Where to dive in Australia in October
Arguably the best month of all: the Yongala, Osprey Reef, the Rowley Shoals, the far northern reef and Ningaloo all in season.
October is the month for the big trips. The SS Yongala is at its calmest, the Coral Sea liveaboards are running to Osprey Reef, the Rowley Shoals boats are out of Broome, and the far northern Great Barrier Reef expeditions to Raine Island and the Great Detached Reef run only now and in November. Ningaloo's humpback swims finish, the Kimberley is still dry, and the Great Barrier Reef water is warming toward the November coral spawning.
The southern states are in spring: warming water, occasional plankton, and the piers busy with breeding cuttlefish and seadragons.
Where to go in October
Far Northern Reef
The only expedition window of the year.
Rowley Shoals
Peak liveaboard month.
Townsville
Yongala in its best window.
Coral Sea
Light winds for the Osprey crossing.
Sites whose best season includes October808 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 397
- 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
- Blue Pearl Bay (Hayman Island) · Max 18 m · Whitsundays & Bowen
- 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
- Gold Coast Seaway – South-West Wall (Broadwater beach) · Max 8 m · Gold Coast
- 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
- Marine World Wall (Moore Reef) · Max 18 m · Cairns
- Michaelmas Cay · Max 12 m · Cairns
- Monkey Beach (Great Keppel Island) · Max 6 m · Capricorn Coast & Keppel Islands
- MOUA Coral Greenhouse (John Brewer Reef) · Max 18 m · Townsville & Magnetic Island
- Nurse Rock · Max 22 m · Sunshine Coast
- 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
Showing the 40 most-dived; the state page lists the rest.
New South Wales 104
- Blackburn Island · Depth not published · Lord Howe Island
- Comet's Hole · Max 7 m · Lord Howe Island
- Erscott's Blind · Max 20 m · Lord Howe Island
- Erscott's Hole · Max 8 m · Lord Howe Island
- Fairlight · Max 12 m · Sydney Harbour
- Favourite wreck (North Bay) · Depth not published · Lord Howe Island
- Julian Rocks – Cod Hole · Max 22 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- Julian Rocks – Cray Cave · Max 25 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- Julian Rocks – Rock Cod Cave · Max 24 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- Montague Island Seal Colony · Max 15 m · Narooma & Montague 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
- Chowder Bay Wharf (naval wharf and mooring chains) · Max 12 m · Sydney Harbour
- Deacon's Delight · Max 22 m · Lord Howe Island
- Dee Why Wide (Advanced) · Max 30 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- 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
- Martin Island · Max 30 m · Wollongong & Kiama
- Nine Mile Reef · Max 30 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- 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
- Shearwater Island · Max 16 m · Lord Howe Island
Showing the 40 most-dived; the state page lists the rest.
Victoria 16
- 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
- SS Uralba · Max 18 m · Melbourne & Port Phillip Bay
- Crawfish Rock · Max 32 m · Mornington Peninsula
- Discovery Bay Marine National Park (Whites Beach) · Max 60 m · Portland & the West
- Hastings Pier · Max 5 m · Mornington Peninsula
- Seal Colony, Cape Bridgewater · Max 10 m · Portland & the West
- SS City of Launceston · Max 22 m · Melbourne & Port Phillip Bay
- SS Kakariki · Max 10 m · Melbourne & Port Phillip Bay
- Stony Point Pier · Max 9 m · Mornington Peninsula
- Tankerton Jetty, French Island · Max 8 m · Mornington Peninsula
Tasmania 1
- Lake St Clair (Cynthia Bay) · Max 10 m · Tasmania Freshwater & Caves
South Australia 4
- Baird Bay – Sea Lions and Dolphins · Max 4 m · Eyre Peninsula
- Ewens Ponds · Max 10 m · Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves
- Kingscote Jetty · Max 8 m · Kangaroo Island
- Emu Bay Jetty · Max 7 m · Kangaroo Island
Western Australia 140
- Essex Rocks Sea Lions (Jurien Bay) · Max 8 m · Turquoise Coast
- Monkey Mia · Max 3 m · Kalbarri & Shark Bay
- Ningaloo Humpback Whale Swim · Depth not published · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Ningaloo Whale Shark Swim · Depth not published · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- Tantabiddi Sanctuary Zone (Staghorns & The Bombies) · Max 3.5 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
- ALC40 & Gay Dragon Wrecks (Bicton) · Max 8.5 m · Perth
- Bicton Baths (Swan River) · Max 15 m · Perth
- 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
- HMAS Perth Wreck · Max 35 m · Albany & Great Southern
- 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
- Bare Rock (Dampier) · Max 20 m · Pilbara & Dampier
- 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
- Delambre Island · Max 14 m · Pilbara & Dampier
- Dynamite Bay & Point Louise (Green Head) · Max 6 m · Turquoise Coast
- Enderby Island · Max 17 m · Pilbara & Dampier
- 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
- Kendrew Island · Max 20 m · Pilbara & Dampier
- Legendre Island · Max 35 m · Pilbara & Dampier
- Mandu Wall · Max 25 m · Ningaloo – Exmouth
Showing the 40 most-dived; the state page lists the rest.
Northern Territory 69
- DK 06 Ham Luong · Max 25 m · Darwin Harbour
- John Holland Barge · Max 25 m · Darwin Harbour
- Medkhanun 3 · Max 20 m · Darwin Harbour
- NR Diemen · Max 12 m · Darwin Harbour
- Song Saigon · Max 25 m · Darwin Harbour
- SS Mauna Loa · Max 20 m · Darwin Harbour
- SS Zealandia · Max 22 m · Darwin Harbour
- USAT Meigs · Max 18 m · Darwin Harbour
- Amanda Lee · Max 28 m · Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs
- Amelia C · Max 28 m · Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs
- Antares and Steel Barge · Max 28 m · Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs
- Bellbird · Max 16 m · Darwin Harbour
- Bus Stop Reef · Max 25 m · Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs
- C-47 Dakota A65-115 · Max 22 m · Darwin Harbour
- Channel Rock · Max 16 m · Darwin Harbour
- Cockatoo and Mudlark Artificial Reef · Max 25 m · Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs
- DSAC Barge · Max 25 m · Darwin Harbour
- Dudley Point Bommies · Max 8 m · Darwin Harbour
- East Point Reef · Max 8 m · Darwin Harbour
- Galah and Heron Artificial Reef · Max 25 m · Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs
- Kelat · Max 12 m · Darwin Harbour
- Marchart 3 · Max 28 m · Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs
- Merindah Pearl · Max 28 m · Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs
- Pipeline Artificial Reef · Max 25 m · Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs
- The Pinnacle · Max 15 m · Darwin Harbour
- USS Peary · Max 30 m · Darwin Harbour
- Weed Reef Bommies · Max 16 m · Darwin Harbour
- Adelaide River Mouth Engineered Reef · Max 16 m · Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs
- Beaufort A9-497 · Max 18 m · Darwin Harbour
- Bennetts Bottom · Max 32 m · Darwin Harbour
- Bluebird · Max 15 m · Darwin Harbour
- Booya · Max 22 m · Darwin Harbour
- Bottlewasher Artificial Reef · Max 15 m · Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs
- British Motorist · Max 20 m · Darwin Harbour
- Buffalo LVT amphibious vehicle · Max 23 m · Darwin Harbour
- Bynoe Harbour Entrance Reefs · Depth not published · Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs
- Catalina A24-1 (Catalina 1) · Max 5 m · Darwin Harbour
- Catalina A24-206 (Catalina 3) · Max 16 m · Darwin Harbour
- Catalina A24-69 (Catalina 2) · Max 12 m · Darwin Harbour
- Darwin Princess · Max 26 m · Darwin Harbour
Showing the 40 most-dived; the state page lists the rest.
External Territories 77
- 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
- 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
- Resort Lagoon / Waterfall Bay · Max 20 m · Christmas Island
- 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
- Between the Wrecks (Bougainville Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- Cathedral (Holmes Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- Cod Wall (Flinders Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- Coral Canyons (Osprey Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- Corner Shop (Bougainville Reef) · Max 30 m · Coral Sea
- Egeria Point · Max 22 m · Christmas Island
- Ethel Beach · Max 14 m · Christmas Island
- Fan Fair (Flinders Reef) · Depth not published · Coral Sea
- Golden Wall (Holmes Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- Leopard's Lair (Holmes Reef) · Max 35 m · Coral Sea
- Line of Sight (Holmes Reef) · Max 30 m · Coral Sea
- Middle Earth (Bougainville Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- Nautilus Wall (Osprey Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- North West Point · Max 14 m · Christmas Island
- Northern Lights (Holmes Reef) · Max 35 m · Coral Sea
- Pig Rock · Max 22 m · Christmas Island
- Pirate Cove · Max 15 m · Christmas Island
- The Abyss (Holmes Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
- The Sticks (Bougainville Reef) · Max 40 m · Coral Sea
Showing the 40 most-dived; the state page lists the rest.