Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 9 Nov 2026
Morley Island Dive Trail
Geraldton & Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia · near Geraldton
| Depth | 2–25 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Advanced Open Water |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Access | Boat (multi-day/liveaboard) |
| Entry | Giant stride or back roll from charter/private boat |
| Current | Mild |
| Visibility | 15-25 m |
| Water | summer 22-24 °C, winter 20-21 °C |
| Suit | 3-5 mm wetsuit |
| Best season | March-May and September-November |
| Bottom time | 50 min |
| Position | not published |
| Permit | Houtman Abrolhos Islands National Park (declared 2019) and Fish Habitat Protection Area – visitor rules, Reef Observation Areas (no fishing) and public moorings apply; no camping; check DPIRD/DBCA Abrolhos visitor guide. |
| Nearest chamber | Fiona Stanley Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Murdoch, Perth) – requires aeromedical evacuation (RFDS) from this remote site |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Morley Island Dive Trail
Also known as Morley Island
A gentle reef slope with finger-coral shallows and low walls – good for mixed snorkel/dive groups.
Near Geraldton · Geraldton & Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia
- Depth
- 2–25 m
- Minimum level
- Advanced Open Water
- Access
- Boat (multi-day/liveaboard)
- Boat ride
- ~210 min
- Water
- 22-24 °C
- Visibility
- 15-25 m
Morley Island Dive Trail2–25 m · Advanced Open Water
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
In season nowBest months: March, April, May, September, October, November.
March-May and September-November
- Best months
- Now (November)
- Stinger suit Nov–May
Dive facts
- Depth
- 2–25 m
- Typical depth
- 12 m
- Certification
- Advanced Open Water
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Depth tier
- Advanced Open Water (18–30 m)
- Access
- Boat (multi-day/liveaboard)
- Offshore
- 65 km
- Dive centre needed
- Yes – boat access only
- Shore / independent
- No
- Boat ride
- ~210 min
- Current
- Mild
- Visibility
- 15-25 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 22-24 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 20-21 °C
- Water
- Subtropical
- Bottom time
- 50 min
- Dive traffic
- Remote/expedition only
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- Yes
Exposure suit
3-5 mm wetsuit
Location
Easter/Wallabi Group – Morley Island · Mid West – Houtman Abrolhos
No published coordinates. The map above shows the general area, estimated from other documented sites near Geraldton.
Primary source: marinelife.org.auMarine park & permits
Houtman Abrolhos Islands National Park (declared 2019) and Fish Habitat Protection Area – visitor rules, Reef Observation Areas (no fishing) and public moorings apply; no camping; check DPIRD/DBCA Abrolhos visitor guide.
Nearest recompression chamber
Fiona Stanley Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Murdoch, Perth) – requires aeromedical evacuation (RFDS) from this remote site
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Morley Island Dive Trail →
A day-by-day plan for Geraldton & Abrolhos Islands with this site locked in.
This guide is a planning aid. Conditions change daily — confirm with a local dive centre and dive within your training. Data & safety notes.
Dive profile
How this site rates
Scores are computed from the recorded data, not opinions. How?
At a glance
Morley Island Dive Trail is a reef liveaboard-only site in Geraldton & Abrolhos Islands, WA, 2–25 m, suited to Advanced Open Water divers, about 210 minutes by boat.
Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day, though note depth beyond 18 m.
Why dive here
- A gentle reef slope with finger-coral shallows and low walls – good for mixed snorkel/dive groups.
- Snorkel-friendly, so non-diving companions can join at the surface.
- Rarely dived: expect to have the site to yourself, and plan your own logistics.
- Visibility often reaches 15-25 m.
About Morley Island Dive Trail
Marine Life Network describes the Morley Island Dive Trail as a reef slope system with low walls, finger coral dominating the shallows, and small baldchin groper and sergeant majors among the fish, in 2-25 m north of Morley Island. Eco Abrolhos also lists Morley Island for beach snorkelling with excellent reef about 25 m offshore.
The gradual slope makes it a flexible site for mixed groups: snorkellers stay over the finger coral, while divers descend along the low walls. The coral cover and the mix of tropical and temperate fish are typical of the Abrolhos, and visibility is usually good. Little further detail has been published.
Getting there & entry
Dive trail on the reef slope north of Morley Island, 2-25 m, with finger coral dominating the shallows and low walls below.
The Houtman Abrolhos lie 60-80 km west of Geraldton (about 420 km north of Perth). There is no public accommodation or camping on the islands, so divers visit on liveaboard trips departing Geraldton (a 3-5 hour crossing), on private vessels using the public moorings, or – for snorkelling only – on scenic-flight day tours that land on East Wallabi Island. Morley Island is visited by liveaboards and private boats; the trail is on the northern side.
Eco Abrolhos lists Morley Island beach snorkelling with reef 25 m offshore.
Entry: Giant stride or back roll from charter/private boat
Weather, swell & tides
The Abrolhos sit on the edge of the continental shelf in the path of the warm Leeuwin Current, which keeps water at 20-24°C and supports the world's southernmost major coral reefs. The islands are exposed to the south-west swell and to strong southerly winds that blow most afternoons from October to March; the crossing from Geraldton is often rough. Marine Life Network recommends March-May and September-November; late summer-autumn highs give the calmest seas.
Western rock lobster season (15 March-30 June) brings fishing camps and boat traffic. The northern side of Morley Island is sheltered from southerly weather.
Best season: March-May and September-November
How the dive is usually run
Follow the trail down the reef slope to the low walls at 15-25 m, then ascend into the finger-coral shallows for the second half of the dive.
Marine life
- Finger corals
- baldchin groper
- sergeant majors
- wrasse
- buffalo bream
- parrotfish
Linked species have their own page listing every site where they are recorded. All marine life →
Training required
Beyond 18 m an Advanced certification (which includes a deep dive to 30 m) is the accepted minimum. Anything past 25 m is a deep dive in practice.
Open Water divers can dive the shallower section (typical depth 12 m); the full site to 25 m needs Advanced Open Water. Operators often quote Open Water.
Operators' own listing: Open Water.
Depth tiers: 0–10 m easy · to 18 m Open Water · 18–30 m Advanced (25 m+ is a deep dive) · 30–40 m Deep specialty · 40 m+ technical. All courses
Hazards & warnings
Remote; coral – anchor in sand; sun exposure.
Dive centres that go here
Liveaboard only for diving: Image Dive – 'Southern Image', the only dedicated dive boat at the Abrolhos (4 days/4 nights from Geraldton, max 8 divers, 3-4 dives a day); Eco Abrolhos Cruises – 5-day small-group cruises from Geraldton with snorkelling and diving; occasional Perth club charters. Batavia Coast Dive & Watersports (Geraldton) runs Abrolhos trips when boats are available.
Operators recorded for Morley Island Dive Trail
Image Dive & Charters
Named by sitesHillarys · Perth · WA
Image Dive Pty Ltd trading as Image Dive and Charters; boat dive charters from Hillarys.
imagedive.com.au · 0417 957 870
Eco Abrolhos Cruises
Named by sitesGeraldton · Geraldton & Abrolhos Islands · WA
Liveaboard cruise operator to the Abrolhos Islands.
ecoabrolhos.com.au · (08) 9964 5101
Other dive centres in Geraldton & Abrolhos Islands
General area
No position has been published for Morley Island Dive Trail. The circle shows where it is likely to be, worked out from other documented sites near Geraldton. Ask a local operator for the exact site.
Dashed circle: general area (about 60 km), from other documented sites near Geraldton. 6 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Morley Island Dive Trail: frequently asked questions
How deep is Morley Island Dive Trail?
Morley Island Dive Trail reaches a maximum depth of 25 m, with the shallowest part at about 2 m; most of the dive is spent around 12 m.
What certification do I need to dive Morley Island Dive Trail?
Advanced Open Water is the recommended minimum. Open Water divers can dive the shallower section (typical depth 12 m); the full site to 25 m needs Advanced Open Water. Operators often quote Open Water. Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day, though note depth beyond 18 m.
Can I shore dive Morley Island Dive Trail?
No, it is reached by boat (about 210 minutes). A dive centre is required: boat access only.
When is the best time to dive Morley Island Dive Trail?
March-May and September-November.
What marine life will I see at Morley Island Dive Trail?
Regularly recorded: Finger corals, baldchin groper, sergeant majors, wrasse, buffalo bream, parrotfish.
What wetsuit do I need at Morley Island Dive Trail?
3-5 mm wetsuit.
How cold is the water at Morley Island Dive Trail?
Typically 22-24 °C in summer and 20-21 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Morley Island Dive Trail?
Remote; coral – anchor in sand; sun exposure. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Morley Island Dive Trail?
Fiona Stanley Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Murdoch, Perth) – requires aeromedical evacuation (RFDS) from this remote site. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Geraldton & Abrolhos Islands
The Houtman Abrolhos, 60 km off Geraldton, are 122 islands with coral reefs, the Batavia (1629) wreck site and huge crayfish populations in water that mixes tropical and temperate species. Geraldton itself has the Point Moore reefs and the SS Sunbeam and other wrecks.
Getting there: Charters and short liveaboards from Geraldton, five hours north of Perth, mostly in spring and autumn.
All Geraldton & Abrolhos Islands dive sites and a suggested itinerary →
Sources
Data confidence: Low · Being verified: Marine Life Network lists Morley Island under the Wallabi Group; Eco Abrolhos lists it with the Easter Group – confirm group. Description under 250 words.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
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