Taylor Reef is Mission Beach Dive's second outer-reef site and is usually paired with Beaver Reef on the same day. Like Beaver it is in a Marine National Park (Green) Zone and reachable in 60-90 minutes from Clump Point, but its character is different. Mission Beach Dive describes towering coral bommies, pinnacles, with overhangs, swim-throughs and ledges, their tops at 8-10 m and their sandy bases at 20-22 m.

That profile makes Taylor more of a pinnacle dive than a coral-garden dive, and the operator recommends Advanced Open Water for exploring the deeper parts of the bommies, while Open Water divers can enjoy the upper sections and snorkellers the shallowest tops. The bommies carry hard corals, soft corals, sea fans and sponges, and the protected status shows in the fish: giant trevally, barracuda schools, groupers, stingrays on the sand, green turtles and nudibranchs, with reef manta rays passing between June and October. Visibility is typically 20-30 m in good conditions, better than on many inner reefs, particularly between April and December.

The overhangs and ledges on the bommies are worth exploring slowly, as groupers and sleeping sharks often shelter beneath them. Because few boats visit, Taylor retains the feel of a remote outer reef, even though it is only a morning's boat ride from Mission Beach. Coordinates given here are approximate and should be confirmed.

Mission Beach Dive keeps groups to a maximum of twelve guests and includes all equipment and permits. Stinger suits are advisable from October to May.

Boat access only. Mission Beach trips leave from the Clump Point jetty and marina at the northern end of Mission Beach, about 25 km east of the Bruce Highway at El Arish or Tully and roughly 1 hour 45 minutes' drive south of Cairns; there is free parking at Clump Point and most operators collect guests from Mission Beach accommodation. Check-in is usually around 8:00 am.

The run out to Taylor Reef takes about 90 minutes, passing Dunk Island and the Family Islands, and is noticeably quicker than reaching the outer reef from Cairns. Trips do not run every day, so book ahead. Mission Beach Dive usually combines Taylor with Beaver Reef on the same day.

The Mission Beach reefs are exposed to the south-east trade winds, which blow 15-25 knots for much of April-September and can cancel trips; the calmest months are usually September-December. Box jellyfish and Irukandji are present from about October-November to May, most dangerously close to the coast, so wear a full stinger suit. The cyclone season runs November-April, and Mission Beach has been hit hard by cyclones Larry (2006) and Yasi (2011).

Heavy wet-season rain and river flood plumes from the Tully and Johnstone rivers reduce visibility on the inner reefs. Mission Beach Dive gives April-December as the best period for Taylor's visibility; reef manta rays are most likely June-October.

Descend to the base of a bommie at 18-22 m, circle it using the overhangs and swim-throughs, then move to a neighbouring bommie at mid-depth. Finish on a bommie top at 8-10 m and do the safety stop there.

Mission Beach Dive – small-group day trips (max 12) from Clump Point Marina, not daily; Reef Goddess day tours; Taylor is paired with Beaver Reef