Queensland - Townsville - Flinders Reef GBR

Flinders Reef is situated hundreds of miles off the coast of Townsville.
Gorgonians (sea fans) and Alcyonarians (sea pens) are both major features of the Flinders Reef.  Visibility is constantly good.  Flinders reef offers a range of dives some which are regular sites visited by the live aboard tours.  Additional to these there is extensive sections of reef which is not well known.  You can expect to see 5 meter wide gorgonians(sea fans) and 2 meter tall yellow and red alcyonarians.

SCUBA ZOO
Location            South Flinders - South Boomerang Reef
Max Dive Depth 15 meters

Features:  The Mike Ball Dive Expeditions has built an enormous diving cage which is anchored to the seabed.  Like most dives in Australia, this dive is preceded with a dive briefing.  With the added excitement and adrenalin attached being involved with a shark feeding (of fish that is), be sure to pay attention to the briefing.   All divers enter the water at the same time, descend and position themselves inside the long anchored cage.  This is securely closed.  Now a garbage bin is lowered into the water, it has puncture holes in it, the scent of fish drift off into the water and it attracts one, then two followed by a mass of sharks.  With only the scent, the sharks calmly circle the bin.  When it is opened by the instructor, all calmness is lost.  The sharks consume the contents quickly and then disappear into the blue as quickly as they arrived.  There are other predatory fish which also appear, such as barracuda, hoping for some left over fish.  The cages are then opened and the divers return safely to the boat.

SOFTWOOD FOREST
Location            South West internal to the lagoon - fixed mooring
Max Dive Depth 20 meters

Features:  Flat top bommie (coral tower), medium size alcyonarians (tropical sea plume) and small gorgonians (sea fans).  The seabed is between 50-60 meters.  There is plenty of seabed life, and we suggest a wide angle photo session.

FAN FUN
Location            Southern West end - Mid Reef
Max Dive Depth  20 meters

Features:  This dive is along the wall of two bommies (coral towers), circle the two towers in a clockwise direction.  Resist the temptation to go between the two bommies as it's a little tight and you will do more damage than good.   Crevices are home to a large school of batfish and wonderful yellow and green corals.  The seabed is 50 meters down, but the best depth is 0-20 meters

ROCK ARCH
Location            South West
Max Dive Depth 30 meters

Features:  This is a great beginner dive, if you stay to circling the buttresses.  Exploring the wall is suited for more experienced divers.  The wall drops to 100 plus meters. A wonderful characteristic is the large cracks and crevices.  Gorgonians up to 3 meters wide.  There are also sponges which are just as beautiful as the gorgonians and alcyonarians

MIDNIGHT REEF
Location            South Western Side - Fixed Mooring
Max Dive Depth 30 meters

Features:  The seabed is at 50 meters and this bommie rises to 7 meters below the surface.  Hard and soft coral.  Plateau depth is 7-15 meters.   You can swim across the plateau North East and then descend to 30 meters.  Blue surgeon fish and small sharks in the deeper water.  This is a great night dive location at 7-15 meters, featuring crayfish, and octopus and normally shy moray eels.  For those underwater photographers out there, wide angle for the day dive, save the macro for the night dive.

WATANABE BOMMIE
Location            Mid West
Max Dive Depth  30 meters

Features:  This bommie rises from the seabed at 60 meter to 11 meters below the surface.  Sand anchorage is the best option.  Strong currents with bountiful schools of fish, that leaves the tower and swim into open water.  Both of these factors will influence your air consumption so be sure to watch your gauges. We recommend you go to at least 30 meters as there is a beautiful grotto, very rich in fish.  Deeper than 30 meters offers large gorgonians and alcyonarians.  There are great specimens at 30 meters as well. Schools of Jacks, barracuda and grey sharks.  Utlising your wide angle you will be able to capture schools of fish, crinoids (feather stars) are also present, look for them clinging to the gorgonians (sea fans).

CHINA WALL
Location            South Flinders - North Boomerang Reef - Fixed Mooring
Max Dive Depth  Dive 1 - 0-28 meters, OR Dive 2 - 0-40 meters

Features:  Depending on your experience and certification level will depend on which dive you choose. Both offer similar scenery.  Remember that this dive is not far from Scuba Zoo, so you may spot some white tip reef sharks and barracuda.

COD WALL
Location            South Flinders - close to Scuba Zoo.
Max Dive Depth 0-45 meters
Features:  Strong currents, so ensure that the winds are less than 15 knots to dive this location.   Every dive in this area appears to show us large gorgonians, some 5 meters wide.   Large elephant ear sponges are also fantastic on this dive.  In the depths you can hope to see Grey reef sharks and maybe a couple of hammerheads.