This bucket list destination for divers the world over is right on our doorstep. So what are you waiting for?
At over 344,400 square kilometres and home to the world's largest coral reef ecosystem, the Great Barrier Reef includes 3000 individual reefs, 300 coral cays and 150 inshore mangrove islands.
It extends south from the northern tip of Queensland to just north of Bundaberg and is home to so many species of aquatic life that the jellyfish category alone comes in at over 100.
But best of all, much of it can be explored via diving and it's just a short flight away from most Australian capitals.
Silversonic is one of the slickest operators on the reef. So much that it has exclusive permits to certain areas and this tour caters for both divers and snorkelers. Everybody wins. You get to experience a trio of dive locations, all your diving and snorkelling gear is provided and you also score transfers. Priced from $303 per person.
Down Under Cruise and Dive has access to over a dozen spots over the reef to explore from Cairns and Hastings Reef is only one of two you will discover over the course of a day trip. Depending on weather conditions Saxon Reef or Norman Reef could also be on the menu. The certified dive excursion includes five hours on the reef, a buffet lunch and all the gear you will need for a day out. What's more, the 35-metre superyacht is incredibly fast so you get to the good stuff quicker. From $286.35
In 1911, the SS Yongala sank off the coast of Magnetic Island, an hour south of Cairns near Townsville. In the intervening century plus, it has become a mecca for both divers and sea life such as manta rays, eagle rays, turtles and sharks. You get two dives over the course of the day for $292 plus $40 gear hire.
This salty contemporary art gallery can totally be viewed with a snorkel but it's at its best without you having to continually have to bob to the surface. The Coral Greenhouse Sculpture is a nine metre nursery designed to dissipate destructive currents and holds the Guinness World Record for the world's largest underwater art structure. However, it's the Ocean Sentinels series of sculptures - which blend figurative and ocean forms - that are the most haunting. From $260.
These jewels in the Southern Great Barrier Reef precinct have relatively shallow water and are great for novice divers just finding their flippers. There is abundant sea life to interact with from green turtles and reef sharks to vibrantly coloured reef fish and mantas. Try to get to the nearby Lady Elliot and Lady Musgrave islands for some of the best corals on the entire reef. From $377.
When a cluster of ships was sunk off Tangalooma Island between 1963 and 1984 by the Queensland government, the hope was that - with time - they would become hyper accessible dive sites. The mission has been accomplished as they sit just off shore and are now home to not only 100 species of fish but also visiting dolphins, dugongs and wobbegongs. From $169.
Okay, it's not strictly the GBR, but this world's first buoyant reef is comprised of nine underwater sculptures coated in coral to attract sea life which sit 22 metres above the sea floor. Some of the species that call it home include Indian scad bait fish, giant gold-spotted rock cod, Queensland groupers and sequinned mulloway. It's just 10 minutes from the city with dives at eight, 18 and 30 metres. Independent divers can visit and double dives start from $165 excluding dive gear.
To qualify in introductory diving courses, children need to 10 years or older depending on the course.
There's no such thing as a bad time of year but be aware that stinger seasons runs between November and May, with most dive companies providing stinger suits.
Depending on the vessel and which reef you are going to, allow a minimum of 90 minutes to two hours.
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