BAIT REEF
|
| Type of dive: |
|
Coral reef |
| Snorkelling: |
|
Great ‘Reef’ snorkelling! |
| Scuba: |
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Open Water but few charters do scuba |
| Access: |
|
Boat only (All day activity) |
| Depth: |
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Up to 10+ metres (33+’) |
| Visibility: |
|
15 – 40 metres (50-130’) |
| Water temperature: |
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24 – 29°C (76-84°F) |
| Seasonal: |
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No, can visit anytime but February & March can be windy |
Beautiful coral gardens and incredible fish life!
Airlie Beach, a quaint tourist town half way between Brisbane and Cairns in far north Queensland, is the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands and some great ‘reef’ diving.
The picturesque archipelago consists of 74 continental islands, most of which are uninhabited.
The Whitsunday Island group got its name from the Whitsunday’s Passage, named by Captain Cook on his 1770 discovery voyage of Australia.
The Whitsundays Islands is Australia’s most popular sailing holiday destination, famous for Whitehaven Beach and its resorts on Hamilton Island, Hayman Island and many others.
Bait Reef is located in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park on the edge of the Coral Sea, 65 kilometres (40 mi) from Airlie Beach.
The trip out through the Whitsunday Islands is absolutely spectacular.
Bait Reef a great example of the breathtaking diversity of the Reef’s marine life!
There are 600 types of soft and hard corals, more than 100 species of jellyfish, 3,000 varieties of mollusc, 500 species of worms, 1,625 types of fish, 133 varieties of sharks and rays, and more than 30 species of whales and dolphins living in and around the Great Barrier Reef.
What a list!
The fish life includes large schools of bait fish which attract pelagic fish such as giant trevally, weighing up to 20 kilograms (40 lb), in schools of more than 50 fish.
Copyright © 2024 Steve Sinclair
2026 GREAT AUSTRALIAN DIVE CHALLENGE
Dive Registration
To register this dive for validation, go to: www.50greatdives.com.
NOTE: Entrants should do this dive with one of the following preferred dive services.
DIVE SERVICES
RED CAT ADVENTURES
2/350 Shute Harbour Road
Airlie Beach QLD 4802
+61 (7) 4946 4444
book@redcatadventures.com.au
www.redcatadventures.com.au
SPECIAL OFFER: 15% for the Outer Reef Snorkel Adventure ONLY
To Redeem: Go to redcatadventures.com.au & use code: greatdives15
DIVE TRAVEL SERVICES
WATER TEMPERATURES:
LOCATION
State or Territory:
Queensland
Nearest City:
Brisbane
Nearest Regional City:
Mackay
Nearest Town:
Airlie Beach
HOW TO GET THERE
Air:
Nearest International Airport:
Brisbane/Cairns
Nearest Domestic/Regional Airport:
Proserpine/Hamilton Island
Road:
Brisbane to Airlie Beach:
12.5 hours (1,120 km/695 mi) via National Highway A1
Cairns to Airlie Beach:
Just under 8 hours (625 km/390 mi) via National Highway A1
Bus:
From Brisbane/Townsville/Cairns
Train:
From Brisbane/Townsville/Cairns to Proserpine
