Where to dive in Australia in November
Coral spawning on the Great Barrier Reef, turtles nesting, and the start of summer on the southern coasts.
A few nights after the November full moon the Great Barrier Reef spawns, a night dive worth planning a trip around at Heron, Lady Elliot and the Cairns reefs. Turtles begin nesting on the southern cays. The stinger season starts on the Queensland coast, and the first cyclones can arrive late in the month, but the outer reef is still excellent. Christmas Island's whale sharks arrive with the red crab migration.
In the south the water is warming past 15 °C, the plankton clears through the month, and the summer shore-diving season starts on the Mornington Peninsula, Sydney's northern beaches and the Perth coast.
Where to go in November
Heron Island
Coral spawning and the first nesting turtles.
Outlook nowManta season at Lady Elliot is past its winter peak but rays are still on the Lighthouse Bommies most days. Water 21–22 °C, clear, and the turtle nesting season starts in November on Heron and Lady Musgrave. October is…
Christmas Island
Whale sharks arrive with the red crab spawn.
Outlook nowThe dry season (May–October) is ending: flat seas, 27 °C water, 30 m-plus visibility at Flying Fish Cove and the walls. Whale shark season at Christmas Island runs November to April, so late October is the crossover…
Sydney Northern Beaches
Warming water, grey nurse sharks moving south to Long Reef and Magic Point.
Outlook nowShelly Beach is at its clearest of the year in the last of the westerlies, with 16–17 °C water and the dusky whalers not yet back. Long Reef, the Dee Why wrecks and the Barrens Hut charters run in the mornings;…
Port Douglas
Last of the dry season on the Agincourt reefs.
Outlook nowPeak season on the Agincourt reefs: light winds from late September, 25 °C water, visibility often 25 m-plus at the shelf-edge sites. Book the smaller boats a week ahead in the school holidays. The wet season and…
Sites whose best season includes November539 sites
Drawn from each site's “best season” field, so only sites with a stated seasonal window appear; year-round sites are on the regional pages.
Queensland 269
- 1770 (Hastings Reef) · Max 20 m · Cairns
- Angel Bommie (Hastings Reef) · Max 18 m · Cairns
- Barracuda Bommie (Agincourt Reef 2) · Max 22 m · Port Douglas
- Bashful Bommie (Opal Reef) · Max 18 m · Port Douglas
- Blue Buoy (Opal Reef) · Depth not published · Port Douglas
- Blue Lagoon (Hastings Reef) · Max 18 m · Cairns
- Blue Lagoon (Thetford Reef) · Max 18 m · Cairns
- Castle Rock (Agincourt Reef 1) · Max 24 m · Port Douglas
- Cathedral (Thetford Reef) · Max 30 m · Cairns
- Caves (Norman Reef) · Max 25 m · Cairns
- Challenger Bay · Max 30 m · Ribbon Reefs & Lizard Island
- City Hall (Moore Reef) · Max 18 m · Cairns
- Clam Gardens (Lizard Island) · Max 6 m · Ribbon Reefs & Lizard Island
- Clipper & Super Cat (Norman Reef) · Max 22 m · Cairns
- Cod Hole · Max 32 m · Ribbon Reefs & Lizard Island
- Coral Gardens (Flynn Reef) · Max 30 m · Cairns
- Coronation Corner (Agincourt Reef 3) · Max 25 m · Port Douglas
- Fish Bowl (Hastings Reef) · Max 15 m · Cairns
- Fitzroy Island · Max 12 m · Cairns
- Gordon's Mooring (Flynn Reef) · Max 22 m · Cairns
- Great Adventures Pontoon Reef (Moore Reef) · Max 18 m · Cairns
- Green Island · Max 21 m · Cairns
- Harry's Bommie (Agincourt Reef 4) · Max 16 m · Port Douglas
- Horseshoe Reef (Agincourt Reef 2) · Max 20 m · Port Douglas
- Lighthouse Bommie · Max 30 m · Ribbon Reefs & Lizard Island
- Little Tracey (Flynn Reef) · Max 18 m · Cairns
- Low Isles · Max 8 m · Port Douglas
- Manta Bommie · Max 18 m · North Stradbroke Island
- Marine World Wall (Moore Reef) · Max 18 m · Cairns
- Michaelmas Cay · Max 12 m · Cairns
- MOUA Coral Greenhouse (John Brewer Reef) · Max 18 m · Townsville & Magnetic Island
- Nursery Bommie (Agincourt Reef) · Max 24 m · Port Douglas
- Petaj Mooring (Milln Reef) · Max 20 m · Cairns
- Phil's Reef (Agincourt Reef 3) · Max 16 m · Port Douglas
- Pixie Pinnacle · Max 30 m · Ribbon Reefs & Lizard Island
- Plate Top (Norman Reef) · Max 25 m · Cairns
- Playground (Norman Reef) · Max 18 m · Cairns
- Reefworld Pontoon (Hardy Reef) · Max 18 m · Whitsundays & Bowen
- Sandbox (Opal Reef) · Max 11 m · Port Douglas
- Sandra's (Norman Reef) · Max 25 m · Cairns
Showing the 40 most-dived; the state page lists the rest.
New South Wales 65
- Blackburn Island · Depth not published · Lord Howe Island
- Comet's Hole · Max 7 m · Lord Howe Island
- Dragon Rock (Tollgate Islands) · Max 25 m · Batemans Bay
- Erscott's Blind · Max 20 m · Lord Howe Island
- Erscott's Hole · Max 8 m · Lord Howe Island
- Favourite wreck (North Bay) · Depth not published · Lord Howe Island
- Neds Beach · Max 15 m · Lord Howe Island
- North Bay · Max 5 m · Lord Howe Island
- Old Settlement Beach · Max 4 m · Lord Howe Island
- Sylph's Hole · Max 5 m · Lord Howe Island
- The Leap (Kurnell) · Max 22 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- The Steps (Kurnell) · Max 15 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- Bare Island – 15 Metre Reef · Max 16 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- Bare Island – Deep Wall · Max 19 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- Deacon's Delight · Max 22 m · Lord Howe Island
- Horseshoe Reef · Depth not published · Lord Howe Island
- Inscription Point (Kurnell) · Max 14 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- Liv's Crack · Max 20 m · Lord Howe Island
- Malabar · Max 21 m · Lord Howe Island
- Malabar Landslide · Max 21 m · Lord Howe Island
- Malabar Third Reef · Max 21 m · Lord Howe Island
- Malabar West · Max 16 m · Lord Howe Island
- No-Name Rock · Depth not published · Lord Howe Island
- Noddy Island · Max 20 m · Lord Howe Island
- North Head Bommie · Max 18 m · Lord Howe Island
- North Rock · Max 30 m · Lord Howe Island
- Octopus Garden · Depth not published · Lord Howe Island
- Phillip Rock · Max 37 m · Lord Howe Island
- Roach Island / Flat Rock · Max 30 m · Lord Howe Island
- Roach Wall · Max 30 m · Lord Howe Island
- Rupert's Reef · Max 24 m · Lord Howe Island
- Shark Gutters (Montague Island) · Max 35 m · Narooma & Montague Island
- Shearwater Island · Max 16 m · Lord Howe Island
- South Island (Admiralty Islets) · Max 30 m · Lord Howe Island
- South Solitary Island – Manta Arch · Max 30 m · Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
- South Solitary Island – Shark Gutters · Max 18 m · Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
- Stephens Hole · Depth not published · Lord Howe Island
- Sugarloaf (Admiralty Islets) · Max 30 m · Lord Howe Island
- Tenth of June · Max 36 m · Lord Howe Island
- The Arch (Lord Howe) · Max 30 m · Lord Howe Island
Showing the 40 most-dived; the state page lists the rest.
Victoria 9
- Flinders Pier · Max 6 m · Mornington Peninsula
- Middle Island, Warrnambool · Max 15 m · Shipwreck Coast & Warrnambool
- Hurricane · Max 12 m · Melbourne & Port Phillip Bay
- Lawrence Rocks · Max 30 m · Portland & the West
- Point Franklin Reef, Portsea · Max 15 m · Mornington Peninsula
- Portsea Pier East Reef · Max 11 m · Mornington Peninsula
- Rosebud Pier · Max 8 m · Mornington Peninsula
- Discovery Bay Marine National Park (Whites Beach) · Max 60 m · Portland & the West
- Seal Colony, Cape Bridgewater · Max 10 m · Portland & the West
Tasmania 1
- Lake St Clair (Cynthia Bay) · Max 10 m · Tasmania Freshwater & Caves
South Australia 3
- Baird Bay – Sea Lions and Dolphins · Max 4 m · Eyre Peninsula
- Ewens Ponds · Max 10 m · Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves
- Blue Lake (Mount Gambier) · Max 77 m · Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves
Western Australia 82
- Essex Rocks Sea Lions (Jurien Bay) · Max 8 m · Turquoise Coast
- Boullanger Island & Jurien Bay Lagoon Reefs · Max 10 m · Turquoise Coast
- Cod Spot · Max 20 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Dinner Plates · Max 18 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Fraggle Rock · Max 20 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Keyhole · Max 20 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Lena Wreck · Max 18 m · Geographe Bay & Busselton
- Robb Jetty · Max 8.5 m · Perth
- Seal Island (Shoalwater) · Max 6 m · Perth
- Sponge Gardens (Muiron Islands) · Max 20 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- The Gap (Muiron Islands) · Max 20 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- The Spit (Muiron Islands) · Max 18 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Town Beach Flying Boat Wrecks (low-tide walk) · Max 1 m · Broome & Kimberley
- Turtle Bay (East Wallabi Island) · Max 5 m · Geraldton & Abrolhos Islands
- Whalebone · Max 20 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Beverly Hills · Max 24 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Blue Holes (Ningaloo westside) · Max 18 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Bunbury Offshore Coral Reefs · Max 33 m · Geographe Bay & Busselton
- Carnac Island · Max 14 m · Perth
- Central Station · Max 15 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Dynamite Bay & Point Louise (Green Head) · Max 6 m · Turquoise Coast
- False Passage · Max 18 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Fish Bowl (Muiron Islands) · Max 15 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Floats · Max 15 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Hangover Bay (Nambung) · Max 5 m · Turquoise Coast
- Hole in the Wall (Ningaloo) · Max 20 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Jurien Bay Jetty & Underwater Snorkel Trail · Max 6 m · Turquoise Coast
- Mandu Wall · Max 25 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Milyering Wall · Max 27 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Nick's Lumps · Max 15 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- O's Wall · Max 27 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Point Moore (Geraldton) · Max 15 m · Geraldton & Abrolhos Islands
- Ranger's Bommies · Max 8 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Sand Patch · Max 20 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- The Coliseum · Max 17 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Three Fins · Max 15 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Woody Island (Recherche Archipelago) · Max 10 m · Esperance & Recherche Archipelago
- Adele Island · Max 20 m · Broome & Kimberley
- Anemone Lump (Easter Group) · Max 38 m · Geraldton & Abrolhos Islands
- Batavia Wreck Site (Morning Reef) · Max 7 m · Geraldton & Abrolhos Islands
Showing the 40 most-dived; the state page lists the rest.
External Territories 110
- Emily Bay · Max 6 m · Norfolk Island
- Slaughter Bay · Max 6 m · Norfolk Island
- The Rip (Direction Island) · Max 8 m · Cocos (Keeling) Islands
- Admiralty (Osprey Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- Amazing (Holmes Reef) · Max 20 m · Coral Sea
- Around the Bend (Osprey Reef) · Max 35 m · Coral Sea
- Boat Cave · Max 16 m · Christmas Island
- Cemetery Bay · Depth not published · Norfolk Island
- Crystal Plateau (Bougainville Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- Dungeons & Dragons (Bougainville Reef) · Max 35 m · Coral Sea
- Fairy Grotto (Osprey Reef) · Max 35 m · Coral Sea
- False Entrance (Osprey Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- Half Way Wall (Osprey Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- MV Antonio Tarabocchia wreck · Max 25 m · Coral Sea
- Nonki Bommie (Holmes Reef) · Max 36 m · Coral Sea
- North Horn (Osprey Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- North Horn Wall (Osprey Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- Perpendicular Wall · Max 40 m · Christmas Island
- Prison Island · Max 5 m · Cocos (Keeling) Islands
- Pulu Maraya · Max 5 m · Cocos (Keeling) Islands
- Secret Caves (Osprey Reef) · Max 30 m · Coral Sea
- Silver City (Osprey Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- The Castles (Osprey Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- West White Beach · Max 15 m · Christmas Island
- West White Beach Cave · Max 28 m · Christmas Island
- Anchors Away (Bougainville Reef) · Max 28 m · Coral Sea
- Anson Bay · Max 8 m · Norfolk Island
- Between the Wrecks (Bougainville Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- Black Bank · Max 21 m · Norfolk Island
- Cascade Pier · Max 15 m · Norfolk Island
- Cathedral (Holmes Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- Claytons Wreck (Nepean Island) · Max 16 m · Norfolk Island
- Cod Wall (Flinders Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- Cooks Arch · Max 21 m · Norfolk Island
- Coral Canyons (Osprey Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- Corner Shop (Bougainville Reef) · Max 30 m · Coral Sea
- Crystal Pool · Max 6 m · Norfolk Island
- Egeria Point · Max 22 m · Christmas Island
- Fan Fair (Flinders Reef) · Depth not published · Coral Sea
- Fireplace · Max 20 m · Norfolk Island
Showing the 40 most-dived; the state page lists the rest.