Great Adventures is the longest-established pontoon operator on the Cairns outer reef. Its own history records an outer-reef pontoon at Norman Reef from 1987 and multi-level pontoons at both Norman and Moore reefs from 1992, and current tour listings place the outer-reef pontoon at Moore Reef, although some agents still describe it as being at Norman; divers should confirm which reef their trip visits. The diving is organised from the pontoon: certified divers join guided dives to a maximum of 18 m, and introductory divers go no deeper than 12 m in groups of up to four with an instructor, each dive lasting about 30-40 minutes.

Cairns Dive Adventures notes that dives are relatively shallow because of the pontoon's position, and that is the nature of the site: a coral garden on a sheltered reef slope rather than a wall or pinnacle. The reef around the platform supports anemonefish, Maori wrasse, nudibranchs, parrotfish and giant clams, with the broader Moore Reef fauna of juvenile fish, reef sharks, trevally, sweetlips and turtles also possible. The trip suits people combining Green Island and the outer reef in one day, families with non-divers, and anyone wanting an introductory dive; experienced divers seeking multiple deeper dives will do better on a dedicated dive boat.

Because the pontoon location is inconsistently reported, the location should be verified, and coordinates are given for the Moore Reef centre only. The Green Island stop adds a second destination to the day for passengers who choose the island-and-reef combination, and there is usually plenty of time for snorkelling between dives.

Boat access only. Cairns day boats leave from the Reef Fleet Terminal (1 Spence Street) and the neighbouring Marlin Marina on the city waterfront, with check-in between about 7:00 and 8:00 am; most operators run transfers from city and northern-beaches accommodation, and there is paid parking near the terminal. The run of about 47 km out through Trinity Inlet and across the lagoon to Moore Reef takes around 90 minutes on a fast catamaran and noticeably longer on slower dive boats or into a south-easterly chop.

Great Adventures' catamaran leaves the Reef Fleet Terminal at 10:30 am, calls briefly at Green Island (passengers on the reef-only trip stay on board) and spends about three hours at the pontoon, returning at 5:30 pm. Gear is supplied; dives start from the pontoon platform.

The prevailing south-east trade winds (typically 15-25 knots from April to September) are what limit Cairns outer-reef diving: above about 25 knots trips may be cancelled, and exposed eastern moorings are used only in light winds. Summer northerlies are gentler but make north-facing moorings choppy. Box jellyfish and Irukandji are present from about November to May (stinger suits on every dive), and the cyclone season runs November to April, when a system in the Coral Sea can close the reef for days.

Visibility drops after heavy rain and strong winds; spring is usually calmest and clearest. Moore's horseshoe shape shelters its western side in south-easterlies, so the pontoons run in most weather short of a gale or cyclone. Great Adventures' pontoon operates daily; the Green Island stop lengthens the trip, so rough weather makes for a long day on the water.

Guided certified dives descend from the pontoon platform to 12-18 m on the reef slope and return through the coral garden for a safety stop beside the pontoon; introductory dives stay above 12 m with an instructor.

Great Adventures – daily pontoon trips: certified dives to 18 m and introductory dives to 12 m (max four per instructor), about 30-40 minutes