, you will still get to enjoy the huge schools of barracuda and tuna.

Plus, not to be missed is the resident shark population whose large numbers ensure that these adrenalin-filled wall dives will be among your highlights whilst scuba diving Australia.

Highlights

The remoteness of Osprey Reef is a highlight in itself, where you will often find yourself far removed from anything that isn't wet and colourful.

North Horn - Here is a spot where enduring Great Barrier Reef dive memories are made. Against a backdrop of healthy reefs with large gorgonian fans and large pelagics in the blue, is where a famous shark feed takes place. You can expect to see, from you natural amphitheatre seat, grey reef sharks, silky sharks, and possibly even silvertips and hammerheads in a feeding frenzy which will make the hairs on your neck stand on end.

Admiralty - This site enjoys 2 of the features that make Osprey Reef special: nutrient-rich waters and excellent visibility. Pristine coral reefs that vary between walls, caverns and reef flats, the topography is ever-changing. There is always a lot of fish action going here including including sharks, rays in the blue and a riot of schooling activity along the walls.

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How to Dive Osprey Reef

Due to its remoteness, access to the Osprey Reef is by Australia liveaboard only. To cut down journey time to the reefs on shorter trips, some operators do also leave from, or return to Lizard Island, which is accessible by flight. The flight departs from Cairns and flies to Lizard Island over the reef, providing you a scenic trip with an overview of what you'll be diving on the Great Barrier Reef.

Diving Season

Thanks to North Queensland's tropical climate, the northern Great Barrier Reef is a year round diving destination. The average water temperature never dips below 22°C in winter, with an average of a toasty 29°C during summer.

From June to November it's humpback whale season, with the coral spawning taking place around October / November, but a dizzying array of marine animals are on display all year round.

Visibility is great throughout the year, with exceptional visibility around September to November.

As the Australian summer is the wet season, the likelihood for rain increases around December to February, with showers usually confined to mornings and late afternoons. Winds are also changeable during this monsoon period and may affect itineraries. During the winter months, the dry season, rainfall is pretty low.

Surface conditions through the year are calm, with June to August experiencing moderate conditions. Monsoon months may bring less settled surface conditions.

Reef Summary

Good for: Visibility, underwater photography, large animals, walls, reef life and health
Not so good for: Small animals, wreck dives
Depth: 5 - >40m
Visibility: 10 - 60m
Currents: Moderate
Surface conditions: Generally calm but can be choppy
Water temperature: 25 - 30°C
Experience level: Intermediate
Number of dive sites: ~15
Distance: ~350 km north of Cairns
Access: Australian Liveaboards
Recommended length of stay: 1 week

Dive Site Descriptions

More detailed information on the Great Barrier Reef's Osprey Reef dive sites:

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