Golden Wall is a sheer drop-off at Holmes Reef. Marinelife.org.au gives a depth of 40 m and describes a wall covered in sea whips, gorgonians, black coral trees and soft corals, with schools of pelagic fish, sharks and turtles. The name refers to the golden tones of the sea whips and gorgonians that cover the face.

The wall falls from the reef edge well beyond recreational depth, so the dive is about managing depth while enjoying the growth on the face and the traffic in the blue. Sea whips grow straight out from the wall in the current, gorgonian fans spread across it, black coral trees add texture in deeper sections, and soft corals fill the gaps. On a sunny day with good visibility, the colours can be striking.

Pelagic schools pass along the wall, including trevally, barracuda and tuna, and grey reef and whitetip sharks patrol. Turtles feed on the reef and rest on ledges. Smaller animals such as anthias, butterflyfish and angelfish crowd the wall, and hawkfish perch on the gorgonians.

Golden Wall suits intermediate divers comfortable on a deep wall with no bottom in sight. It is not on current Mike Ball itinerary pages, so it is probably dived occasionally when the crew wants a wall rather than the pinnacle at Nonki or the caves at Amazing. Coordinates are approximate. Holmes Reef is zoned Habitat Protection Zone rather than National Park Zone, so recreational fishing is permitted; divers may occasionally see fishing lines or vessels, and should report any entangled wildlife to the crew.

Liveaboard only. Mike Ball's Spoilsport includes Holmes Reef on its 7-night Coral Sea exploratory (Cairns return), the 7-night Yongala & Coral Sea expedition (Townsville to Cairns) and the 10-night Coral Sea Odyssey; the overnight crossing from Cairns is about 240 km of open ocean. Holmes is normally allocated a day on these itineraries.

Golden Wall is dived from a mooring or tender drop when the crew chooses it; it is not on current published itineraries.

Holmes Reef is a pair of isolated Coral Sea atolls about 240–250 km east of Cairns with no land for shelter. Dive the World calls it a fair-weather destination: SE trades over about 20 knots (common June–August) make the crossing and surface conditions rough, although the lagoons and western sides offer some protection. Currents are normally gentle but can be strong in the channels and on the ridges, especially on a falling tide.

September–December usually has the calmest seas and 20–40 m visibility; December–April is cyclone season.

Descend to 20–25 m on the wall, follow it with the wall on one side while watching the blue for pelagic schools, turn at half gas and return shallower along the face to finish on the reef top.

Coral Sea liveaboards visiting Holmes Reef (Mike Ball Dive Expeditions) – occasional.