Airlie Beach Whitsundays Great Barrier Reef Day Dive

This Whitsundays scuba diving trip to the Great Barrier Reef aboard the wave piercer vessel 'Seaflight' is the only Whitsundays Great Barrier Reef day diving trip available. If you are looking for a dive on the Great Barrier Reef from Airlie Beach in the Whitsundays, this is it. This scenic cruise through the most beautiful part of the Whitsunday Islands to the outer Great Barrier Reef is very popular and snorkelling or scuba diving on the reef are the main activities. Getting here can be a bit tricky so make sure you check out Getting to Airlie Beach for transport tips.

A pickup and dropoff at Hamilton Island is also available.

Hardy Reef Pontoon features an incredible underwater viewing chamber, Queensland's largest.

Scuba Diving Activities

All dives on the Great Barrier Reef day dive are conducted at the Pontoon complex out at Hardy Reef - the outer Great Barrier Reef. A modern wavepiercer is the vessel that will deliver you to the pontoon. Onboard the boat, you will be introduced to your Dive Guide, who will discuss your diving needs with you and place you in a group of no more than 4 people with similar experience.  If you have recently completed your course, or if you haven't dived for a long time, the facility has a 'moon pool' set underneath the pontoon, where your Dive Guide will give you a tailored refresher and begin your dive with an easy entry. If you are an experienced diver or feeling comfortable on your first dive with us, we offer a drift dive along the reef wall. Upon arrival, your Dive Guide will provide you with everything you need for scuba diving from the scuba equipment which has been thoroughly checked and is ready to go. 

Hardy Reef, a Mature Platform Reef, is around 10,000 - 18,000 years old and is abundant with marine life. Your Dive Guide will be able to show you the best parts of the reef - expect to find anything from Giant Trevally schooling underneath the pontoon or with your guide’s expert eye spotting the smaller treasures such as nudibranchs and flatworms, and maybe a turtle or two! A resident Queensland Grouper lives under the pontoon and not forgetting the resident giant Maori Wrasse.  Hardy Reef drops all the way down to 70 metres, but you will find yourself diving between relaxing depths of 12m to 16m's, where we can find the best marine life.  Expect the dive to last around 45 minutes. Whilst on the dive you will find our underwater photographer, who will be able to capture your special memories, diving on the Great Barrier Reef, which you can view and purchase on the journey home with your Dive Guide who will also discuss the marine life and sign your log books over afternoon tea. 

Medicals
All certified and Introductory divers are required to complete a Medical Declaration for Diving.

This can be completed either before or on the day of your trip. If you complete it before then you need to bring it on to the boat with you. Otherwise a blank copy will be provided for you to fill in on the journey to the pontoon. 

If you have any medical conditions listed on this form, we recommend seeing a diving doctor beforehand to give you a "Fit to dive" certificate to guarantee your safety and dive spot on the day.

You can get a copy here: Medical Declaration for Diving