Great Barrier Reef, Whitsundays hosts Manly scuba-diving couple’s underwater marriage proposal

An adventure-loving couple has shared the moment they got engaged 10 metres underwater on the Great Barrier Reef – but the romantic moment almost didn’t happen. WATCH THE VIDEO.

The Whitsundays played host to a breathtaking marriage proposal over the festive season, when a creative coal miner went to great depths to woo his scuba-loving bride to be.

Brisbane-raised former Hamilton Island employee Theo Van De Pitte took advantage of his connections to pull off an elaborate plan to pop the question underwater on the Great Barrier Reef late last year, managing to keep it a surprise for his partner of four years, management consultant Beth Elliott.

The Manly-based couple took a boat out to Mantaray Bay on December 29, donned their scuba gear and together explored various underwater sculptures, coral, and marine life, before Theo led Beth to a carefully placed clam shell containing her engagement ring.

There was only one thing left to do after that, and when Theo held up a sign spelling out exactly what he was asking, Beth’s enthusiastic thumbs-up made her answer clear.

Coal miner Theo Van De Pitte and management consultant Beth Elliott celebrate their Great Barrier Reef engagement back on dry land in the Whitsundays. Picture: Supplied

When they came up for air, the couple popped a bottle of champagne and shared a kiss while floating in the water.

Beth said she “had [her] suspicions” Theo had been planning something extra special for their week-long Whitsundays getaway, as his nerves had shown themselves a couple of times – especially when, in the swim up to the ring, he “lost his buoyancy and crashed into the bottom of the sea bed”.

“I think it had been a fair few months in the planning but there’s certain times in a woman’s life when you don’t question things too closely,” Beth said.

“[Theo had] planned the whole trip as a surprise – I knew we were going somewhere, I just didn’t know where.

“Then he was extremely stressed on the night before we flew up because our accommodation got cancelled because of a Covid outbreak.

“We were meant to be staying on Hayman Island but they were down on staff and couldn’t accept anyone.

“We had to scramble and luckily we found a place in Airlie Beach and we were delighted we could still make the diving trip happen.”

Theo Van De Pitte orchestrated the elaborate proposal for partner Beth Elliott knowing she is ‘happiest in, on or under the water’. Picture: Supplied

The team at tour company Ocean Dynamics – who had previously facilitated proposals on the water but never underwater – proved a big help making it a day to remember, for all the right reasons – from weighing down the ring box so it wouldn’t float away, to filming the experience for Theo and Beth to keep forever.

Avid travellers Theo and Beth met on a tour through Costa Rica four years ago. Picture: Supplied

As for wedding plans, Beth said an underwater ceremony was probably not on the cards, but it was still early days.

For now the couple is enjoying being engaged and planning a trip to the UK in June to celebrate with Beth’s family.

“We haven’t really got into the details of the planning yet but I think it will definitely need to be near water or have water involved,” Beth said.

“I’m a water baby – it’s my happy place.”