Norman Reef Dive Site

Located on the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef, Norman Reef is the most northern reef accessible via charter boats from Cairns.

The reef offers a diverse range of marine life, a clear blue oceanic view, pretty coral gardens, bommies, and coral canyons to explore.

Moored at the reef is the Great Adventures Pontoon, where divers can see a staggering number of fish. Divers will be greeted by Sweetlips, Fusiliers, Red Bass, Trevally and Barracuda, but the highlight of the site is the friendly, ginormous Maori wrasse named Wally.

Divers venturing to Norman Reef can dive into sites like Secret Garden, Turtle Bay, First Bommie, and Troppos, which are home to a wide variety of marine life like reef sharks, stingrays, moray eels, cuttlefish, and turtles. During the winter months, Norman Reef is often visited by dwarf minke whales, who provide the exciting experience of swimming around divers and snorkelers.

The best time to visit Norman Reef is said to be during the winter months when water temperatures are warm and the visibility is high. Norman Reef can be reached via charter boats from Cairns. These boats offer full-day or half-day diving trips to Norman Reef, with pickup and dropoffs at various locations in Cairns.