Great Barrier Reef Far Northern Reefs Lizard Island Ribbon and Osprey Reef
Yonge Reef Port Douglas Cairns Holmes Reef Townsville Flinders Reef
Outer Coral Sea Whitsunday Islands Swain Reefs Southern Coral Sea
Keppel Islands Heron Island Lady Elliot Island Bundaberg Sunshine Coast
Moreton Bay Gold Coast
Queensland, with its balmy tropical islands, long, white sandy beaches and sunny climate, is Australia's most popular tourist destination. The Sunshine State extends from the tip of Cape York to the northern boundary of New South Wales, covering an area of 1.7 million sq km.
Day trippers, scuba divers, snorkelers and glass- bottomed boat enthusiasts are all catered for. Each pontoon is completely stable and all activities are maintained at the highest level with well trained staff keeping a watchful eye on all the safety aspects of visitors participating in each activety. Education is especially encouraged, with programs and instructional videos provided during the trip out to the reef.( photo: Neville Coleman)
The Sunshine State
Queensland, with its balmy tropical islands, long, white sandy beaches and sunny climate, is Australia's most popular tourist destination. The Sunshine State extends from the tip of Cape York to the northern boundary of New South Wales, covering an area of 1.7 million sq km. The Great Dividing Range splits this immense, geologically ancient landscape into two regions: a large, dry plateau plains area to the west, and a smaller, wet and relatively fertile coastal plain to the east where the majority of Queenslanders live.
Green Island is only a short distance out from Cairns and is serviced by a daily ferry. Scuba diving instruction is available and the waters are shallow enough to provide expanse for even the most avid snorkeler. In the early 1960's we used to go across on the first ferry in the morning ( taking our sandwiches in a plastic bag) snorkel all day out to the edge of the reef and catch the last ferry back at night. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
The 5,208 km coastline was first surveyed by Captain Cook in 1770. His ship, the HMS Endeavour was holed when it struck the Great Barrier Reef and Cook spent six weeks sheltering on the coast near present day Cooktown while his damaged ship was repaired. In 1802 the Queensland Coast was extensively charted by Lieutenant Matthew Flinders and several reefs bear his name.
The first European settlers in Queensland established a penal colony on the shores of Moreton Bay at Redcliffe in 1824. Lack of water soon forced the relocation of the settlement to the banks of the Brisbane River where the city of Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, is now situated. Land for pastoral purposes was offered for sale in 1842 and freehold settlers quickly followed.
Many of the Continental Islands offshore from the Queensland coast have resorts and dive shops. Although during winter the water is reasonably clear, during the wet season run off, the closer islands to the mainland may have reduced visibility.( photo: Neville Coleman)
Most of Queensland's three million inhabitants live in the southeast corner of the State, with close to 50 per cent of the State's population in the Brisbane area. Other major population centres include Toowoomba in the south; Bundaberg, Gladstone, Rockhampton and Mackay on the central coast; Townsville and Cairns in the north; and the mining town of Mount Isa in central Queensland. Tourism, mining, farming and fishing are major industries.
A large part of the Queensland coast is entrenched with fields of sugar cane bordering rivers with out lets to the sea. During the wet season lots of silt and agricultural residues flow into the surrounding waters and produce a muddy line some kilometres out to sea. These areas should be avoided for diving during the summer months. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Most of Queensland's inshore waters are not suitable for shore diving due to the extent of long sandy beaches, surf, mangrove areas and rivers. However, during times of offshore winds and calm seas those small areas ( Bagara, Bundaberg - Sunshine Coast - Gold Coast) which have rocky shorelines produce remarkable diving and a wealth of interesting critters. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Situated in a tropical to sub-tropical zone, Queensland's trademark is its warm, sunny weather. In the north of the State, the land temperature varies from 25-35¼C, and in the south 22-30¼C. In winter the overnight temperature can drop to 5¼C in the southeast corner. Water temperatures vary from 23-28¼C in the north to 18-26¼C in the south. While a lycra suit might be suitable during the hottest part of the year in the tropics, most of the time divers use 3-5mm wetsuits.
Day trippers snorkeling at one of the many pontoons which are permanently anchored at sites along the Great Barrier Reef. The outer reef areas are not influenced by seasonal run off and can be accessed right through the summer months as long as the sea is not too rough for the catamarans. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Diving conditions are good all year round, but are generally more stable over winter. Cyclones, which occasionally cross the Queensland coast during the summer months, have the potential to interrupt diving trips. However, they more often pass without having any effect on the diving conditions so don't let them affect your plans as summer can provide some of Queensland's best diving.
By far the clearest water and pristine coral reefs are all around coral cays and reef complexes towards the outer barrier. These areas can be axcessed by day boats, live aboards, float planes, helicopters and short takeoff aircraft to the islands and cays large enough for a runway. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
The State's major attraction would have to be the Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef system on earth. The Great Barrier Reef region stretches for about 2000 km along the Queensland coast, from the tip of Cape York to the Tropic of Capricorn, and offers the ultimate in sensational diving on pristine dive sites. Even though two million people visit the reef each year, many reefs and islands remain largely unexplored because of the incredible size and complexity of the region.
Offshore reefs can only be described as awesome. With around 400 species of stony corals and thousands of colourful fish and invertebrates, the area is so large it would take a thousand lifetimes to see it all. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
The diving industry in Queensland is booming, especially around Cairns and Port Douglas. Diving in Queensland is regulated by legislation which requires a high standard of safety control. All dives are logged and recorded, divers are asked to do a three-minute safety stop after each dive and all divers must have an octopus regulator, or secondary breathing system. There is currently only one recompression chamber in Queensland located at the Townsville General Hospital.
Due to the Great Barrier Reef areas being proclaimed National Parks and Marine Parks, at some dive locations the fish are so tame they take little notice of photographers, allowing divers to swim amongst them. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Dive shops and charter boats operate out of all major ports along the coast. The majority of dive shops are very professional, hire well-maintained gear, offer a good range of retail equipment and provide excellent servicing and repairs.
Growing beneath a huge overhang, these large gorgonian sea fans are lit up by the strobe light showing their startling colours and intricate forms. It is scenes like this that would encourage any scuba diver to carry an underwater torch at all times. Without a torch to highlight the coral reef animals true colours the experience of a lifetime pales to insignificance and so much beauty may remain unseen. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Snorkeling out from any of the many pontoons is a magic experience. Each snorkeler is supplied a mask, snorkel, fins and a floatation device and the reefs are all close enough for the average swimmer to reach, swim around and return. Supervision is always of premier importance, with a trained lifeguards on hand to ensure safety is maintained at all times. (Photo: Neville Coleman)
Most dive sites are accessed by charter boat; some are only five minutes from shore, others in the Coral Sea are over 20 hours away. A handful of good shore dives are located along the coast at Bundaberg and the Gold Coast, but day trips and live-aboard boats are by far the best way to enjoy the top dive sites. When planning a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, divers have a wide choice of live-aboard and day trips which depart from the mainland the continental islands. Alternatively, resort accommodation is available on a handful of beautiful coral cays where the reef is at your door step.
Shore diving is available on some islands such as Lady Elliot Island at the southern most end of the Great Barrier Reef. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Divers should not neglect the dive sites off the southern coast, as many are equal to the best the Reef has to offer. Many visitors arrive in Brisbane not realising that the Great Barrier Reef starts 400 km to the north, or that Cairns is over 1800 km away. Air travel is the best if you're on a tight schedule and flight costs can be reduced by pre-booking. The roads are good if you've got plenty of time. If you are travelling on a budget, bus and train transport are comfortable and reliable.
Great Barrier Reef Far Northern Reefs Lizard Island Ribbon and Osprey Reef
Yonge Reef Port Douglas Cairns Holmes Reef Townsville Flinders Reef
Outer Coral Sea Whitsunday Islands Swain Reefs Southern Coral Sea
Keppel Islands Heron Island Lady Elliot Island Bundaberg Sunshine Coast
Moreton Bay Gold Coast
Neville's expeditions, fauna surveys, photographic fauna surveys include every major group of marine life.
Neville's expertise in living taxonomy and marine life identification extends to the identification of Algae, Sea Grass, Mangroves, Forams, Sponges, Stony Corals, Soft Corals, Sea Anemones, Sea Jellies, Zoanthids, Corallimorphs, Black Corals, Flatworms, Segmented Worms, Crustaceans, Barnacles, Shrimps, Lobsters, Crayfish, Hermit Crabs, Squat Lobsters, Molluscs, Chitons, Univalves, Bivalves, Cephalopods, Octopus, Cuttlefish, Squid, Opisthobranchs, Nudibranchs, Sea Slugs, Bryozoans, Sea Mosses, Echinoderms, Sea Stars, Feather Stars, Brittle Stars, Sea Urchins, Sea Cucumbers, Ascidians/Sea Squirts, Fish, Sharks, Marine Reptiles, and Marine Mammals, all of which are found in Queensland and on the Great Barrier Reef.
